diff --git a/dataretrieval/nwis.py b/dataretrieval/nwis.py
index 3f75f22..266dfda 100644
--- a/dataretrieval/nwis.py
+++ b/dataretrieval/nwis.py
@@ -11,12 +11,13 @@
 from io import StringIO
 import re
 
-from dataretrieval.utils import to_str, format_datetime, update_merge, set_metadata as set_md
-from .utils import query
+from dataretrieval.utils import to_str, format_datetime, update_merge, set_metadata as set_md, query
 
 WATERDATA_BASE_URL = 'https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/'
 WATERDATA_URL = WATERDATA_BASE_URL + 'nwis/'
 WATERSERVICE_URL = 'https://waterservices.usgs.gov/nwis/'
+PARAMCODES_URL = 'https://help.waterdata.usgs.gov/code/parameter_cd_nm_query?'
+ALLPARAMCODES_URL = 'https://help.waterdata.usgs.gov/code/parameter_cd_query?'
 
 WATERSERVICES_SERVICES = ['dv', 'iv', 'site', 'stat', 'gwlevels']
 WATERDATA_SERVICES = ['qwdata', 'measurements', 'peaks', 'pmcodes', 'water_use', 'ratings']
@@ -436,32 +437,54 @@ def _iv(**kwargs):
     return _read_json(response.json()), _set_metadata(response, **kwargs)
 
 
-def get_pmcodes(parameterCd='All', **kwargs):
+def get_pmcodes(parameterInfo = 'all', partial = False):
     """
-    Return a DataFrame containing all NWIS parameter codes.
+    Return a DataFrame containing NWIS parameter code information.
 
-    Note: NWIS may return incorrect column names. Rename them with
-
-    >>> df.rename(columns={key:value})
-
-    Parameters (Additional parameters, if supplied, will be used as query parameters).
+    parameterInfo accepts parameter codes or names. 
     ----------
-        parameterCd: string or listlike
+        parameterInfo: string or listlike
+        partial: default is False, can take any value. If a value is provided the function will query partial matches 
+        
     Returns:
         DataFrame containing the USGS parameter codes and Metadata as tuple
     """
-    payload = {'radio_pm_search' : 'pm_search',
-               'pm_group' : 'All+--+include+all+parameter+groups',
-               'pm_search' : parameterCd,
-               'casrn_search' : None,
-               'srsname_search' : None,
-               'show' :  ['parameter_group_nm', 'casrn', 'srsname','parameter_units', 'parameter_nm'],
-               'format' : 'rdb'}
+    url = PARAMCODES_URL
+    payload = {'fmt':'rdb'}
+    
+    if parameterInfo is None:
+        raise TypeError('The query must include a parameter name or code')
+        
+    else:
+        if isinstance(parameterInfo, str): # when a single code or name is given
+            if parameterInfo.lower() == "all": # Querying all parameters (this is also the default)
+                payload.update({'group_cd':'%'})
+                url = ALLPARAMCODES_URL
+            else: # this is for querying with a single parameter code or name
+                if partial:
+                    parameterInfo ='%{0}%'.format(parameterInfo)
+                payload.update({'parm_nm_cd':parameterInfo})  
+        elif isinstance(parameterInfo, list): # Querying with a list of parameters names, codes, or mixed
+            l = []
+            for param in parameterInfo:
+                if isinstance(param, str):
+                    if partial:
+                        param ='%{0}%'.format(param)
+                    payload.update({'parm_nm_cd':param})
+                    response = query(url, payload)
+                    if len(response.text.splitlines()) < 10: # empty query
+                        raise TypeError('One of the parameter code or name entered does not return any information, please try a different value')
+                    l.append(_read_rdb(response.text))
+                else:
+                    raise TypeError('Parameter information (code or name) must be type string or list')
+            return pd.concat(l), _set_metadata(response)
+        else:
+            raise TypeError('Parameter information (code or name) must be type string or list')
     
-    payload.update(kwargs)
-    url = WATERDATA_URL + 'pmcodes/pmcodes'
     response = query(url, payload)
-    return _read_rdb(response.text), _set_metadata(response, **kwargs)
+    if len(response.text.splitlines()) < 10: # empty query
+        raise TypeError('The query does not return any information, please try a different code or name. Consider using partial = True to enlarge query results')
+    return _read_rdb(response.text), _set_metadata(response)
 
 
 def get_water_use(years="ALL", state=None, counties="ALL", categories="ALL"):
@@ -713,7 +736,7 @@ def _read_rdb(rdb):
             break
 
     fields = re.split("[,\t]", rdb.splitlines()[count])
-    dtypes = {'site_no': str, 'dec_long_va': float, 'dec_lat_va': float}
+    dtypes = {'site_no': str, 'dec_long_va': float, 'dec_lat_va': float, 'parm_cd': str, 'parameter_cd':str}
 
     df = pd.read_csv(StringIO(rdb), delimiter='\t', skiprows=count + 2,
                      names=fields, na_values='NaN', dtype=dtypes)
diff --git a/dataretrieval/waterwatch.py b/dataretrieval/waterwatch.py
index a3410b4..d7c9485 100644
--- a/dataretrieval/waterwatch.py
+++ b/dataretrieval/waterwatch.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def get_flood_stage(sites: List[str] = None, fmt: str= "DF") -> Union[pd.DataFra
     07144101         None        None                 None              None
     50057000           16          20                   24                30
     """
-    res = requests.get(url + 'floodstage', params={"format": ResponseFormat})
+    res = requests.get(waterwatch_url + 'floodstage', params={"format": ResponseFormat})
 
     if res.ok:
         json_res = res.json()