diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e5fc7d34398dcb9a2918e897426711764cac0f97..7ff23bd291fc83a2b68d7a765a950ace53c3ce7c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
 - Parameter codes with multiple methods will now show statistical data for each method available.
 - The hydrograph legend and time span shortcuts will now correctly display for calculated temperature parameter codes.
 - The DV graph will now have an inverted y-axis for only certain parameter codes.
+- If a prefered parameter code is not available, the first parameter code in the parameter selection list will now be selected.
 
 ## [1.2.0](https://github.com/usgs/waterdataui/compare/waterdataui-1.1.0...waterdataui-1.2.0) - 2022-06-10
 ### Added
diff --git a/wdfn-server/waterdata/location_utils.py b/wdfn-server/waterdata/location_utils.py
index b58881a416cae78edb56305bf57a36d100331a51..421d97ccc47045181cd5a4f590e48ced193fe945 100644
--- a/wdfn-server/waterdata/location_utils.py
+++ b/wdfn-server/waterdata/location_utils.py
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ def get_default_parameter_code(iv_parameters, gw_parameters):
             return parameter_code
 
     if iv_parameters:
-        return list(iv_parameters)[0]
+        return list(iv_parameters)[-1]
     if gw_parameters:
-        return list(gw_parameters)[0]
+        return list(gw_parameters)[-1]
     return ''
diff --git a/wdfn-server/waterdata/tests/test_location_utils.py b/wdfn-server/waterdata/tests/test_location_utils.py
index 4309046cfa89694e94966af42b826eb3a8554395..9d325c7e7cc684b352f176212b620ebb948b2bae 100644
--- a/wdfn-server/waterdata/tests/test_location_utils.py
+++ b/wdfn-server/waterdata/tests/test_location_utils.py
@@ -674,7 +674,14 @@ class TestGetDefaultParameterCode(TestCase):
         }, {
             '65536': {}
         }), ['00010', '00011'])
-
+        self.assertEqual(get_default_parameter_code({
+            '00035': {},
+            '00036': {},
+            '62614': {}
+        }, {
+            '00035': {},
+            '65536': {}
+        }), '62614')
     def test_iv_only(self):
         self.assertEqual(get_default_parameter_code({
             '00060',
@@ -687,3 +694,7 @@ class TestGetDefaultParameterCode(TestCase):
             '72019': {},
             '65536': {}
         }), '72019')
+        self.assertEqual(get_default_parameter_code({}, {
+            '00010': {},
+            '65536': {}
+        }), '65536')