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Science Areas

• Biology
• Geography
• Geology
• Geospatial
• Water

• Biological Informatics Program
  Create the informatics framework, provide the scientific content, and develop the public and private partnerships needed for the understanding and stewardship of our Nation's biological resources.
• Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP)
• Contaminant Biology Program
  Investigates the effects and exposure of environmental contaminants to the Nation's living resources, particularly those under the stewardship of the Department of the Interior.
• Cooperative Research Units - Biology (CRU)
  Conduct research on renewable natural resource questions; participate in the education of graduate students destined to become natural resource managers and scientists; provide technical assistance and consultation to parties who have legitimate interests in natural resource issues; and provide continuing education for natural resource professionals.
• Cooperative Water Program (Coop)
  Provide reliable, impartial, and timely information needed to understand the Nation's water resources through a program of shared efforts and funding with State, Tribal, and local partners to enable decision makers to wisely manage the Nation's water resources.
• Earth Surface Dynamics (ESD)
  Focuses on documenting, analyzing, and modeling the character of past and present environments and the geological, biological, hydrological, and geochemical processes involved in environmental change so that future environmental changes and impacts can be anticipated.
• Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP)
  Provides and applies relevant earthquake science information and knowledge for reducing deaths, injuries, and property damage from earthquakes through understanding of their characteristics and effects and by providing the information and knowledge needed to mitigate these losses.
• Energy Resources Program (ERP)
  Conducts basic and applied research on geologic energy resources and on the environmental, economic, and human health impacts of their production and use. Provides reliable and impartial scientific information on geologically based energy resources, including: oil, natural gas, coal, coalbed methane (CBM), gas hydrates, geothermal resources, uranium, oil shale, and bitumen and heavy oil.
• Enterprise Information
• Fisheries: Aquatic and Endangered Resources Program (FAER)
  Focuses on the study of aquatic organisms and aquatic habitats.
• Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program (GAM)
  Uses earth observation data supplied by land remote sensing coupled with data from many natural science sources and relevant socio-economic data to improve our understanding of the rates, causes, and consequences of natural and human-induced processes that shape the landscape over time.
• Global Change
  The USGS strives to understand how the earth works and to anticipate changes in how the earth functions. To accomplish this, USGS science aims to understand the interrelationships among earth surface processes, ecological systems, and human activities. This includes understanding current changes in the context of pre-historic and recent earth processes, distinguishing between natural and human-influenced changes, and recognizing ecological and physical responses to changes in climate.
• Global Seismic Networks (GSN)
  Contains 128 seismographic stations in more than 80 countries on all continents; provides coverage for earthquake monitoring, worldwide reporting and research; monitors nuclear explosions worldwide.
• Ground Water Resources Program (GWRP)
  Provides objective scientific information and develop interdisciplinary understanding necessary to help assure the availability of the Nation's ground-water resources.
• Hydrologic Networks and Analysis
  Supports stations documenting the long-term flow characteristics and trends on climatic and other natural variations; monitoring or documenting Supreme Court Decrees and river basin compacts to which the U.S. government is a signatory; acts as part of the flood-forecasting network of the National Weather Service (NWS) and support the mission of other bureaus of the Department of Interior or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Hydrologic Research and Development (HRD)
• International Programs
• Invasive Species Program
  Provides methodologies and information to address threats to ecological systems and native species due to the introduction and spread of invasive species.
• Land Remote Sensing Program (LRP)
  Provides the Federal Government and the public with a primary source of remotely sensed data and applications and to be a leader in defining the future of land remote sensing, nationally and internationally.
• Landslide Hazards Program (LHP)
  Conducts landslide hazard assessments, pursues landslide investigations and forecasts, provides technical assistance to respond to landslide emergencies, and engages in outreach activities; provides information that leads to the reduction of losses from landslides and increase in public safety through improved understanding of landslide hazards and strategies for hazard mitigation.
• Mineral Resources Program (MRP)
  The sole Federal source for providing scientific information for objective resource assessments and unbiased research results on mineral potential, production, consumption, and environmental effects.
• National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP)
  Provides accurate geologic maps and three-dimensional framework models that help to sustain and improve the quality of life and economic vitality of the Nation and to mitigate natural hazards.
• National Geomagnetism Program
  Operates and maintains magnetic observatories located in the United States and its Territories, and monitors and analyzes the Earth's geomagnetic field to help determine the effects on our planet.
• National Geospatial Program Office (NGPO)
• National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP)
  With over 7,300 streamgages, the National Streamflow Information Program provides the Nation with streamflow information to help protect life and property and manage our water resources.
• National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA)
  Provides an understanding of water-quality conditions and how those conditions may vary locally, regionally, and nationally; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions.
• Priority Ecosystems Science (PES)
  Provides science in support of adaptive management of ecosystems that have near-term societal concern and significant long-term societal value.
• Science Impact
• State Water Resources Research Institute Program (WRRI)
• Status and Trends of Biological Resources Program (S&T)
  Measures, predicts, assesses, and reports the status and trends of the Nation's biological resources. The Program facilitates research, enables resource management and stewardship, and promotes public understanding and appreciation of our living resources.
• Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Program
• Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
  Provides objective scientific information on environmental contamination to improve characterization and management of contaminated sites, to protect human and environmental health, and to reduce potential future contamination problems.
• Volcano Hazards Program (VHP)
• Wildlife and Terrestrial Resources Program
  Conducts research on diverse natural resource topics involving migratory wildlife, marine mammals, threatened and endangered species, wildlife disease, terrestrial plants, and amphibians.