New USGS modeling studies project changes in water availability due to climate change at the local level. So far, the USGS has applied these models to fourteen basins, including: 

• Sprague River Basin, Oregon
• Sagehen Creek Basin, California
• Feather River Basin, California
• Naches River Basin, Washington
• Yampa River Basin, Colorado
• East River Basin, Colorado
• Black Earth Creek Basin, Wisconsin
• Flint River Basin, Georgia
• Pomperaug River Watershed, Connecticut
• Clear Creek Basin, Iowa
• Cathance Stream Basin, Maine
• Trout Lake Basin, Wisconsin
• Starkweather Coulee Basin, North Dakota
• South Fork of the Flathead River, Montana

"The advantage of these studies is that they demonstrate that there is not just one hydrological response to climate change: the predictions account for essential local factors that will govern the timing, severity, and type of impact, whether it be water shortage, drought, or flood," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "This is exactly the sort of information communities need to know now, because we are unlikely to see a 'water-as-usual' future." 

These local projections are based on General Circulation Models (GCM) that predict how climate change will affect temperature, precipitation, and emissions for large regional areas. The USGS’s Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) applies information from the downscaled GCM projections to local watersheds, where impacts of climate change on water availability will depend on local conditions. These local-scale hydrologic projections will allow managers to plan for changes in water resources that are specific to their area. 

For example, the USGS models project that changes to snow pack in the Sprague River Basin in Oregon could cause annual peak streamflows to occur earlier in the spring as overall basin storage decreases, which may force managers to modify storage operation and reprioritize water deliveries for environmental and human needs. Reduced snowpack in headwaters of the Colorado River could affect the amount and timing of streamflow to the Colorado River and also impact important recreation areas. Portions of Maine may see higher streamflows which could affect populations of endangered Atlantic salmon. Areas of the already drought-stressed Flint River Basin, one of Atlanta’s primary drinking water supplies, are projected to become even drier. 

The results for each basin present a complex story due to uncertainty associated with the future climate projections and their effect on the hydrological response of the different geographical regions of the nation.

Detailed information about watershed responses to climate change can be found online. Additionally, a collection of USGS studies that contributed to these basin-wide analyses was published in the journal Earth Interactions. 

The downscaled GCM models are obtained from the World Climate Research Programme's Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 multi-model dataset archive. The USGS PRMS models were developed as part of the USGS National Research Program (NRP) in cooperation with USGS Water Science Centers. The NRP develops new information, theories, and techniques to anticipate, understand, and solve problems facing resources managers and is a national leader in understanding the effects of climate change on water resources. 

These USGS models are just one of several tools developed and used by agencies within the Department of the Interior to study potential impacts from climate change and to provide tools to resource managers to adapt to those changes. For example, the Bureau of Reclamation recently unveiled a user-friendly tool for calculating future streamflow and water supplies at 195 sites in the western United States to help increase accessibility of science-based information and ease understanding of how climate variations will impact water availability for local communities.

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Veterans Affairs have equipped over 70 VA medical centers across the country with seismic monitoring systems that monitor in real time what happens to buildings during and after earthquakes._Most recently, the agencies installed 36 sensors in two buildings at the Memphis VA Medical Center. These sensors provide information that can be used to see what happens to the buildings during an event, to judge the safety of the buildings afterwards, and to design safer hospitals in the future. 

"Modern hospitals are immense investments in state-of-the-art facilities, high-tech equipment, highly-educated medical professionals, as well as recovering patients, all of which need the very best protection in the event of an earthquake," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We are grateful for the partnership of the Department of Veterans Affairs in helping the USGS to record very detailed building performance data that will ultimately reduce risk to life and property from natural hazards."

Hospitals are just one piece of the Nation’s critical infrastructure threatened by the shaking that comes with earthquakes. The USGS monitors more than 250 structures nationwide including fire stations, emergency operation centers, major bridges, nuclear power plants, offshore drilling platforms and airports.

These monitoring stations are part of the implementation of the USGS Advanced National Seismic System, which is modernizing and expanding earthquake monitoring around the Nation to improve the overall understanding of earthquakes and their behavior. This allows for better preparation for earthquakes and can minimize damage by designing safer structures that protect vulnerable citizens and resources.

USGS structural monitoring provides information about how buildings act during shaking, and how damage occurs. This can lead to improved earthquake-resistant design techniques, as well as predict how buildings will withstand different levels of shaking. Data from the sensors demonstrate whether the buildings behaved as designed by recording:

• the swaying and twisting of the buildings,
• the time it takes seismic waves to travel from the foundations to the roofs, and
• how the frame of the buildings changed during the earthquake.

Other sensors located away from the building record overall ground shaking to feed USGS Shakemaps. These graphics show ground motion and shaking intensity after significant earthquakes, giving a visual representation of a quake’s behavior and impact for rapid situational awareness.

The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program  is part of the four-agency National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Earthquakes pose significant risk to 75 million Americans in 39 States. The EHP provides information and products for earthquake loss reduction, including hazard and risk assessment, and comprehensive real-time earthquake monitoring.

Learn more about the Memphis VA Hospital Center’s real-time seismic monitoring system in this USGS Factsheet.

The millionth observation was done by Lucille Tower, a citizen-scientist in Portland, Ore., who entered a record about seeing maple vines flowering. Her data, like all of the entries, came in  through USA-NPN’s online observation program, Nature's Notebook, which engages more than 4,000 volunteers across the country to observe and record phenology – the timing of the recurring life events of plants and animals such as when cherry trees or lilacs blossom, when robins build their nests, when salmon swim upstream to spawn or when leaves turn colors in the fall.   

Each record not only represents a single data point — the status of a specific life stage of an individual plant or animal on one day – but also benefits both science and society by helping researchers understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and, in turn, how those responses are affecting people and ecological systems.   

"My dream is that through the wonders of modern technology and the National Phenology Network we could turn the more than six billion people on the planet into components of our scientific observing system," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We could make giant leaps in science education, improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the planet, lower the cost of scientific data collection, and all while making ordinary citizens feel a part of the scientific process." 

Jake Weltzin, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and the executive director of USA-NPN, concurs. "Hitting the one millionth observation is exciting because researchers and decision-makers need more information to understand and respond to our rapidly changing planet. More information means better-informed decisions that ensure the continued vitality of our natural areas that we all depend on and enjoy." 

For example, said Weltzin, the data in Nature's Notebook are already being used to benefit society, including the development of more accurate indicators of spring, forecasting the onset of allergy seasons or the chances of western wildfires, managing wildlife and invasive plants, and setting goals for habitat restoration. Ultimately, such information can be used for better managing water resources, wildlife and ecosystem management, and even help farmers and ranchers across the nation.  

Changes in phenology are among the most sensitive biological indicators of global change. Across the world, many springtime events are occurring earlier — and fall events happening later — than in the past. These changes are happening quickly for some species and more slowly, or not at all, for others, altering relationships and processes that have been dynamically stable for thousands of years.  Some wildlife —like caribou and butterflies — are becoming mismatched from their plant food resources, which are responding differently.  Migrations for some birds are changing too, as they can now overwinter instead of moving south for the winter, or as they fly north more quickly to keep pace with an advancing front of spring flowering. 

Because of this, said Weltzin, scientists need more and better information about the pace and pattern of nature — locally to nationally — to answer important scientific and societal questions, and to build the tools and models needed to help people understand and adapt to the changes. 

"So much of our improved understanding about global environmental changes is driven by varied and valuable sources of information that include networks of citizen-scientists," said John Wingfield, National Science Foundation’s assistant director for biological sciences.  "The public at large has played an important role collecting observations and data for a hundred years and more. Knowledge and data gained from their work will continue to have a lasting effect on how we understand regularly recurring biological phenomena for hundreds of plant and animal species and contribute to the policy arena."  

Gwen Lundburg in Seattle is one citizen-scientist who has contributed hundreds of entries into Nature’s Notebook. "Just noticing small changes like tiny purple lilac buds suddenly turning green has taught me to look more closely at my plants," Lundburg said. "I see things in my garden I never saw before." 

With the help of citizen-scientist volunteers, working in concert with professionals, the USA-NPN, which was established in 2007, collects, stores and freely shares phenological data on more than 800 species of plants and animals. The Nature’s Notebook observing program has been in operation since 2009. The coordinating office of the organization is located at 1955 E. 6^th St., Tucson, Ariz., 85721. For more information, visit the USA National Phenology Network, or contact Jake Weltzin at 520-626-3821 or jweltzin@usgs.gov.

Scientists correlated the natural variation in strontium isotopes found in stream waters against those recorded in otoliths (earbones) of westslope cutthroat trout to examine fish movements during their lifetime. 

This study was the first to show that the use of isotopes in water and earbones accurately assesses movement of trout wholly within a freshwater system. The research was conducted by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Montana State University, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.  

"It worked so well! The values in the water matched those in the otoliths, which grow like rings in a tree," said Clint Muhlfeld, USGS scientist and lead author of the study. "As fish grow and move into new environments, the otoliths record that information and we matched that with stream statistics to reconstruct the entire life cycle of a fish." 

The study provides a reliable method that compliments traditional fish tracking techniques. This research may allow biologists to investigate non-native species invasions, identify important populations, and quantify life histories of freshwater fishes in river networks. 

"All life is literally a product of its chemical environment, and there is no more dramatic demonstration of that fact than the ability to retrace the life history of fish from the variations in the chemicals deposited in their ear bones as they grow and migrate through space and time," explained USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "As this technique has already proven its scientific value in understanding the movement of fish in the marine environment and those which migrate from freshwater streams to the ocean, it is truly an achievement that could inspire 'CSI'." 

Westslope cutthroat trout are an important native fish species in western North America where their populations have declined because of factors including habitat destruction, fragmentation and non-native species. These fish make extensive migrations among spawning, growth and refuge habitats, yet conventional tracking techniques have not been able to unravel the extent of their movements. Knowing exactly what habitat the fish use during each life stage is an important component to understanding their ecology and, in turn, more effectively managing this important species. 

"This approach could be very useful in understanding life history strategies and conservation needs of freshwater fishes worldwide," said Muhlfeld. "Biologists are typically limited to examining movements of fish at checkpoints throughout their lives or over small periods of time.  This approach allows examination of a fish’s entire life with significant accuracy." 

The study provides a reliable method that compliments traditional fish tracking techniques and may allow biologists to investigate non-native species invasions, identify important populations, and quantify life histories of freshwater fishes in river networks. The article, "Estimating westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) movements in a river network using strontium isoscapes," can be viewed online. 

More information about this study can be found on the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center website.

Content updated - 4/26/2012  6:48 pm

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The recent rise in sightings of non-native Asian tiger shrimp off the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts has government scientists working to determine the cause of the increase and the possible consequences for native fish and seafood in those waters. 

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working with state agencies from North Carolina to Texas to look into how this transplanted species from Indo-Pacific, Asian and Australian waters reached U.S. waters, and what the increase in sightings means for native species. 

"We can confirm there was nearly a tenfold jump in reports of Asian tiger shrimp in 2011," explained Pam Fuller, the USGS biologist who runs the agency's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database. "And they are probably even more prevalent than reports suggest, because the more fisherman and other locals become accustomed to seeing them, the less likely they are to report them." 

NOAA scientists are launching a research effort to understand more about the biology of these shrimp and how they may affect the ecology of native fisheries and coastal ecosystems. As with all non-native species, there are concerns over the potential for novel avenues of disease transmission and competition with native shrimp stocks, especially given the high growth rates and spawning rates compared with other species. 

"The Asian tiger shrimp represents yet another potential marine invader capable of altering fragile marine ecosystems," said NOAA marine ecologist James Morris. "Our efforts will include assessments of the biology and ecology of this non-native species and attempts to predict impacts to economically and ecologically important species of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico." 

The cause of the rapid increase in sightings remains uncertain, Fuller added. The non-native shrimp species may have escaped from aquaculture facilities, although there are no longer any known Asian tiger shrimp farms presently in operation in the United States. It may have been transported in ballast water from ships or possibly arrived on ocean currents from wild populations in the Caribbean or other locations.      

Fuller's team at USGS has been tracking reports of Asian tiger shrimp since they first came to the attention of marine scientists and resource managers in 1988, when nearly 300 of them were collected off the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida within three months. Scientists tracked the cause back to an isolated incident that accidentally caused an estimated 2,000 animals to be released from an aquaculture facility operating at that time in South Carolina. 

It was not until 18 years later that reports of the non-native shrimp resurfaced. In 2006, a commercial shrimp fisherman caught a single adult male in Mississippi Sound near Dauphin Island, Ala. Within months, additional specimens were noted in North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound, Louisiana’s Vermilion Bay and other parts of Florida and the Carolinas. The species was later reported off the coasts of Georgia, Mississippi and Texas in 2008, 2009 and 2011, respectively. 

Scientists have not yet officially deemed the Asian tiger shrimp "established" in U.S. waters, and no one is certain what triggered the recent round of sightings. With so many alternative theories about where these shrimp are coming from and only a handful of juveniles reported, it is hard for scientists to conclude whether they are breeding or simply being carried in by currents.

To look for answers, USGS and NOAA scientists are examining shrimp collected from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts to look for subtle differences in their DNA, information that could offer valuable clues to their origins. This is the first look at the genetics of wild caught Asian tiger shrimp populations found in this part of the U.S., and may shed light on whether there are multiple sources. 

"We're going to start by searching for subtle differences in the DNA of Asian tiger shrimp found here – outside their native range –to see if we can learn more about how they got here," said USGS geneticist Margaret Hunter, "If we find differences, the next step will be to fine-tune the analysis to determine whether they are breeding here, have multiple populations, or are carried in from outside areas."

Anyone who sees one or more shrimp suspected to be an Asian tiger shrimp is asked to note the location and report the sighting to the USGS NAS database. If possible, freeze a specimen to help confirm the identity and contribute to a tissue repository maintained by NOAA. 

The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life. 

NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels. 

To receive USGS news releases go to the USGS Listservers to subscribe. 

On the Web: 

• NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research Invasive Species

If you are a member of the media and interested in attending any of these USGS presentations or speaking with the presenter, please contact Kara Capelli: kcapelli@usgs.gov, (571) 420-9408. 

New Research in the Pacific Northwest: 

Contaminants in the Columbia River near Columbia City: Endocrine disrupting chemicals, PAH’s, DDT and other contaminants are widespread in the lower Columbia River and in largescale suckers. New USGS research found a study site near Columbia City, Ore. tended to have the highest concentrations of contaminants. This presentation by Elena Nilsen, titled “Emerging and Legacy Contaminants in POCIS, SPMDs, Sediments, and the Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) in the Lower Columbia River,” will be held Thursday, May 3, during a session from 8:00-9:30 a.m. PDT. 

Can dam removal temper the effects of climate change on the Klamath River? Research indicates that temperatures on the Klamath River will increase incrementally with each decade. The research also shows that temperature cycles could be altered by climate change. However, dam removal appeared to delay the effects of climate change to some extent in some areas. These potential changes in seasonal water temperatures resulting from dam removal have a direct impact on salmon populations in the Klamath Basin. This presentation by Russell Perry, titled “Simulating Water Temperature of the Klamath River under Dam Removal and Climate Change Scenarios,” will be held on Tuesday, May 1, during a session from 3:35 -5:00 p.m. PDT. 

Toxic Cyanobacteria and the decline of fish in Upper Klamath Lake, Ore.: Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, that occur in Upper Klamath Lake, Ore., produces toxins at concentrations that may contribute to the decline of the endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers. This presentation by Sara Eldridge, titled “Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Microcystins and their Relation to Other Water Quality Variables in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon,” will be held Wednesday, May 2, during a session from 3:35-5:00 p.m. PDT.

Insecticides, herbicides and declining salmon in the Hood River: Historically, the Hood River and its tributaries served as important spawning and rearing streams for a variety of salmon species, three of which are listed as “threatened.” A new analysis discusses the occurrence of insecticides, herbicides and trace elements, some of which are at potentially harmful levels to salmon. Learn more in a presentation by Whitney Temple, titled “An Assessment of Pesticides, Trace Elements, and Their Potential to Affect Salmonids in the Hood River Basin, Oregon, 1999-2009,” on Friday, May 4 in a session from 10:00-11:30 a.m. PDT. 

Natural sources more often the source of nutrients in the Pacific Northwest: On average, natural sources of nitrogen and phosphorus, including from forest land and geologic material, were found to be the largest local sources of nutrients in streams. However, the accumulation of human sources, including wastewater, urban runoff and agricultural activities, contributed most of the nutrient load that ultimately discharged from many of the largest watersheds. Learn more in a presentation from Daniel Wise, titled “A Web-Based Tool for Evaluating Surface-Water Nutrient Conditions across the Pacific Northwest” on Wednesday, May 2, in a session from 10:35 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PDT. 

National Findings:  

A picture of mercury across the nation: Learn how mercury and methylmercury are distributed in lake sediments across the nation. Sites from New England, Florida, northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the Olympic Peninsula consistently yield the highest mercury concentrations. This presentation will examine the role of point sources like mining, mercury deposited from the atmosphere, and other processes within the lake that control mercury and methylmercury levels. These results will be presented by David Krabbenhoft in a presentation titled “Sediment Mercury and Methylmercury Concentrations Across the Conterminous United States” on Friday, May 4 in a session from 10:00-11:30 a.m. PDT. 

Nitrate concentrations still high in the Mississippi River: Despite efforts to reduce nitrate levels in the Mississippi River Basin, little consistent progress has been made in reducing nitrate in the Mississippi River and its tributaries since 1980. Increasing nitrate concentrations in groundwater are likely having an important effect on concentrations in the river. Nitrate in the Mississippi River and its tributaries eventually ends up in the Gulf of Mexico, where it contributes to the formation of dead zones. Learn more about why concentrations are still consistently high, despite major efforts to reduce concentrations in a presentation by Lori Sprague, titled “Nitrate Trends in the Mississippi River and its Tributaries: Evidence of Groundwater/Surface Water Interaction,” on Thursday, May 3 in a session from 8:00-9:30 a.m. PDT. 

From the 90’s to the early 2000’s, what’s the change in groundwater quality? There was no change in concentrations of chloride, dissolved solids, or nitrate in groundwater for more than 50 percent of well networks sampled in a new analysis by the USGS. For those networks that did have a change, seven times more networks saw increases as opposed to decreases.  Learn more about these long-term trends in groundwater quality in a presentation by Bruce Lindsey, titled “Decadal-scale changes of Chloride, Dissolved Solids, and Nitrate concentrations in Groundwater in the United States, 1988-2010,” on Tuesday, May 1 in a session from 1:35-3 p.m. PDT. 

Contaminants in water and sediment before and after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: USGS scientists collected beach water and sediment samples before and after oil landfall from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. PAH concentrations in sediment increased after the spill, and several sites with the largest PAH concentration increases had geochemical evidence of oil from the ruptured Macondo-1 well in sediment or tarballs sampled after oil landfall. Learn more about these and other changes in a presentation by Lisa Nowell, titled “Organic Contaminants and Trace Elements in Water and Sediment Sampled in Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,” on Thursday May 3, in a session from 8:00-930 a.m. PDT.

In this study, USGS researchers looked for 14 commonly-used pyrethroid insecticides in 98 streams across the following metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Milwaukee-Green Bay, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. Pyrethroid insecticides reach urban streams in rainwater, storm drainage, or irrigation runoff. The metropolitan areas studied had varying levels of contamination in relation to urbanization which suggests that different management approaches may be required for different parts of the country to effectively improve stream quality.  

"No one wants to have a beautiful summer evening in the backyard ruined by hungry mosquitos, and yet this new USGS study indicates that these insecticide applications are not limited to the pesky target of interest," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "The sum total of these applications across many urban outdoor areas is running off into nearby streams, where the chemicals are toxic to aquatic organisms that we never meant to harm."  

Pyrethroids are a group of synthetic pesticides similar to the natural pesticide pyrethrum, which is produced by chrysanthemum flowers. They are now one of the most widely-used classes of insecticides in urban environments and are applied around homes, on lawns, gardens, and golf courses, in nurseries, and for mosquito control. Due to this high level of urban use, pyrethroid insecticides may reach urban streams and cause toxicity to resident aquatic organisms.  

Using a nationally-consistent sampling approach, this USGS study showed that pyrethroids commonly occur in urban stream sediments across the country. Typically associated with sediments, pyrethroids are likely to be a primary cause of toxicity to aquatic organisms that inhabit sediments in these urban streams. The USGS study demonstrated toxicity of urban stream sediments by conducting tests with a common shrimp-like animal, Hyalella azteca, which many fish depend on for food.  

Urban use of pyrethroids has increased markedly since the early 2000s, replacing other insecticides, such as diazinon and chlorpyrifos, which were phased-out by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).   

"Since pyrethroids are toxic at lower concentrations than most currently-used pesticides, we had to develop very sensitive analytical methods to measure them at these levels in the sediments," said USGS scientist Kathryn Kuivila, an author of the study. "It is critical that we continually update our methods to keep up with new pesticides and changing use patterns."  

Currently, EPA is working with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to reevaluate certain pesticide products containing pyrethroids. One purpose of this USGS study was to provide additional information to the EPA and land managers about the occurrence and environmental impacts of pesticides in urban streams across the country.  

The article, entitled "Occurrence and Potential Sources of Pyrethroid Insecticides in Stream Sediments from Seven U.S. Metropolitan Areas," can be accessed online.   

Detailed information about each of the 98 streams  studied across the country is available online in the USGS publication, Contaminants in Stream Sediments from Seven U.S. Metropolitan Areas: Data Summary of a National Pilot Study.  

This study did not examine the effects of pyrethroid insecticides on human health.  

Sign up for our USGS GeoHealth Newsletter to get more USGS research on environmental and human health.

With more than 6,500 harmful non-native species causing more than 100 billion dollars in economic damage each year in the United States, more effective methods of confronting them are essential. 

In the study, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey's Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center outline five integrated steps used in cancer prevention and treatment that could be adapted to use in battling invasive species:  prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment options and rehabilitation.  

"Medicine often finds inspiration from the natural world, so it is perhaps no surprise that scientists now look to medical science to find new strategies to help the natural world in the epic battle against invasive species," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Just as we have learned that preventing disease through regular check-ups is the most cost-effective route to good health, we all should be well informed on how to avoid the unintended introduction of invasive species in order to avoid costly eradication programs." 

Although aquatic invasive species are a leading threat to native fish species worldwide, resource managers and conservation biologists still rely on control methods developed more than 75 years ago.  The authors propose that a coordinated, research-based approach similar to the medical community’s response to cancer is needed to develop more effective tools to prevent and mitigate aquatic invasive species.   

The authors noted that the medical community's response to cancer is based on the idea that multiple tools are needed for each type of cancer because the same type of cancer can be expressed differently in individuals. Each person varies in how easily their cancer can be detected and in how they respond to treatment methods. 

"The interaction of invasive species with physical habitat and biotic community is similar  –   the impacts and the effectiveness of detection and treatment methods are context-dependent," said Adam Sepulveda, a USGS scientist and lead author of the study. "Like the medical community, our principal focus is on prevention and early detection in high-risk areas, but implementing all five steps of the cancer treatment model is vital to the success of biodiversity conservation programs." 

Much is known about the distribution and impact of aquatic invasive species, but there are few proven tools to prevent or decrease invasions, said Andrew Ray, a USGS scientist and co-author of the study. 

The study used the example of invasive American bullfrogs in the Yellowstone River as a case study for applying the cancer-treatment approach to aquatic invasions in the Northern Rockies.  The article,  Aquatic Invasive Species: Lessons from Cancer Research, can be viewed online. 

More information about impacts and prevention of aquatic invasive species can be found on the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center website. 

The Novarupta – Katmai eruption was a landmark event in the young science of volcanology. Scientists believe that an eruption of this size could happen again

The USGS, Alaska Volcano Observatory, National Park Service, and the Alaska Historical Society have partnered to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1912 Novarupta-Katmai eruption – Earth’s largest of the 20th century– by offering a series of lectures, publications, and other events. Visit the AVO and NPS websites for more details.

In keeping with that spirit, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has publicly released more than 161,000 digitally scanned historical maps spanning in excess of 130 years and covering the conterminous lower 48 states. This Historical Topographic Map Collection provides a comprehensive repository of the landscape of our Nation and tracks changes through time, providing essential clues critical in the understanding of our Nation's topography, geography and development.  

"Just as parents might keep a photo album to record their children as they grew, these historical maps are the cartographer's physical quantification of how the land changed as the Nation grew over the last 130 years," explained USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "This historical collection contains immense scientific value as we shaped the land that shaped us."  

With the recent completion of the states of Massachusetts and Florida, the Historical Topographic Map Collection can now offer, for free download, digital versions of the USGS legacy topographic map series which includes all scales and all editions originally published for the entire continental U.S.  

As chartered, the USGS topographic mapping program has accurately portrayed the complex geography of our nation through maps in the lithographic printed format. Since the official release  of the digital, scanned collection this past September, more than 1.2 million historical topographic maps have been downloaded from the website– an average of more than 5,700 maps per day. 

These chronological historical maps are an important national resource as they provide the long-term record and documentation of the natural, physical and cultural landscape. The history documented by this collection and the analysis of distribution and spatial patterns is invaluable throughout the sciences and non-science disciplines. Genealogists, historians, anthropologists, archeologists and others can use this collection for research as well as a framework on which a myriad of information can be presented in relation to the national landscape.  

The maps are offered to the public at no cost in GeoPDF format or as a printed copy for $15 plus a $5 handling charge from the USGS Store and can be used in conjunction with the new USGS digital topographic map, the US Topo.  

Similar historical maps for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Pacific Territories will be available later this summer.

Collection website.

The project is part of the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) continuing efforts to support the mapping and location-based data needs of the Nation.  Visit nationalmap.gov, and follow us on Twitter @USGSTNM and our other social media channels.

The U.S. Geological Survey assessment, released earlier today, estimates that the undiscovered, conventional resources in the world total 565 billion barrels of oil (bbo); 5,606 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas; and 167 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. 

These numbers represent technically recoverable resources, which are those quantities of oil and gas producible using currently available technology and industry practices, regardless of economic or accessibility considerations. 

The press briefing can be accessed by dialing 1-888-989-4719 and entering the code SCIENCE.

Press Conference: USGS World Estimate for Conventional Oil and Gas Resources audio recording.

Specimens of the lizard, which measures about 5 inches from head to tail, were collected in May 2010 in Sohoniliu Village on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Herpetologists George Zug of the Smithsonian Institution and Robert Fisher of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center described the new species in a report published in "Zootaxa" this month. 

"The discovery of a new species from deep in the forests of New Guinea is a cause for celebration, adding one more chapter to 'The Book of Life,'" remarked USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Now the real work begins! To fill those pages with the wonders of this new creature, its place in the forest ecosystem, its adaptation to its environment, and perhaps even novel strategies for coping with disease from which we will ultimately benefit." 

"We've officially named it Nactus kunan for its striking color pattern — kunan means 'bumblebee' in the local Nali language," says Fisher. "It belongs to a genus of slender-toed geckos, which means these guys don’t have the padded, wall-climbing toes like the common house gecko, or the day gecko in the car insurance commercials." 

Fisher found two individuals of the bumblebee gecko on Manus Island in 2010 and analyzed their genetics to show that the lizards were new and distinctive. Two additional species were found that trip, and the specimens await further analysis. 

"This species was a striking surprise, as I’ve been working on the genus since the 1970s, and would not have predicted this discovery," says Zug, a curator emeritus at the National Museum of Natural History. 

"Exploration of Manus Province is in its infancy, with many new species possible, and this joint expedition was our first to this region," says Bulisa Iova, the reptile curator at the Papua New Guinea National Museum. 

This research on Pacific lizard biodiversity was supported by the Smithsonian, U.S. Department of Defense and USGS. USGS regularly collaborates on biological surveys with partner nations, as part of its mission to provide scientific information that help government managers address critical natural resource issues.

In 2011, the website logged almost 48 million unique visitors and nearly 468 million pageviews. 

"For all citizens of 'Earthquake Country,' whether they reside in our Nation's Capital or near a major global tectonic plate boundary, the new USGS earthquake webpages supply increased functionality to provide more real-time information tailored to the viewer's specific needs," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "When the ground shakes and time is of the essence, our goal is to ensure that the most timely information is at the fingertips of those who need to know." 

From the website, users can access Latest Earthquakes  to zoom into and pan the world map to select different basemaps, as well as overlays such as plate boundaries, faults, and earthquake hazards. Information can be fine-tuned to display earthquakes on the map by time window, magnitude, depth, and maximum recorded intensity.  A list below the map updates for the current map view and settings and is sortable by any data column. Users can also download earthquake lists into other map interfaces like GoogleEarth (KML format) and Excel (CSV). 

The event page when an earthquake is selected has also been upgraded and it provides interactive features and more information, including downloadable data files in various formats for each earthquake product, such as ShakeMap, Did You Feel It?, etc. This new event-centric view allows the visitor to see all the information associated with each earthquake without having to jump around the website to view each related product. 

A future product in development will utilize the same user interface to search a comprehensive earthquake catalog populated with all existing USGS earthquake data, presenting a seamless view of recorded world-wide earthquakes current and historic.  It is anticipated that this product will be released in beta later this year.