USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and interprets scientific information about natural resource conditions. Our diverse expertise enables us to carry out large-scale, multidisciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers.
Return to USGS Science for DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Program
Below are links to various publicly available databases, models, and geospatial tools.
Pulster, E.L., Bowman, S.R., Keele, L., and Steevens, J., 2024, Guide to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sampling within Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2024–1001, 57 p.
Water
Databases
- USGS Water Data for the Nation, water-resources data at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, and territories
- USGS National Water Dashboard, interactive map to access real-time water data for over 13,500 stations nationwide
- Water Quality Portal, consolidated physical, chemical, and biological water quality data collected by over 400 state, federal, tribal, and local agencies
- Water Quality Watch, real time water-quality data collected in surface waters throughout the United States
- Tracking Water Quality of the Nation's Rivers and Streams, provides data on national ambient water-quality conditions
- Health-Based Screening Levels for Evaluating Water-Quality Data, water-quality benchmark concentrations of contaminants in water
- USGS Dam Removal Information Portal (DRIP) – interactive map to locate information on dam removals and associated scientific studies.
- USGS Dam Removal Science Database – database of empirical monitoring information from dam removals across the US and abroad.
Models
- National Hydrologic Model, hydrologic modeling across the conterminous United States
- Water Resources Model, a collection of water resource software
-
SPARROW Models, model contaminant transport from inland watersheds to larger water bodies
Geospatial Tools
- StreamStats, spatial analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management, and for engineering and design purposes
- National Hydrography Dataset, geospatial datasets that map and model the surface water of the United States
- Pesticide National Synthesis Project, national-scale assessment of the occurrence and behavior of pesticides in streams and ground water of the United States
- Watershed Hydrology Assessment Viewer (WHAV), estimates for flood frequencies for stream reaches
- Water-Quality Changes in the Nation's Streams and Rivers, stream trends in water chemistry and aquatic ecology
- Decadal Change in Groundwater Quality, mapper shows how concentrations of pesticides, nutrients, metals, and organic contaminants in groundwater are changing during decadal periods across the United States
Protocols
- National Water-Quality Project Sampling Methods, collection of protocols from the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program
- NAWQA Stream Habitat Characterization, revised protocol for characterizing stream habitat
- Water Quality Field Manual, national field manual for collection of water quality data
Soil & Sediments
- National Scale Soil Database, geochemical and mineralogical survey of soils of the conterminous United States
- National Geochemical Survey Database, national-scale geochemical analysis of stream sediments and soils in the US
- Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazard Assessment - Probability and volume estimates of debris flows in a recently burned area
- Fluvial Erosion Hazards (FEH) Primer - This primer highlights methods used in regional and reach-scale assessments of fluvial erosion hazards.
Economics
- Benefit Transfer Toolkit - compiles economic values estimates and other information on resources not priced in conventional markets
- Multi-Resource Analysis – Methodology and Synthesis - next-generation suite of analytical products that can be used to inform land use and resource management decisions
- Biodiversity and Habitat Quantification Tools Database - database of the quantification tools available for use in biodiversity and habitat markets in the contiguous United States
- Science and elder observations on the Navajo Nation - documentary about collaborative studies using conventional physical sciences and traditional ecological knowledge
Micro and Macro-invertebrates
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
- Aquatic Bioassessment Data for the Nation, provides access to aquatic bioassessment data from stream ecosystems across the United States
- NAWQA Field Protocols, protocols for sampling algal and invertebrate communities
- North American Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Digital Reference Collection – library high-quality digital microscopy photographs to aid identification of aquatic macroinvertebrates (>5000 specimen)
- Soucek, D.J., Farag, A.M., Besser, J.M., and Steevens, J.A., 2023, Guide for benthic invertebrate studies in support of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–11102022-1110, 20 p.
- Kraus, J.M., Skrabis, K., Ciparis, S., Isanhart, J., Kenney, A. and Hinck, J.E., 2023. Ecological Harm and Economic Damages of Chemical Contamination to Linked Aquatic‐Terrestrial Food Webs: A Study‐Design Tool for Practitioners: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 42: 2029-2039
Fish
- National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP) Fish Database, concentrations of environmental contaminants in freshwater fish in the United States (1960-1986)
- Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Fish Database, concentrations of environmental contaminants and biomarkers in freshwater fish in the United States (1999-2004)
- BEST Program Collection Protocol, fish collection protocol from the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program
- BEST Program Methods, select methods for monitoring contaminants and their effects in fish
- NAWQA Field Protocols, protocols for sampling fish communities
Birds
- Contaminant Exposure and Effects-Terrestrial Vertebrates database (CEE-TV), contaminant exposure for terrestrial vertebrates in estuarine and coastal habitats along the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Coasts including Alaska and Hawaii and in the Great Lakes Region
- National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP) Starling Database, contaminant concentrations in European starling (1960-1980)
- Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership (WHISPers), repository of current and historic information on wildlife morbidity or mortality events in North America
- North American Breeding Bird Survey – dataset of avian point count date for >700 bird taxa (1966-present)
- SAGEMAP - A GIS Database for Sage-grouse and Shrubsteppe Management in the Intermountain West
Amphibians
- North American Amphibian Monitoring Program – detection data from the eastern and central United States (1994-2015)
- Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) Trend Data – database of amphibian occupancy and abundance estimates
Vegetation
- Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity - interactive map of the burn severity and extent of large fires across the United States
- Landfire - geo-spatial layers (e.g. vegetation, fuel, disturbance, etc.), databases, and ecological models for the US and insular areas
- Land Treatment Exploration Tool – interactive map to assist you in planning the best treatment for your site and evaluate the performance of past treatments
- Climate Partitioning Tool – interactive map to evaluate sites by climate similarity
- Seed Selector Tool - interactive map to match native plant material to site by climate similarity
- Vegetation Dynamics Drought Viewer – interactive map to evaluate drought conditions in the United States
- Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) portal – central repository for spatially referenced accounts of introduced aquatic species
- Meldrum, J.R., Larson, D.L., Hoelzle, T.B. and Hinck, J.E. (2024), Considering pollinators' ecosystem services in the remediation and restoration of contaminated lands: Overview of research and its gaps: Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, v. 20: 322-336
Mammals
- Contaminant Exposure and Effects-Terrestrial Vertebrates database (CEE-TV), contaminant exposure for terrestrial vertebrates in estuarine and coastal habitats along the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Coasts including Alaska and Hawaii and in the Great Lakes Region
- Whole Wildlife Toxicology Catalog, web portal for wildlife toxicology-oriented web sites and databases
- GenEst, a generalized estimator of wildlife mortality at wind and solar energy facilities
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Maps
- US Topographic Maps, current topographic map series
- Historical Topographic Map Collection, a digital repository of USGS 1:250,000 scale and larger maps printed between 1884 2006
- National Elevation Dataset, standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions
- Protected Areas Data Portal, inventory of protected lands in the United States
- Gap Analysis, data sets for land cover, protected areas, species range and habitat, and aquatic species found in coastal and inland waters of the United States
- EarthExplorer, Query and order satellite immages, aerial photographs, and cartographic products
Return to USGS Science for DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Program
USGS Science for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR)
USGS NRDAR Experience and Expertise
USGS scientists conduct research and provide technical expertise, at the request of the NRDAR program, to determine the extent to which natural resources have been impaired as the result of hazardous substance releases and support restoration activities for the recovery of those resources.
Presentations for the DOI ORDA Science Webinar Series
The science webinar series highlights expertise, data, and information developed for NRDAR cases or for potential new methods application. A variety of scientific topics have been presented by USGS scientists and others in this series.
Science at Mining Sites
Mining activities have the potential to release harmful substances into the soil, air and water. Extraction and processing produce tailings piles that can contain radioactive elements, mercury, and heavy metals; leach ponds of cyanide and brine solutions; metallic dust; and waste rock. Environmental contamination at mine sites can be particularly challenging to evaluate due to the variety of...
Science Related to Chemical Releases
Chemical or hazardous substance spills can occur during production, transportation, storage, and disposal activities. They kill fish and wildlife, destroy habitat, and contaminate critical resources. These environmental injuries can linger for decades and be difficult to assess. The impact of these type spills is complex and depends upon where they occur, the amount spilled and the chemical...
Science Related to Oil Spills
Crude oil or oil distilled product (e.g. gasoline, diesel fuels, jet fuels) spills can occur during oil exploration, production, and transportation activities. Environmental impacts of spills are complex and can be difficult to assess. The chemical makeup of oil and oil products is diverse which affects oil behavior (e.g. volatilization, sinking). Oil degradation and fate are also influenced by...
USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and interprets scientific information about natural resource conditions. Our diverse expertise enables us to carry out large-scale, multidisciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers.
Return to USGS Science for DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Program
Below are links to various publicly available databases, models, and geospatial tools.
Pulster, E.L., Bowman, S.R., Keele, L., and Steevens, J., 2024, Guide to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sampling within Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2024–1001, 57 p.
Water
Databases
- USGS Water Data for the Nation, water-resources data at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, and territories
- USGS National Water Dashboard, interactive map to access real-time water data for over 13,500 stations nationwide
- Water Quality Portal, consolidated physical, chemical, and biological water quality data collected by over 400 state, federal, tribal, and local agencies
- Water Quality Watch, real time water-quality data collected in surface waters throughout the United States
- Tracking Water Quality of the Nation's Rivers and Streams, provides data on national ambient water-quality conditions
- Health-Based Screening Levels for Evaluating Water-Quality Data, water-quality benchmark concentrations of contaminants in water
- USGS Dam Removal Information Portal (DRIP) – interactive map to locate information on dam removals and associated scientific studies.
- USGS Dam Removal Science Database – database of empirical monitoring information from dam removals across the US and abroad.
Models
- National Hydrologic Model, hydrologic modeling across the conterminous United States
- Water Resources Model, a collection of water resource software
-
SPARROW Models, model contaminant transport from inland watersheds to larger water bodies
Geospatial Tools
- StreamStats, spatial analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management, and for engineering and design purposes
- National Hydrography Dataset, geospatial datasets that map and model the surface water of the United States
- Pesticide National Synthesis Project, national-scale assessment of the occurrence and behavior of pesticides in streams and ground water of the United States
- Watershed Hydrology Assessment Viewer (WHAV), estimates for flood frequencies for stream reaches
- Water-Quality Changes in the Nation's Streams and Rivers, stream trends in water chemistry and aquatic ecology
- Decadal Change in Groundwater Quality, mapper shows how concentrations of pesticides, nutrients, metals, and organic contaminants in groundwater are changing during decadal periods across the United States
Protocols
- National Water-Quality Project Sampling Methods, collection of protocols from the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program
- NAWQA Stream Habitat Characterization, revised protocol for characterizing stream habitat
- Water Quality Field Manual, national field manual for collection of water quality data
Soil & Sediments
- National Scale Soil Database, geochemical and mineralogical survey of soils of the conterminous United States
- National Geochemical Survey Database, national-scale geochemical analysis of stream sediments and soils in the US
- Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazard Assessment - Probability and volume estimates of debris flows in a recently burned area
- Fluvial Erosion Hazards (FEH) Primer - This primer highlights methods used in regional and reach-scale assessments of fluvial erosion hazards.
Economics
- Benefit Transfer Toolkit - compiles economic values estimates and other information on resources not priced in conventional markets
- Multi-Resource Analysis – Methodology and Synthesis - next-generation suite of analytical products that can be used to inform land use and resource management decisions
- Biodiversity and Habitat Quantification Tools Database - database of the quantification tools available for use in biodiversity and habitat markets in the contiguous United States
- Science and elder observations on the Navajo Nation - documentary about collaborative studies using conventional physical sciences and traditional ecological knowledge
Micro and Macro-invertebrates
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
- Aquatic Bioassessment Data for the Nation, provides access to aquatic bioassessment data from stream ecosystems across the United States
- NAWQA Field Protocols, protocols for sampling algal and invertebrate communities
- North American Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Digital Reference Collection – library high-quality digital microscopy photographs to aid identification of aquatic macroinvertebrates (>5000 specimen)
- Soucek, D.J., Farag, A.M., Besser, J.M., and Steevens, J.A., 2023, Guide for benthic invertebrate studies in support of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–11102022-1110, 20 p.
- Kraus, J.M., Skrabis, K., Ciparis, S., Isanhart, J., Kenney, A. and Hinck, J.E., 2023. Ecological Harm and Economic Damages of Chemical Contamination to Linked Aquatic‐Terrestrial Food Webs: A Study‐Design Tool for Practitioners: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 42: 2029-2039
Fish
- National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP) Fish Database, concentrations of environmental contaminants in freshwater fish in the United States (1960-1986)
- Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Fish Database, concentrations of environmental contaminants and biomarkers in freshwater fish in the United States (1999-2004)
- BEST Program Collection Protocol, fish collection protocol from the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program
- BEST Program Methods, select methods for monitoring contaminants and their effects in fish
- NAWQA Field Protocols, protocols for sampling fish communities
Birds
- Contaminant Exposure and Effects-Terrestrial Vertebrates database (CEE-TV), contaminant exposure for terrestrial vertebrates in estuarine and coastal habitats along the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Coasts including Alaska and Hawaii and in the Great Lakes Region
- National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP) Starling Database, contaminant concentrations in European starling (1960-1980)
- Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership (WHISPers), repository of current and historic information on wildlife morbidity or mortality events in North America
- North American Breeding Bird Survey – dataset of avian point count date for >700 bird taxa (1966-present)
- SAGEMAP - A GIS Database for Sage-grouse and Shrubsteppe Management in the Intermountain West
Amphibians
- North American Amphibian Monitoring Program – detection data from the eastern and central United States (1994-2015)
- Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) Trend Data – database of amphibian occupancy and abundance estimates
Vegetation
- Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity - interactive map of the burn severity and extent of large fires across the United States
- Landfire - geo-spatial layers (e.g. vegetation, fuel, disturbance, etc.), databases, and ecological models for the US and insular areas
- Land Treatment Exploration Tool – interactive map to assist you in planning the best treatment for your site and evaluate the performance of past treatments
- Climate Partitioning Tool – interactive map to evaluate sites by climate similarity
- Seed Selector Tool - interactive map to match native plant material to site by climate similarity
- Vegetation Dynamics Drought Viewer – interactive map to evaluate drought conditions in the United States
- Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) portal – central repository for spatially referenced accounts of introduced aquatic species
- Meldrum, J.R., Larson, D.L., Hoelzle, T.B. and Hinck, J.E. (2024), Considering pollinators' ecosystem services in the remediation and restoration of contaminated lands: Overview of research and its gaps: Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, v. 20: 322-336
Mammals
- Contaminant Exposure and Effects-Terrestrial Vertebrates database (CEE-TV), contaminant exposure for terrestrial vertebrates in estuarine and coastal habitats along the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Coasts including Alaska and Hawaii and in the Great Lakes Region
- Whole Wildlife Toxicology Catalog, web portal for wildlife toxicology-oriented web sites and databases
- GenEst, a generalized estimator of wildlife mortality at wind and solar energy facilities
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Maps
- US Topographic Maps, current topographic map series
- Historical Topographic Map Collection, a digital repository of USGS 1:250,000 scale and larger maps printed between 1884 2006
- National Elevation Dataset, standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions
- Protected Areas Data Portal, inventory of protected lands in the United States
- Gap Analysis, data sets for land cover, protected areas, species range and habitat, and aquatic species found in coastal and inland waters of the United States
- EarthExplorer, Query and order satellite immages, aerial photographs, and cartographic products
Return to USGS Science for DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Program
USGS Science for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR)
USGS NRDAR Experience and Expertise
USGS scientists conduct research and provide technical expertise, at the request of the NRDAR program, to determine the extent to which natural resources have been impaired as the result of hazardous substance releases and support restoration activities for the recovery of those resources.
Presentations for the DOI ORDA Science Webinar Series
The science webinar series highlights expertise, data, and information developed for NRDAR cases or for potential new methods application. A variety of scientific topics have been presented by USGS scientists and others in this series.
Science at Mining Sites
Mining activities have the potential to release harmful substances into the soil, air and water. Extraction and processing produce tailings piles that can contain radioactive elements, mercury, and heavy metals; leach ponds of cyanide and brine solutions; metallic dust; and waste rock. Environmental contamination at mine sites can be particularly challenging to evaluate due to the variety of...
Science Related to Chemical Releases
Chemical or hazardous substance spills can occur during production, transportation, storage, and disposal activities. They kill fish and wildlife, destroy habitat, and contaminate critical resources. These environmental injuries can linger for decades and be difficult to assess. The impact of these type spills is complex and depends upon where they occur, the amount spilled and the chemical...
Science Related to Oil Spills
Crude oil or oil distilled product (e.g. gasoline, diesel fuels, jet fuels) spills can occur during oil exploration, production, and transportation activities. Environmental impacts of spills are complex and can be difficult to assess. The chemical makeup of oil and oil products is diverse which affects oil behavior (e.g. volatilization, sinking). Oil degradation and fate are also influenced by...