All Working Groups
All Working Groups
Powell Center working groups rarely are just one USGS Mission Area and are sorted into these areas by the groups themselves, though may be relevant to additional areas.
Click on one of the themes below to see the working groups related to that theme or keep scrolling to see all working groups.
Filter Total Items: 89
A digital twin to accelerate volcano science and unify geodetic and seismic observations
Emerging computational and data assimilation approaches and increasing data volumes imply an opportunity to greatly accelerate both fundamental volcano science and hazard assessment and forecasting.
Assessing the susceptibility of lakes to groundwater withdrawals in the Upper Midwest
This project will identify which lakes in the Upper Midwest are most at risk from groundwater withdrawals and create a framework for incorporating lakes into well permitting decisions.
Towards an integrated multi-scale understanding of dryland plant traits with application to land management
This proposed project brings together scientists, federal agencies, and land managers to improve the monitoring and management of dryland ecosystems in the western United States.
A spatially explicit framework to assess the risk of aquatic contaminants to insectivorous birds
Aquatic contamination can reduce both the quantity and quality of nutritionally important aquatic insect prey and has been implicated in global declines of insectivorous birds. Yet hotspots of risk and the relative importance of quantity (that is, prey limitation) versus quality (that is, prey toxicity) remain poorly resolved across the landscape.
Operationalizing the use of millennial-scale geologic constraints for testing and improving modern seismic hazard models
This Powell Center working group will improve the National Seismic Hazard Model by developing and operationalizing the first comprehensive set of geologic data on past earthquake shaking intensity.
Critical zone as a mediator of hydroclimate-ecosystem asynchrony
Most regions across the continental United States are experiencing shifts in hydroclimate, such as snow transitioning to rain and changes in streamflow regimes, driven by rising air temperatures.
Identifying root causes of thiamine deficiency complex in global aquatic ecosystems
Thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) is considered one of the top threats to global wildlife, yet we have a poor understanding of the drivers or extent of TDC or the reason(s) why it appears to be increasing in frequency.
A Global Synthesis of Flood Impacts: Understanding the Country-level Vulnerability and Causes
The escalating flood impacts on natural resources, built infrastructure, and human society have become a pressing global concern in the 21st century.
Defining subsidy–stress gradients for metals and relevance for US surface waters
Metals like iron, copper, and zinc are naturally occurring in soils and water, and they are important essential nutrients for animals and plants.
Are we experiencing a riverine silicon surge? Implications for the global carbon cycle
The amounts of silicon (Si), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in rivers are crucial for determining which types of algae grow.
Improving airborne disaster response coordination and communication with real-time open environmental data
Air pollution exposure in the United States is worsening due to changes in the environment and extreme natural events, such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions.
Quantifying the drivers of ecological stability
The accelerating impact of climate-driven perturbations have led to unprecedented levels of mass-mortality events worldwide. Given the impacts that these events could have on ecological function and the provisioning of ecosystem services, understanding the mechanisms underpinning ecological stability is among the most urgent conservation challenges of our time.