Our research program at NOROCK is built around three broad topic areas: Climate and Land Use Change, Terrestrial Ecosystems, and Aquatic Ecosystems and Water. We also are part of specialized Science Teams that focus on topical issues such as energy development, grizzly bears, bats, and climate science in Glacier National Park. For a more comprehensive search visit our Science Topics link.
Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team
The main objectives of the team are to monitor the status and trend of the grizzly bear population in the GYE and determine patterns of habitat use by bears and the relationship of land management activities to the welfare of the bear populations.
Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems
NOROCK has been monitoring, conducting research, and modeling ecosystem responses to climatic variability since 1991, first at Glacier National Park but eventually throughout the western U.S. and worldwide.
FAQs
Where can I find flood maps?
FEMA is the official public source for flood maps for insurance purposes: FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer NOAA is responsible for producing flood forecast maps that combine precipitation data with USGS streamflow data: National Weather Service - Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service River Forecasts Long-Range River Flood Risk Coastal Inundation Dashboard: Real...
What is the role of the USGS in responding to hurricanes?
The USGS creates detailed maps of our Nation’s shorelines, dunes, and coastal cliffs, and studies how storm processes impact our coastlines. This information is used to predict and map coastal vulnerability to changes caused by major storms, long-term shoreline erosion, sea-level rise, and sea cliff erosion. One example is the USGS Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecast Viewer, which uses...
Why is elevation data so important to forecasting hurricane impact?
The fundamental lesson of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 (and prior catastrophic storms and hurricanes) was that storm vulnerability is first and foremost a consequence of elevation. The height at which infrastructure, resources, and communities sit in relation to average tides and water levels, storm waves, surge, and flood waters determines their exposure to overwhelmingly powerful damaging forces...