Images

A raft with gear heading downstream into Marble Canyon on a Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC), Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) science field trip on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS, SBSC, GCMRC.

The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Testing of a Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 along the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Testing of Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Testing of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River next to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. Photo taken February 2023 by Ron Griffiths, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Testing of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite receiver at Fence Fault beach located in Upper Marble Canyon on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park. Photo taken in February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Testing of a Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 along Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

A wide angle view of the historic Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Diverse plants growing in a connectivity modified (ConMod) treatment in the Sonoran Desert. Photo by Molly McCormick.

In 2022, we piloted RestoreNet V2.0 testing soil inoculation from undegraded reference sites, seed balls (white balls in photo), and pitting treatments (small indentions). Soil inoculation with healthy soils is expected to increase beneficial microbes at the degraded restoration site. Soil microbes can help reduce water stress in plants. Photo by Hannah Farrell.

High Mesa Grassland Wilderness Study Area in Colorado with purple and orange wildflowers, Credit: Bob Wick, BLM.

A map from a USGS paper titled "Restoration research actions to address rapid change in drylands: Insights from the Colorado Plateau," that illustrates the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Native Plant Program land management boundaries on the Colorado Plateau with call-out photos that identify different reg

Restoration outcomes are the product of many diverse, interconnected factors. The black textboxes in this illustration highlight key factors that directly and indirectly affect restoration success. The panels represent examples of a degraded dryland on the Colorado Plateau (left panel) and a restoration goal for that landscape (right panel).

Cover of USGS Open-File Report 2022-1097, "Terrestrial Lidar Monitoring of the Effects of Glen Canyon Dam Operations on the Geomorphic Condition of Archaeological Sites in Grand Canyon National Park, 2010–2020." The cover shows images taken during lidar monitoring in Grand Canyon. 

Adiantum capillus-veneris, a type of maidenhair fern, in Grand Canyon. Photo by Emily Palmquist, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center.

The fencing at the Gemini Solar Project is raised slightly to allow passage for reptiles, including desert tortoises and lizards, and small mammals such as kit foxes, birds such as burrowing owls. Gemini developed measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to the environment during construction and operation.

Gemini Solar Project fence line prior to the solar array construction. The fence is elevated slightly to allow some wildlife passage, such as lizards, desert tortoises, and small mammals such as kit foxes. Gemini developed measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to the environment during construction and operation.

A creosote shrub at the Gemini Solar Project that is crushed but expected to revive.

Gemini Solar Project panels stretch into the distance. Vegetation was left between the panels as a construction alternative to retain plant and soil habitat. Gemini developed measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to the environment during construction and operation. USGS collaborates with the Bureau of Land Management on research at this array.