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Marshes and their ecosystem services

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WGSC contributes to HayWired

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The GFSAD30 project accomplished their goal!

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Dryland Management

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Aridland Water Harvesting

Explore Aridlands!

Western Geographic Science Center

Our Western Geographic Science Center (WGSC) priority is to continue the important work of the Department of the Interior and the USGS, while also maintaining the health and safety of our employees and the community.  Based on guidance from the White House, the CDC, and state and local authorities, we are shifting our operations to a virtual mode and have minimal staf

Anne Wein Wins Bay Area Metro Award!

Anne Wein wins award

Congratulations to Dr. Anne Wein, Operations Research Analyst at WGSC, who received a 2019 Bay Area Metro Award for her work as lead researcher for the HayWired earthquake scenario!

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Remote Sensing and Dryland Management

Photo of an abandoned well pad site

With the use of remote sensing and spatial analysis, WGSC scientists study dryland vegetation and soils to determine disturbances and help manage recovery.

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Projects and teams at WGSC

Just a few examples of WGSC projects and science teams.

News

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Ancient methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought

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Planning for Change: New Tools to Support Bird Habitat in the Central Valley

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Kristin Byrd is the Recipient of the 2022 IALE-NA Distinguished Service Award

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Publications

Analysis of surface water trends for the conterminous United States using MODIS satellite data, 2003–2019

Satellite imagery is commonly used to map surface water extents over time, but many approaches yield discontinuous records resulting from cloud obstruction or image archive gaps. We applied the Dynamic Surface Water Extent (DSWE) model to downscaled (250-m) daily Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data in Google Earth Engine to generate monthly surface water maps for the conterm
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Western Geographic Science Center

Can coastal habitats rise to the challenge? Resilience of estuarine habitats, carbon accumulation, and economic value to sea-level rise in a Puget Sound estuary

Sea-level rise (SLR) and obstructions to sediment delivery pose challenges to the persistence of estuarine habitats and the ecosystem services they provide. Restoration actions and sediment management strategies may help mitigate such challenges by encouraging the vertical accretion of sediment in and horizontal migration of tidal forests and marshes. We used a process-based soil accretion model (
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Water Resources, Ecosystems, Science and Decisions Center, California Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Geographic Science Center

Global food-security-support-analysis data at 30-m resolution (GFSAD30) cropland-extent products—Download Analysis

IntroductionThe global food-security-support-analysis data at 30-meter resolution (GFSAD30) cropland-extent product is a project to provide high-resolution global cropland-extent data relating to water use. It is the first global-land-cover map focusing exclusively on agriculture with a 30-meter spatial resolution. The overarching goal of the GFSAD30 project is to produce consistent and unbiased e
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Western Geographic Science Center
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Science

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Photo of an American Bittern

Recreational Birdwatching and Habitat

Thousands of visitors flock to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge every year to look for birds both rare and common. Birdwatching activities contribute to economic activity for the Nisqually area and play a role in the broader outdoor-loving culture of the Pacific Northwest.
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Western Geographic Science Center
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Recreational Birdwatching and Habitat

Thousands of visitors flock to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge every year to look for birds both rare and common. Birdwatching activities contribute to economic activity for the Nisqually area and play a role in the broader outdoor-loving culture of the Pacific Northwest.
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Picture of a mature salmon

Fisheries and Fish Habitat

The estuarine habitat of the Delta is critical to the production of salmon, which supports recreational, commercial, and subsistence fishing. The combination of shaded pools, shallow reaches, and a rich prey population provide excellent feeding grounds for juvenile fish. Fishing also holds great importance in the cultural practices of the Nisqually Tribe.
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Western Geographic Science Center
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Fisheries and Fish Habitat

The estuarine habitat of the Delta is critical to the production of salmon, which supports recreational, commercial, and subsistence fishing. The combination of shaded pools, shallow reaches, and a rich prey population provide excellent feeding grounds for juvenile fish. Fishing also holds great importance in the cultural practices of the Nisqually Tribe.
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Aerial map of modeling area in the Nisqually River Delta

Marsh Elevation Change and Carbon Sequestration

Tidal marsh vegetation grows in a narrow elevation zone between sea level and the upland behind it. These plant communities have evolved to accumulate sediment over time and maintain their relative elevation with gradual rates of change in sea level. It is uncertain which marsh vegetation communities will be able to accumulate sediment at a rate that keeps pace with accelerated sea level rise.
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Western Geographic Science Center
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Marsh Elevation Change and Carbon Sequestration

Tidal marsh vegetation grows in a narrow elevation zone between sea level and the upland behind it. These plant communities have evolved to accumulate sediment over time and maintain their relative elevation with gradual rates of change in sea level. It is uncertain which marsh vegetation communities will be able to accumulate sediment at a rate that keeps pace with accelerated sea level rise.
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