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Western Geographic Science Center images.

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photo of a dam in a dry stream bed
Picture of a dryland stream dam
Picture of a dryland stream dam
Picture of a dryland stream dam

Picture of a dam in a dry stream bed in Mexico for the aridland water harvesting study.

Cartoon portrays how installing natural infrastructure can impact the water and carbon budgets of dryland streams and watersheds.
Installing natural infrastructure can impact the water and carbon budgets of dryland streams and watersheds
Installing natural infrastructure can impact the water and carbon budgets of dryland streams and watersheds
Installing natural infrastructure can impact the water and carbon budgets of dryland streams and watersheds

An illustration of a mountain with water flowing from the top down to a river with smaller rivers flowing off the sides. Multiple items appear along the various rivers including leaky weirs, one rock dams, log dams, gabions, check dams, trincheras, and earthen berms. Informational bubbles appear alongside these various item in the illustration.

An illustration of a mountain with water flowing from the top down to a river with smaller rivers flowing off the sides. Multiple items appear along the various rivers including leaky weirs, one rock dams, log dams, gabions, check dams, trincheras, and earthen berms. Informational bubbles appear alongside these various item in the illustration.

Re-greening a dryland watershed photo
Re-greening a Dryland Watershed
Re-greening a Dryland Watershed
Re-greening a Dryland Watershed

The opening screen for a video about the Re-greening a dryland watershed. T.e study took place in Arizona.

The opening screen for a video about the Re-greening a dryland watershed. T.e study took place in Arizona.

Mapping watersheds
Chiricahua1
Chiricahua1
Chiricahua1

Mapping drainages in the Chiricahua Mountains impacted by large rain events.

Mapping drainages in the Chiricahua Mountains impacted by large rain events.

Chloe Fandel
Chloe Fandel
Chloe Fandel
Chloe Fandel

Figure 4. Chloe Fandel’s Master Thesis. Sierra Vista sub-basin aquifer using rainwater harvesting in the tributaries of the San Pedro River using low-technology methods. Research is being conducted on the Babacomari Ranch.

Figure 4. Chloe Fandel’s Master Thesis. Sierra Vista sub-basin aquifer using rainwater harvesting in the tributaries of the San Pedro River using low-technology methods. Research is being conducted on the Babacomari Ranch.

Photo of a hillside after a fire
Burned hillside
Burned hillside
Burned hillside

A photograph of a hillside where a fire came though and destroyed the vegetation.

A photograph of a hillside where a fire came though and destroyed the vegetation.

Orthoimage of vegetation before and after fire
Orthoimage of vegetation before and after fire
Orthoimage of vegetation before and after fire
Orthoimage of vegetation before and after fire

A) Post-wildfire 1.2 cm orthoimage draped on a digital terrain model showing a study site that burned in the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex fire, and B) pre-fire lidar canopy height data showing the vegetation structure of the site.

A) Post-wildfire 1.2 cm orthoimage draped on a digital terrain model showing a study site that burned in the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex fire, and B) pre-fire lidar canopy height data showing the vegetation structure of the site.

Photo of scientists working with aerialSGS
USGS scientists working with aerial sensors
USGS scientists working with aerial sensors
USGS scientists working with aerial sensors

A) USGS UAS pilot Sky Corbett collecting true color imagery from a UAS mounted Ricoh GRII sensor to generate orthoimagery and digital surface models in 2020, and B) Joe Adams calibrating the multispectral MicaSense sensor used to gather information on vegetation and soils in 2022, two years after the fire occurrence

A) USGS UAS pilot Sky Corbett collecting true color imagery from a UAS mounted Ricoh GRII sensor to generate orthoimagery and digital surface models in 2020, and B) Joe Adams calibrating the multispectral MicaSense sensor used to gather information on vegetation and soils in 2022, two years after the fire occurrence

Photo of the same area after fire
Field plot in different years after a fire
Field plot in different years after a fire
Field plot in different years after a fire

Field plots used to evaluate fine-scale soil burn serveity to calibrate and validate image classifications from Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS). Photograph on the left is from the 1st year after fire, and the photograph on the right is from the second year after fire.

Field plots used to evaluate fine-scale soil burn serveity to calibrate and validate image classifications from Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS). Photograph on the left is from the 1st year after fire, and the photograph on the right is from the second year after fire.

Babocomari fig 6
Babocomari fig 6
Babocomari fig 6
Babocomari fig 6

Babocomari fig 6 Figure 6. Post weirs installed by BR, with Laura Norman, Natalie Wilson, and James Callegary (USGS) in the field.

Babocomari fig 6 Figure 6. Post weirs installed by BR, with Laura Norman, Natalie Wilson, and James Callegary (USGS) in the field.

Chiricahua2
Chiricahua2
Chiricahua2
Chiricahua2

Mapping drainages in the Chiricahua Mountains impacted by large rain events.

Mapping drainages in the Chiricahua Mountains impacted by large rain events.

rock detention structures
rock detention structures
rock detention structures
rock detention structures

Drawings by Chloé Fandel, Graduate Student at the University of Arizona.

Drawings by Chloé Fandel, Graduate Student at the University of Arizona.

Laura Norman Award
Laura Norman Award
Laura Norman Award
Laura Norman Award

Dr. Laura Norman has been selected as the 2021 winner of the William C. Ackermann Medal for Excellence in Water Management by the American Water Resources Association (ARWA) Board of Directors and its members.

Dr. Laura Norman has been selected as the 2021 winner of the William C. Ackermann Medal for Excellence in Water Management by the American Water Resources Association (ARWA) Board of Directors and its members.

A map depicting the Sky Islands of Madrean Archipelago
Sky Islands of Madrean Archipelago
Sky Islands of Madrean Archipelago
Sky Islands of Madrean Archipelago

This is a map of the Sky Islands of  Madrean Archipelago. It is located in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States and in Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico.

This is a map of the Sky Islands of  Madrean Archipelago. It is located in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States and in Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico.

Depicting the maximum and minimum inundation for 2 CA rivers
Maximum and Minimum Inundation for the Confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers
Maximum and Minimum Inundation for the Confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers
Maximum and Minimum Inundation for the Confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers

The confluence of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River (CA) undergoes considerable intra-annual changes in surface water inundation. The example illustrates the difference between maximum 2017 inundation (January-March) to lower levels of inundation towards the end of the calendar year.

The confluence of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River (CA) undergoes considerable intra-annual changes in surface water inundation. The example illustrates the difference between maximum 2017 inundation (January-March) to lower levels of inundation towards the end of the calendar year.

Graphic showing the decision support storymap tool for wetland and wildlife management for the Central Valley of California.
Decision support StoryMap tool for wetland and wildlife management for the Central Valley of California.
Decision support StoryMap tool for wetland and wildlife management for the Central Valley of California.
Decision support StoryMap tool for wetland and wildlife management for the Central Valley of California.

USGS Scientists published a StoryMap showing projected changes in land use, flooded area, and wildlife habitat in California’s Central Valley for five scenarios of future climate and water management.

A map showing the liquefaction susceptibility of the San Francisco/Oakland area
A liquefaction susceptibility map of the San Francisco/Oakland area
A liquefaction susceptibility map of the San Francisco/Oakland area
A liquefaction susceptibility map of the San Francisco/Oakland area

A very high, high, medium, low, and very low liquefaction susceptibility map of the San Francisco Bay area. The graphic was made using data from Witter et. al, 2006.

Photo of Rosemont, AZ hills
Rosemont Hills
Rosemont Hills
Rosemont Hills

Picture of the Rosemont hills showing grasses and shrubs with clouds in the background.

Picture of the Rosemont hills showing grasses and shrubs with clouds in the background.

Photo of a Mallard duck.
Photo of a Mallard duck
Photo of a Mallard duck
Photo of a Mallard duck

A mallard bathes in the waters of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Source: Mike Peters, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Public Domain.

A mallard bathes in the waters of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Source: Mike Peters, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Public Domain.

photograph of rock dam across dry streambed with desert plants and sediment behind the dam
Rock gabion, La Paz, Baja California Sur
Rock gabion, La Paz, Baja California Sur
Rock gabion, La Paz, Baja California Sur

Rock gabion installed in arroyo in La Paz, Baja California Sur. (Laura Norman, USGS)

A conceptual model of ecosystem services for the wetland habitats of Nisqually River Delta.
A Conceptual Model of Ecosystem Services of Nisqually River Delta.
A Conceptual Model of Ecosystem Services of Nisqually River Delta.
A Conceptual Model of Ecosystem Services of Nisqually River Delta.

A conceptual model of ecosystem services for the wetland habitats of Nisqually River Delta. Exogenous factors influence the quality and quantity of wetland habitat. This, in turn, controls the many functions that occur within wetlands. Ecosystem services, or benefits to people, are derived from the ability of wetlands to perform critical ecological functions.

A conceptual model of ecosystem services for the wetland habitats of Nisqually River Delta. Exogenous factors influence the quality and quantity of wetland habitat. This, in turn, controls the many functions that occur within wetlands. Ecosystem services, or benefits to people, are derived from the ability of wetlands to perform critical ecological functions.

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