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a brown outhouse-like structure sits beneath a bridge over the Wabash River
Super streamgage on the Wabash River near New Harmony, IN.
Super streamgage on the Wabash River near New Harmony, IN.
Super streamgage on the Wabash River near New Harmony, IN.

A super streamgage sits inside the brown structure underneath the bridge over the Wabash River linking Indiana and Illinois. The closest town is New Harmony, IN. 

Image shows two men hiking through a dense forest
Pennington Mountain Critical Minerals
Pennington Mountain Critical Minerals
Pennington Mountain Critical Minerals

Geologists in the field at Pennington Mountain. The orange instrument is a portable gamma spectrometer. University of Maine-Presque Isle professor Chunzeng Wang (the lead author) is in front, Preston Bass is carrying the meter.

Geologists in the field at Pennington Mountain. The orange instrument is a portable gamma spectrometer. University of Maine-Presque Isle professor Chunzeng Wang (the lead author) is in front, Preston Bass is carrying the meter.

Open pit rare earth element mine at Mountain Pass, California. Stepped sides of the pit and access for mining vehicles shown.
Mountain Pass REE mine in California
Mountain Pass REE mine in California
Mountain Pass REE mine in California

Open pit rare earth element mine at Mountain Pass, California. Stepped sides of the pit and access for mining vehicles are shown.

Image shows a cow standing in the foreground with a helicopter towing geophysical data collecting equipment with mountains
Airborne Geophysical Survey Helicopter with Cow
Airborne Geophysical Survey Helicopter with Cow
Airborne Geophysical Survey Helicopter with Cow

A helicopter rigged with an airborne geophysical survey collecting equipment. Information collected during these surveys can help with studying critical mineral resources, natural hazards and groundwater potential. A cow is here too.

A helicopter rigged with an airborne geophysical survey collecting equipment. Information collected during these surveys can help with studying critical mineral resources, natural hazards and groundwater potential. A cow is here too.

Image shows a helicopter towing a hoop with mountains in the background
Airborne Geophysical Survey Helicopter in Nevada
Airborne Geophysical Survey Helicopter in Nevada
Airborne Geophysical Survey Helicopter in Nevada

A low-flying helicopter towing a geophysical device collects scientific data on groundwater and geology. Information collected during these surveys can help with studying critical mineral resources, natural hazards and groundwater potential.

A screenshot of a USGS flood maping tool that shows a portion of the Lake Ontario shoreline in New York.
USGS Flood Inundation Mapper of Lake Ontario's New York shoreline
USGS Flood Inundation Mapper of Lake Ontario's New York shoreline
USGS Flood Inundation Mapper of Lake Ontario's New York shoreline

Screenshot of the USGS Flood Inundation Mapper shows the Lake Ontario shoreline at Braddock Heights. USGS image. 

carbon rainbow
Carbon Rainbow
Carbon Rainbow
Carbon Rainbow

COLORS OF THE CARBON RAINBOW

Not All Carbon is the Same

Scientists use color to classify carbon at different points in the carbon cycle based on carbon function, characteristics, and location. This creates a more descriptive framework than traditional "organic" and "inorganic" labels.

COLORS OF THE CARBON RAINBOW

Not All Carbon is the Same

Scientists use color to classify carbon at different points in the carbon cycle based on carbon function, characteristics, and location. This creates a more descriptive framework than traditional "organic" and "inorganic" labels.

Drought Infographic
It's All Linked to Climate Change
It's All Linked to Climate Change
It's All Linked to Climate Change

Climate change interacts with droughts in many ways. Some regions are experiencing warmer, drier conditions than they have in the past, leading to less rainfall (meteorological drought) or snowpack (snow drought). Over time, this can cause water sources like lakes, streams, and underground aquifers to dry up (hydrological drought).

Climate change interacts with droughts in many ways. Some regions are experiencing warmer, drier conditions than they have in the past, leading to less rainfall (meteorological drought) or snowpack (snow drought). Over time, this can cause water sources like lakes, streams, and underground aquifers to dry up (hydrological drought).

Image shows a topographic map of Horseshoe Bend, part of the Grand Canyon in Arizona
Horseshoe Bend Topographic Map from topoBuilder
Horseshoe Bend Topographic Map from topoBuilder
Horseshoe Bend Topographic Map from topoBuilder

A topographic map of Horseshoe Bend, part of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, made with topoBuilder. Custom topographic maps like this one can be made using topoBuilder.

Movement of a lesser scaup infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza
Movement of a Lesser Scaup Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Movement of a Lesser Scaup Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Movement of a Lesser Scaup Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

USGS map showing the movement of a lesser scaup infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (red line) compared to four lesser scaup not infected (maroon, yellow, blue and black lines). Movement was recorded January 23 to 26, 2022. The black dot identifies where the birds were captured and released in Maryland.

USGS map showing the movement of a lesser scaup infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (red line) compared to four lesser scaup not infected (maroon, yellow, blue and black lines). Movement was recorded January 23 to 26, 2022. The black dot identifies where the birds were captured and released in Maryland.

Scientist examines sediment layers with pegs marking parts of the layers
Jeff Pigati collecting pollen at White Sands site
Jeff Pigati collecting pollen at White Sands site
Jeff Pigati collecting pollen at White Sands site

USGS scientist Jeff Pigati collects pollen for radiocarbon dating at the site where human footprints were found in order to estimate the age of the footprints. Pollen also provides a picture of what kind of vegetation existed at the time that the footprints were made.

USGS scientist Jeff Pigati collects pollen for radiocarbon dating at the site where human footprints were found in order to estimate the age of the footprints. Pollen also provides a picture of what kind of vegetation existed at the time that the footprints were made.

Cartoon GIF cross-section of river sediments filling the bottom of Lake Powell
River sediments filling the bottom of Lake Powell
River sediments filling the bottom of Lake Powell
River sediments filling the bottom of Lake Powell

Cartoon GIF cross-section of river sediments filling the bottom of Lake Powell from pre-Glen Canyon dam to today.

A Ringed Map Turtle basks on a log suspended above water.
Teenage citizen-scientist helps USGS confirm unique population of threatened turtle
Teenage citizen-scientist helps USGS confirm unique population of threatened turtle
Teenage citizen-scientist helps USGS confirm unique population of threatened turtle

This photo, taken by teenager Aidan Ford in 2021 of a Ringed Map Turtle near Covington, Louisiana, led to the conformation of a second, previously-unknown population of the species. (Photo courtesy of Aidan Ford). 

An imagae showing a map predicting where invasive northern snakeheads might spread from flooding and an image of a snakehead.
Flood and Storm Tracker map of Northern Snakeheads
Flood and Storm Tracker map of Northern Snakeheads
Flood and Storm Tracker map of Northern Snakeheads

(Left) This Flood and Storm Tracker map shows areas where flooding caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021 may have spread the invasive northern snakehead. (Right) The northern snakehead is just one of almost 1,400 nonindigenous aquatic species the USGS can estimate the spread of after major flood events with these maps. USGS images.

(Left) This Flood and Storm Tracker map shows areas where flooding caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021 may have spread the invasive northern snakehead. (Right) The northern snakehead is just one of almost 1,400 nonindigenous aquatic species the USGS can estimate the spread of after major flood events with these maps. USGS images.

A small body of water surrounded by gently sloping, prairie landscape
Prairie Pothole Wetland
Prairie Pothole Wetland
Prairie Pothole Wetland

A photo of a prairie pothole wetland. The Prairie Pothole Region is the largest wetland complex in North America.

A photo of a prairie pothole wetland. The Prairie Pothole Region is the largest wetland complex in North America.

Vehicles drive on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado
Vehicles drive on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado
Vehicles drive on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado
Vehicles drive on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado

Vehicles drive on interstate I-70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado. In the summer of 2021, travelers in Colorado's Glenwood Canyon were safely evacuated before massive debris flows buried highways and destroyed bridges, thanks to a debris flow warning system developed in part by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Vehicles drive on interstate I-70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado. In the summer of 2021, travelers in Colorado's Glenwood Canyon were safely evacuated before massive debris flows buried highways and destroyed bridges, thanks to a debris flow warning system developed in part by the U.S. Geological Survey.

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