United States of America
Changing Arctic Ecosystems
The USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative will enhance the long-term science foundation needed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and other partners.
River WebCams for the Central Midwest Water Science Center (Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri)
We have installed webcams at a number of locations in the Central Midwest Water Science Center to allow you to view, in real time, the current conditions. Some of the cameras allow users to temporarily control the tilt, pan, and zoom. During periods of flooding the Central Midwest Water Science Center may take control of the camera.
Loon Research
Scientists at the USGS Alaska Science Center have conducted research on Alaska’s three loon species since the late 1970s. Loons rely on freshwater lakes for nesting habitat and fish and invertebrates inhabiting lakes and marine ecosystems for food. All three loon species in Alaska occur within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) on Alaska’s northern coast. Research by the USGS is...
Streambed Scour at Bridges in Alaska
Streambed scour is the leading cause of bridge failure in the United States resulting in over 60 percent of all failures. The Alaska Science Center, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, is researching streambed scour through scour monitoring, hydraulic modeling, and data...
Seafloor Faults off Southern California
More than 22 million people live along Southern California’s coast, and many more migrate there every year. Faults and earthquake threats in this region have been heavily studied on land. USGS aims to boost our knowledge about faults on the seafloor, so they can be included in hazard assessments.
Global Hyperspectral Imaging Spectroscopy of Agricultural-Crops & Vegetation
This webpage showcases the key research advances made in hyperspectral remote sensing of agricultural crops and vegetation over last 50 years. There are three focus areas:
Distribution and Density of Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM): Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS)
The over-arching goal of GoMMAPPS is to collect broad-scale survey data for seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles to determine distribution and abundance in the Gulf of Mexico.
Detecting Long-term Changes in Forage Fish Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Forage fish are an important node in marine food webs because they link primary and secondary producers with higher trophic levels.
Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
A massive die-off of Common Murres was documented in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during the fall and winter of 2015-2016 in association with a record-breaking marine heat wave in the GOA.
Integrating Science and Management for Optimal Prevention and Control of Invasive Nymphoides in Florida
Two invasive species of floating hearts, Nymphoides cristata and N. indica, are actively managed in Florida. A rare native species, N. humboldtiana, has been found in Florida and verified by molecular methods; this species is nearly indistinguishable from N. indica.
Terrestrial Influence on Glacial-Marine Food Webs
Where glaciers meet the sea in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), they create unique and productive marine habitats. Ringed by the continent’s tallest coastal mountains, 20% of the GOA coastal watershed is covered by glacial ice and the annual freshwater discharge into the GOA from glacial melt is comparable to that of the Mississippi river.
Scientific Support of Salmon and Steelhead Reintroductions in Impounded River Basins of the Pacific Northwest
Salmon and steelhead populations in the Pacific Northwest were severely affected by hydropower development that occurred during the first half of the 20th century. Impassable dams were constructed on many rivers throughout the region which prevented returning adult salmonids from accessing important habitats where spawning and rearing historically occurred. In the past two decades...