"Science for a Changing World" is a short film (eight minutes) describing a brief history of the USGS and the significance of USGS work and mission in today's world and its value in the past.
What does the USGS (United States Geological Survey) do?
The USGS (United States Geological Survey) is a science bureau within the United States Department of the Interior. The USGS provides science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods; the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on; the health of our ecosystems and environment; and the impacts of climate and land-use change. Our scientists develop new methods and tools to enable timely, relevant, and useful information about the Earth and its processes.
Related Content
Does the USGS have science libraries?
The USGS has the largest earth science library in the world . The Libraries Program includes central libraries in Reston, Virginia and Denver, Colorado along with small, topic-specific libraries in science centers scattered around the country. For assistance with library resources, send an email to library@usgs.gov or call 703-648-4301. Holdings and services at science center libraries tend to...
Does the USGS offer field trips or classes?
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not have a formal program for providing field trips or classes. USGS employees will sometimes lead field trips or teach classes that are organized by outside organizations, but those are not advertised by the USGS. The USGS has published numerous field-trip guides to geologic areas. Use our online Publications Warehouse to search for "field trip" or...
Can I visit a USGS office?
Very few USGS offices are set up to accommodate visitors. Before stopping by a USGS office, you should check their website or call ahead to make sure that visitors are welcome. There are USGS offices in each state. Members of the public are welcome to use libraries that are located at some USGS offices , but materials can only be checked out through Interlibrary Loan. Please note that most of our...
Where are USGS offices located?
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has offices in every state . Our headquarters is located in Reston, Virginia. For assistance finding or contacting a specific USGS office, contact USGS Science Information Services by phone, email, or Web chat .
How do I contact the USGS?
For general science inquiries, call 1-888-392-8545. You can also use this website to send us a message or to initiate a live Web chat with a USGS Science Information Specialist. For questions on the distribution of federal park passes, maps, books and other science products, or the status of existing orders, call 1-888-275-8747 or visit the USGS Store website. Most of our employees are listed in...
Do you have internships, summer positions, or volunteer positions for teachers or students?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) does not have any positions specifically targeted to teachers, but motivated teachers can sometimes find volunteer positions by contacting a local USGS office directly, or by looking through the Volunteer.gov website. Student internships are designed for college-level students and recent graduates. The USAJOBS website has a section for Students & recent graduates...
Can the USGS do a survey or study of my private property?
No. The USGS Organic Act (43 U.S. Code § 31) prohibits the USGS from making surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations. On rare occasion, however, the USGS might request access to private property as part of a larger study. If you need to engage a professional land surveyor, hydrologist, geologist, or geotechnical engineer, the following organizations should be able to identify...
"Science for a Changing World" is a short film (eight minutes) describing a brief history of the USGS and the significance of USGS work and mission in today's world and its value in the past.
Nestled away in Reston, VA on 105 acres of land, the USGS headquarters was dedicated on July 12, 1974. The building houses over 2000 employees and offers guided and self-guided indoor and outdoor tours to the public.
Nestled away in Reston, VA on 105 acres of land, the USGS headquarters was dedicated on July 12, 1974. The building houses over 2000 employees and offers guided and self-guided indoor and outdoor tours to the public.
50 Years of the USGS in Menlo Park
By David G. Howell, Geologist
Hear about some of the scientific highlights from 1954 to 2004 --
50 Years of the USGS in Menlo Park
By David G. Howell, Geologist
Hear about some of the scientific highlights from 1954 to 2004 --
U.S. Geological Survey 21st-Century science strategy 2020–2030
The 150th anniversary of the 1869 Powell expedition—USGS participation in the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition and reflections from the ~1,000-mile journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers
Technical overview of the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Science for a risky world—A U.S. Geological Survey plan for risk research and applications
U.S. Geological Survey Climate and Land Use Change Science Strategy—A Framework for Understanding and Responding to Global Change
U.S. Geological Survey core science systems strategy: characterizing, synthesizing, and understanding the critical zone through a modular science framework
Strategic directions for U.S. Geological Survey water science, 2012-2022 - Observing, understanding, predicting, and delivering water science to the Nation
Geology for a changing world 2010-2020-Implementing the U.S. Geological Survey science strategy
Celebrating 125 years of the U.S. Geological Survey
Related Content
- FAQ
Does the USGS have science libraries?
The USGS has the largest earth science library in the world . The Libraries Program includes central libraries in Reston, Virginia and Denver, Colorado along with small, topic-specific libraries in science centers scattered around the country. For assistance with library resources, send an email to library@usgs.gov or call 703-648-4301. Holdings and services at science center libraries tend to...
Does the USGS offer field trips or classes?
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not have a formal program for providing field trips or classes. USGS employees will sometimes lead field trips or teach classes that are organized by outside organizations, but those are not advertised by the USGS. The USGS has published numerous field-trip guides to geologic areas. Use our online Publications Warehouse to search for "field trip" or...
Can I visit a USGS office?
Very few USGS offices are set up to accommodate visitors. Before stopping by a USGS office, you should check their website or call ahead to make sure that visitors are welcome. There are USGS offices in each state. Members of the public are welcome to use libraries that are located at some USGS offices , but materials can only be checked out through Interlibrary Loan. Please note that most of our...
Where are USGS offices located?
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has offices in every state . Our headquarters is located in Reston, Virginia. For assistance finding or contacting a specific USGS office, contact USGS Science Information Services by phone, email, or Web chat .
How do I contact the USGS?
For general science inquiries, call 1-888-392-8545. You can also use this website to send us a message or to initiate a live Web chat with a USGS Science Information Specialist. For questions on the distribution of federal park passes, maps, books and other science products, or the status of existing orders, call 1-888-275-8747 or visit the USGS Store website. Most of our employees are listed in...
Do you have internships, summer positions, or volunteer positions for teachers or students?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) does not have any positions specifically targeted to teachers, but motivated teachers can sometimes find volunteer positions by contacting a local USGS office directly, or by looking through the Volunteer.gov website. Student internships are designed for college-level students and recent graduates. The USAJOBS website has a section for Students & recent graduates...
Can the USGS do a survey or study of my private property?
No. The USGS Organic Act (43 U.S. Code § 31) prohibits the USGS from making surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations. On rare occasion, however, the USGS might request access to private property as part of a larger study. If you need to engage a professional land surveyor, hydrologist, geologist, or geotechnical engineer, the following organizations should be able to identify...
- Multimedia
Science for a Changing World
"Science for a Changing World" is a short film (eight minutes) describing a brief history of the USGS and the significance of USGS work and mission in today's world and its value in the past.
"Science for a Changing World" is a short film (eight minutes) describing a brief history of the USGS and the significance of USGS work and mission in today's world and its value in the past.
USGS HeadquartersNestled away in Reston, VA on 105 acres of land, the USGS headquarters was dedicated on July 12, 1974. The building houses over 2000 employees and offers guided and self-guided indoor and outdoor tours to the public.
Nestled away in Reston, VA on 105 acres of land, the USGS headquarters was dedicated on July 12, 1974. The building houses over 2000 employees and offers guided and self-guided indoor and outdoor tours to the public.
PubTalk 4/2004 — Science, Society, and the Survey50 Years of the USGS in Menlo Park
By David G. Howell, Geologist
Hear about some of the scientific highlights from 1954 to 2004 --
50 Years of the USGS in Menlo Park
By David G. Howell, Geologist
Hear about some of the scientific highlights from 1954 to 2004 --
- Publications
U.S. Geological Survey 21st-Century science strategy 2020–2030
Today’s Earth system challenges are far more complex and urgent than those that existed in 1879 when the USGS was established. Society’s greatest challenges are directly or indirectly linked to major areas of USGS science. Increased pressures on natural resources continue with consequences for national security, food and water availability, natural disasters, human health, and biodiversity loss. AAuthorsThe 150th anniversary of the 1869 Powell expedition—USGS participation in the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition and reflections from the ~1,000-mile journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers
In 1869, John Wesley Powell completed the first well-recorded scientific river journey to explore an extensive region of the Colorado River Basin. Powell later helped to establish the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and served as its second director (1881–94), cementing his position in the folklore of the Survey. In 2019, the USGS marked the 150th anniversary of Powell’s first expedition with a broaAuthorsAnnie Scott, Eleanour SnowTechnical overview of the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in response to a Federal directive calling on various Federal agencies to address potential vulnerabilities in the Nation’s supply of critical mineral resources. The primary purpose of this initiative is to identify potentially mineralized areas containing critical minerals by gathering new basic geologiAuthorsWarren C. DayScience for a risky world—A U.S. Geological Survey plan for risk research and applications
Executive SummaryNatural hazards—including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, hurricanes, droughts, floods, wildfires, geomagnetic storms, and pandemics—can wreak havoc on human communities, the economy, and natural resources for years following an initial event. Hazards can claim lives and cause billions of dollars in damage to homes and infrastructure as well as lost or comprAuthorsK. A. Ludwig, David W. Ramsey, Nathan J. Wood, A.B. Pennaz, Jonathan W. Godt, Nathaniel G. Plant, Nicolas Luco, Todd A. Koenig, Kenneth W. Hudnut, Donyelle K. Davis, Patricia R. BrightU.S. Geological Survey Climate and Land Use Change Science Strategy—A Framework for Understanding and Responding to Global Change
Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a nonregulatory Federal science agency with national scope and responsibilities, is uniquely positioned to serve the Nation’s needs in understanding and responding to global change, including changes in climate, water availability, sea level, land use and land cover, ecosystems, and global biogeochemical cycles. Global change is among the most chAuthorsVirginia R. Burkett, David A. Kirtland, Ione L. Taylor, Jayne Belnap, Thomas M. Cronin, Michael D. Dettinger, Eldrich L. Frazier, John W. Haines, Thomas R. Loveland, Paul C.D. Milly, Robin O'Malley, Robert S. Thompson, Alec G. Maule, Gerard McMahon, Robert G. StrieglU.S. Geological Survey core science systems strategy: characterizing, synthesizing, and understanding the critical zone through a modular science framework
Executive SummaryCore Science Systems is a new mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that resulted from the 2007 Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges: U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017.” This report describes the Core Science Systems vision and outlines a strategy to facilitate integrated characterization and understanding of the complex Earth system. The visAuthorsR. Sky Bristol, Ned H. Euliss, Nathaniel L. Booth, Nina Burkardt, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Dean B. Gesch, Brian E. McCallum, David M. Miller, Suzette A. Morman, Barbara S. Poore, Richard P. Signell, Roland J. VigerByCore Science Systems Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Community for Data Integration (CDI), Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Coastal Changes and ImpactsStrategic directions for U.S. Geological Survey water science, 2012-2022 - Observing, understanding, predicting, and delivering water science to the Nation
Executive Summary This report expands the Water Science Strategy that was begun in the USGS Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges—U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017” (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007). The report looks at the relevant issues facing society and develops a strategy built around observing, understanding, predicting, and delivering water science for the nextAuthorsEric J. Evenson, Randall C. Orndorff, Charles D. Blome, John Karl Böhlke, Paul K. Hershberger, Victoria E. Langenheim, Gregory J. McCabe, Scott E. Morlock, Howard W. Reeves, James P. Verdin, Holly S. Weyers, Tamara M. WoodGeology for a changing world 2010-2020-Implementing the U.S. Geological Survey science strategy
This report describes a science strategy for the geologic activities of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the years 2010-2020. It presents six goals with accompanying strategic actions and products that implement the science directions of USGS Circular 1309, 'Facing Tomorrow's Challenges-U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007-2017.' These six goals focus on providing the geologic unAuthorsLinda C.S. Gundersen, Jayne Belnap, Martin Goldhaber, Arthur Goldstein, Peter J. Haeussler, S. E. Ingebritsen, John Jones, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, E. Robert Thieler, Robert S. Thompson, Judith M. BackCelebrating 125 years of the U.S. Geological Survey
In the 125 years since its creation, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has provided the science information needed to make vital decisions and safeguard society. In this anniversary year, we celebrate the mission that has guided us, the people and traditions that have shaped us, and the science and technology that will lead us into the future. Through a wealth of long-term data and research, wAuthorsKathleen K. Gohn