News

New research led by USGS finds that along California’s rugged coastline, some of the state’s most scenic “pocket beaches”—short stretches of sand...

Hawai‘i’s iconic beaches—essential to the state’s identity, economy, and ecosystems—are disappearing faster than previously predicted. New projections...

Coastal communities around the world face increasing threats from storm surges—intense rises in sea level caused by powerful storms pushing water...

Using USGS data, the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Regional Sea Level Database supports DoD efforts to assess and respond to coastal...

Tidal salt marshes—vital ecosystems that protect coastlines, remove excess nutrients and pollutants from coastal waters, and provide habitat for fish...

Seafloor mapping provides the fundamental data needed to study a wide range of topics. The USGS is actively mapping the seafloor surface and its...

New research uses decades of satellite data to show how climate variability—particularly El Niño and La Niña cycles—drives shoreline change along the...

As climate change accelerates, the risk of sudden, large-scale shifts in ecosystems is growing. A new USGS study examines the mechanisms behind these...

A selection of coastal and ocean videos and photographs from across the USGS.

In Fall 2025 the Hawaiʻi Abyssal Nodules and Associated Ecosystems Expedition will investigate abyssal plain nodules and ecosystems far offshore Moku...