News
News Releases
Browse through a comprehensive list of all USGS national and state news items.
How Do I Tell My Employees They Are Not Essential
If the Federal Government shuts down again, I have no idea how I will explain to my employees -- the highly talented and dedicated men and women of the U.S. Geological Survey -- why they are no longer considered essential to the well-being and future of the United States. The problem is, I don’t believe it for a minute myself.
Near-Record Flooding Documented in Northeast
Flooding on major rivers in the northeastern U.S. during the past weekend, particularly in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, produced near-record flows according to measurements by the U.S. Geological Survey.
In the Northeast: Lots of Snow Equals Lots of Water
The good news is that the slow melting of the heavy snowpack in the Northeast could release millions of gallons of water to help replenish streams and ground-water levels that have been running below normal in many areas of the Northeastern U.S.
Archived National News Releases for 1995
Web-archive copies of all 1995 National news releases.
MARS MYSTERY: WHERE’S THE CLAY?
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey are saying "Where’s the clay?" as they examine new data on the mineral composition of Mars. The amount of clay minerals on the surface of Mars is much lower than expected, and these low values may provide another clue to deciphering the mystery concerning life on Mars.
POTOMAC FLOW TWICE NORMAL IN NOVEMBER
Flow of the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., was more than twice the average flow for November, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
WASHINGTON FLOOD EXCEEDS 100-YEAR RECURRENCE LEVELS
Flood waters are peaking and beginning to recede in the Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, area according to streamflow specialists of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a science agency of the Department of the Interior.
NEW ATLAS LOOKS AT GROUND-WATER RESOURCES OF FIVE STATES
The most important ground-water problems in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee are probably high concentrations of dissolved solids and large water-level declines near wells that pump large amounts of water from the aquifers (underground water-bearing rock layers), according to a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey.
TEXAS STILL THE PLACE FOR TURKEYS
A quick computer search of the nearly 2 million official place names in the United States shows that Texas is still the state with the most geographic features named "Turkey." From "Turkey Creek" to "Turkeyroost Mountain," Texas has 175 features named after the holiday bird, an addition of one since the last check in 1982. Arizona is second with 134 turkey names.
CARMEN, SAN DIEGO, AND 2 MILLION OTHER GEOGRAPHIC NAMES ON THE ’NET
Where in the United States are Carmen and San Diego? Now, you can get fast and accurate information on the Internet about Carmen, San Diego, and almost 2 million other domestic geographic names, via the new World Wide Web site for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System.
POTOMAC FLOW IN OCTOBER HIGH BUT WELLS STILL LOW
Flow of the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., averaged 4.5 bgd, nearly two and one-half times the average October flow of 1.9 bgd, according to hydrologists at the U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS SCIENTISTS TO DESCRIBE COASTAL EROSION, ANCIENT CRAWDADS, AND TRAVELING TAR BALLS AT NEW ORLEANS SCIENCE MEETING
Patterns of sediment deposition near the mouth of the Mississippi River, traveling tar balls and the evolution of ancient marine lobsters into today’s Louisiana crayfish are a sampling of some of the earth-science topics that will be presented by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey during a national science meeting in New Orleans next week.