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The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
Browse more than 82,000 reports authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.
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Developing research tools for demographic study of Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspurs) Developing research tools for demographic study of Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspurs)
Like numerous other North American grassland bird species, Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspur) has experienced severe population declines in the last 50 years. Little is known about population-limiting factors, and knowledge gaps limit conservation efforts on the species; however, before research studies aimed at improving conservation and management actions can be developed...
Authors
Megan M. Ring, Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Lawrence D. Igl, Mark E Seamans, Scott G. Somershoe, Jay Alan VonBank, John M. Yeiser, Garrett J. MacDonald
Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 5 Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 5
Many ungulates migrate between distinct summer and winter ranges to take advantage of spatially and temporally variable food sources and avoid threats such as predators and deep snow. In 2018, the U.S. Department of the Interior established Secretarial Order 3362, which provided Federal support to expand existing research efforts to study ungulate populations and conserve their...
Authors
Matthew J. Kauffman, Blake Lowrey, Jennifer L. McKee, Travis Allen, Chloe J. Beaupre, Jeffrey L. Beck, Scott Bergen, Justin Binfet, Shelly Blair, James W. Cain, Peyton Carl, Todd Cornish, Michelle Cowardin, Rachel Curtis, Melia DeVivo, Jennifer Diamond, Katie M. Dugger, Orrin Duvuvuei, C.J. Ellingwood, Darby Finely, Jessica Fort, Eric Freeman, Ian Freeman, Jeff Gagnon, Emily R. Gelzer, Jacob Gray, Evan Greenspan, Curtis Hendricks, Valerie D. Hinojoza-Rood, Matthew Jeffress, Carolyn A. Kyle, Zack Lockyer, Cody McKee, Jerod Merkle, Jerrod Merrell, Matthew A. Mumma, Jake Powell, Craig Reddell, Adele K. Reinking, Robert Ritson, Sierra Robatcek, Benjamin S. Robb, Brianna M. Russo, Hall Sawyer, Cody Schroeder, Elissa Slezak, Scott Sprague, Erik Steiner, Alethea Steingisser, Tom Stephenson, Nicole Tatman, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Don Whittaker, Travis Zaffarano
The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s economy The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s economy
Introduction High-quality elevation data for Utah inform decision making to improve the State’s economy. Light detection and ranging (lidar) data are used to support infrastructure planning and management, assess natural resources, and improve resiliency to hazards. The expanding availability of current and more accurate lidar data helps to better support natural resource conservation...
Authors
Cynthia L. Ritmiller
Hydrogeomorphic history, hydrodynamic conditions, and simulations of water levels and velocities from varying lake levels and streamflow for the Sheboygan Rivermouth and area of concern, Wisconsin Hydrogeomorphic history, hydrodynamic conditions, and simulations of water levels and velocities from varying lake levels and streamflow for the Sheboygan Rivermouth and area of concern, Wisconsin
In 2011–13, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a study of the hydrogeomorphic setting and hydrodynamic conditions of the lower Sheboygan River and island complex within the backwater zone of Lake Michigan. Analyses of historical aerial photographs from 1938–2010 indicated that the Wildwood Islands complex had experienced mainly erosion and what was mainly one island in 1938 had...
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Stephen, M. Westenbroek, Paul C. Reneau, James D. Blount
Continuous stream discharge, salinity, and associated data collected in the lower St. Johns River and its tributaries, Florida, 2022 Continuous stream discharge, salinity, and associated data collected in the lower St. Johns River and its tributaries, Florida, 2022
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, deepened the St. Johns River channel in Jacksonville, Florida, to accommodate larger, fully loaded cargo vessels. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, monitored stage, discharge, and (or) water temperature and salinity at 26 continuous data collection sites in the St. Johns River...
Authors
Jennifer N. Carson, Matthew T. Benacquisto
Uranium mining, the Grand Canyon region, and the science of an ecosystem Uranium mining, the Grand Canyon region, and the science of an ecosystem
Illustration of U.S. Geological Survey science at breccia pipe mines in the Grand Canyon region. The upper left portion shows a cross section of a breccia pipe and rock layers (far upper left) in a panoramic view of the Grand Canyon with upper right depicting rock pinnacles the Havasupai Tribe call Wi’i Gileeva. The right portion depicts a spring. The Colorado River bisects the...
Authors
Benjamin J. Siebers
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2022 Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2022
As part of a long-term cooperative program to monitor water quality within the Scituate Reservoir drainage area, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Providence Water (formerly the Providence Water Supply Board), collected streamflow and water-quality data in tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and concentrations of chloride and sodium estimated...
Authors
Kirk Smith, Alana B. Spaetzel
Assessing risk for enhanced cyanobacteria, phytoplankton, and pathogens with changes in water level regime with potential application to Lake Powell and Lake Mead: A mixed methods literature review Assessing risk for enhanced cyanobacteria, phytoplankton, and pathogens with changes in water level regime with potential application to Lake Powell and Lake Mead: A mixed methods literature review
Water levels in freshwater reservoirs worldwide are changing due to altered climate, management practices, and increasing human demand for water. In the desert southwestern USA, managers are considering significant changes to reservoir operation strategies and water management in response to consumptive use and ongoing drought. To inform reservoir management decision-making, we reviewed...
Authors
Kathryn K. Hoffman, Bridget R. Deemer, Mary E. Lofton, Nicole D. Gibney, Cayelan C. Carey
Lower trophic level monitoring implementation plan for Barataria Basin: Protocols and programmatic management Lower trophic level monitoring implementation plan for Barataria Basin: Protocols and programmatic management
Prior work completed by Kiskaddon et al. (2021, 2022b, 2022a) identified critical data gaps for Lower Trophic Level (LTL) organisms in Barataria Basin, Louisiana. A Monitoring and Adaptive Management (MAM) Activity Implementation Plan (MAIP) was subsequently developed to describe a MAM Activity that would address and fill these critical data gaps (hereafter termed the “LTL project”). As...
Authors
Erin P. Kiskaddon, Sibel Bargu, Melissa Millman Baustian, Melissa Carle, Jean Cowan, Jennifer Doerr, Cassandra N. Glaspie, Brittany Jensen, Bingqing Liu, Emelia Marshall, Michael J. Polito, David B. Reeves, Shaye Sable, Malinda Sutor, Ian Zink
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
Keys to Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) management include providing shrub-dominated edge habitat adjacent to grasslands or grasslands with a shrub component (both of which must include dense grass and moderately high litter cover) and avoiding disturbances that eliminate woody vegetation. Field Sparrows have been reported to use habitats with 16–134 centimeters (cm) vegetation height...
Authors
Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl, Douglas H. Johnson, Marriah L. Sondreal, Christopher M. Goldade, Barry D. Parkin, Betty R. Euliss
Reproductive parameters in invasive blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) from tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Delaware, 2020–22 Reproductive parameters in invasive blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) from tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Delaware, 2020–22
Over the past few decades, Ictalurus furcatus (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1840; blue catfish) have become a formidable invasive species in tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Delaware. Knowledge of their reproductive behaviors can support managers in the determination of ideal timing and implementation of mitigation strategies. In 2020–22, the U.S...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Christine L. Densmore, Amy M. Regish, Jessica L. Norstog, Johnny Moore, Branson Williams, Noah Bressman, Zachary Crum
2022 Volcanic activity in Alaska and the Northern Mariana Islands—Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory 2022 Volcanic activity in Alaska and the Northern Mariana Islands—Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory
In 2022, the Alaska Volcano Observatory responded to eruptions, volcanic unrest or suspected unrest, increased seismicity, and other significant activity at 11 volcanic centers in Alaska and in the Northern Mariana Islands. Eruptive activity in Alaska consisted of repeated small, ash-producing, phreatomagmatic explosions from Mount Young on Semisopochnoi Island; the eruption of a thick...
Authors
Tim R. Orr, Hannah R. Dietterich, Ronni Grapenthin, Matthew M. Haney, Matthew W. Loewen, Pablo Saunders-Shultz, Darren Tan, Christopher F. Waythomas, Aaron G. Wech