Reports
Science Quality and Integrity
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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Literature review of giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) biology and conservation Literature review of giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) biology and conservation
This report reviews the available literature on giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) to compile existing information on this species and identify knowledge gaps that, if addressed, would help to inform conservation efforts for giant gartersnakes. Giant gartersnakes comprise a species of semi-aquatic snake precinctive to wetlands in the Central Valley of California. The diversion of...
Authors
Brian J. Halstead, Glenn D. Wylie, Michael L. Casazza
Baseline coastal oblique aerial photographs collected from Owls Head, Maine, to the Virginia/North Carolina border, May 19-22, 2009 Baseline coastal oblique aerial photographs collected from Owls Head, Maine, to the Virginia/North Carolina border, May 19-22, 2009
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts baseline and storm response photography missions to document and understand the changes in vulnerability of the Nation's coasts to extreme storms. On May 19-22, 2009, the USGS conducted an oblique aerial photographic survey from Owls Head, Maine, to the Virginia/North Carolina border aboard a Cessna 207A at an altitude of 500 feet (ft) and...
Authors
Karen L.M. Morgan, Cheryl J. Hapke, Emily A. Himmelstoss
ShakeNet: a portable wireless sensor network for instrumenting large civil structures ShakeNet: a portable wireless sensor network for instrumenting large civil structures
We report our findings from a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program-funded project to develop and test a wireless, portable, strong-motion network of up to 40 triaxial accelerometers for structural health monitoring. The overall goal of the project was to record ambient vibrations for several days from USGS-instrumented structures. Structural health...
Authors
Monica D. Kohler, Shuai Hao, Nilesh Mishra, Ramesh Govindan, Robert Nigbor
Eelgrass habitat near Liberty Bay: Chapter 5 Eelgrass habitat near Liberty Bay: Chapter 5
Seagrasses are a widespread type of marine flowering plants that grow in nearshore intertidal and subtidal zones. Seagrass beds are ecologically important because they affect physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of nearshore habitat, and they are sensitive to changes in coastal water quality (Stevenson and others, 1993; Koch, 2001; Martinez-Crego and others, 2008). Zostera...
Authors
Richard S. Dinicola
Preliminary geophysical interpretations of regional subsurface geology near the Questa Mine Tailing Facility and Guadalupe Mountain, Taos County, New Mexico Preliminary geophysical interpretations of regional subsurface geology near the Questa Mine Tailing Facility and Guadalupe Mountain, Taos County, New Mexico
This report presents geophysical interpretations of regional subsurface geology in the vicinity of the Tailing Facility of the Questa Mine near Guadalupe Mountain, Taos County, New Mexico, in cooperation with the New Mexico Environment Department. The interpretations were developed from aeromagnetic data, regional gravity data, data from four ground magnetic traverses, geologic mapping...
Authors
V. J. S. Grauch, Benjamin J. Drenth, Ren A. Thompson, Paul W. Bauer
The Penobscot River and environmental contaminants: Assessment of tribal exposure through sustenance lifeways The Penobscot River and environmental contaminants: Assessment of tribal exposure through sustenance lifeways
EPA in collaboration with the Penobscot Indian Nation, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS) collectively embarked on a four year research study to evaluate the environmental health of the riverine system by targeting specific cultural practices and using traditional science to conduct a...
Authors
Valerie Marshall, Daniel Kusnierz, Robert Hillger, Joseph Ferrario, Thomas Hughes, Janet Diliberto, Carl E. Orazio, Robert W. Dudley, Christian Byrne, Richard Sugatt, Sarah Warren, David DeMarini, Adria Elskus, Steve Stodola, Steve Mierzykowski, Katie Pugh, Charles W. Culbertson
Frac sand in the United States: a geological and industry overview Frac sand in the United States: a geological and industry overview
A new mineral rush is underway in the upper Midwest of the United States, especially in Wisconsin and Minnesota, for deposits of high-quality frac sand that the mining industry calls “Northern White” sand or “Ottawa” sand. Frac sand is a specialized type of sand that is added to fracking fluids that are injected into unconventional oil and gas wells during hydraulic fracturing (fracking...
Authors
Mary Ellen Benson, Anna B. Wilson, Donald I. Bleiwas
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2014 annual report U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2014 annual report
This is the seventh report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual activities conducted by the USGS for addressing specific management needs identified by WLCI partners. In FY2014, there were 26 projects, including a new one that was completed, two others that were also completed, and several that entered new...
Authors
Zachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Timothy T. Bartos, Laura R Biewick, Gregory K. Boughton, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Marie K. Dematatis, Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller, Steven L. Garman, Steve Germaine, Collin G. Homer, Christopher Huber, Matthew J. Kauffman, Natalie Latysh, Daniel J. Manier, Cynthia P. Melcher, Alexander Miller, Kirk A. Miller, Edward M. Olexa, Spencer Schell, Annika W. Walters, Anna B. Wilson, Teal B. Wyckoff
StreamStats in Georgia: a water-resources web application StreamStats in Georgia: a water-resources web application
Summary Part of the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is to provide information on streamflow in the Nation's streams to help understand the Nation's water resources. Streamflow statistics are used by water managers, engineers, scientists, and others to protect people and property during floods and droughts, and to manage, protect, and enhance water resources. StreamStats is a...
Authors
Anthony J. Gotvald, Jonathan W. Musser
Preliminary interpretation of industry two-dimensional seismic data from Susitna Basin, south-central Alaska Preliminary interpretation of industry two-dimensional seismic data from Susitna Basin, south-central Alaska
Located approximately 80 kilometers northwest of Anchorage, Alaska, the Susitna Basin is a complex sedimentary basin whose tectonic history has been poorly understood. Recent interpretation of two-dimensional seismic reflection data integrated with well, aeromagnetic, and gravity data provides new insights into the structural and stratigraphic nature of the basin. This report presents an
Authors
Kristen A. Lewis, Christopher J. Potter, Anjana K. Shah, Richard G. Stanley, Peter J. Haeussler, Richard W. Saltus
Towards automating measurements and predictions of Escherichia coli concentrations in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2012–14 Towards automating measurements and predictions of Escherichia coli concentrations in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2012–14
Nowcasts are systems that can provide estimates of the current bacterial water-quality conditions based on predictive models using easily-measured, explanatory variables; nowcasts can provide the public with the information to make informed decisions on the risk associated with recreational activities in natural water bodies. Previous studies on the Cuyahoga River within Cuyahoga Valley...
Authors
Amie M.G. Brady, Meg B. Plona
Indium: bringing liquid-crystal displays into focus Indium: bringing liquid-crystal displays into focus
Introduction Indium is rare in the Earth’s crust. The continental crust contains an average of about 50 parts per billion of indium, whereas the oceanic crust contains about 72 parts per billion, which is similar to meteoritic abundances and comparable to the crustal abundance of silver. Indium minerals are rare in nature and only 12 indium minerals are known. In its elemental form...
Authors
Celestine N. Mercer