Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.
A great white heron standing atop the mangrove roots of Boggy Key, in the upper Florida Keys. This heron has a limited range, which includes the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park. It is rarely seen outside of these areas.
A great white heron standing atop the mangrove roots of Boggy Key, in the upper Florida Keys. This heron has a limited range, which includes the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park. It is rarely seen outside of these areas.
Entry of the National Ocean Service and USGS
Entry of the National Ocean Service and USGS
Jim Smith working on cabling inside of Lucchetti dam in Puerto Rico, assisting the Puerto Rico Strong Motion Program with Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.
Jim Smith working on cabling inside of Lucchetti dam in Puerto Rico, assisting the Puerto Rico Strong Motion Program with Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.
Fire Island is a barrier island off the coast of Long Island, New York that hosts several protected areas, nesting habitat for shorebirds, and beachgoers looking for a relaxing place for recreation. USGS studies how the island changes over time - in both the past and present - to better understand how the island may evolve in the future.
Fire Island is a barrier island off the coast of Long Island, New York that hosts several protected areas, nesting habitat for shorebirds, and beachgoers looking for a relaxing place for recreation. USGS studies how the island changes over time - in both the past and present - to better understand how the island may evolve in the future.
USGS contractor Diana Phillips on September 12, 2019, making a section by section measurement at USGS 04273500 SARANAC RIVER AT PLATTSBURGH NY using an acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP). Photo by Brian McDonald
USGS contractor Diana Phillips on September 12, 2019, making a section by section measurement at USGS 04273500 SARANAC RIVER AT PLATTSBURGH NY using an acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP). Photo by Brian McDonald
Increasing seed stocks in the greenhouse for use in the USGS-WERC network of common garden experiments throughout the Mojave Desert.
Increasing seed stocks in the greenhouse for use in the USGS-WERC network of common garden experiments throughout the Mojave Desert.
USGS and OAS team prepares the sampling mechanism and inspects the unmanned aerial system a few minutes before mission start and takeoff. All safety precautions were taken to ensure the aircraft and sampling mechanism were sterile, and would return safely from the pond.
USGS and OAS team prepares the sampling mechanism and inspects the unmanned aerial system a few minutes before mission start and takeoff. All safety precautions were taken to ensure the aircraft and sampling mechanism were sterile, and would return safely from the pond.
Chris Bird is making an ADCP measurement with an inflatable kayak at streamgage 12211200 Nooksack River at Everson, WA.
Chris Bird is making an ADCP measurement with an inflatable kayak at streamgage 12211200 Nooksack River at Everson, WA.
Chris Kephart and Harrison Dalby - discussing Ohio Microbiology Lab capabilities.
Chris Kephart and Harrison Dalby - discussing Ohio Microbiology Lab capabilities.
GSLC research fish biologist, Dr. Ed Roseman, delivers a plenary address at the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC) conference on September 11-12, 2019.
GSLC research fish biologist, Dr. Ed Roseman, delivers a plenary address at the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC) conference on September 11-12, 2019.
National Geographic photographer, Keith Ladzinski, photographs live sea lamprey at Hammond Bay Biological Station on September 11, 2019 for an expansive article featuring the Great Lakes.
National Geographic photographer, Keith Ladzinski, photographs live sea lamprey at Hammond Bay Biological Station on September 11, 2019 for an expansive article featuring the Great Lakes.
USGS technicial Scott Lydeen climbing the tower at the Strawberry Peak seismic station tower, part of the Southern California Seismic Network.
USGS technicial Scott Lydeen climbing the tower at the Strawberry Peak seismic station tower, part of the Southern California Seismic Network.
This mountain meadow inhabiting species is generally distinctive in its long copious stem and leaf hairs and inflorescences with congested white to pinkish or light purplish flowering heads that are surrounded by very long stem leaves.
This mountain meadow inhabiting species is generally distinctive in its long copious stem and leaf hairs and inflorescences with congested white to pinkish or light purplish flowering heads that are surrounded by very long stem leaves.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
The Alaska North Slope is rich in gas hydrate-bearing formations which contain significant natural gas resources. The USGS has released a geologically based assessment for how much of these resources is technically recoverable.
The Alaska North Slope is rich in gas hydrate-bearing formations which contain significant natural gas resources. The USGS has released a geologically based assessment for how much of these resources is technically recoverable.
Mangrove forest in Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove forest in Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove forest in Pohnpei, Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove forest in Pohnpei, Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove roots in Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove roots in Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove forest in Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Mangrove forest in Micronesia.
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Overview of the high-resolution model grids from: “Dynamically downscaled future wave projections from SWAN model results for the main Hawaiian Islands”
Overview of the high-resolution model grids from: “Dynamically downscaled future wave projections from SWAN model results for the main Hawaiian Islands”
There is a short window of opportunity to complete glacier repeat photography. Scientists must wait until late summer, when seasonal snow has melted from the glacier surface and glacier margins can be identified. This is also the time of year when weather and forest fire smoke can hamper photography and hiking.
There is a short window of opportunity to complete glacier repeat photography. Scientists must wait until late summer, when seasonal snow has melted from the glacier surface and glacier margins can be identified. This is also the time of year when weather and forest fire smoke can hamper photography and hiking.