Images
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.
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of useBar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Bar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of useBar chart showing use of water in 2015, by state and category of use
Discharge Measurement on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD
Discharge Measurement on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SDOn June 20, 2018, hydrologic technician Kammy Durham measured a discharge of 209 cubic feet per second on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD (streamgage 06436180) after the watershed received about 2 inches of rain the previous evening. Streams in the Black Hills of western South Dakota can rise and fall quickly in response to rain.
Discharge Measurement on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD
Discharge Measurement on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SDOn June 20, 2018, hydrologic technician Kammy Durham measured a discharge of 209 cubic feet per second on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD (streamgage 06436180) after the watershed received about 2 inches of rain the previous evening. Streams in the Black Hills of western South Dakota can rise and fall quickly in response to rain.
Geologists at work monitoring Kīlauea's LERZ eruption
Geologists at work monitoring Kīlauea's LERZ eruptionGeologist makes early morning observations of the lava fountain and channelized flow at fissure 8 in Leilani Estates.
Geologists at work monitoring Kīlauea's LERZ eruption
Geologists at work monitoring Kīlauea's LERZ eruptionGeologist makes early morning observations of the lava fountain and channelized flow at fissure 8 in Leilani Estates.
Fissure 8 lava fountains reached as high as about 50 m (164 ft) during the past day.
Fissure 8 lava fountains reached as high as about 50 m (164 ft) during the past day.
Kīlauea Volcano — Geologists Monitoring Lower East Rift Zone Eruption
Kīlauea Volcano — Geologists Monitoring Lower East Rift Zone EruptionGeologist makes early morning observations of the lava fountain and channelized flow at fissure 8 in Leilani Estates.
Kīlauea Volcano — Geologists Monitoring Lower East Rift Zone Eruption
Kīlauea Volcano — Geologists Monitoring Lower East Rift Zone EruptionGeologist makes early morning observations of the lava fountain and channelized flow at fissure 8 in Leilani Estates.
A temporary GPS station (with radio telemetry for continuous measurement) was installed this week on the Kīlauea caldera floor to track the ongoing subsidence of the summit area. The data will help to characterize the extent and rate of the subsidence.
A temporary GPS station (with radio telemetry for continuous measurement) was installed this week on the Kīlauea caldera floor to track the ongoing subsidence of the summit area. The data will help to characterize the extent and rate of the subsidence.
View of the southern edge of the growing Halema‘uma‘u crater (middle right) during yesterday's helicopter-assisted work at Kīlauea's summit. The once-popular parking lot (closed since 2008) that provided access to Halema‘uma‘u is no longer—the parking lot fell into the crater this past week as more and more of the Kīlauea Crater floor slides into Halema‘uma‘u.
View of the southern edge of the growing Halema‘uma‘u crater (middle right) during yesterday's helicopter-assisted work at Kīlauea's summit. The once-popular parking lot (closed since 2008) that provided access to Halema‘uma‘u is no longer—the parking lot fell into the crater this past week as more and more of the Kīlauea Crater floor slides into Halema‘uma‘u.
Lava from fissure 8 travels about 13 km (8 mi) to the ocean in an open channel. Lava remains incandescent (glowing orange) throughout its journey. The ocean entry is at upper right.
Lava from fissure 8 travels about 13 km (8 mi) to the ocean in an open channel. Lava remains incandescent (glowing orange) throughout its journey. The ocean entry is at upper right.
Small streams of lava enter the ocean across a broad area, shown by the multiple white steam and laze plumes. Lava has added about 380 acres of new land into the sea.
Small streams of lava enter the ocean across a broad area, shown by the multiple white steam and laze plumes. Lava has added about 380 acres of new land into the sea.
Sluggish pāhoehoe briefly spills over a section the levee along the well-established lava channel. Such overflows generally travel short distances measured in meters (yards).
Sluggish pāhoehoe briefly spills over a section the levee along the well-established lava channel. Such overflows generally travel short distances measured in meters (yards).
HVO geologist measures 260 degrees C (500 degrees F) along ground cracks near fissure 10 in Leilani Estates. Geologists routinely make temperature measurements to track changes throughout the fissure complex in the lower East Rift Zone.
HVO geologist measures 260 degrees C (500 degrees F) along ground cracks near fissure 10 in Leilani Estates. Geologists routinely make temperature measurements to track changes throughout the fissure complex in the lower East Rift Zone.
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015Map of the U.S. by state, showing total water withdrawals, 2015
Source and Use of Freshwater in the United States, 2015
This diagram uses a "cylinder and pipe" layout to show the source (surface water or groundwater) of the Nation's freshwater and for what purposes the water was used in 2015. The data are broken out for each category of use by surface water and groundwater as the source.
Source and Use of Freshwater in the United States, 2015
This diagram uses a "cylinder and pipe" layout to show the source (surface water or groundwater) of the Nation's freshwater and for what purposes the water was used in 2015. The data are broken out for each category of use by surface water and groundwater as the source.
A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured near Pilot Station, Alaska, in June 2018 as part of an experimental temperature manipulation study to validate heat stress biomarkers.
A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) captured near Pilot Station, Alaska, in June 2018 as part of an experimental temperature manipulation study to validate heat stress biomarkers.
Verification of High Water Mark on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD
Verification of High Water Mark on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SDOn June 20, 2018, hydrologic technician Kammy Durham verified the high water mark on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD (streamgage 06436180) after the watershed received about 2 inches of rain the previous evening. Streams in the Black Hills of western South Dakota can rise and fall quickly in response to rain.
Verification of High Water Mark on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD
Verification of High Water Mark on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SDOn June 20, 2018, hydrologic technician Kammy Durham verified the high water mark on Whitewood Creek above Whitewood, SD (streamgage 06436180) after the watershed received about 2 inches of rain the previous evening. Streams in the Black Hills of western South Dakota can rise and fall quickly in response to rain.
USGS employees measuring WInd River streamflows at Kinnear bridge soon after minor flooding had occurred on the highway.
USGS employees measuring WInd River streamflows at Kinnear bridge soon after minor flooding had occurred on the highway.
Der Wasserkreislauf für Kinder - The Water Cycle for Schools, German
Der Wasserkreislauf für Kinder - The Water Cycle for Schools, GermanDer Wasserkreislauf für Kinder
Du denkst vielleicht, jeder Regentropfen, der vom Himmel fällt, oder jedes Glas Wasser, das du trinkst, ist nagelneu, aber das asser ist schon immer da, und es ist Teil des Wasserkreislaufs.
Der Wasserkreislauf für Kinder - The Water Cycle for Schools, German
Der Wasserkreislauf für Kinder - The Water Cycle for Schools, GermanDer Wasserkreislauf für Kinder
Du denkst vielleicht, jeder Regentropfen, der vom Himmel fällt, oder jedes Glas Wasser, das du trinkst, ist nagelneu, aber das asser ist schon immer da, und es ist Teil des Wasserkreislaufs.
A thick, dense plume of SO2 and other volcanic gases billows from the lava fountains at fissure 8 on June 19, 2018. SO2 emission rates during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea were so high that they required a new data analysis technique.
A thick, dense plume of SO2 and other volcanic gases billows from the lava fountains at fissure 8 on June 19, 2018. SO2 emission rates during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea were so high that they required a new data analysis technique.
Kīlauea LERZ lava flows and fissures, June 19, 1:00 p.m.
Kīlauea LERZ lava flows and fissures, June 19, 1:00 p.m.Map as of 1:00 p.m. HST, June 19, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Kīlauea LERZ lava flows and fissures, June 19, 1:00 p.m.
Kīlauea LERZ lava flows and fissures, June 19, 1:00 p.m.Map as of 1:00 p.m. HST, June 19, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Eruption (June 18-19, 2018)
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Eruption (June 18-19, 2018)Fissure 8 vigor increased overnight June 18-19 with lava fountains reaching up to 60 m (200 ft). Spatter built up the cone to the east and into the channel.
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Eruption (June 18-19, 2018)
Kīlauea Volcano — Fissure 8 Eruption (June 18-19, 2018)Fissure 8 vigor increased overnight June 18-19 with lava fountains reaching up to 60 m (200 ft). Spatter built up the cone to the east and into the channel.