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.
Gage house for Spearfish Creek at Spearfish, SD (USGS streamgage 06431500). This site was established as a U.S. Geological Survey streamgage on October 9, 1946, and is operated in cooperation with South Dakota Department of Natural Resources. Streamgages are visited by a USGS hydrologic technician on 6-week intervals throughout the year.
Gage house for Spearfish Creek at Spearfish, SD (USGS streamgage 06431500). This site was established as a U.S. Geological Survey streamgage on October 9, 1946, and is operated in cooperation with South Dakota Department of Natural Resources. Streamgages are visited by a USGS hydrologic technician on 6-week intervals throughout the year.
Staff gage for Spearfish Creek at Spearfish, SD (USGS streamgage 06431500). This site was established as a U.S. Geological Survey streamgage on October 9, 1946, and is operated in cooperation with South Dakota Department of Natural Resources.
Staff gage for Spearfish Creek at Spearfish, SD (USGS streamgage 06431500). This site was established as a U.S. Geological Survey streamgage on October 9, 1946, and is operated in cooperation with South Dakota Department of Natural Resources.
Looking down on Glen Canyon Dam jet tubes releasing water into the Colorado River for a November 2018 high flow experiment. The increase in flow of the Colorado River downstream of the dam mobilizes sand at the bottom of the river and that sand rebuilds sandbars in Grand Canyon.
Looking down on Glen Canyon Dam jet tubes releasing water into the Colorado River for a November 2018 high flow experiment. The increase in flow of the Colorado River downstream of the dam mobilizes sand at the bottom of the river and that sand rebuilds sandbars in Grand Canyon.
Glen Canyon Dam jet tubes releasing water into the Colorado River for a November 2018 high flow experiment. The increase in flow of the Colorado River downstream of the dam mobilizes sand at the bottom of the river and that sand rebuilds sandbars in Grand Canyon.
Glen Canyon Dam jet tubes releasing water into the Colorado River for a November 2018 high flow experiment. The increase in flow of the Colorado River downstream of the dam mobilizes sand at the bottom of the river and that sand rebuilds sandbars in Grand Canyon.
Shown in this photo is Hydrologic Technician Sam Banas performing an electric tape down measurement of a groundwater well. The site ID is: 422906072124301 MA-PHW 16 Petersham, MA
Shown in this photo is Hydrologic Technician Sam Banas performing an electric tape down measurement of a groundwater well. The site ID is: 422906072124301 MA-PHW 16 Petersham, MA
View from bridge of USGS gage 07241800, North Canadian River at Shawnee, OK
View from bridge of USGS gage 07241800, North Canadian River at Shawnee, OK
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
Satellite image of Taku Glacier in October 1, 2018. The Norris Glacier can be seen on the lower left hand corner and the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier in the upper center portion of the image. Citation: McNeil, C. J., and Baker, E.
View of a clear blue hot spring pool of alkaline chloride fluid with silica sinter apron around it at Biscuit Basin. This pool is generally close to the boiling temperature (200℉, 93℃) at this altitude (7200 ft, 2195 m).
View of a clear blue hot spring pool of alkaline chloride fluid with silica sinter apron around it at Biscuit Basin. This pool is generally close to the boiling temperature (200℉, 93℃) at this altitude (7200 ft, 2195 m).
Alkaline-chloride waters from an eruption of Old Faithful flow over the edge of the white silica sinter terrace into the Firehole River. The orange coloration on the sinter terrace is due to thermophilic (high temperature) bacteria living in the warm fluids. Old Faithful Inn is in the background, with the wooded Summit Lake rhyolitic lava flow behind.&nb
Alkaline-chloride waters from an eruption of Old Faithful flow over the edge of the white silica sinter terrace into the Firehole River. The orange coloration on the sinter terrace is due to thermophilic (high temperature) bacteria living in the warm fluids. Old Faithful Inn is in the background, with the wooded Summit Lake rhyolitic lava flow behind.&nb
Remote Camera, 30-mile Camp (River MIe 30.7)
The Maumee River Watershed with Areas of Concern
The Maumee River Watershed with Areas of Concern
A larval sampling boat with nets prepared for deployment
A larval sampling boat with nets prepared for deployment
Cross section wading measurement looking downstream at Bull Lake Creek above Bull Lake.
Cross section wading measurement looking downstream at Bull Lake Creek above Bull Lake.
Only small amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are currently being released from Kīlauea, but they chemically react with each other (oxidation-reduction reaction) to form the bright yellow sulfur deposits visible on the crater walls within Halema‘uma‘u.
Only small amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are currently being released from Kīlauea, but they chemically react with each other (oxidation-reduction reaction) to form the bright yellow sulfur deposits visible on the crater walls within Halema‘uma‘u.
USGS Hydrologist Irene Fisher monitors groundwater conditions at an agricultural well.
USGS Hydrologist Irene Fisher monitors groundwater conditions at an agricultural well.
Hurricane Florence hit the Carolina coast on September 14, 2018, but it took much longer for the full impact to emerge.
Hurricane Florence hit the Carolina coast on September 14, 2018, but it took much longer for the full impact to emerge.
Photo of Building 41, which houses the USGS Denver Library and is located on the Denver Federal Center Campus in Lakewood, CO.
Photo of Building 41, which houses the USGS Denver Library and is located on the Denver Federal Center Campus in Lakewood, CO.
A scientist takes a gravity reading at a station located on the down-dropped block of Kīlauea caldera, which subsided as an intact structure, while a second gravity instrument (foreground) records data. Many of the preexisting gravity stations, which have been measured for years, survived Kīlauea's 2018 summit collapse.
A scientist takes a gravity reading at a station located on the down-dropped block of Kīlauea caldera, which subsided as an intact structure, while a second gravity instrument (foreground) records data. Many of the preexisting gravity stations, which have been measured for years, survived Kīlauea's 2018 summit collapse.
Algal bloom near the Ash River boat dock, a public access point for boating and fishing on Kabetogama Lake. Microcystin has been detected at this location and at nearby Sullivan Bay at concentrations exceeding recreational guidelines.
Algal bloom near the Ash River boat dock, a public access point for boating and fishing on Kabetogama Lake. Microcystin has been detected at this location and at nearby Sullivan Bay at concentrations exceeding recreational guidelines.
An algal bloom near the Ash River Visitor Center at Kabetogama Lake, where visitors enjoy picnics and trails year-round.
An algal bloom near the Ash River Visitor Center at Kabetogama Lake, where visitors enjoy picnics and trails year-round.