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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.

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Image shows a USGS scientist in a PFD servicing a streamgage
Servicing a Streamgage at Barker Reservoir Following Hurricane Harvey
Servicing a Streamgage at Barker Reservoir Following Hurricane Harvey
Servicing a Streamgage at Barker Reservoir Following Hurricane Harvey

USGS scientist Tom Pistillo wades through the waters of Barker Reservoir to ensure accurate reservoir water-level data are being measured, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County Flood Control District make informed reservoir operation decisions.

USGS scientist Tom Pistillo wades through the waters of Barker Reservoir to ensure accurate reservoir water-level data are being measured, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County Flood Control District make informed reservoir operation decisions.

Image shows a USGS scientist in a PFD servicing a streamgage
Servicing the Streamgage at Addicks Reservoir
Servicing the Streamgage at Addicks Reservoir
Servicing the Streamgage at Addicks Reservoir

USGS scientist Tom Pistillo services the streamgage at Addicks Reservoir to ensure that accurate reservoir water-level data are being measured, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County Flood Control District make informed reservoir operation decisions.

USGS scientist Tom Pistillo services the streamgage at Addicks Reservoir to ensure that accurate reservoir water-level data are being measured, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County Flood Control District make informed reservoir operation decisions.

Image shows a police car in a flooded roadway in Texas
Hurricane Harvey Flooding on Buffalo Bayou at Piney Point
Hurricane Harvey Flooding on Buffalo Bayou at Piney Point
Hurricane Harvey Flooding on Buffalo Bayou at Piney Point

USGS field crews made multiple record high flood measurements on Aug. 27, including downstream of Addicks and Barker dam. Flood measurements near Addicks and Barker dam are critical for making public safety decisions, as 1.2 million people live downstream.

USGS field crews made multiple record high flood measurements on Aug. 27, including downstream of Addicks and Barker dam. Flood measurements near Addicks and Barker dam are critical for making public safety decisions, as 1.2 million people live downstream.

Scientist taking a photo.
Flood measurements in Houston during Hurricane Harvey
Flood measurements in Houston during Hurricane Harvey
USGS scientist Matthew Barnes makes the highest streamflow measurement ever recorded at Eagle Ferry Rd near Anahuac, Texas.
Highest streamflow recorded near Anahuac, Texas.
Highest streamflow recorded near Anahuac, Texas.
Highest streamflow recorded near Anahuac, Texas.

USGS scientist Matthew Barnes makes the highest streamflow measurement ever recorded at Eagle Ferry Rd near Anahuac, Texas. Find more
information from this site information here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=08042558

Satellite picture of Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey Inundates Gulf Coast
Hurricane Harvey Inundates Gulf Coast
Hurricane Harvey Inundates Gulf Coast

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Texas as a Category 4 hurricane on the night of August 25, 2017. It then stalled over southeastern Texas as a tropical storm and continued to creep northeast over Louisiana.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Texas as a Category 4 hurricane on the night of August 25, 2017. It then stalled over southeastern Texas as a tropical storm and continued to creep northeast over Louisiana.

USGS scientist Jeff East is monitoring streamflow and flooding from Hurricane Harvey.
USGS Scientist Monitoring Streamflow & Flooding from Hurricane Harvey
USGS Scientist Monitoring Streamflow & Flooding from Hurricane Harvey
USGS Scientist Monitoring Streamflow & Flooding from Hurricane Harvey

In addition to staff that conduct field measurements of flooding conditions, others monitor information indoors. Here, USGS scientist Jeff East is monitoring streamflow and flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

 

USGS storm-tide sensor installed in preparation for Hurricane Harvey
USGS storm-tide sensor installed in preparation for Hurricane Harvey
USGS storm-tide sensor installed in preparation for Hurricane Harvey
USGS scientist Charles Hartmann installs a storm-tide sensor in preparation for Hurricane Harvey in Carancahua Bay, Texas. 
USGS scientist installs a storm-tide sensor
USGS scientist installs a storm-tide sensor
USGS scientist installs a storm-tide sensor

USGS scientist Charles Hartmann installs a storm-tide sensor in preparation for Hurricane Harvey in Carancahua Bay, Texas. 

USGS scientists installs storm-tide sensor in preparation for Hurricane Harvey
USGS scientists installs storm-tide sensor
USGS scientists installs storm-tide sensor
PAMF’s monitoring protocol on a patch near Schoolcraft, Michigan.
PAMF’s monitoring protocol on a patch near Schoolcraft, Michigan.
PAMF’s monitoring protocol on a patch near Schoolcraft, Michigan.
PAMF’s monitoring protocol on a patch near Schoolcraft, Michigan.

A scientist performing PAMF’s monitoring protocol on a Phragmites patch near Schoolcraft, Michigan.

Scientists preparing SEABoss for deployment
SEABoss Deployment on Stellwagen Bank
SEABoss Deployment on Stellwagen Bank
SEABoss Deployment on Stellwagen Bank

Page Valentine works with NOAA staff from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to ready the SEABoss for deployment off the fantail of the NOAA R/V Auk. 

Page Valentine works with NOAA staff from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to ready the SEABoss for deployment off the fantail of the NOAA R/V Auk. 

Photograph of USGS scientists on the fantail of a research vessel
SeaBOSS on the fantail of the R/V Auk
SeaBOSS on the fantail of the R/V Auk
SeaBOSS on the fantail of the R/V Auk

Page Valentine and Dann Blackwood on the fantail of the NOAA R/V Auk.  Dann is photographing a sediment sample collected on the seabed.  

A small stream meanders through ice-rich polygonal ground in the Cutler River Basin, Alaska
A stream runs through ice-rich polygonal ground, Cutler River Basin
A stream runs through ice-rich polygonal ground, Cutler River Basin
A stream runs through ice-rich polygonal ground, Cutler River Basin

A small stream meanders through ice-rich polygonal ground in the Cutler River Basin, Alaska. This work is part of the Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Hydrology project that takes place in the Arctic Network Parks because they lie in a region that

A small stream meanders through ice-rich polygonal ground in the Cutler River Basin, Alaska. This work is part of the Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Hydrology project that takes place in the Arctic Network Parks because they lie in a region that

Temporary seismometers deployed at Mount St. Helens....
Temporary seismometers deployed at Mount St. Helens.
Temporary seismometers deployed at Mount St. Helens.
Temporary seismometers deployed at Mount St. Helens.

Between August 19-22, 2017, 140 seismometers were deployed around Mount St. Helens. Instruments were placed on top of the 2004-2008 lava dome, the 1980-86 lava dome, the 1980 crater floor, and around the volcanic cone.

Between August 19-22, 2017, 140 seismometers were deployed around Mount St. Helens. Instruments were placed on top of the 2004-2008 lava dome, the 1980-86 lava dome, the 1980 crater floor, and around the volcanic cone.

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