Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

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.

Filter Total Items: 21345
With gloved hands and tweezers, folding a water filter
A hydrologist carefully folds a filter used to collect an eDNA sample
A hydrologist carefully folds a filter used to collect an eDNA sample
A hydrologist carefully folds a filter used to collect an eDNA sample

As part of the Regional Stream Quality Assessments (RSQA), hydrologists, ecologists, and technicians did ecological surveys of aquatic biota and stream habitat.  Here, a hydrologist carefully folds a filter used to collect a sample for analysis of eDNA.

As part of the Regional Stream Quality Assessments (RSQA), hydrologists, ecologists, and technicians did ecological surveys of aquatic biota and stream habitat.  Here, a hydrologist carefully folds a filter used to collect a sample for analysis of eDNA.

Two adjacent poles holding video cameras near top, one control box near bottom, one man holding small tool near control box.
Beach-monitoring video cameras atop hotel in Santa Cruz, California
Beach-monitoring video cameras atop hotel in Santa Cruz, California
Beach-monitoring video cameras atop hotel in Santa Cruz, California

USGS ocean engineer Gerry Hatcher (left) and USGS postdoctoral oceanographer Shawn Harrison make adjustments to a computer controlling two video cameras on the roof of the Dream Inn, a 10-story hotel overlooking Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz, California. One camera looks eastward over Santa Cruz Main Beach and boardwalk, and the other southward over Cowells Beach.

USGS ocean engineer Gerry Hatcher (left) and USGS postdoctoral oceanographer Shawn Harrison make adjustments to a computer controlling two video cameras on the roof of the Dream Inn, a 10-story hotel overlooking Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz, California. One camera looks eastward over Santa Cruz Main Beach and boardwalk, and the other southward over Cowells Beach.

Urban creek with concrete banks
Concrete channelization of urban creek
Concrete channelization of urban creek
Concrete channelization of urban creek

Sausal Creek in central Oakland, California, is an urban creek that has been extensively modified for flood control. The USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment assessed the water quality and ecological integrity of small streams like Sausal Creek in five major regions of the country.

Sausal Creek in central Oakland, California, is an urban creek that has been extensively modified for flood control. The USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment assessed the water quality and ecological integrity of small streams like Sausal Creek in five major regions of the country.

Urban creek with concrete banks
Concrete channelization of urban creek
Concrete channelization of urban creek
Concrete channelization of urban creek

Sausal Creek in central Oakland, California, is an urban creek that has been extensively modified for flood control. The USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment assessed the water quality and ecological integrity of small streams like Sausal Creek in five major regions of the country.

Sausal Creek in central Oakland, California, is an urban creek that has been extensively modified for flood control. The USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment assessed the water quality and ecological integrity of small streams like Sausal Creek in five major regions of the country.

Hydro-tech in front of graffiti defacing a wall channelizing a stream
Graffiti at Sausal Creek
Graffiti at Sausal Creek
Graffiti at Sausal Creek

A hydrotech prepares to collect a water-quality sample at urban Sausal Creek, with its distinctive graffiti. Water-quality and ecological surveys were done at the creek as part of the USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) in the summer of 2016.

A hydrotech prepares to collect a water-quality sample at urban Sausal Creek, with its distinctive graffiti. Water-quality and ecological surveys were done at the creek as part of the USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) in the summer of 2016.

Nasturtiums hang down over a graffiti-decorated culvert conveying Sausal Creek
Urban creek graced by flowers and graffiti
Urban creek graced by flowers and graffiti
Urban creek graced by flowers and graffiti

Flowers and graffiti turn urban Sausal Creek into a bizarre wonderland. Water-quality and ecological surveys were done at the creek as part of the USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) in the summer of 2016.

Flowers and graffiti turn urban Sausal Creek into a bizarre wonderland. Water-quality and ecological surveys were done at the creek as part of the USGS Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) in the summer of 2016.

A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago...
A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago
A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago
A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago

Aerial view of the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens as seen from the southwest. Columns of ash and volcanic gas reached heights of more than 24 km (80,000 ft) during the eruption.

A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago...
A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago
A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago
A geologist remembers the Mount St. Helens eruption 37 years ago

USGS geologist Don Swanson (in red) and his colleague, Jim Moore, view a car filled with ash deposits from the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens. Additional photos of the 1980 eruption of Mount St.

A man walks knee-deep in stream next to outfall pipe
A geomorphologist walks a stream as part of an ecological survey
A geomorphologist walks a stream as part of an ecological survey
A geomorphologist walks a stream as part of an ecological survey

As part of the Regional Stream Quality Assessments (RSQA), hydrologists, ecologists, and technicians did ecological surveys of aquatic biota and stream habitat.  Here, a geolomorphologist assesses stream banks.

As part of the Regional Stream Quality Assessments (RSQA), hydrologists, ecologists, and technicians did ecological surveys of aquatic biota and stream habitat.  Here, a geolomorphologist assesses stream banks.

Satellite image of Jackson Glacier with 2015 perimeter outlined in orange.
Jackson Glacier with 2015 perimeter
Jackson Glacier with 2015 perimeter
Jackson Glacier with 2015 perimeter

Satellite image of Jackson Glacier with 2015 perimeter outlined in orange, 9/25/2015 

Was this page helpful?