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.
Mount St. Helens monitoring station SEP during temporary installation of a 20 foot mast to restore data flow after heavy snow buried the site and cut off seismic data transmission.
Mount St. Helens monitoring station SEP during temporary installation of a 20 foot mast to restore data flow after heavy snow buried the site and cut off seismic data transmission.
Phenolic mount used to deploy an RDI ChannelMaster 600kHz ADVM. Mount is resistant to corrosion and is articulated to allow adjustment of heading, pitch, and roll.
Phenolic mount used to deploy an RDI ChannelMaster 600kHz ADVM. Mount is resistant to corrosion and is articulated to allow adjustment of heading, pitch, and roll.
Phenolic mount used to deploy an RDI ChannelMaster 600kHz ADVM. Mount is resistant to corrosion and is articulated to allow adjustment of heading, pitch, and roll.
Phenolic mount used to deploy an RDI ChannelMaster 600kHz ADVM. Mount is resistant to corrosion and is articulated to allow adjustment of heading, pitch, and roll.
USGS scientists taking water quality measurements in San Francisco Bay aboard the Research Vessel Peterson.
USGS scientists taking water quality measurements in San Francisco Bay aboard the Research Vessel Peterson.
Willow Spring in Hack Canyon in Arizona north of the Grand Canyon. A sign next to the spring says Water Not Suitable for Drinking. The spring has elevated levels of uranium and selenium. The elevated uranium level is most likely not associated with breccia-pipe uranium mining in the area.
Willow Spring in Hack Canyon in Arizona north of the Grand Canyon. A sign next to the spring says Water Not Suitable for Drinking. The spring has elevated levels of uranium and selenium. The elevated uranium level is most likely not associated with breccia-pipe uranium mining in the area.
A leveling instrument being carried by Brad Huffman at a high water mark site in Florence, SC
A leveling instrument being carried by Brad Huffman at a high water mark site in Florence, SC
Scientists conducting health assessment on smallmouth bass collected from Echo Lake, NJ.
Scientists conducting health assessment on smallmouth bass collected from Echo Lake, NJ.
An unlikely pause in the rain made it fun to "collect" this sparkling banana slug with a picture. Taken in the Arcata Community Forest, Humboldt County, CA
An unlikely pause in the rain made it fun to "collect" this sparkling banana slug with a picture. Taken in the Arcata Community Forest, Humboldt County, CA
After mixing about 20 grams of a sediment sample with distilled water, we add strong hydrogen peroxide to break down or "digest" organic matter that may be in the sample. Organic matter makes clay particles stick together and we need them separate in order to calculate accurate particle size fractions of the sample.
After mixing about 20 grams of a sediment sample with distilled water, we add strong hydrogen peroxide to break down or "digest" organic matter that may be in the sample. Organic matter makes clay particles stick together and we need them separate in order to calculate accurate particle size fractions of the sample.
Stream sampling in the School Branch watershed
White River at Hazelton, IN - rain gage
Mule deer investigating a game camera in Madison Valley, Montana.
Mule deer investigating a game camera in Madison Valley, Montana.
Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
High flow measurements are important is refining and confirming the validity of the high end of discharge ratings. Here, a technician moves the manned boat back and forth across the river channel with an ADCP tethered to the side of the boat.
High flow measurements are important is refining and confirming the validity of the high end of discharge ratings. Here, a technician moves the manned boat back and forth across the river channel with an ADCP tethered to the side of the boat.
Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound.
Algae Invert sampling at DR 750N School Branch site
Algae Invert sampling at DR 750N School Branch site
Electrofishing at School Branch IN Noble Drive surface water site
Electrofishing at School Branch IN Noble Drive surface water site
Groundwater sampling for School Branch study
Researcher swabs the body of a honeybee with fuschin gel to later use to identify the pollen particles on the bee's body and determine what plants the bee visited.
Researcher swabs the body of a honeybee with fuschin gel to later use to identify the pollen particles on the bee's body and determine what plants the bee visited.