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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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Groundwater-monitoring well in Osage County, Oklahoma.
Groundwater-monitoring well in Osage County, Oklahoma.
Groundwater-monitoring well in Osage County, Oklahoma.
Groundwater-monitoring well in Osage County, Oklahoma.

Groundwater-monitoring well and telemetry equipment in Osage County, Oklahoma

Epiphytic lichen on a tree in Oregon
Epiphytic lichen on a hardwood tree in Corvallis, Oregon
Epiphytic lichen on a hardwood tree in Corvallis, Oregon
Epiphytic lichen on a hardwood tree in Corvallis, Oregon

The USGS is researching how trees and epiphytic lichens are affected by nitrogen deposition in temperate forests.

The USGS is researching how trees and epiphytic lichens are affected by nitrogen deposition in temperate forests.

Satellite image showing the vegetation growth return after eruption in 1992.
Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, Erupted 26 Years Ago
Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, Erupted 26 Years Ago
Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, Erupted 26 Years Ago

Today Mount Pinatubo is relatively quiet, and about 300 meters shorter than it was before the eruption. This Landsat image pair shows the mountain several months after the eruption and more recently in 2017.

Today Mount Pinatubo is relatively quiet, and about 300 meters shorter than it was before the eruption. This Landsat image pair shows the mountain several months after the eruption and more recently in 2017.

Springtime streamflow measurement, East Fork Smiths Fork
Springtime streamflow measurement, East Fork Smiths Fork
Springtime streamflow measurement, East Fork Smiths Fork
Springtime streamflow measurement, East Fork Smiths Fork

Springtime streamflow measurement, East Fork Smiths Fork

Scientist holding a laptop and equipment, standing in a green field.
Assessing Tallgrass Coastal Prairie in Southwest Louisiana
Assessing Tallgrass Coastal Prairie in Southwest Louisiana
Assessing Tallgrass Coastal Prairie in Southwest Louisiana

Vegetation assessments are part of an effort to produce seamless, consistent, and high resolution landcover data for the northern portion of the western gulf coastal plain. This geography was once dominated by tallgrass prairie and has undergone dramatic change with less than 1% of this natural habitat in existence.

Vegetation assessments are part of an effort to produce seamless, consistent, and high resolution landcover data for the northern portion of the western gulf coastal plain. This geography was once dominated by tallgrass prairie and has undergone dramatic change with less than 1% of this natural habitat in existence.

Female scientist looking through microscope.
Examining Pallid Sturgeon Eggs
Examining Pallid Sturgeon Eggs
Examining Pallid Sturgeon Eggs

Biological science aid, Marlee Malmborg, examines and records the viability of pallid sturgeon eggs at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

Biological science aid, Marlee Malmborg, examines and records the viability of pallid sturgeon eggs at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

Satellite images showing the Isle de Jean Charles.
Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana
Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana
Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana

Is Louisiana falling into the sea, or is the sea inundating Louisiana? It's actually a bit of both. To the inhabitants of a tiny island on the bayou, an island getting tinier by the day, it hardly matters.

Is Louisiana falling into the sea, or is the sea inundating Louisiana? It's actually a bit of both. To the inhabitants of a tiny island on the bayou, an island getting tinier by the day, it hardly matters.

Hydro techs use q boat to make streamflow measurement
Remote Control Streamflow Measurement
Remote Control Streamflow Measurement
Remote Control Streamflow Measurement

Scientists from the USGS Albuquerque Field Office use an ADCP mounted on a remotely-controlled Q boat to measure the streamflow of the Rio Grande near Bosque Farms. Use of the Q boat allows our hydro techs to safely and quickly respond to flood events that may threaten the public.

Scientists from the USGS Albuquerque Field Office use an ADCP mounted on a remotely-controlled Q boat to measure the streamflow of the Rio Grande near Bosque Farms. Use of the Q boat allows our hydro techs to safely and quickly respond to flood events that may threaten the public.

Scientist swabbing newt.
USGS scientist swabbing a Central Newt in Wisconsin to look for bsal
USGS scientist swabbing a Central Newt in Wisconsin to look for bsal
USGS scientist swabbing a Central Newt in Wisconsin to look for bsal

USGS scientist swabbing a Central Newt in Wisconsin to look for an invasive fungus, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal).

USGS scientist swabbing a Central Newt in Wisconsin to look for an invasive fungus, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal).

The water cycle for schools diagram, Khmer
វដ្តទឹក - The Water Cycle for Schools, Khmer
វដ្តទឹក - The Water Cycle for Schools, Khmer
វដ្តទឹក - The Water Cycle for Schools, Khmer

វដ្តទឹក

Yអ្នកប្រហែលគិតថា គ្រប់ដំណក់ទឹកភ្លៀងដែលធ្លាក់ពីលើមេឃ ឬទឹកដែលអ្នកហូបសុទ្ធតែជាដំណក់ទឹកដែលគេទើបបង្កើតថ្មី។ តែតាមពិតទៅ 

វដ្តទឹក

Yអ្នកប្រហែលគិតថា គ្រប់ដំណក់ទឹកភ្លៀងដែលធ្លាក់ពីលើមេឃ ឬទឹកដែលអ្នកហូបសុទ្ធតែជាដំណក់ទឹកដែលគេទើបបង្កើតថ្មី។ តែតាមពិតទៅ 

Advancing Adaptive Management in the Riverside East Solar Energy Zone
Advancing Adaptive Management in the Riverside East Solar Energy Zone
Advancing Adaptive Management in the Riverside East Solar Energy Zone
Advancing Adaptive Management in the Riverside East Solar Energy Zone

The Riverside East Solar Energy Zone is a vast area in southern California designated for large-scale solar development. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is charged with monitoring wildlife in this area to minimize the effects of the solar production on wildlife species.

The Riverside East Solar Energy Zone is a vast area in southern California designated for large-scale solar development. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is charged with monitoring wildlife in this area to minimize the effects of the solar production on wildlife species.

ISRO Resourcesat-2 image of Lake Pontchartrain, March 2017
ISRO Resourcesat-2 image of Lake Pontchartrain, March 2017
ISRO Resourcesat-2 image of Lake Pontchartrain, March 2017
ISRO Resourcesat-2 image of Lake Pontchartrain, March 2017

This is an image acquired with the Linear Imaging Self-Scanning Sensor III on the Indian Space Research Organization's Resourcesat-2 satellite that is now available in the EROS Archive. It is the New Orleans/Lake Pontchartrain area and was acquired March 31, 2017.

This is an image acquired with the Linear Imaging Self-Scanning Sensor III on the Indian Space Research Organization's Resourcesat-2 satellite that is now available in the EROS Archive. It is the New Orleans/Lake Pontchartrain area and was acquired March 31, 2017.

Satellite image showing New Orleans and Mississippi River delta
Satellite Image of New Orleans Region
Satellite Image of New Orleans Region
Satellite Image of New Orleans Region

This image of the New Orleans/Lake Pontchartrain area in Louisiana was acquired March 31, 2017, from the Indian Space Research Organization’s Resourcesat-2 LISS-3 sensor. Land loss and hurricane hazards are key landscape issues here. 

This image of the New Orleans/Lake Pontchartrain area in Louisiana was acquired March 31, 2017, from the Indian Space Research Organization’s Resourcesat-2 LISS-3 sensor. Land loss and hurricane hazards are key landscape issues here. 

USGS Staff - Ohio River at Cannelton, IN
USGS Staff - Ohio River at Cannelton, IN
USGS Staff - Ohio River at Cannelton, IN
USGS Staff - Ohio River at Cannelton, IN

USGS Staff - Ohio River at Cannelton, IN

Groundwater measurement at Fort Knox, KY
Groundwater measurement at Fort Knox, KY
Groundwater measurement at Fort Knox, KY
Groundwater measurement at Fort Knox, KY

Groundwater measurement at Fort Knox, KY

Mohawk River flowing under railroad bridge at Stockade district
Ice Jam Webcam at the Stockade railroad bridge, Schenectady, NY
Ice Jam Webcam at the Stockade railroad bridge, Schenectady, NY
Ice Jam Webcam at the Stockade railroad bridge, Schenectady, NY

Mohawk River Live Ice Jam Web Camera monitoring conditions at the railroad bridge in the Stockade district, Schenectady, NY

Mohawk River Live Ice Jam Web Camera monitoring conditions at the railroad bridge in the Stockade district, Schenectady, NY

Indiana groundwater site - Hamilton 8
Indiana groundwater site - Hamilton 8
Indiana groundwater site - Hamilton 8
Indiana groundwater site - Hamilton 8

Indiana groundwater site - Hamilton 8

Little Blue River at Shelbyville, IN
Little Blue River at Shelbyville, IN
Little Blue River at Shelbyville, IN
Little Blue River at Shelbyville, IN

Little Blue River at Shelbyville, IN

Boat measurement - Paul and Katrina
Boat measurement - Paul and Katrina
Boat measurement - Paul and Katrina
Boat measurement - Paul and Katrina

Boat measurement - Paul and Katrina

California Wildflower Superbloom, Spring 2017, Landsat 8
California Wildflower Superbloom, Spring 2017, Landsat 8
California Wildflower Superbloom, Spring 2017, Landsat 8
California Wildflower Superbloom, Spring 2017, Landsat 8

After 5 years of drought, California finally got relief during the winter of 2016–2017 with much needed precipitation. One result of this additional moisture was a springtime abundance of wildflowers in 2017. This Landsat 8 image shows a large area of wildflower "superbloom" just north of Los Padres National Forest in southern California.

 

After 5 years of drought, California finally got relief during the winter of 2016–2017 with much needed precipitation. One result of this additional moisture was a springtime abundance of wildflowers in 2017. This Landsat 8 image shows a large area of wildflower "superbloom" just north of Los Padres National Forest in southern California.

 

Scientist preparing for granular activated carbon experiments
Scientist preparing for granular activated carbon experiments
Scientist preparing for granular activated carbon experiments
Scientist preparing for granular activated carbon experiments

Scientist preparing for granular activated carbon experiments