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This photo shows a view of the western fissure, feeding the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea. The inlet zone, where lava is entering the lake, is visible at the bottom of the photo. Near the center of the photo, an area of lava driblets can be seen running down the flank of the western fissure's cone. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

$71-$246 BILLION
Net annual economic impact of wildland fire across the U.S.¹

650 MILLION
Acres of public lands that are managed for wildland fire.²

16.1 FATALITIES
Average annual fatalities from wildland fire.³

64,000 WILDFIRES

Dan Ciarletta (right) working alongside Julie Bernier (left) to collect a sediment core on Mullet Key in Pinellas County, Florida. The core will be used to reconstruct the geologic history of the island.

Modern equipment currently in use at the South Fork of the Ogden River streamgage, to include; an electronic data logger, pressure transducer and GOES radio. This streamgage has been monitoring water levels and flow since March 21, 1921, making it one of 25 centennial gauges in Utah. The equipment used to collect data has changed significantly over the past 100 years.

Mendenhall postdoctoral fellow Daniel Ciarletta and geologists Julie Bernier and Nancy DeWitt of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center operating a vibracore system on Mullet Key, a barrier island along the Gulf coast of Central Florida. The scientists are taking sediment samples to learn more about the long-

Mendenhall postdoctoral fellow Daniel Ciarletta of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center labels a sediment core obtained from a vibracore system on Mullet Key, a barrier island along the Gulf coast of Central Florida. He studies these sediment samples to learn more about the long-term geological evolution of

HVO geologists use a laser rangefinder to measure the distance to the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, and other eruptive features, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. These lava lake measurements are used to help calculate the depth, volume, and how it has evolved throughout the eruption. The stagnant eastern portion of the lava lake is visible in the lower-left. USGS photo taken by

The Chesapeake Bay watershed, or draingage basin, encompasses six states - New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Deleware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. A drainage basin is a giant system of creeks, streams, and rivers that all flow into a common outlet, which in this case is the Chesapeake Bay.

Description of the South Fork of the Ogden River streamgage included in USGS Water-Supply Paper 530 "Surface Water Supply of the United States, 1921, Part X.

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. On Wednesday morning, February 17, small pieces of spatter were occasionally ejected from the vent, landing on the slope below. This type of activity has decreased significantly over the past several weeks. Lava from the west vent continues to enter the lava lake at an inlet near the base

Active surface lava has been limited to the western portion of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. This photo shows a large portion of this western zone. The surface is composed of a patchwork of small, angular crustal plates separated by darker spreading zones. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick on February 17, 2021.

This photo shows a close-up of the inlet along the western margin of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. Lava originating at the small upwelling zone rapidly develops a thin flexible crust as it moves away from the source. A small island also has been present just south of the inlet. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick on February 17, 2021.

The lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, remains active. The active lava was retained by a levee several meters (yards) high along the west margin. The levee is formed from numerous small rafted crustal plates that have stacked upon one another, and likely fused together. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick on February 17, 2021.

Illustration detailing the Unuk River layout.  Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.

Illustration detailing the Taku River layout.  Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.

Illustration detailing the Salmon River layout.  Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.

Illustration detailing the Alsek River layout.  Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.

Connor Gregoire chiseling ice for a Qm @ 01193500

Photomicrographs from a big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) from Wisconsin, USA. H&E stain. (A) Low magnification of a cross section through the nares showing nasal cavity (*), oral mucosa (arrowhead), and haired skin (arrow). (B) Higher magnification showing a normal hair follicle (arrow) surrounded by sebaceous glands. (C) An ulcer with hemorrhage (*) is

This photo of the erupting western fissure in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea was captured during a helicopter overflight on the morning of Tuesday, February 16. The degassing cone was not visibly spattering during the overflight, but the lava inlet near the base of the cone is evidence of continued effusion into the lava lake. USGS photo taken by M. Zoeller.

Segreganset River at North Dighton, Massachusetts, February 12, 2021.

A telephoto image of the west vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit. Lava is being supplied to the active western lava lake through the inlet at the base of the vent (lower-center). This photo was taken from the southern rim of Halema‘uma‘u, within an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public for safety reasons. USGS photo taken

This telephoto image of the western vent was taken from the west rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit. An incandescent opening near the top of the cone (center) was producing rare spatter on February 12. The inlet into the lava lake is visible in the upper-center. SO₂ emission rates remain elevated. USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither.

This photo shows the southwest region of the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea summit. Foundering of the active lava lake surface crust—a common process where liquid lava overrides and submerges crust—was observed by HVO scientists on February 12. Several rockfall deposits from the Halema‘uma‘u crater walls are visible on the stagnant lava lake margin (upper-

While hiking along the rim of the 2018 collapse at the summit of Kīlauea on Friday, February 12, HVO scientists visited a site to the southeast of Halema‘uma‘u known as Akanikōlea—a culturally-significant place that is featured in Hawaiian legends. Though the lava lake from the ongoing eruption in Halema‘uma‘u is not visible from here, Akanikōlea afforded an excellent wide

On Friday, February 12, HVO scientists hiked along the rim of Halema‘uma‘u to capture photos of the lava lake from different vantage points. In this photo from the northwest rim, the active western fissure is tucked into the lower-right corner of the crater. The actively circulating western portion of the lava lake (lower-right) and the stagnant eastern portion (upper-left

USGS Alaska Transboundary Rivers DEM.  Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.

Illustration detailing the Stikine River layout.  Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.

Photo Contest Winner | March 2021 | Honorable Mention
423441072170701 MA-ORW63 Winter Groundwater Site Inspection

Stream with snow falling

No major changes were observed at the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater during the field visit to Kīlauea Volcano's summit on Thursday, February 11. The western fissure, shown here, remained active with lava entering the lake at the normal inlet site. The inlet consisted of a small upwelling zone that was raised several meters (yards) above the surrounding lake surface.

The flow of the lake around a small island, south of the inlet zone, formed a heart-shaped outline in the western portion of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A close-up of the inlet zone showing the small upwelling area at the western margin of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This illustration is for an Ichthyologist coloring page. This coloring page can easily be added to lesson plans for students in science classes. 

On this coloring page, title "Tools of the Trade", it shows two scientists (one male, one female) wading in shin-high water. The male scientist is holding a net and the female scientist

Ken Planty and Brian McDonald (USGS NYWSC Potsdam office) observing the ice pile up on the pier at USGS 04249071 LK ONTARIO (SELKIRK SHORES) NR DAYSVILLE CORNER NY. (Credit: Isabella Lucia, USGS NY WSC. Public domain.)

Crinoid fossil from a Paleozoic rock unit found in northern Yellowstone National Park.

Twilight view of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. This photo, taken from the southern rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater and looking northward, shows the active western (left) portion of the lava lake, which has hot incandescent lava visible at boundaries between plates on the lava lake. The inactive eastern (right) portion of the lake appears dark. USGS

Groundwater sampling along the shoreline of Academy Cove, Wickford, Rhode Island, February 9, 2021

Academy Cove, Wickford, Rhode Island

This Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) photo from Tuesday, February 9, shows the stagnant, crusted-over eastern portion of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake. This photo is looking to the east, towards the easternmost end of the lake, with the active western fissure behind and out-of-view. For scale, the small island in the center of the photo is approximately 50 m (164 ft) in

This Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) photo from Tuesday, February 9, shows the main island in the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake. The lake surface on the eastern (lower-center) side of the island has been stagnant and crusted over recently. The western fissure that has been feeding the lava lake is visibly degassing in the background. For scale, the island stretches

This Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) photo from Tuesday, February 9 shows the active western portion of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake. The western fissure continues to supply lava to the lava lake from an inlet at the base of the spatter cone (upper-left). For scale, the distance from the lava inlet to the edge of the main island is approximately 160 m (525 ft). USGS has

A zoomed-in aerial view of the active west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater taken during the helicopter overflight on February 9. Lava erupted from the west vent continues to enter the active lava lake through an inlet at the base of the cone. SO₂ emission rates remain elevated and were measured at 2,200 t/d on February 1. USGS photo taken by B. Carr.

An aerial view of the Halema‘uma‘u crater lava lake on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 as viewed from the south during a helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit. Lava continues to erupt and enter into the lava lake from the inlet at the base of the west vent, which is visibly incandescent on the left in the photo. Only the western part of the lake surface remains active within a

A wide aerial photo of the active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater taken during a Kīlauea summit overflight on February 9, 2021. This view, looking west, shows the active west vent degassing (center). Mauna Loa Volcano is visible in the background with a snow-covered summit. USGS photo taken by B. Carr.

The snowy gage at Indian River,  Clinton, CT 01195100.

The water quality sample is being taken at Saugatuck River near Westport, CT 01209500.