Publications
Browse more than 160,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS. Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.
Science Quality and Integrity
Science Quality and Integrity
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Mission Area Publications
Mission Area Publications
We are focused on some of the most significant issues society faces, and our science is making a substantial contribution to the well-being of the Nation and the world. Learn more about the major topics our research covers and the programs focused on those topics.
Filter Total Items: 175531
The water cycle The water cycle
An illustrated diagram of the water cycle. This is a modern, updated version of the widely used diagram featured on the USGS Water Science School. Notably, this new water cycle diagram depicts humans and major categories of human water use as key components of the water cycle, in addition to the key pools and fluxes of the hydrologic cycle. This product targets an 8th grade audience and...
Authors
Hayley R. Corson-Dosch, Cee S. Nell, Rachel E. Volentine, Althea A. Archer, Ellen Bechtel, Jennifer L. Bruce, Nicole Felts, Tara A. Gross, Dianne Lopez-Trujillo, Charlotte E. Riggs, Emily Read
National map of focus areas for potential critical mineral resources in the United States National map of focus areas for potential critical mineral resources in the United States
Introduction The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) launched the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) to modernize the surface and subsurface geologic mapping of the United States, with a focus on identifying areas that may have the potential to contain critical mineral resources. EarthMRI can inform strategies to ensure secure and reliable domestic critical mineral supplies for the...
Authors
Jane M. Hammarstrom, Douglas C. Kreiner, Connie L. Dicken, Laurel G. Woodruff
The ties that bind the sagebrush biome: Integrating genetic connectivity into range-wide conservation of greater sage-grouse The ties that bind the sagebrush biome: Integrating genetic connectivity into range-wide conservation of greater sage-grouse
Conserving genetic connectivity is fundamental to species persistence, yet rarely is made actionable into spatial planning for imperilled species. Climate change and habitat degradation have added urgency to embrace connectivity into networks of protected areas. Our two-step process integrates a network model with a functional connectivity model, to identify population centres important...
Authors
Todd B. Cross, Jason D. Tack, David E. Naugle, Michael D. Schwartz, Kevin E. Doherty, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Ronald D. Pritchert, Brad C. Fedy
Unstructured-grid approach to develop high-fidelity groundwater model to understand groundwater flow and storage responses to excessive groundwater withdrawals in the Southern Hills aquifer system in southeastern Louisiana (USA) Unstructured-grid approach to develop high-fidelity groundwater model to understand groundwater flow and storage responses to excessive groundwater withdrawals in the Southern Hills aquifer system in southeastern Louisiana (USA)
Study region The Southern Hills aquifer system in the Louisiana Capital Area Groundwater Conservation District (CAGCD), USA. Study focus The Southern Hills aquifer system provides abundant groundwater for public and industrial supplies in the CAGCD. Groundwater depletion, saltwater intrusion, and land subsidence are potential concerns due to prolonged excessive groundwater withdrawals...
Authors
Ye-Hong Chen, Hamid Vahdat-Aboueshagh, Frank T.-C. Tsai, Alyssa Dausman, Michael C. Runge
Observations of coastal circulation, waves, and sediment transport along West Maui, Hawaiʻi (November 2017– March 2018), and modeling effects of potential watershed restoration on decreasing sediment loads to adjacent coral reefs Observations of coastal circulation, waves, and sediment transport along West Maui, Hawaiʻi (November 2017– March 2018), and modeling effects of potential watershed restoration on decreasing sediment loads to adjacent coral reefs
Terrestrial sediment discharging from watersheds off West Maui, Hawaiʻi, has been documented as a primary stressor to local coral reefs, causing coral reef health to decline. The U.S. Geological Survey acquired and analyzed physical oceanographic and sedimentologic field data off the coast of West Maui to calibrate and validate physics-based, numerical hydrodynamic and sediment transport...
Authors
Curt D. Storlazzi, Olivia M. Cheriton, Katherine M. Cronin, Luuk H. van der Heijden, Gundula Winter, Kurt J. Rosenberger, Joshua B. Logan, Robert T. McCall
Modeling post-wildfire hydrologic response: Review and future directions for applications of physically based distributed simulation Modeling post-wildfire hydrologic response: Review and future directions for applications of physically based distributed simulation
Wildfire is a growing concern as climate shifts. The hydrologic effects of wildfire, which include elevated hazards and changes in water quantity and quality, are increasingly assessed using numerical models. Post-wildfire application of physically based distributed models provides unique insight into the underlying processes that affect water resources after wildfire. This work reviews...
Authors
Brian A. Ebel, Zachary M. Shephard, Michelle A. Walvoord, Sheila F. Murphy, Trevor Fuess Partridge, Kimberlie Perkins
Geothermal energy production adversely affects a sensitive indicator species within sagebrush ecosystems in western North America Geothermal energy production adversely affects a sensitive indicator species within sagebrush ecosystems in western North America
Growing demand for renewable energy has resulted in expansion of energy infrastructure across sagebrush ecosystems of western North America. Geothermal power is an increasingly popular renewable energy source, especially within remote areas, but little is known about the impacts it may have on local wildlife populations. Investigations are warranted given similarities to more...
Authors
Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Shawn T. O’Neil, Sarah C. Webster, Shawn Espinosa, Mark A. Ricca, Steven R. Mathews, Michael L. Casazza, David J. Delehanty
Tracking status and trends in seven key indicators of stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed Tracking status and trends in seven key indicators of stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
“The Bay Connects us, the Bay reflects us” writes Tom Horton in the book “Turning the Tide—Saving the Chesapeake Bay”. The Chesapeake Bay watershed contains the largest estuary in the United States. The watershed stretches north to Cooperstown, New York, south to Lynchburg and Virginia Beach, Virginia, west to Pendleton County, West Virginia, and east to Seaford, Delaware, and Scranton
Authors
Samuel H. Austin, Matthew J. Cashman, John W. Clune, James E. Colgin, Rosemary M. Fanelli, Kevin P. Krause, Emily H. Majcher, Kelly O. Maloney, Christopher A. Mason, Douglas L. Moyer, Tammy M. Zimmerman
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Environmental Health Program, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
Vulnerability to climate change of managed stocks in the California Current large marine ecosystem Vulnerability to climate change of managed stocks in the California Current large marine ecosystem
Introduction: Understanding how abundance, productivity and distribution of individual species may respond to climate change is a critical first step towards anticipating alterations in marine ecosystem structure and function, as well as developing strategies to adapt to the full range of potential changes. Methods: This study applies the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
Authors
Michelle M McClure, Melissa A. Haltuch, Ellen Willis-Norton, David D. Huff, Elliott L. Hazen, Lisa G. Crozier, Michael G. Jacox, Mark W. Nelson, Kelly S. Andrews, Lewis A. K. Barnett, Aaron M. Berger, Sabrina Beyer, Joe Bizzarro, David A. Boughton, Jason M. Cope, Mark H. Carr, Heidi Dewar, Edward Dick, Dorval Emmanis, Jason Dunham, Vladlena Gertseva, Correigh M. Greene, Richard G. Gustafson, Hamel Owen S., Chris J. Harvey, Mark J. Henderson, Chris E. Jordan, Isaac C. Kaplan, Steven T. Lindley, Nathan J. Mantua, Sean E. Matson, Melissa H. Monk, Peter B. Moyle, Colin L Nicol, John Pohl, Ryan R. Rykaczewski, Jameal F. Samhouri, Susan Sogard, Nick Tolimieri, John Wallace, Chantel Wetzel, Steven J. Bograd
Qualitative value of information provides a transparent and repeatable method for identifying critical uncertainty Qualitative value of information provides a transparent and repeatable method for identifying critical uncertainty
Conservation decisions are often made in the face of uncertainty because the urgency to act can preclude delaying management while uncertainty is resolved. In this context, adaptive management is attractive, allowing simultaneous management and learning. An adaptive program design requires the identification of critical uncertainties that impede the choice of management action...
Authors
Michelle L Stantial, Abigail Jean Lawson, Auriel Fournier, Peter J. Kappes, Chelsea S. Kross, Michael C. Runge, Mark S. Woodrey, James E. Lyons
An examination of soil crusts on the floor of Jezero crater, Mars An examination of soil crusts on the floor of Jezero crater, Mars
Martian soils are critically important for understanding the history of Mars, past potentially habitable environments, returned samples, and future human exploration. This paper examines soil crusts on the floor of Jezero crater encountered during initial phases of the Mars 2020 mission. Soil surface crusts have been observed on Mars at other locations, starting with the two Viking...
Authors
E.M. Hausrath, C. T. Adcock, A. Bechtold, P.S.A. Beck, K. Benison, A.J. Brown, E. L. Cardarelli, N. A. Carman, B. Chide, J. Christian, B. C. Clark, E. Cloutis, A. Cousin, O. Forni, Travis S.J. Gabriel, Olivier Gasnault, M. P. Golombek, F. Gomez, M. H. Hecht, T. L. J. Henley, J. Huidobro, J. C. Johnson, M. W. M. Jones, P. B. Kelemen, A. Knight, J. A. Lasue, Stéphane Le Mouélic, J. M. Madariaga, J. N. Maki, L. Mandon, G. Martinez, J. Martinez-Frias, T. H. McConnochie, P. #NAME? Meslin, M. #NAME? Zorzano, H. Newsom, G. Paar, N. Randazzo, C. Royer, S. Siljestroem, M. E. Schmidt, S. Schroeder, M. A. Sephton, R. Sullivan, N. Turenne, A. Udry, S. VanBommel, A. Vaughan, R. C. Wiens, N. Williams
Spatial and temporal analysis of geologic slip rates, Cucamonga Fault, California, USA: Implications for along-strike applications and multi-fault rupture Spatial and temporal analysis of geologic slip rates, Cucamonga Fault, California, USA: Implications for along-strike applications and multi-fault rupture
To constrain fault processes and hazard, fault slip rates may be extrapolated over different fault lengths or time intervals. Here, we investigate slip rates for the Cucamonga Fault (CF). The CF is located at the junction of the Transverse Range fault system with the San Andreas and San Jacinto Faults, and it is hypothesized to connect with these faults, promoting the propagation of...
Authors
Devin McPhillips, Katherine M. Scharer