All Publications

We evaluated the effects of fipronil bait pellets on two cricetids that commonly occupy colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus; BTPDs): western deer mice (Peromyscus sonoriensis) and northern grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster). In one experiment, bait pellets (0.96 mg fipronil/bait) were applied at 75 baits/ha to three 1.44-ha plots on a BTPD colony. Mouse...

An educational information packet about the 2025 List of Critical Minerals, which includes a memory match game about select critical minerals and how they are used.

Objective People are exposed to mercury (Hg) through the consumption of fish. State and federal governments provide broad, often-generalized food safety guidance to reduce exposure; however, numerous rural fishing areas lack testing and location- or species-specific guidance. The aim of this study was to provide tangible, visible, or easily measured characteristics of Lake Trout...

Translocations have been widely used to restore and conserve bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations in North America. Some translocations have been successful, but many populations remain small and genetically isolated. Population structure can influence the viability and long-term success of reintroductions. Social ungulates often function as interconnected subpopulations...

Titan, the only body in the solar system aside from Earth with standing liquids on its surface, has polar hydrocarbon lakes and seas. As Titan’s atmosphere generates light winds, there should be waves on the surface of these lakes and seas, yet, direct wave observations are scant. We introduce and use PlanetWaves, an open source 4D spectral wave model, to study Titan’s waves and create...

Introduction The Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Coalition (GLGMC), commonly referred to as the “Coalition,” is a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Ontario. The member States receive funding for geologic mapping work from the USGS National

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean conventional resources of 419 million barrels of oil and 5.5 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Berkine, Illizi, Hamra, Murzuq, and Erdis Kufra Basins of northern Africa.

Major waterways in the City of Roanoke (City) have failed to meet Virginia’s aquatic life designated use since 1996. Segments of the upper Roanoke River lack healthy benthic macroinvertebrate communities which prompted a total maximum daily load (TMDL) study by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) to identify the most probable stressor(s) causing the impairment. Excess...

This report describes the methodology used for the construction of a digital three-layer geologic model of the conterminous United States by mapping the altitude of three surfaces: land surface, the top of bedrock, and the top of basement. These surfaces are mapped through the compilation and synthesis of published stratigraphic horizons from numerous topical studies. The mapped surfaces...

The quality of water accessed by domestic wells (here referred to as domestic groundwater resources) in the San Joaquin Valley Kern County subbasin (basin number 5-022.14) was assessed as part of the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project (GAMA-PBP), in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board. Kern County...

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, assessed flooding of the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries for varying precipitation magnitudes and durations, varying antecedent runoff conditions, and projected climate-change conditions. The precipitation scenarios were used to develop a library of flood-inundation maps for a 2.95-mile reach...

Underground coal mines are important global sources of methane, but emission estimates are uncertain. We show that emission estimates for individual mines from aircraft remote-sensing surveys in the United States agree within 40% with direct measurements used for national emission reporting (IPCC Tier 3 estimate). Such direct measurements are unavailable in most countries, which rely on...