FAQs
This webpage contains a list of selected USGS frequently asked questions (FAQs) and short answers to those questions for topics likely to be of interest in the USGS Region 7: Upper Colorado River Basin area. Left-click on the titles or images below to see answers to these FAQs. Please contact us if you have additional questions.
What is a debris flow? What is a debris flow?
Debris flows are fast-moving landslides that are particularly dangerous to life and property because they move quickly, destroy objects in their paths, and often strike without warning. They occur in a wide variety of environments throughout the world, including all 50 states and U.S. Territories. Debris flows generally occur during periods of intense rainfall or rapid snowmelt and usually start...
How do I sign up for the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System? How do I sign up for the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System?
How do I sign up to receive ShakeAlert®-powered Alerts on my phone? Provider Type Apple Store Google Play Link States USGS/FEMA Wireless Emergency Alerts N/A FEMA | WEA CA/OR/WA MyShake TM Mobile App Y/Y MyShake CA/OR/WA Google Android Operating System N/A Google CA/OR/WA Alert San Diego with ShakeReadySD Mobile App Y/Y Alert San Diego CA The USGS issues ShakeAlert ® Messages but alert delivery...
Where can I get Global Land Cover Data (GLCC)? Where can I get Global Land Cover Data (GLCC)?
In EarthExplorer, select "GLCC" under "Land Cover" in the "Data Sets" tab. Derived from 1-km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer ( AVHRR) data collected April 1992 to March 1993. Learn more: USGS EROS Archive - Land Cover Products - Global Land Cover Characterization (GLCC) Global Ecosystems Global Climate Data (NOAA) NOAAView Global Data (NOAA) Map of Worldwide Croplands (USGS news release)...
What does the USGS (United States Geological Survey) do? What does the USGS (United States Geological Survey) do?
The USGS (United States Geological Survey) is a science bureau within the United States Department of the Interior. The USGS provides science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods; the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on; the health of our ecosystems and environment; and the impacts of climate and land-use change. Our scientists develop new...
Can you identify my rock or mineral? Can you identify my rock or mineral?
Rocks and minerals must be examined in person from all perspectives for accurate identification; they are extremely difficult to identify through photographs. You will get the best results by taking your rock or mineral to a local source where it can be handled and examined closely. Possibilities include: Your state geological survey A natural science museum A college or university with a geology...
How do I find, download, or order topographic maps? How do I find, download, or order topographic maps?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States since 1879. Some of the most well-known USGS maps are the 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, also called 7.5-minute quadrangles. In 2009, the USGS transitioned from our hand scribed historical topographic maps to US Topos, which are computer-generated on a regular schedule using national databases...
What Landsat products are available? What Landsat products are available?
There are several Landsat Collection 2 products that are useful for science applications and land use/land change studies: Landsat Level-1 Products - Each Level-1 product includes individual spectral band files, a metadata file, and additional ancillary files. Level-1 products are available for all global landmasses. Landsat U.S. Analysis Ready Data (ARD) - U.S. ARD uses Landsat Level-1 data as...
Can wind turbines harm wildlife? Can wind turbines harm wildlife?
A key challenge facing the wind industry is the potential for turbines to adversely affect wild animals both directly, via collisions, as well as indirectly due to noise pollution, habitat loss, and reduced survival or reproduction. Among the most impacted wildlife are birds and bats, which by eating destructive insects provide billions of dollars of economic benefits to the country’s agricultural...
How many homes can an average wind turbine power? How many homes can an average wind turbine power?
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. home uses 893 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month. Per the U.S. Wind Turbine Database, the mean capacity of wind turbines that achieved commercial operations in 2020 is 2.75 megawatts (MW). At a 42% capacity factor (i.e., the average among recently built wind turbines in the United States, per the 2021 edition of...
Why are some lakes full of algae and thick plants? Why are some lakes full of algae and thick plants?
Plants naturally grow in and around lakes, but sometimes lakes and ponds can get an overgrowth of plants, algae, or bacteria. In many cases, humans are responsible. Chemicals that are used on lawns and in agriculture (like nitrogen and potassium) wash into our water systems. Once there, plants and algae have a feast on this “food.” Sometimes overgrowths of cyanobacteria (called “blooms”) can make...
What are the two types of floods? What are the two types of floods?
There are two basic types of floods: flash floods and the more widespread river floods. Flash floods generally cause greater loss of life and river floods generally cause greater loss of property. A flash flood occurs when runoff from excessive rainfall causes a rapid rise in the water height (stage) of a stream or normally-dry channel. Flash floods are more common in areas with a dry climate and...
Why are amphibian populations declining? Why are amphibian populations declining?
Research suggests that even though amphibians are severely declining worldwide, there is no smoking gun—and thus no simple solution—to halting or reversing these declines. Though every region in the United States has suffered amphibian declines, threats differ among regions. They include: Human influence from the Mississippi River east, including the metropolitan areas of the Northeast and the...