Unified Interior Regions
Arizona
The Southwest Region includes California, Nevada, and Arizona. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight and support, facilitates internal and external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science directions.
States L2 Landing Page Tabs
MRCTR GIS Lab
The USGS Astrogeology Mapping, Remote-sensing, Cartography, Technology, and Research (MRCTR, pronounced "Mercator") GIS Lab provides web-based resources aimed at the planetary research community. The lab supports Geographic Information Systems (GIS) graphical, statistical, and spatial tools for analyses of planetary data, including the distribution of planetary GIS tutorials,...
RPIF Online Exhibits
The NASA/USGS RPIF is dedicated to providing online exhibits of archived materials. The RPIF houses a large collection of historical artifacts in relation to space exploration, map-making, and planetary geology.
PDS Cartography and Imaging Sciences Node at USGS
The USGS Astrogeology Science Center is host to the lead science component of the Cartography and Imaging Sciences Node (IMG) of the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS). A partner facility at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) provides engineering support and technical management for the IMG. The IMG is a PDS science discipline node that manages an archive of more than 1500 TB...
USGS/NASA Planetary Photogrammetry Guest Facility
-- ON HOLD -- Training Opportunity -- ON HOLD --
Photogrammetric Processing of Planetary Stereo Imagery using ISIS and SOCET GXP® TBD
Please note that we no longer have any scheduled SOCET SET® trainings at this time. We are currently transitioning to BAE's latest photogrammtry suite called SOCET...
RPIF Pioneers of Astrogeology
Some of the pioneers in planetary geologic research include Eugene Shoemaker, Harrison "Jack" Schmitt, Don Wilhelms, Raymond Batson, David Roddy, Gordon Swann and Baerbel Lucchitta. Click on the images below to learn about each person and their contributions to Astrogeology.
Gordan Alfred Swann
Gordon Alfred Swann was born in Palisade, CO, September 21, 1931. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956, he received a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in 1962 as one of the pioneers in a study of the Precambrian geology of the Front Range of Colorado. His career in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began in Denver in 1963 working on a Defense Department...
Dave Roddy
Dave Roddy was a world-renowned scientist at the forefront of investigators studying impact and explosion craters. His field mapping of Flynn Creek was the first mapping detailed enough to demonstrate the impact origin of an ancient structure in North America. David was an authority on the Meteor Crater impact structure, east of Flagstaff. Dave's work has assisted in the...
Raymond Milner Batson
Ray Batson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on 8 July 1931. His lifelong passion for flying surfaced early. In high school he worked at Stapleton Airfield in Denver refueling planes in order to pay for flying lessons, and obtained his private pilot’s license. After a year of study at Regis College, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served a two-year tour of duty as...
Don Wilhelms
With his geologic mapping of the Moon, Don Wilhelms set the methods and standards for planetary mapping. He is author of Geologic History of the Moon (1987, USGS Professional Paper 1348) and To a Rocky Moon, A Geologist's History of Lunar Exploration (1993, University of Arizona Press), as well as many other science publications and planetary geologic maps. Don helped train...
Harrison H. Schmitt
Jack Schmitt joined the Astrogeology team as a geologist at the Flagstaff Science Center in 1964, having recently earned a doctorate degree from Harvard University. In addition to assisting in the geologic mapping of the Moon, he led the Lunar Field Geological Methods project. When NASA announced a special recruitment for scientist-astronauts in late 1964, Schmitt...
Gene Shoemaker - Founder of Astrogeology
He once said he considered himself a scientific historian, one whose mission in life is to relate geologic and planetary events in a perspective manner. A modest statement coming from a legend of a man who almost single-handedly created planetary science as a discipline distinct from astronomy. He brought together geologic principles to the mapping of planets, resulting in...
1961: USGS Astrogeology's First Published Map
The race to the moon began on August 17, 1958, and the Soviet Union won. This isn't the opening line of an alternate history story; rather, it is an acknowledgment that more than one moon race took place. The first, with the goal of launching a small automated spacecraft to the moon, began with the liftoff of the Able 1 lunar orbiter, a 38-kilogram U.S. Air Force (USAF) probe...
Accounting for Consumptive Use of Lower Colorado River Water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah
In the Colorado River valley between the east end of Lake Mead and the international boundary with Mexico (see figure), the river is the principal source of water for agricultural, domestic, municipal, industrial, hydroelectric-power generation, and recreational purposes. Water is stored in surface reservoirs and in the river aquifer---permeable...
Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Wilson, Richard P.
Summary of ground-water conditions in Arizona, 1987-90
Annual ground-water withdrawals in Arizona were 2.9, 3.3, 3.6, and 3.4 million acre-feet for calendar years 1987. 1988, 1989, and 1990. The average annual ground-water withdrawal for Arizona from 1980-89 was 3.7 million acre-feet, which was the lowest average annual withdrawal for any decade since the 1940' s. Since 1947, annual ground-water...
Anning, D.W.; Duet, N.R.
Method to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by Colorado River water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah
Accounting for the use of Colorado River water is required by the U.S. Supreme Court decree, 1964, Arizona v. California. Water pumped from wells on the flood plain and from certain wells on alluvial slopes outside the flood plain is presumed to be river water and is accounted for as Colorado River water. A method was developed to identify wells...
Wilson, Richard P.; Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.
Determining the source of water pumped from wells along the lower Colorado River
Wilson, Richard P.; Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.
Results of ground-water, surface-water, and water-quality monitoring, Black Mesa area, northeastern Arizona, 1991-92
Littin, G.R.
Streamflow and sediment-transport data, Colorado River and three tributaries in Grand Canyon, Arizona, 1983 and 1985-86
The U.S. Geological Survey collected streamflow and sediment-transport data at 5 streamflow-gaging stations on the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead as a part of an interagency environmental study. The data were collected for about 6 mo in 1983 and about 4 mo in 1985-86; data also were collected at 3 sites on tributary streams...
Garrett, W.B.; van de Vanter, E.K.; Graf, J.B.
Accounting System for Water Use by Vegetation in the Lower Colorado River Valley
The Colorado River is the principal source of water in the valley of the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and the international boundary with Mexico (fig. 1). Agricultural, domestic, municipal, industrial, hydroelectric-power genera-tion, and recreation are the primary uses of river water in the valley. Most of the consumptive use of water from...
Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.
Results of ground-water, surface-water, and water-quality monitoring, Black Mesa area, northeastern Arizona; 1989-90
Sottilare, J.P.; Bills, D.J.; Brown, J.G.
Results of ground-water, surface-water, and water-quality monitoring, Black Mesa area, northeastern Arizona; 1990-91
Littin, G.R.
Summary of ground-water conditions in Arizona 1985-86
No abstract available.
Wilson, Richard P.
Low-flow sediment transport in the Colorado River
In support of beach-stability research, bedload and suspended sediment were measured during a steady flow of 5,880 ft3/s and receding flows from 12,100 to 5,660 ft3/s in the Colorado River above National Canyon, near Supai, Arizona, October 7-12, 1989. During steady flows, 75 percent of the mean total-sediment discharge of 128 t/d was in...
Gray, John R.; Webb, Robert H.; Hyndman, David W.
Lower Colorado River Accounting System (LCRAS) computer program and documentation
von Allworden, B. K.; Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Sandoval, John D.; Raymond, Lee H.
Reach-Scale Monitoring | Advances in Stream Gaging
The Arizona Water Science Center demonstrates new methods in Reach-Scale Monitoring to improve accuracy and measurability of high flow events. By installing pressure transducers and using LiDAR to measure topography data, hydrologists are able to simulate flows with two dimensional models which will help better calibrate stream gages. These advances have potential to aid
An extremely rare Mojave River western pond turtle
An extremely rare Mojave River western pond turtle was recently observed by USGS scientists and staff from The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in the Mojave Desert. Turtles of this population have rarely been seen since the late 1990s.
New tamarisk leaves re-grow after tamarisk leaf beetle defoliation
Tamarisk leaves regrow following defoliation by the biological control agent, tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.).
Tamarisk re-grows new leaves after tamarisk leaf beetle defoliation
Tamarisk can re-grow new leaves after being defoliated by the biocontrol agent tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.).
Nonnative tamarisk is fire resistant
Nonnative tamarisk is resistant to wildfire, in part due to its abilty to resprout from the its roots.
Defoliated nonnative tamarisk with native cottonwood trees
Nonnative tamarisk can form mixed stands with native trees, such as cottonwoods, and other nonnative trees, such as Russian olive.
Particle Tracking
The Arizona Water Science Center discusses the use of a new method, called particle tracking, that will revolutionize the way USGS obtains stream flow data.
First Global Topographic Map of Mercury
An animation of the USGS topographic map of Mercury created using images from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft.
USGS: More Than a Workplace
Employees of the Arizona Water Science Center describe their experiences working for the USGS revealing that it is far more than just a workplace.
Sonoran Desert Wildflowers and Invasive Species
Ecosystems are changing at a rapid pace. It can be difficult to determine if a landscape is in need of restoration. In this photo of the spring wildflower bloom in the Sonoran desert, an invasive annual grass, Bromus rubens (red brome), is pervasive. Land managers have to make decisions about when, where, and how to intervene in a system. Does this grass pose a threat to
...
Saguaro National Park, East Unit, Southern Arizona - ca. 1935
This camera station is located on a hill within the newly established Saguaro National Monument near Tucson. The view is northeast toward Agua Caliente Hill and looks down a gentle incline that drains into Tanque Verde Creek. The saguaro stand pictured here is a particularly memorable one because of the many large individuals and absence of small ones. It is an example of
...
Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
A view of the Grand Canyon, with the Great Unconformity visible. Credit: Alex Demas, USGS.
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced today that Interior’s Southwest Climate Science Center is awarding nearly a million dollars to universities and other partners for research to guide managers of parks, refuges and other cultural and natural resources in planning how to help species and ecosystems adapt to climate change.
As part of the continued US Topo maps revision and improvement cycle, the USGS will be including mountain bike trails to upcoming quadrangles on a state-aligned basis.
Scientists and technicians from the U.S. Geological Survey will be conducting field studies of flood flows from the recent heavy rains resulting from Tropical Storm Odile today.
Scientists and technicians from the U.S. Geological Survey will be conducting field studies of high water flows from the recent heavy rains in Phoenix along the Salt River today.
U.S. Geological Survey field crews are measuring flooding after heavy rainfall occurred in northern portions of Maricopa County, Arizona.
Increasing the density -- the amount per square mile -- of natural gas drilling sites and associated ponds in the Cypress Creek basin is not expected to have a substantial impact on the amount of sediment or water entering Brewer Lake, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.
Stronger storms, rising seas, and flooding are placing hundreds of millions people at risk around the world, and big part of the solution to decrease those risks is just off shore. A new study finds that coral reefs reduce the wave energy that would otherwise impact coastlines by 97 percent.
Newly published research is the first to characterize the distribution and interactions of natural perchlorate in a terrestrial ecosystem. The study results are important in assessing risks associated with ecological and human health and with potential movement of natural perchlorate contamination into groundwater.
As a large pulse of water is being released into the former delta of the Colorado River along the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. Geological Survey scientists are studying the effects on the environment as part of a historic, bi-national collaborative effort.
More than 400 years after its discovery by Galileo, the largest moon in the Solar System – Ganymede – has finally claimed a spot on the map.
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced today that Interior’s Southwest Climate Science Center is awarding nearly $1.2 million to universities and other partners for research to guide managers of parks, refuges and other cultural and natural resources in planning how to help species and ecosystems adapt to climate change.
Drought conditions are linked to declines in a protected desert tortoise population in part of the Sonoran Desert, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study.
Social Media
Locations
Astrogeology Science Center
Phone: 928-556-7000
Fax: 928-556-7014
Southwest Biological Science Center - Flagstaff, AZ, Headquarters
Phone: 928-556-7094
Fax: 928-556-7092
Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
Western Geographic Science Center - Tucson Project Office
Western Geographic Science Center - Flagstaff Project Office
Arizona Water Science Center, Tucson Office
Phone: (520) 670-6671
Fax: (520) 670-5592
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO)
yvowebteam@usgs.gov
Phone: 360-993-8906
Southwest Biological Science Center - Tucson, AZ, Research Station
Phone: (520) 670-6671
Fax: (520) 670-5592
Arizona Water Science Center, Flagstaff Office
Phone: (928) 556-7136
Fax: (928) 556-7112
Arizona Water Science Center, Tempe Office
Phone: (480) 736-1093
Fax: (480) 736-1356
Arizona Water Science Center, Yuma Office
Phone: (928) 782-6024
Fax: (928) 782-0268