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.
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Nonnative tamarisk re-sprouts after wildfire
Nonnative tamarisk is resistant to wildfire, in part due to its ability to resprout
Tamarisk plants can make many flowers
Tamarisk plants have been sucessful in southwestern US river- and stream-side habitats, in part because of its ablity to make many flowers and, therefore, seeds.
A single species stand of nonnative tamarisk
Single species stand of nonnative tamarisk on the Lower Colorado River at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, California
PubTalk 2/2006 — Science and Natural Resources along La Frontera
By Floyd Gray, Geologist
- Natural systems-water, geology, and wildlife-tend to cross the 1,900- mile-long arbitrary political border between Mexico and the U.S.
- Rapid population growth on the U.S. side and in Mexican border cities is creating a variety of environmental, ecological, and human health problems
- The San Pedro River
Flying Eyeball Measures Grand Canyon Sand
Large-scale poster describing USGS work.
USGS scientists needed a better way to measure river sand in the Grand Canyon. Traditionally, scientists used a bucket to get about 75 sand samples on each trip, which were analyzed weeks later in a lab.
To measure more locations and to speed up the analysis, we developed the Flying Eyeball underwater microscope.
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Hydrologist sampling for sediment and turbidity, Little Colorado River
Here, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrographer is collecting a suspended-sediment water sample from the Little Colorado River, a kilometer upstream from the Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA. To gain knowledge of the suspended-sediment characteristics of the entire river (water quality can vary greatly across a river), suspended-sediment water samples
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Flood Measurement on Santa Cruz River (1993 and 2005)
Two historic flood measurements are made on the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, Arizona for the 1993 and 2005 floods.
Drought and Beetle-Killed Piñon Pines in Arizona
Drought and beetle-killed piñon pines in Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff, Arizona, amid some surviving trees. Forest drought stress is highly correlated with mortality from poor growth, bark beetle outbreaks, and high-severity fire.
Drought and Beetle-Killed Piñon Pines in Arizona
Drought and beetle-killed piñon pines in Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff, Arizona, amid a few surviving trees. Forest drought stress is strongly correlated with tree mortality from poor growth, bark beetle outbreaks, and high-severity fire.
A Hermit Thrush on the Nest in Arizona
Hermit thrushes are a songbird species that was strongly affected by plant community changes in mountains because of reduced snowpack and cascading ecological effects, according to a USGS Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit study.
Sphere-like grains found on Mars, nicknamed "Blueberries"
Photo taken by Opportunity of Sphere-like grains nicknamed "Blueberries", due to their shape. Photo is a mosaic of PANCAM and MI instruments.
Uranus's Ring
Infrared composite image of Uranus taken by the Keck Telescope.
Farmlands, wetlands, forests and deserts that composed the American landscape in the early 20th century have frequently been transformed during the past 30 years into mushrooming metropolitan areas as urbanization spreads across the country.
Farmlands, wetlands, forests and deserts that composed the American landscape in the early 20th century have frequently been transformed during the past 30 years into mushrooming metropolitan areas as urbanization spreads across the country.
Wesley Ward has been named Regional Executive for Geology for the Western Region of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The announcement of Ward’s new appointment was made by John D. Buffington, Western Regional Director, effective Aug. 11, 2003.
It’s 6 in the evening on February 12 at a sandy campsite on the banks of the Colorado River in northeastern Arizona. A crew of 18 is assembled 50 river miles downstream of Lees Ferry in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. The sun has disappeared long ago from the steep canyon walls, and nighttime temperatures hang at a cool 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s 6 in the evening on February 12 at a sandy campsite on the banks of the Colorado River in northeastern Arizona. A crew of 18 is assembled 50 river miles downstream of Lees Ferry in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.
Not long ago, conventional wisdom was that you couldn’t predict the climate for more than a few days in advance. Then came the awareness of El Niño and La Niña and the forecast window increased to as much as 6 to 9 months, depending on the region and season.
Surface water in the form of ice exposed near the edge of Mars’s southern perennial polar cap has been discovered for the first time, according to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research released today in the journal Science. There is evidence that the surface water ice in this region may be widespread - from a half-mile to six miles around the entire southern polar ice cap.
Last week, USGS scientists began sampling sediment and organic-rich streamflow coming from the Rodeo/Chediski fire burn area to discern possible ecological and water-quality effects of this discharge. In addition, three new USGS streamflow gages are allowing advance warning of possible flooding to affected Arizona communities.
Last week, USGS scientists began sampling sediment and organic-rich streamflow coming from the Rodeo/Chediski fire burn area to discern possible ecological and water-quality effects of this discharge. In addition, three new USGS streamflow gages are allowing advance warning of possible flooding to affected Arizona communities.
Picture a sunset in which a "forest" of that Sonoran Desert icon the saguaro cactus is silhouetted against the skyline. Now picture that sunset minus the saguaros and you will have an idea why researchers and resource managers across southern Arizona fear the take-over of the desert by invasive nonnative grasses.
The natural richness of the Colorado Plateau of the southwestern United States is the focus of the Sixth Biennial Conference of Research on the Colorado Plateau, November 6-8, at the du Bois Conference Center on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Geochemical analyses using strontium isotopes show that many of the timbers used to build the prehistoric great houses of Chaco Canyon, N.M., between A.D. 900 and 1150, were hand-carried to the building site from isolated mountaintops 50 to 60 miles away, according to four Arizona scientists.
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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