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Geologic Hazards and Catastrophic Events
We study the distribution and hazard potential of coastal and submarine events such as earthquakes and submarine landslides and associated tsunami potential, hurricane induced coastal inundation, extreme storms, sea-level rise and oil and gas spills. We also model development to help evaluate and forecast coastal hazard probability and occurrence.
Ocean Resources for America's Needs
Our scientists conduct research studies focused on geologic mapping, sampling and understanding of mineral and energy resources and studies of the geologic setting and processes to inform renewable energy development offshore.
USGS Library
The USGS Library, managed by CSAS&L, supports all fundamental scientific research conducted within USGS. It serves both internal and external customers with comprehensive access to literature, data, and information necessary understand USGS mission areas and make critical decisions about how to proceed with research initiatives and investigations in the earth and natural sciences.
Volcano Hazards Assessments Help Mitigate Disasters
The Volcano Hazards Program develops long-range volcano hazards assessments. These includes a summary of the specific hazards, their impact areas, and a map showing ground-hazard zones. The assessments are also critical for planning long-term land-use and effective emergency-response measures, especially when a volcano begins to show signs of unrest.
California Water Science Center
The Center's mission is to collect and analyze hydrologic data needed to manage water resources for the State of California. The CAWSC operates local and statewide networks to collect high-quality data that define natural and human hydrologic changes; analyzes hydrologic processes; maintains data bases; and publishes peer-reviewed reports to create unbiased hydrologic information.
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics (GMEG) Science Center
Scientists at the GMEG Science Center work on issues related to geologic processes and mineral and energy resource potential, primarily in the western United States. The science staff includes geologists, geophysicists, geochemists, biologists, geospatial information specialists, and remote sensing specialists who are located in offices in several western states.
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
We work with others to provide scientific understanding and technologies needed to support and implement sound management and conservation of our Nation's biological resources in Hawaii and other Pacific island locations.
Pacific Islands Water Science Center
This center is one of 48 Water Science Centers in the USGS, and its mission is to collect, analyze and disseminate the impartial hydrologic data and information needed to wisely manage water resources for the people of the United States, the State of Hawaii, and other Pacific Islands.
Salton Sea Science Office
USGS Salton Sea Science Office works closely with Federal, State, local, nongovernmental, and tribal partners, providing information for management actions. This USGS office has a unique charter to serve as an independent liaison between resource managers and the scientific community. In that capacity the the office provides scientific information and evaluations to decision makers who are...
Western Geographic Science Center (WGSC)
WGSC scientists conduct geographic research on the environmental and societal consequences of a changing landscape. We develop tools and models to help decision makers better understand complex scientific information so that alternative options/scenarios can be assessed.
Western Ecological Research Center
The Pacific Region contains a dazzling array of habitats from below-sea-level deserts to alpine tundra to coastal mountains, seashores, and marine ecosystems. The Western Ecological Research Center reflects the qualities of this region with equally diverse expertise. Our scientists are trained in research, monitoring, and technology development to basic biology and modeling.
"Get your science used--Six guidelines to improve your products"
This USGS Circular addresses the challenges natural scientists face when communicating their science to people outside their fields and, based on the expertise of social scientists and other risk communicators, provides guidelines to those seeking to improve their products.
This dataset includes raw, high-resolution seismic-reflection data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2010, between Fort Bragg and Point Arena in northern California.
This dataset includes navigation data for marine geophysical data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2012, between Punta Gorda and Fort Bragg in northern California.
This dataset includes navigation data for chirp seismic-reflection data collected in 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in San Pablo Bay, northern California.
This dataset includes raw, high-resolution chirp seismic-reflection data collected in 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in San Pablo Bay, northern California.
This dataset includes navigation data for marine geophysical data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2010, between Fort Bragg and Point Arena in northern California.
This dataset includes raw, high-resolution seismic-reflection data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2010, between Shelter Cove and Fort Bragg in northern California.
This dataset includes navigation data for marine geophysical data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2010, between Shelter Cove and Fort Bragg in northern California.
This dataset includes raw, high-resolution seismic-reflection data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2012, between Punta Gorda and Fort Bragg in northern California.
This dataset includes processed, high-resolution chirp seismic-reflection data collected in 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in San Pablo Bay, northern California.
The dataset includes the bird species, sex, mercury concentration in breast feathers and whole blood, and the composite measure of fluctuating asymmetry. Statistical models were developed for each species to analyze the relationship between mercury exposure in either breast feathers or whole blood and the composite measure of fluctuating asymmetry, while accounting for the sex of each bird.
This dataset includes Magnetic-field level data jointly collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oregon State University in 2012, between Punta Gorda and Fort Bragg in northern California.
The dataset includes specifics on fragments of bullets recovered from shot Belding's ground squirrels from Oregon and California. Ground squirrels were radiographed and then we used ImageJ software to count and measure the area of those bullet fragments.
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.
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Brazilian waterweed
Tips of Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa) break the surface at low tide in Lindsey Slough in the northern Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. More commonly, this invasive plant is completely submerged.
Establishing Forster's Tern Nesting Colonies
Scientists from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) are conducting a "social attraction" study for seabirds in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Historically, this region offered wetland habitats to local wildlife. With the introduction of industrial salt ponds and human development, however, much of this habitat was lost. Now,
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The Wildflower Superbloom in California from Landsat’s Perspective
After 5 years of drought, California finally got relief during the winter of 2016–2017 with much needed precipitation. One result of this additional moisture was a springtime abundance of wildflowers.
There were many places to see this wildflower “superbloom” in southern California. This pair of images from Landsat
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California Wildflower Superbloom, Spring 2017, Landsat 8
After 5 years of drought, California finally got relief during the winter of 2016–2017 with much needed precipitation. One result of this additional moisture was a springtime abundance of wildflowers in 2017. This Landsat 8 image shows a large area of wildflower "superbloom" just north of Los Padres National Forest in southern California.
Recovering instrument package from Monterey Canyon
On March 21, 2017, the sediment trap from this instrument package (deployed the previous October into Monterey Canyon) is gone and the mounting frame is mangled, having been exposed to several significant turbidity currents in one deployment.
WERC Big Sur Deployment
Scientists from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center deploy to Big Sur to study seabird populations.
Santa Maria River Flooding
A USGS hydrologic technician takes streamflow measurements during flooding of the Sisquoc River, a tributary of the Santa Maria River, near the town of Garey in Santa Barbara County.
Armoring the shore at Goleta Beach
Installing large boulders as rip rap to armor the shore against further erosion at Goleta Beach in Southern California. The tide is very low (negative).
Exposed bedrock at low tide
Exposed bedrock on the beach, below the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Beach loss and armoring at Goleta Beach
Beach loss and armoring at Goleta Beach, very low (negative) tide
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Exciting discoveries are spurring research to uncover hidden secrets deep within South Pacific tropical forests.
USGS Science at AGU
SAN FRANCISCO — From over well over 500 abstracts by USGS presenters at this year’s American Geophysical Union conference, we’ve selected some of the newest, most exciting topics that USGS scientists will explore at AGU. Tips are presented in topic areas, chronologically with room numbers, session numbers and a summary.
MENLO PARK, Calif. —New insights into the differences between fire ecologies of the Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts in the southwestern United States are coming through the use of terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging, or lidar, technology. Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey show that while fire is detrimental to some areas of the desert, it is beneficial to others.
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Holiday shoppers can pick up free gift wrap now from the U.S. Geological Survey and California Geological Survey’s Maps and Publications Sales Office at our new location on the Menlo Park campus.
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Mountain environments are cauldrons of climatic harshness, exhibiting sharp topographic, vegetative, and climatic gradients, providing scientists with a natural laboratory for studying pikas to use as a model for assessing species vulnerability to warming temperatures.
MENLO PARK, Calif. — In early August, the Mars Science Laboratory rover known as "Curiosity" landed successfully to begin its 23 month mission of searching the Martian surface for evidence of environmental conditions capable of supporting microbial life.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Experts in volcano hazards and public safety have started a conversation about volcanoes in the southwestern United States, and how best to prepare for future activity. Prior to this meeting, emergency response planning for volcanic unrest in the region had received little attention by federal or state agencies.
MENLO PARK, Calif. — U.S. Geological Survey volcanologists and geophysicists plan to conduct the first comprehensive, high-resolution airborne magnetic survey of the rock layers under Mono Basin and Long Valley, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada in Calif. next week.
In mid-October, U.S. Geological Survey volcanologists and geophysicists plan to conduct the first comprehensive, high-resolution airborne magnetic survey of the rock layers under Mono Basin and Long Valley, on the east side of the California Sierra Nevada mountains.
A hazards assessment for Lassen Volcanic Center, California, is now available for download from the USGS Publications Warehouse.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The United States Geological Survey, in cooperation with several Klamath Basin stakeholders, has developed hydrologic datasets for the upper Klamath Basin of south-central Oregon that can help water managers identify and prioritize water uses that could be voluntarily set aside and reallocated to yield an additional 30,000 acre feet of water to Upper Klamath Lake.
MENLO PARK, Calif. — During the last week of September, Sea Otter Awareness Week focuses public attention on sea otters, while serving to promote various conservation programs and research activities.
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Locations
Southwest Regional Director's Office
Phone: (916) 278-9551
Fax: (916) 278-9566
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Phone: 831-460-7401
Fax: 831-427-4748
California Water Science Center - Sacramento Projects Office
Phone: (916) 278-3000
Fax: (916) 278-3070
Western Ecological Research Center - Headquarters
Phone: (916) 278-9485
Fax: (916) 278-9475
Geology, Minerals, Energy and Geophysics Science Center
Phone: (650) 329-4881
Earthquake Science Center
Western Geographic Science Center - Main Office
California Water Science Center - San Diego Projects Office
Phone: 619-225-6100
Fax: 619-225-6101
Fort Collins Science Center
Phone: 970-226-9100
Fax: 970-226-9230
USGS California Volcano Observatory (CalVO package delivery)
askcalvo@usgs.gov
Phone: 650-329-5083
USGS Menlo Park Library
men_lib@usgs.gov
Phone: 650-329-5027
Fax: 650-329-5132