Unified Interior Regions
Hawaii
The Pacific Region has nine USGS Science Centers in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. 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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The Pacific Region has nine USGS Science Centers in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight and support, facilitates internal and external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science directions.
Low-lying areas of tropical Pacific islands
Sea level is rising faster than projected in the western Pacific, so understanding how wave-driven coastal flooding will affect inhabited, low-lying islands—most notably, the familiar ring-shaped atolls—as well as the low-elevation areas of high islands in the Pacific Ocean, is critical for decision-makers in protecting infrastructure or relocating resources and people.
Coral Reef Project
Explore the fascinating undersea world of coral reefs. Learn how we map, monitor, and model coral reefs so we can better understand, protect, and preserve our Nation's reefs.
Coral Reef Project: Hawaiʻi
As part of the USGS Coral Reef Project, the USGS is working on the Kona (west) coast of Hawaiʻi to evaluate geologic resources at two historical parks.
Update of the Hawaii Seismic Hazard Model Workshop #2
Wednesday, November 18, 2019
Virtual Meeting
Sea-Level Rise and Climate Change Impacts to Reefs
Learn how the USGS studies sea-level rise and climate change impacts to coral reefs.
The Value of U.S. Coral Reefs for Risk Reduction
Summary of the report, “Rigorously valuing the role of U.S. coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction”
Avian Malaria Genomic Research Project
Habitat destruction, invasive plants, non-native predators and competitors, and introduced diseases have decimated the diverse, endemic native forest bird community of Hawai‘i. In particular, avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum), which is transmitted by the introduced Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito, has caused dramatic declines and extinctions in many native birds. Fortunately, Cx....
U.S. Seismic Hazard Maps – Hawaii
Seismic hazard maps for Hawaii.
Modeling invasion risk and impacts to inform management responses - Helen Sofaer
Where are invasive species likely to be introduced or become abundant? How should managers respond? On Hawaii and other Pacific Islands numerous invasive species have altered ecosystems, and new species continue to be introduced. Statistical analyses can characterize risk and inform response strategies.
Modeling invasion risk and impacts to inform management responses - Helen Sofaer
Where are invasive species likely to be introduced or become abundant? How should managers respond? On Hawaii and other Pacific Islands numerous invasive species have altered ecosystems, and new species continue to be introduced. Statistical analyses can characterize risk and inform response strategies.
Update of the Hawaii Seismic Hazard Model Workshop #1
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Honolulu, HI
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Coral Reef Project: Kauaʻi
As part of the USGS Coral Reef Project, the USGS is working on the island of Kauaʻi to identify circulation patterns and a sediment budget for Hanalei Bay to help determine any effects to the coastal marine ecosystem.
Avian Malaria Warning System
Data for this warning system is a compilation of NOAA NCDC Global Historical Climatology Network data, Dark Sky API 2-week forecast data, and calculated historical annual climatic averages based on the NOAA NCDC data. All data has been statistically adjusted for each individual site location based on collected site data.
Cross-reef wave and water level data from coral reef environments
Direct field observations of wave dynamics across coral reefs and the resulting water levels are limited. Here we provide direct in situ measurements of waves and water levels across a number of coral reefs, extending from the fore reef, across the reef crest, and to the shoreline. These measurements are provided to help better understand the evolution of waves across coral reefs and...
Kīlauea 2018 - lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit-collapse events
This geonarrative summarizes Kīlauea’s 2018 events, highlighting the historical context and contributions to science.
Data from Bristle-Thighed Curlews at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, O'ahu, Hawaii, 2012-2014
This data package includes two tables of data for Bristle-thighed curlews (Numenius tahitiensis) captured 2012-2014 on the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge O'ahu, Hawaii (21.68 N, 157.95 W). One table provides capture, banding, morphology, and genetic data. The second table provides mark-resight data for estimating the size of the wintering population on Oahu in April of 2014.
Measurements Used to Determine the Sex of Bristle-thighed Curlews (Numenius tahitiensis)
This data set contains bill and tarsal measurements from 114 Bristle-thighed Curlews, captured on breeding grounds in Alaska, and non-breeding areas in Hawaii and Reitoru atoll, French Polynesia.
Observations of coral reef oceanographic and groundwater properties off Makua, Kauai, HI, USA, August 2016
This data release includes measurements of circulation and waves, profiles of seawater properties, and profiles of resistivity on the shoreline, which can be used to assess the potential for terrestrial groundwater intrusion on the reef and the sources and fate of these water masses. The recent discovery of coral Black Band Disease at Mākua Reef on Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi prompted an investigation...
Waiakane, Molokai, HI, 2018 Coral Reef Circulation and Sediment Dynamics Experiment
To better constrain the influence of sea-level rise on waves and sediment transport over a fringing coral reef flat, an experiment was conducted across a large fringing reef off the south shore of Molokai, Hawai’i. Here we provide data on water levels, waves, currents observed during this field effort. Additional data sets will be added as they become available.
Bristle-Thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis) Mark-Resight Encounter History from the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge and Surrounding Area, Oahu, Hawaii, 2012-2017
This data set contains one table with mark-resight observations of Bristle-thighed Curlews marked on Oahu, Hawaii, with plastic color leg flags, 2012-2017.
Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System
Information about scientific data collected through field activities conducted by scientists in the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources program
Core logs, scans, photographs, grain size, and radiocarbon data from coastal wetlands on the Hawaiian islands of Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi
This data release supports a study that reports on efforts to estimate future tsunami inundation through stratigraphic analyses of potential tsunami deposits beneath present and former Hawaiian wetlands, coastal lagoons, and river floodplains.
National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper
The NWIS mapper provides access to over 1.5 million sites contained in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), including sites where current and historical surface-water, groundwater, springs, and atmospheric data has been collected. Users can search by site type, data type, site number, or place.
Coral cover and health determined from seafloor photographs and diver observations, West Hawai'i, 2010-2011
The data described here were collected as part of a larger study to examine habitat conditions and coral health with respect to exposure to submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and urban land uses.

February 26, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
February 26, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map showing lava lake level and elevations of features within the caldera

February 16, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map
February 16, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map constructed from aerial imagery

February 11, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
February 11, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map showing lava lake level and elevations of features within the caldera

February 09, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map
February 9, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map constructed from aerial imagery

February 5, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
Kīlauea summit eruption contour map showing lava lake level and elevations of features within the caldera

February 01, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map
February 1, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map constructed from aerial imagery

January 29, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
Kīlauea summit eruption contour map showing lava lake level and elevations of features within the caldera

January 25, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
January 25, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map showing lava lake level and elevations of features within the caldera

January 13, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map compilation
A compilation of nine thermal maps created for the ongoing eruption in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea.

January 12, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map
January 12, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map constructed from aerial imagery

January 7, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map
January 7, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map constructed from aerial imagery

January 5, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map
January 5, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption thermal map constructed from aerial imagery
Seismic and geodetic progression of the 2018 summit caldera collapse of Kīlauea Volcano
The 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawaiʻi, resulted in a major collapse of the summit caldera along with an effusive eruption in the lower East Rift Zone. The caldera collapse comprised 62 highly similar collapse cycles of strong ground deformation and earthquake swarms that ended with a magnitude 5 collapse event and one partial cycle that...
Tepp, Gabrielle; Hotovec-Ellis, Alicia J.; Shiro, Brian; Johanson, Ingrid; Thelen, Weston; Haney, Matthew M.Sedimentary evidence of prehistoric distant-source tsunamis in the Hawaiian Islands
Over the past 200 years of written records, the Hawaiian Islands have experienced tens of tsunamis generated by earthquakes in the subduction zones of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" (e.g., Alaska-Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatka, Chile, and Japan). Mapping and dating anomalous beds of sand and silt deposited by tsunamis in low-lying areas along Pacific...
La Selle, Seanpaul; Richmond, Bruce M.; Jaffe, Bruce E.; Nelson, Alan; Griswold, Frances; Arcos, Maria E.M.; Chague, Catherine; Bishop, James M.; Bellanova, Piero; Kane, Haunani H.; Lunghino, Brent D.; Gelfenbaum, Guy R.Organic geochemical investigation of far‐field tsunami deposits of the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i
Far‐field tsunami deposits observed in the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i (USA), were investigated for their organic‐geochemical content. During short high‐energy events, (tsunamis and storms) organic and chemical components are transported with sediment from marine to terrestrial areas. This study investigates the use of anthropogenic based...
Bellanova, Piero; Frenken, Mike; Richmond, Bruce M.; Schwarzbauer, Jan; La Selle, Seanpaul; Griswold, Frances; Jaffe, Bruce E.; Nelson, Alan R.; Reicherter, KlausPhysicochemical controls on zones of higher coral stress where Black Band Disease occurs at Mākua Reef, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
Pervasive and sustained coral diseases contribute to the systemic degradation of reef ecosystems, however, to date an understanding of the physicochemical controls on a coral disease event is still largely lacking. Water circulation and residence times and submarine groundwater discharge all determine the degree to which reef organisms are exposed...
Oberle, Ferdinand; Storlazzi, Curt D.; Cheriton, Olivia; Takesue, Renee K.; Hoover, Daniel J.; Logan, Joshua B.; Runyon, Christina M.; Kellogg, Christina A.; Johnson, Cordell; Swarzenski, Peter W.Rigorously valuing the role of U.S. coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction
The degradation of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, raises risks by increasing the exposure of coastal communities to flooding hazards. The protective services of these natural defenses are not assessed in the same rigorous economic terms as artificial defenses, such as seawalls, and therefore often are not considered in decision making...
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Reguero, Borja G.; Cole, Aaron D.; Lowe, Erik; Shope, James B.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Nickel, Barry A.; McCall, Robert T.; van Dongeren, Ap R.; Beck, Michael W.Honolulu Magnetic Observatory
Tucked in a grove of thorny mesquite trees, on an ancient coral reef on the south side of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, west of Pearl Harbor, a small unmanned observatory quietly records the Earth’s time-varying magnetic field. The Honolulu Magnetic Observatory is 1 of 14 that the U.S. Geological Survey Geomagnetism Program operates at various...
Love, Jeffrey J.; Finn, CarolGroundwater-level, groundwater-temperature, and barometric-pressure data, July 2017 to February 2018, Hālawa Area, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
The Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, operated by the U.S. Navy and located in the Hālawa area, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, includes 20 underground storage tanks that can hold a total of 250 million gallons of fuel. In January 2014, the U.S. Navy notified the Hawaiʻi Department of Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of release of an estimated...
Mitchell, Jackson N.; Oki, Delwyn S.Volcanic aquifers of Hawai‘i—Hydrogeology, water budgets, and conceptual models
Hawai‘i’s aquifers have limited capacity to store fresh groundwater because each island is small and surrounded by saltwater. Saltwater also underlies much of the fresh groundwater. Fresh groundwater resources are, therefore, particularly vulnerable to human activity, short-term climate cycles, and long-term climate change. Availability of fresh...
Izuka, Scot K.; Engott, John A.; Rotzoll, Kolja; Bassiouni, Maoya; Johnson, Adam G.; Miller, Lisa D.; Mair, AlanSpatially distributed groundwater recharge estimated using a water-budget model for the Island of Maui, Hawai`i, 1978–2007
Demand for freshwater on the Island of Maui is expected to grow. To evaluate the availability of fresh groundwater, estimates of groundwater recharge are needed. A water-budget model with a daily computation interval was developed and used to estimate the spatial distribution of recharge on Maui for average climate conditions (1978–2007 rainfall...
Johnson, Adam G.; Engott, John A.; Bassiouni, Maoya; Rotzoll, KoljaRigorously valuing the role of coral reefs in coastal protection: An example from Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A.
The degradation of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, raises risks by exposing communities to flooding hazards. The protective services of these natural defenses are not assessed in the same rigorous, economic terms as artificial defenses such as seawalls, and therefore often not considered in decision-making. Here we present a new...
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Reguero, Borja G.; Lowe, Erik; Shope, James B.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Beck, Mike; Nickel, Barry A.Measuring surface-water loss in Honouliuli Stream near the ‘Ewa Shaft, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is currently concerned with the possibility of bacteria in the pumped water of the ‘Ewa Shaft (State well 3-2202-21). Groundwater from the ‘Ewa Shaft could potentially be used to meet future potable water needs in the ‘Ewa area on the island of O‘ahu. The source of the bacteria in the pumped water is unknown,...
Rosa, Sarah N.Pufferfish mortality associated with novel polar marine toxins in Hawaii
Fish die-offs are important signals in tropical marine ecosystems. In 2010, a mass mortality of pufferfish in Hawaii (USA) was dominated by Arothron hispidus showing aberrant neurological behaviors. Using pathology, toxinology, and field surveys, we implicated a series of novel, polar, marine toxins as a likely cause of this mass mortality. Our...
Work, Thierry M.; Moeller, Perer D. R.; Beauchesne, Kevin R.; Dagenais, Julie; Breeden, Renee; Rameyer, Robert; Walsh, Willliam A.; Abecassis, Melanie; Kobayashi, Donald R.; Conway, Carla M.; Winton, JamesThe Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst is an ArcGIS extension that estimates how long it would take for someone to travel on foot out of a hazardous area that was threatened by a sudden event such as a tsunami, flash flood, or volcanic lahar. It takes into account the elevation changes and the different types of landcover that a person would encounter along the way.
Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, Kīlauea summit eruption—March 3, 2021
View of the Kīlauea summit lava lake taken from the west rim of Halema‘uma‘u at 12:21 p.m. HST on March 3, 2021. The western portion of the lava lake is active with lava being fed from the west vent. The eastern surface of the lava lake remains crusted over. SO2 emission rates are elevated at approximately 1000 t/d, as measured on March 3, 2021. USGS photo taken
...Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, Kīlauea summit eruption—March 3, 2021
The lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, remains active. Lava is entering the lake at a small inlet along the western lake margin, at the site of the western fissure. Active surface lava remains limited to the western portion of the lake. Scattered crustal foundering and small overflows were present on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. USGS photo by M. Patrick
...Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, Kīlauea summit eruption—March 3, 2021
The western fissure in Halema‘uma‘u remains active, with incandescence visible in two small vent openings. The northeastern incandescent vent opening (right) has a narrow, drained lava channel extending down the flank of the cone. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick on March 2, 2021.
Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, Kīlauea summit eruption—March 3, 2021
Another close-up view of the western fissure in Halema‘uma‘u, showing the incandescent lava upwelling at the inlet zone along the western lake margin. This photo was taken on March 2, 2021, in an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public due to safety reasons. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, Kīlauea summit eruption—March 3, 2021
The eastern portion of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u remains solidified at the surface. Numerous islands, previously drifting in the lake currents, are now locked in place. The remnants of a section of Crater Rim Drive, from the 2018 summit collapse, is visible in the lower right corner of the photo. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick on March 2, 2021.
Halema‘uma‘u crater eruption, Kīlauea summit—March 2, 2021
This video clip shows the inlet zone where lava enters the lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea.
February 26, 2021 — Kīlauea
On the afternoon of Friday February 26, 2021, the active west side of the lava lake at Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii, had numerous surface breakouts and foundering crust amid vigorous steaming due to the heavy rainfall. This view is looking to the east from the west side of the crater. At the base of the west vent lava was effusing at the lake level. There was no
...February 26, 2021 — Kīlauea
Heavy rains at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano (Hawaii) cleared on the afternoon of Friday, February 26, 2021, to show the steaming surface of the lava lake at Halema‘uma‘u viewed from the west. A rainbow arches over the lake looking east across the crater toward Kīlauea Iki. This photo was taken within an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the
...February 26, 2021—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
This map of Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea shows 20 m (66 ft) contour lines (dark gray) that mark locations of equal elevation above sea level (asl). The map shows that the lava lake has filled 218 m (715 ft) of the crater, to an elevation of 735 m (2411 ft) asl since the eruption began at approximately 9:30 p.m. HST on December 20, 2020. Contour lines highlighted
...Close-up view of active lava flow Halema‘uma‘u, February 24, 2021
In the morning of Tuesday, February 23, a new source of spatter appeared on flank of the active western fissure within Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea. It started to feed a short lava flow down the spatter cone and onto the crusted northwest margin of the lava lake. A field crew on Wednesday observed the flow to be active, and captured this photo through the lens of
...View of Halema‘uma‘u lava lake from the west, February 24, 2021
On Wednesday, February 24, HVO scientists observed the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halema‘uma‘u from the west rim of the crater. In this photo, the active western fissure is marked by an incandescent skylight on the near side of the lava lake. A plume of sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases rises constantly from the fissure as it effuses lava into the lake, which
...Eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater - February 24, 2021
A telephoto image of the small lava flow from the western fissure within Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. Occasional incandescence was visible (center) from the weakly active flow on the northwestern lava lake levee. A portion of the active lava lake is visible in the lower-right. This photo was taken within an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains
...
Pele returned to the summit of Kīlauea on the evening of December 20, 2020. Incredible video documents the start of the new eruption in Halema‘uma‘u and the dynamic ongoing activity. There was no significant change that suggested lava would erupt again so rapidly, but there were subtle signs of restless behavior around Kīlauea’s summit in the months prior to the eruption.
Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.

Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.
Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.

“When will Mauna Loa erupt next?” This was the title of a Volcano Awareness Month video presentation released by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) in January 2021. This was also the topic of discussion among HVO scientists last week following the detection of slight changes in ground deformation and seismicity at the summit of Mauna Loa.

Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.

Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.

Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.
Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.

Kīlauea's summit eruption continues on the Island of Hawai‘i; the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u erupts lava into the lava lake. Gas emissions and seismic activity at the summit remain elevated. HVO field crews—equipped with specialized safety gear and PPE—monitor the current eruption from within the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with NPS permission.

The USGS recently published "Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) video of the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii." The Data Release contains UAS footage from the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano’s lower East Rift Zone, on the Island of Hawai‘i. A subset of the videos collected were used for monitoring the fissure 8 lava channel and for measuring flow velocities.

A new chapter of USGS Professional Paper 1867, "The 2008–2018 Summit Lava Lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i" was recently published online. The 2008–2018 lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea marked the longest sustained period of lava lake activity at the summit in decades and provided a new opportunity for observing and understanding lava lake behavior.