Unified Interior Regions
Montana
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Welcome to the Midwest Region! Our region includes 18 Science Centers in 11 States from the Great Lakes to the Dakotas, south to Missouri and Kentucky. Our streamgage network is used to monitor and assess water resources across the region. Other research focuses on fisheries and aquatic ecosystems, midcontinental plant/animal species, invasive species, wildlife disease, and energy and mining.
News
TNMCorps Mapping Challenge Summary Results for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD
This challenge is now complete!! Thank you to everyone who contributed!
FINISHED!! TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD
This challenge is now FINISHED!! Thank you to everyone who contributed!
Mapping Challenge Update (02/26/2020): City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD
This challeng is SO CLOSE to being finished!
Approximately 80 edits came in since last week, leaving less than 20 existing points to be reviewed. Don't forget to check for missing city/town halls, too.
Publications
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara interval of the Cody Shale, Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2019
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 534 million barrels of oil and 939 billion cubic feet of gas in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana.
Finn, Thomas M.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Le, Phuong A.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Marra, Kristen R.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Drake, Ronald M.; Woodall, Cheryl A.; Pitman, Janet K.; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Kinney, Scott A.
Monitoring brine contamination using time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys, East Poplar Oil Field, Montana
Integrated geophysical and water-quality studies have been used to delineate areas of saline groundwater in shallow unconfined aquifers underlying the East Poplar oil field in northeastern Montana. In 2004, a RESOLVE survey was conducted over the oil field to identify high conductivity areas potentially associated with brine contamination and to...
Ball, Lyndsay; Deszcz-Pan, Maria; Thamke, Joanna; Smith, Bruce Spatiotemporal analysis of the Foreshock-Mainshock-Aftershock sequence of the 6 July 2017 M5.8 Lincoln, Montana, earthquake
A MW 5.8 earthquake occurred on 6 July 2017 at 12.2 km depth, 11 km southeast of Lincoln in west central Montana. No major damage or injuries were reported; however, the widely felt mainshock generated a prolific aftershock sequence with more than 1200 located events through the end of 2017. The Lincoln event is the latest in a series of moderate-...
McMahon, Nicole D; Yeck, William L.; Stickney, Michael C.; Aster, Richard C.; Martens, Hilary R; Benz, Harley M.
Lake Koocanusa Water Quality
Lake Koocanusa is a transboundary reservoir located in southeastern British Columbia and northwestern Montana. The reservoir was officially impounded in 1972 after construction of Libby Dam, which began in 1966. The dam was constructed as part of a treaty between the United States and Canada to cooperatively develop the water resources of the Columbia River drainage basin. The reservoir has a...
Weed-Suppressive Bacteria – Testing a Control Measure for Invasive Grasses in the West
Recent popular news has implied that Weed-Suppressive Bacteria (WSB) holds promise for cheatgrass control, yet a lack of peer-reviewed research exists to support this claim. USGS researchers stepped up to the challenge of objectively and rigorously evaluating the effectiveness of WSB for controlling exotic annual grasses, such as...
Hydrologic Assessment of the Blackfeet Reservation, Montana
The Blackfeet Nation seeks an increased scientific understanding of the water resources within the Blackfeet Reservation of northwestern Montana. Hydrologic information is needed in order to make informed water management decisions as the Blackfeet Nation moves forward with implementation of the Blackfeet Water Rights Compact as new water-use projects are initiated and as the Blackfeet...
Wyoming-Montana Stream Water-Quality Network - Water Year 2020
The USGS monitors stream water quality in Wyoming and Montana in cooperation with State, County, local, and other Federal agencies. Water-quality data for these sites are available from the USGS National Water Information System Web Mapper application in the form of an interactive map that can be accessed from the Data and Tools tab.
Peak-Flow Frequency Analysis for Selected Montana Streamgages
The Montana Department of Resources and Conservation requires peak-flow information for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain mapping for various locations across Montana. Accordingly, the USGS WY-MT Water Science Center has published peak-flow frequencies for selected streamgages in the Beaverhead River, Clark Fork, Ruby, Jefferson and Madison River Basins, and for selected...
Flaxville Aquifer
The Flaxville aquifer is present in the northern and central parts of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and consists of sand and gravel that forms extensive plateaus and topographic benches used for dryland farming. Because many residents rely on groundwater as their primary water supply on the Reservation, the Flaxville and underlying aquifers are important sources of groundwater. The goal...
Using Robots in the River: Biosurveillance at USGS streamgages
For more than a decade, researchers around the world have shown that sampling a water body and analyzing for eDNA is an effective method to detect an organism in the water. The challenge is that finding organisms that are not very abundant requires a lot of samples to locate this needle in a haystack. Enter the "lab in a can", the water quality sampling and processing robot.
Seismic Seiches
Definition of seismic seiches and examples dating back to their first public mention in 1755.
Cheatgrass and Medusahead
Invasive annual grasses, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), are one of the most significant stressors to rangeland ecosystems in the western U.S. Their expansion and dominance across this area are the most damaging ecosystem agents on this iconic landscape.
United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources
USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World (click here for information about World Oil and Gas Assessments). This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part...
Regional Regression Equations Based on Channel-Width Characteristics to Estimate Peak-Flow Frequencies at Ungaged Sites in Montana Using Data through Water Year 2011
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) uses peak-flow frequency data (i.e. 100-year flood) to design highway infrastructure, secure floodplain permits, and perform stream restoration activities. The USGS, in cooperation with MDT, proposes to develop regression equations which use channel-width as a predictor to provide peak-flow frequency estimates to MDT.
Flathead Basin streamflow monitoring sites.
Shields River drainage streamflow monitoring sites.
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
Mountain glaciers are closely coupled to climate processes, ecosystems, and regional water resources. To enhance physical understanding of these connections, the USGS maintains a collection of glacier mass balance and climate data across the western United States and Alaska. In some cases, records of glacier mass balance extend back to the mid-1940s. These data have been incorporated from
Surface water sites associated with the hydrologic assessment of the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana.
These are the notes from the April 9, 2019 Yellowstone River Compact Commission Technical Advisory Committee meeting in Sheridan, WY.
Beginning in November of 2015, a project was undertaken to reanalyze approximately 60,000 archived sample splits collected as part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) project from selected areas in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. A small amount (approximately 0.25
This dataset includes polygons that describe areas of rock outcrop in the area of the Stillwater Complex, Montana. The Stillwater Complex is an Archean, ultramafic to mafic layered intrusion exposed in the Beartooth Mountains in south-central Montana. This igneous intrusion contains magmatic mineralization that is variably enriched in strategic and critical commodities such as chromium, nic
Since the late 1950s, the USGS has maintained a long-term glacier mass-balance program at three North American glaciers. Measurements began on South Cascade Glacier, WA in 1958, expanding to Gulkana and Wolverine glaciers, AK in 1966, and later Sperry Glacier, MT in 2005. Additional measurements have been made on Lemon Creek Glacier, AK to compliment data collected by the Juneau Ice
Since the late 1950s, the USGS has maintained a long-term glacier mass-balance program at three North American glaciers. Measurements began on South Cascade Glacier, WA in 1958, expanding to Gulkana and Wolverine glaciers, AK in 1966, and later Sperry Glacier, MT in 2005. Additional measurements have been made on Lemon Creek Glacier, AK to compliment data collected by the Juneau Ice
This data release provides the description of U.S. sites that include mineral regions, mines and mineral occurrences (deposits) that have a contained resource and (or) production of tellurium metal greater than 1 metric ton. For this data release, only one deposit in the U.S. with historic production records was found: Butte, Montana. We did not locate any deposits in the U.S. tha
The USGS WY-MT Water Science Center provided discharge measurements and high water mark (HWM) flagging for the June 2018 flooding along Elk Creek in Augusta, Montana.
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
This map shows the provinces assessed by the USGS for undiscovered oil and gas resources.
StreamStats is a Web-based geographic information system application that was created by the USGS to provide users with access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for water-resource planning and management.
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara interval of the Cody Shale, Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2019
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 534 million barrels of oil and 939 billion cubic feet of gas in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana.
Finn, Thomas M.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Le, Phuong A.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Marra, Kristen R.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Drake, Ronald M.; Woodall, Cheryl A.; Pitman, Janet K.; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Kinney, Scott A. Spatiotemporal analysis of the Foreshock-Mainshock-Aftershock sequence of the 6 July 2017 M5.8 Lincoln, Montana, earthquake
A MW 5.8 earthquake occurred on 6 July 2017 at 12.2 km depth, 11 km southeast of Lincoln in west central Montana. No major damage or injuries were reported; however, the widely felt mainshock generated a prolific aftershock sequence with more than 1200 located events through the end of 2017. The Lincoln event is the latest in a series of moderate-...
McMahon, Nicole D; Yeck, William L.; Stickney, Michael C.; Aster, Richard C.; Martens, Hilary R; Benz, Harley M. Monitoring brine contamination using time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys, East Poplar Oil Field, Montana
Integrated geophysical and water-quality studies have been used to delineate areas of saline groundwater in shallow unconfined aquifers underlying the East Poplar oil field in northeastern Montana. In 2004, a RESOLVE survey was conducted over the oil field to identify high conductivity areas potentially associated with brine contamination and to...
Ball, Lyndsay; Deszcz-Pan, Maria; Thamke, Joanna; Smith, Bruce
Geologic map of the central Beaverhead Mountains, Lemhi County, Idaho, and Beaverhead County, Montana
This geologic map of the central Beaverhead Mountains portrays a complex geologic history of depositional basin development interspersed with deformational events. Generalized geology for young basins, compiled from sources on both sides of the range, is combined with newly mapped bedrock geology to better integrate geologic development of the map...
Lund, Karen Characterizing the source of potentially asbestos-bearing commercial vermiculite insulation using in situ IR spectroscopy
Commercially produced vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana, contains trace levels of asbestiform amphibole, which is known to cause asbestos-related diseases. When vermiculite insulation is found in a building, evaluation for its potential asbestos content traditionally involves collecting a sample from an attic or wall and submitting it for...
Swayze, Gregg A.; Lowers, Heather A.; Benzel, William M.; Clark, Roger N.; Driscoll, Rhonda L.; Perlman, Zac S.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Dyar, M. Darby
Conceptual model to assess water use associated with the life cycle of unconventional oil and gas development
As the demand for energy increases in the United States, so does the demand for water used to produce many forms of that energy. Technological advances, limited access to conventional oil and gas accumulations, and the rise of oil and gas prices resulted in increased development of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) accumulations. Unconventional oil...
Valder, Joshua F.; McShane, Ryan R.; Barnhart, Theodore B.; Sando, Roy; Carter, Janet M.; Lundgren, Robert F. The hyper-enrichment of V and Zn in black shales of the Late Devonian-Early Mississippian Bakken Formation (USA)
Black shales of the Late Devonian to Early Mississippian Bakken Formation are characterized by high concentrations of organic carbon and the hyper-enrichment (> 500 to 1000s of mg/kg) of V and Zn. Deposition of black shales resulted from shallow seafloor depths that promoted rapid development of euxinic conditions. Vanadium hyper-...
Scott, Clint; Slack, John F.; Kelley, Karen Duttweiler
Historical files from Federal Government mineral exploration-assistance programs, 1950 to 1974
The Defense Minerals Administration (DMA), Defense Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA), and Office of Minerals Exploration (OME) mineral exploration programs were active over the period 1950–1974. Under these programs, the Federal Government contributed financial assistance in the exploration for certain strategic and critical minerals. The...
Frank, David G. Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) suppression for bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) recovery in Flathead Lake, Montana, North America
Non-native lake trout Salvelinus namaycush displaced native bull trout Salvelinus confluentus in Flathead Lake, Montana, USA, after 1984, when Mysis diluviana became abundant following its introduction in upstream lakes in 1968–1976. We developed a simulation model to determine the fishing mortality rate on lake trout that would enable bull trout...
Hansen, Michael J.; Hansen, Barry S; Beauchamp, David A. Quality and age of shallow groundwater in the Bakken Formation production area, Williston Basin, Montana and North Dakota
The quality and age of shallow groundwater in the Bakken Formation production area were characterized using data from 30 randomly distributed domestic wells screened in the upper Fort Union Formation. Comparison of inorganic and organic chemical concentrations to health based drinking-water standards, correlation analysis of concentrations with...
McMahon, Peter B.; Caldwell, Rodney R.; Galloway, Joel M.; Valder, Joshua F.; Hunt, Andrew G.
A geologic and mineral exploration spatial database for the Stillwater Complex, Montana
The Stillwater Complex is a Neoarchean, ultramafic to mafic layered intrusion exposed in the Beartooth Mountains in south-central Montana. This igneous intrusion contains magmatic mineralization that is variably enriched in strategic and critical commodities such as chromium, nickel, and the platinum-group elements. One deposit, the J-M Reef, is...
Zientek, Michael L.; Parks, Heather L.
Delineation of brine contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana, 2004-09
The extent of brine contamination in the shallow aquifers in and near the East Poplar oil field is as much as 17.9 square miles and appears to be present throughout the entire saturated zone in contaminated areas. The brine contamination affects 15–37 billion gallons of groundwater. Brine contamination in the shallow aquifers east of the Poplar...
Thamke, Joanna N.; Smith, Bruce D.
StreamStats is a Web application that incorporates a Geographic Information System (GIS) to provide users with access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for a variety of water-resources planning and management purposes, and for engineering and design purposes.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: May 1, 2020
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, gives an overview of activity at Yellowstone during April 2020.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: April 1, 2020
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, gives an overview of activity at Yellowstone during March 2020.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: March 2, 2020
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, gives an overview of activity at Yellowstone during February 2020.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: February 3, 2020
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, gives an overview of activity at Yellowstone during January 2020.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: January 2, 2020
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, gives an overview of activity at Yellowstone during 2019, with an emphasis on the month of December.
Map showing ice cover in the Yellowstone region
Map showing ice cover in the Yellowstone region. Light shaded areas bounded by black and red lines indicate areas covered during the Pinedale (about 20,000-15,000 years ago) and Bull Lake (about 150,000 years ago) glaciations, respectively. Blue lines are contours in thousands of feet on the maximum reconstructed Pinedale glacier surface. The circled numbers schematically
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Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: December 2, 2019
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, describes activity at Yellowstone during the month of November 2019.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: November 1, 2019
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, describes activity at Yellowstone during the month of October 2019
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: October 1, 2019
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, describes activity at Yellowstone during the month of September 2019.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: September 3, 2019
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, describes activity at Yellowstone during the month of August 2019.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update: August 1, 2019
Mike Poland, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, describes activity at Yellowstone during the month of July 2019.
Collecting Field Parameters During the 2019 Well Inventory
USGS hydrologic technician collecting field parameters during the 2019 well inventory at a farm and ranch in the north central portion of the Fort Peck reservation.
This challenge is now complete!! Thank you to everyone who contributed!
This challenge is now FINISHED!! Thank you to everyone who contributed!
This challeng is SO CLOSE to being finished!
Approximately 80 edits came in since last week, leaving less than 20 existing points to be reviewed. Don't forget to check for missing city/town halls, too.
This challenge continues to move along nicely with another 100 edits in the last week!
This challenge is coming along nicely with another 30 points added and 50 edits submitted since last week!
Budget Focuses on Bringing Science, Facilities, and Infrastructure into the 21st Century
This challenge is coming along nicely with 20 points added since last week and another 80 points edited!
Here's another challenge for city/town halls in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota!
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Mike Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge, of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
Research Ecologist Dan Fagre is the recipient of the 2017 Eugene M. Shoemaker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communications
About 70 percent of wild prairie dogs successfully ingested baits containing an oral sylvatic plague vaccine, or SPV, that were distributed throughout their habitats, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.
Western waters support some of the most intact aquatic ecosystems in North America, yet invasive species and emerging infectious diseases pose significant and immediate threats to these ecosystems.
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Locations
Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center - Helena Office
Phone: (406) 457-5900
Fax: (406) 457-5990
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) Headquarters
Phone: 406-994-7544
Fax: 406-994-6556
Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center - Billings Office
Phone: 406-656-1444
Contacts
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK)
Scientists from the Center work in the northern Rocky Mountains and across the U.S. Many work throughout the world on issues as diverse as global climate change, aquatic ecology, wildlife diseases, bison ecology, and large carnivores.
Go to NOROCKWyoming-Montana Water Science Center
The Water Science Center's hydrologists, engineers, geospatial analysts, hydrologic technicians, geologists, and support staff work to provide hydrologic data and interpretive studies.
Go to Center