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Southwest Region

The Southwest Region covers Arizona, California, Nevada, and a portion of southern Oregon. Our scientists do a broad array of research and technical assistance throughout the U.S. and across the globe. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight & support, facilitates internal & external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science direction.

News

USGS Remote Sensing Data Tracks Big Sur Landslides of 2024

USGS Remote Sensing Data Tracks Big Sur Landslides of 2024

Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge Sediment Cores Shed Light on Past Hydrothermal Activity

Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge Sediment Cores Shed Light on Past Hydrothermal Activity

Forecasting Storm-Induced Coastal Flooding for the Hawaiian, Mariana, and American Samoan Islands

Forecasting Storm-Induced Coastal Flooding for the Hawaiian, Mariana, and American Samoan Islands

Publications

Analyzing spatial distributions and alignments of pitted cone features in Utopia Planitia on Mars

Martian geomorphology and surface features provide links to understanding past geologic processes such as fluid movement, local and regional tectonics, and feature formation mechanisms. Pitted cones are common features in the northern plains basins of Mars. They have been proposed to have formed from upwelling volatile-rich fluids, such as magma or water-sediment slurries. In this study, we map th
Authors
Mackenzie M. Mills, Alfred S. McEwen, Amanda N. Hughes, Ji-Eun Kim, Chris Okubo

Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites

Restoration in dryland ecosystems often has poor success due to low and variable water availability, degraded soil conditions, and slow plant community recovery rates. Restoration treatments can mitigate these constraints but, because treatments and subsequent monitoring are typically limited in space and time, our understanding of their applicability across broader environmental gradients remains
Authors
Hannah Lucia Farrell, Seth M. Munson, Bradley J. Butterfield, Michael C. Duniway, Aksasha M Faist, Elise S Gornish, Caroline Havrilla, Loralee Larios, Sasha C. Reed, Helen I Rowe, Katherine M. Laushman, Molly L. McCormick

Addressing stakeholder science needs for integrated drought science in the Colorado River Basin

Stakeholders need scientific data, analysis, and predictions of how drought the will impact the Colorado River Basin in a format that is continuously updated, intuitive, and easily accessible. The Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Pilot Project was formed to demonstrate the effectiveness of addressing complex problems through stakeholder involvement an
Authors
Anne C. Tillery, Sally House, Rebecca J. Frus, Sharon L. Qi, Daniel Jones, William J. Andrews

Science

Estimating spatial variation in greater sage-grouse lek buffers using seasonal space use models

Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) management relies on the identification and protection of core habitat for the species. Core areas are often centered on leks where the potential impacts of anthropogenic development and other disturbances can be evaluated based on buffer distances around active leks. While buffer distances have been quantified for some regions, sage-grouse space...
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Estimating spatial variation in greater sage-grouse lek buffers using seasonal space use models

Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) management relies on the identification and protection of core habitat for the species. Core areas are often centered on leks where the potential impacts of anthropogenic development and other disturbances can be evaluated based on buffer distances around active leks. While buffer distances have been quantified for some regions, sage-grouse space...
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Influence of future climate scenarios on habitat and population dynamics of greater sage-grouse

Sagebrush ecosystems and sagebrush-dependent wildlife species are likely to experience more frequent extreme drought and temperature conditions with changing climate. Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ), an indicator species in sagebrush ecosystems, may experience habitat and population losses that are increasingly exacerbated by current and future climate change. However, the direct...
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Influence of future climate scenarios on habitat and population dynamics of greater sage-grouse

Sagebrush ecosystems and sagebrush-dependent wildlife species are likely to experience more frequent extreme drought and temperature conditions with changing climate. Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ), an indicator species in sagebrush ecosystems, may experience habitat and population losses that are increasingly exacerbated by current and future climate change. However, the direct...
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Typhoon Merbok Disaster Emergency Recovery Efforts

Extreme storm events, such as Extratropical-Typhoon Merbok that hit the coast of Western Alaska in September 2022, are stark reminders of the devastating impacts coastal storms can have on Alaska Native community’s livelihoods and infrastructure. A chronic lack of environmental monitoring and technical assistance in rural Alaska present major barriers to communities affected by Typhoon Merbok...
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Typhoon Merbok Disaster Emergency Recovery Efforts

Extreme storm events, such as Extratropical-Typhoon Merbok that hit the coast of Western Alaska in September 2022, are stark reminders of the devastating impacts coastal storms can have on Alaska Native community’s livelihoods and infrastructure. A chronic lack of environmental monitoring and technical assistance in rural Alaska present major barriers to communities affected by Typhoon Merbok...
Learn More