Unified Interior Regions
Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
Regions L2 Landing Page Tabs
Reference and Potential Evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration can be computed as reference, potential, or actual evapotranspiration. Reference evapotranspiration is that from a grass surface that is well-watered. Potential evapotranspiration is that from a surface that has unlimited water (such as a lake).
Reference and potential evapotranspiration are computed at a 2-kilometer spatial resolution and daily timestep for the...
Characteristics of flow through the Franklin lock and their effects on downstream water-quality
The USGS completed a study to investigate correlations between flow rates and volumes through the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam and water-quality constituents inside the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge from March 2010 to December 2013. Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5033, authored by Amanda Booth, Lars Soderqvist, and Travis Knight, summarizes the results of the study. A...
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Maps are an integral part of water-science activities and the Caribbean Florida Water Science Center utilizes and produces maps for all types of hydrologic projects and in information dissemination. Maps are also helpful for providing the user with a geographical reference to our water information.
Water-Quality for Florida
The U.S. Geological Survey provides scientific and technical expertise, leadership, and coordination in addressing issues concerning the quality of the Nation's water resources. Our scientists:
- Collect, analyze, and interpret water-quality data,
- Engage in field and laboratory research and methods development,
- Work with local, State, and Federal agencies and the ...
Water Quality for Puerto Rico
The U.S. Geological Survey operates and maintains approximately 7,300 streamgages nationwide, 194 in Puerto Rico, which provide long-term, accurate, and unbiased information that meets the needs of many diverse users. The USGS collects the streamflow data needed by Federal, State, and local agencies for planning and operating water-resources projects and regulatory programs.
The links...
Hurricanes
Preventing flood hazards, such as hurricane-induced tidal surge, from becoming human disasters requires an understanding of the relative risks floods pose to specific communities and knowledge of the processes by which flood waters rise, converge, and abate. Historically, hurricane-induced tidal surge has been documented through measurement of high-water marks left on structures or vegetation...
Effects of hydrologic system alterations on salinity in the Biscayne aquifer in Broward Co.
To address concerns about the effects of water-resource management practices and rising sea level on saltwater intrusion, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division, initiated a study to examine causes of saltwater intrusion and predict the effects of future alterations to the hydrologic system on salinity...
Mapping water levels in the Biscayne aquifer
To help inform decisions necessary for urban planning and development, Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources partnered with USGS to produce statistical analyses and maps representing mean, high, and low water-level conditions in the surface water and groundwater of Miami-Dade County.
Dam Failure Analysis for the Lago El Guineo Dam, Puerto Rico
The USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5070 describing a hydrologic and hydraulic study to assess the potential hazard to human life and property associated with the hypothetical failure of the Lago El Guineo Dam was completed by the USGS in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.
Evapotranspiration and Carbon-Flux Network
The U.S. Geological Survey Florida Evapotranspiration Network is a network of 15 data collection sites representing various land cover types, which provide long-term, accurate, and unbiased information that meets the needs of many diverse users. The USGS collects the evapotranspiration data needed by Federal, State, and local agencies for planning and operating water-resources projects and...
CFWSC Science Highlights
The purpose of this section is to draw your attention to important information that the CFWSC are conducting in your city.
Hurricane Michael - Forecast and Documentation of Coastal Change
Hurricane Michael coastal change forecast and pre- and post-storm photos documenting coastal change.
Orthoimagery Data
Orthoimagery data typically are high resolution aerial images that combine the visual attributes of an aerial photograph with the spatial accuracy and reliability of a planimetric map. The National Map offers public domain, 1-meter orthoimagery for the conterminous United States with many urban areas and other locations at 2-foot or finer resolution.
The National Map Small-Scale Collection
The National Map offers a collection of small-scale datasets, most of which are at 1:1,000,000. The National Map publishes two data collections at one million-scale: one for Global Map users and one for National Map users. In terms of vector geometry, the lines, points, and areas in these data collections are identical. The difference is in the attributes assigned to these features.
Science Data Integration and Delivery
Consistent synthesis, integration, storage, and availability of fundamental data is critical to meeting the needs of USGS Science. We develop databases for hydrography, topography, invasive species, water resources, and many other datasets utilized by resource managers.
Science Data Integration and Delivery
Consistent synthesis, integration, storage, and availability of fundamental data is critical to meeting the needs of USGS Science. We develop databases for hydrography, topography, invasive species, water resources, and many other datasets utilized by resource managers. Our National Geospatial Program uses partnerships and data collection through a network assigned to the Southeast Region...
Across Trophic Level System Simulation for the Freshwater Wetlands of the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp
Across Trophic Level System Simulation (ATLSS) is a project to develop a set of models for the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp of South Florida. The models will support studies "to compare the future effects of alternative hydrologic scenarios on the biotic components of the system."
Streamflow and fish community diversity data for use in developing ecological limit functions for the Cumberland Plateau, northeastern Middle Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky, 2016
Information contained within this dataset represents values of basin characteristics (see Table II in Knight and others, 2012), estimates of streamflow characteristics, measures of individual and cumulative departure of streamflow characteristics from reference hydrologic conditions, and fish species richness for 138 sites in the study area.
Mangrove Secrets
The Sheltered Corals of Hurricane Hole, US Virgin Islands
Real-time streamflow compared to historical streamflow (Tennessee)
Map of real-time streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the day of the year (Tennessee)
Geological Survey of Alabama - Downloadable GIS datasets
Spatial/GIS data sets for Alabama are available numerous spatial data clearinghouses. Spatial/GIS data sets for USGS studies that include Alabama or include parts of Alabama are also available from USGS.
Downloadable GIS Datasets, OGB GIS Datasets, Digital Raster Graphics (DRG), 1:24000 DRG, 1:100000 DRG, 1:250000 DRG, Hazards GIS Data, Hazards Data Water GIS Data, HUC 11 Watersheds
Stress gradients interact with disturbance to reveal alternative states in salt marsh: Multivariate resilience at the landscape scale
Stress gradients influence many ecosystem processes and properties, including ecosystem recovery from and resistance to disturbance. While recent analytical approaches have advanced multivariate metrics of ecosystem resilience that allow quantification of conceptual resilience models and identification of thresholds of state change, these...
Jones, Scott; Stagg, Camille; Yando, Erik S.; James, W. Ryan; Buffington, Kevin J.; Hester, Mark W. Topographic, soil, and climate drivers of drought sensitivity in forests and shrublands of the Pacific Northwest, USA
Climate change is anticipated to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts, with major impacts to ecosystems globally. Broad-scale assessments of vegetation responses to drought are needed to anticipate, manage, and potentially mitigate climate-change effects on ecosystems. We quantified the drought sensitivity of vegetation in the Pacific...
Cartwright, Jennifer M.; Littlefield, Caitlin E; Michalak, Julia; Lawler, Joshua J.; Dobrowski, Solomon Detecting cover crop end-of-season using VENµS and sentinel-2 satellite imagery
Cover crops are planted during the off-season to protect the soil and improve watershed management. The ability to map cover crop termination dates over agricultural landscapes is essential for quantifying conservation practice implementation, and enabling estimation of biomass accumulation during the active cover period. Remote sensing detection...
Gao, Feng; Anderson, Martha; Hively, W. Dean
Evaluation of the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network in South Carolina, 2017
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been monitoring streamflow in South Carolina since the late 1800s. From the beginning, the USGS streamgage network in South Carolina has been dynamic, with streamgages being added or removed depending on their purpose and the availability of funding from Federal, State, and local partners. Streamflow...
Feaster, Toby D.; Kolb, Katharine R. Double exposure and dynamic vulnerability: Assessing economic well-being, ecological change and the development of the oil and gas industry in coastal Louisiana
The oil and gas industry has been a powerful driver of economic change in coastal Louisiana for the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st. Yet, the overall impact of the industry on the economic well-being of host communities is varied, both spatially and temporally. While the majority of Louisiana’s oil and gas production now occurs...
Hemmerling, Scott; Carruthers, Tim J.B.; Hijuelos, Ann; Bienn, Harris C. Predicting multi-species foraging hotspots for marine turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Quantifying the distribution of animals and identifying underlying characteristics that define suitable habitat are essential for effective conservation of free-ranging species. Prioritizing areas for conservation is important in managing a geographic extent that has a high level of disturbance and limited conservation resources. We examined the...
Fujisaki, Ikuko; Hart, Kristen; Bucklin, David N.; Iverson, Autumn R.; Rubio, Cynthia; Lamont, Margaret; Miron, Raul de Jesus G.D.; Burchfield, Patrick M.; Pena, Jaime; Shaver, Donna J. Sensitivity of storm response to antecedent topography in the XBeach model
Antecedent topography is an important aspect of coastal morphology when studying and forecasting coastal change hazards. The uncertainty in morphologic response of storm-impact models and their use in short-term hazard forecasting and decadal forecasting is important to account for when considering a coupled model framework. This study provided a...
Mickey, Rangley C.; Dalyander, P. Soupy; McCall, Robert T.; Passeri, Davina L. An interactive data visualization framework for exploring geospatial environmental datasets and model predictions
With the rise of large-scale environmental models comes new challenges for how we best utilize this information in research, management and decision making. Interactive data visualizations can make large and complex datasets easier to access and explore, which can lead to knowledge discovery, hypothesis formation and improved understanding. Here,...
Walker, Jeffrey D; Letcher, Benjamin; Rodgers, Kirk D.; Muhlfeld, Clint C.; D'Angelo, Vincent S.
Estimated groundwater withdrawals from principal aquifers in the United States, 2015
In 2015, about 84,600 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of groundwater were withdrawn in the United States for various uses including public supply, self-supplied domestic, industrial, mining, thermoelectric power, aquaculture, livestock, and irrigation. Of this total, about 94 percent (79,200 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from principal aquifers, which...
Lovelace, John K.; Nielsen, Martha G.; Read, Amy L.; Murphy, Chid J.; Maupin, Molly A. Changes in ecosystem nitrogen and carbon allocation with black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) encroachment into Spartina alterniflora salt marsh
Increases in temperature are expected to facilitate encroachment of tropical mangrove forests into temperate salt marshes, yet the effects on ecosystem services are understudied. Our work was conducted along a mangrove expansion front in Louisiana (USA), an area where coastal wetlands are in rapid decline due to compounding factors, including...
Macy, Aaron; Osland, Michael; Cherry, Julia A; Cebrian, Just Growth rates for immature Kemp’s ridley sea turtles from a foraging area in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Examining vital rates helps clarify how environmental characteristics, biological resources and human activities affect population growth. Carapace lengths were gathered for 241 Kemp’s ridley Lepidochelys kempii sea turtles that were marked and recaptured (n = 23) between 2011 and 2019 at a foraging location in northwest Florida, USA....
Lamont, Margaret; Johnson, Darren Pesticide mixtures show potential toxicity to aquatic life in U.S. streams, water years 2013-2017
During water years (WY) 2013–2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project, sampled the National Water Quality Network – Rivers and Streams (NWQN) year-round and reported on 221 pesticides at 72 sites across the United States in agricultural, developed, and mixed land use watersheds. The Pesticide Toxicity...
Covert, S. Alex.; Shoda, Megan E.; Stackpoole, Sarah M.; Stone, Wesley W.
Green treefrog - Hyla cinerea
Green treefrogs call from their favorite habitat, rivers and lakes. They’re native to Louisiana and Florida, where these were recorded. Credit: Paul Moler, used with permission.
Squirrel treefrog - Hyla squirella (Marion)
Squirrel treefrogs are also native to Florida and Louisiana. Hear them calling from ditches, puddles and other ephemeral pools of water. Credit: Paul Moler, used with permission.
Mangroves Surrounding a Playa, Florida Bay 2018
Mangroves on the outside of a playa within Florida Bay.
Mangroves Surrounding a Playa, Florida Bay 2018
Mangroves on the outside of a playa within Florida Bay.
Florida Bay at Sunset, 2018
After a long day collecting cores, the team of scientists watch the sun set over the Florida Bay.
Mangroves Surrounding a Playa, Florida Bay 2018
Mangroves grow along the outside of a playa, one of may in the Florida Bay area.
USGS aerial imaging mapping team
USGS unmanned aerial system (uas) mapping team on the beach in Dauphin Island, Alabama
Perspective lidar view of coastal bathymetry at St. Thomas, USVI
Perspective view of coastal bathymetry looking onshore, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, mapped using lidar and depicted with false-color, showing detailed submerged features, including coral reefs.
Groundwater can flow out of the ground back to land surface.
My neighbor's driveway with some water on it... not very exciting, but it is an excellent example of how groundwater flows underground and can seep back to the land surface. This simple process demonstrates one of the basic aspects of the water cycle.
This picture really demonstrates why there is water in many streams even after long periods of no rainfall. You
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Isla Verde Video Camera 2 Timex
Time-exposure image of Isla Verde in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from a coastal video monitoring station. Image is time-averaged over 10 minutes of video.
Isla Verde Video Camera 3 Timex
Time-exposure image of Isla Verde in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from a coastal video monitoring station. Image is time-averaged over 10 minutes of video.
Isla Verde Video Camera 4 Variance Image
Variance image of Isla Verde in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from a coastal video monitoring station. Image is compiled from 10 minutes of video and shows areas of more movement as brighter colors.
To learn more about USGS’ role providing science to decision makers before, during and after Hurricane Maria, visit the USGS Hurricane Maria page at https://www.usgs.gov/maria.
Editor’s note: this news release will be updated online with more information on the streamgage records being set in Florida as it becomes available
As Harvey’s record breaking rainfall and catastrophic flood waters recede in Texas and western Louisiana, U.S. Geological Survey teams are collecting high water marks, monitoring water levels and coastal change, retrieving storm tide sensors and collecting samples for water quality analysis.
To learn more about USGS’ role providing science to decision makers before, during and after Hurricane Irma, visit the USGS Hurricane Irma page.
To learn more about USGS’ role providing science to decision makers before, during and after Hurricane Irma, visit the USGS Hurricane Irma page.
To learn more about USGS’ role providing science to decision makers before, during and after Hurricane Irma, visit the USGS Hurricane Irma page.
A carbonatite here, a glacial moraine there, a zig-zagging fault or two, even a behemoth of a batholith. The geology of the 50 States is an enormous patchwork of varied forms, beautiful in their variance but challenging to present as a single map.
Larger-than-average low and no oxygen area may affect the region’s shrimp fisheries
Biologists have confirmed white-nose syndrome in the southeastern bat, or Myotis austroriparius, for the first time. The species joins eight other hibernating bat species in North America that are afflicted with the deadly bat fungal disease.
A new U.S. Geological Survey study that looked at the extensive harmful algal bloom that plagued Florida last year found far more types of cyanobacteria present than previously known.
U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners are taking technology to the next level, using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly called drones, to acquire both fire intensity and emissions data during prescribed burns.
In the first ecosystem-wide study of changing sea depths at five large coral reef tracts in Florida, the Caribbean and Hawai’i, U.S. Geological Survey researchers found the sea floor is eroding in all five places, and the reefs cannot keep pace with sea level rise. As a result, coastal communities protected by the reefs are facing increased risks from storms, waves and erosion.
Follow Region 2 activities on social media, get contact information for Region 2 USGS centers, and meet Region 2's staff and center directors.
Contacts
Locations
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - Gainesville, FL
Phone: 352-378-8181
Fax: 352-378-4956
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Nashville, TN Office
GS-W-TNnsh Webmaster@usgs.gov
Phone: (615) 837-4700
Fax: (615) 837-4799
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Montgomery, AL Office
Phone: (334) 395-4131
Fax: (334) 395-4168
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Puerto Rico Office
Phone: (787) 749-7400
Fax: (787) 749-7401
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Raleigh, NC Office
Phone: (919) 571-4000
Fax: (919) 571-4041
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Columbia, SC Office
Phone: (803) 750-6100
Fax: (803) 750-6181
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Norcross, GA Office
Phone: (678) 924-6700
Fax: (678) 924-6710
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Lutz, FL Office
Phone: (813) 498-5000
Fax: (813) 498-5002
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Phone: (727) 502-8000
Fax: (727) 502-8181
Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Tifton, GA Field Office
Phone: 229-382-6353
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Charleston, SC Field Office
Phone: 843-670-6275
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Memphis, TN Office
Phone: 901-678-7287
Fax: 901-678-7300
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Knoxville, TN Office
rbrendli@usgs.gov
Phone: 865-862-2029
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Tuscaloosa, AL Office
Phone: 205-348-0950
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Fort Myers, FL Field Office
Phone: (239) 275-8448
Fax: (239) 275-6820
Caribbean Florida Water Science Center - Tallahassee, FL Field Office
Phone: (850) 553-3640
Fax: (805) 553-3641
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Orlando, FL Field Office
Phone: (407) 803-5500
Fax: (407) 803-5501
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Davie, FL Field Office
Phone: (954) 377-5900
Fax: (954) 377-5901
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - St. John, USVI
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Asheville, NC Field Office
Phone: (828) 684-5905
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Savannah, GA Field Office
Phone: (843) 784-5005
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Charlotte, NC Field Office
Phone: (704) 344-6272
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) Southern Appalachian Duty Station
Phone: 865-974-4790
Fax: 865-974-3555
