Unified Interior Regions
Region 4: Mississippi Basin
Regions L2 Landing Page Tabs
Webinar: Projecting Climate Change Impacts on Wetland-Dependent Birds in the Prairie Pothole Region
View this webinar to learn how scientists are projecting the impacts of climate change on birds in the Prairie Pothole Region.
Paleoceanographic Proxy Calibration
A sediment trap time series in the northern Gulf of Mexico is used to better assess the control of environmental variables (e.g., temperature and salinity) on the flux of both microfossils and molecular fossils to the sediments. The information gained from sediment trap studies is used to develop better proxy-based estimates of past oceanographic conditions from analyses of microfossils and ...
Climate and Environmental Change in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean
This project documents paleoceanographic, climatic, and environmental changes in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent land areas over the last 10,000 years. The paleoenvironmental data is used to determine rates of change in the past, and to better understand both the natural and anthropogenic factors that contribute to climate variability on inter-annual to millennial timescales.
Louisiana Barrier Island Habitat Mapping and Change Assessment
Barrier islands provide numerous invaluable ecosystem goods and services including storm protection and erosion control for the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, salinity regulation in estuaries, carbon sequestration in marshes, recreation, and tourism. These islands are dynamic environments due to their position at the land-sea interface. Storms, wave energy, tides, currents, and...
Hurricane Nate - Forecast and Documentation of Coastal Change
Hurricane Nate coastal change forecast and pre- and post-storm photos documenting coastal change.
Scenario-Based Assessments for Coastal Change Hazard Forecasts
A decade of USGS research on storm-driven coastal change hazards has provided the data and modeling capabilities needed to identify areas of our coastline that are likely to experience extreme and potentially hazardous erosion during an extreme storm.
National Assessment of Storm-Induced Coastal Change Hazards
This project focuses on understanding the magnitude and variability of extreme storm impacts on sandy beaches. The overall objective is to improve real-time and scenario-based predictions of coastal change to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety.
National Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
The original national coastal vulnerability index (CVI) assessment was motivated by expected accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) and the uncertainty in the response of the coastline to SLR. This research was conducted between 1999 and 2001, and is currently being updated using new data sources and methodology. This original study was part of the ...
Long-Term Coastal Change
Goals of this task include developing and improving coastal-change assessments and supporting long-term planning and decision making to ensure sustainable coastal economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards
Research to identify areas that are most vulnerable to coastal change hazards including beach and dune erosion, long-term shoreline change, and sea-level rise.
Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring
Historical and newly acquired data were used to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition.
Integrating Mapping and Modeling to Support the Restoration of Bird Nesting Habitat at Breton Island National Wildlife Refuge
In response to storms, reduced sediment supply, and sea-level rise, Breton Island is rapidly deteriorating, impacting the available nesting habitat of endangered seabirds. This study provides critical information regarding the physical environment of the island system.
The importance of the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico to foraging loggerhead sea turtles
Identification of high-use foraging sites where imperiled sea turtles are resident remains a globally-recognized conservation priority. In the biodiverse Gulf of Mexico (GoM), recent telemetry studies highlighted post-nesting foraging sites for federally threatened loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). Our aim here was to discern loggerhead use of...
Hart, Kristen M.; Lamont, Margaret M.; Iverson, Autumn; Smith, Brian Evaluation of acute and chronic toxicity of nickel and zinc to 2 sensitive freshwater benthic invertebrates using refined testing methods
The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is reviewing the protectiveness of the national ambient water quality criteria (WQC) for nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) and compiling toxicity databases to update the WQC. An amphipod (Hyalella azteca) and a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) have shown high sensitivity to Ni and Zn in previous studies...
Wang, Ning; Kunz, James L.; Cleveland, Danielle; Steevens, Jeffery; Hammer, Edward J.; Van Genderen, Eric; Ryan, Adam C.; Schlekat, Christian E.
Water resources of Evangeline Parish, Louisiana
Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for stewardship of this vital resource. In 2014, about 282.66 million gallons...
Murphy, Chid J.; White, Vincent E.
Water resources of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana
Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for stewardship of this vital resource. In 2014, about 70 million gallons per...
White, Vincent E. A trapping survey targeting head-started alligator snapping turtles in southwest Louisiana
The alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and is sought after as a food source, primarily in Louisiana. Decades of intensive commercial harvest of alligator snapping turtles has been implicated in population declines. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initiated a head-...
Glorioso, Brad; Muse, Lindy J.; Hillard, Cory J; Maldonado, Brittany R.; Streeter, Jared; Battaglia, Charles D; Waddle, J. Hardin Low oxygen: A (tough) way of life for Okavango fishes
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site and biodiverse wilderness. In 2016–2018, following arrival of the annual flood of rainwater from Angola’s highlands, and using continuous oxygen logging, we documented profound aquatic hypoxia that persisted for 3.5 to 5 months in the river channel. Within these periods, dissolved oxygen rarely...
Edwards, Thea Margaret; Mosie, Ineelo J.; Moore, Brandon C.; Lobjoit, Guy; Schiavone, Kelsie; Bachman, Robert E.; Murray-Hudson, Mike Legacy effects of hydrologic alteration in playa wetland responses to droughts
Wetland conservation increasingly must account for climate change and legacies of previous land-use practices. Playa wetlands provide critical wildlife habitat, but may be impacted by intensifying droughts and previous hydrologic modifications. To inform playa restoration planning, we asked: (1) what are the trends in playa inundation? (2) what...
Russell, Micah T.; Cartwright, Jennifer M.; Collins, Gail H.; Long, Ryan A.; Eitel, Jan H. A guidebook to spatial datasets for conservation planning under climate change in the Pacific Northwest
This guidebook provides user-friendly overviews of a variety of spatial datasets relevant to conservation and management of natural resources in the face of climate change in the Pacific Northwest, United States. Each guidebook chapter was created using a standardized template to summarize a spatial dataset or a group of closely related datasets....
Cartwright, Jennifer M.; Cartwright, Jennifer M.; Belote, Travis; Blasch, Kyle W.; Campbell, Steve; Chambers, Jeanne C.; Davis, Raymond J.; Dobrowski, Solomon; Dunham, Jason B.; Gergel, Diana; Isaak, Daniel; Jaeger, Kristin; Krosby, Meade; Langdon, Jesse; Lawler, Joshua J.; Littlefield, Caitlin E; Luce, Charles H; Maestas, Jeremy D; Martinez, Anthony; Meddens, Arjan J.H.; Michalak, Julia; Parks, Sean A.; Peterman, Wendy; Popper, Ken; Ringo, Chris; Sando, Thomas R.; Schindel, Michael; Stralberg, Diana; Theobald, David M.; Walker, Nathan; Wilsey, Chad; Yang, Zhiqiang; Yost, Andrew Thiamine concentrations in lake trout and Atlantic salmon eggs during 14 years following the invasion of alewife in Lake Champlain
Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency in Great Lakes salmonines has been linked to consumption of alewife Alosa pseudoharengus. Thiamine deficiency has been recognized as a possible impediment to lake trout Salvelinus namaycush recruitment in the Great Lakes and Atlantic salmon Salmo salar recruitment in the Finger Lakes and...
Ladago, Bret J.; Futia, Matthew H.; Ardren, William R.; Honeyfield, Dale C.; Kelsey, Kevin P.; Kozel, Carrie L.; Riley, Stephen; Rinchard, Jacques; Tillitt, Donald E.; Zajicek, James L.; Marsden, J. Ellen Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events
Plant associations with soil microbiota can modulate tree seedling growth and survival via mutualistic or antagonistic interactions. It is uncertain, however, whether soil microbiota influence seedling growth of coastal trees when exposed to extreme flooding regimes. We evaluated the role of soil microbes in promoting baldcypress (Taxodium...
Torres-Martínez, Lorena; Sánchez-Julia, Mareli; Kimbrough, Elizabeth; Hendrix, Trey; Hendrix, Miranda; Day, Richard H.; Krauss, Ken W.; Van Bael, Sunshine A The field trip that changed the course of my career
After gobbling down a breakfast of sliced papaya, scrambled eggs, refried beans, and soft flour tacos, we gathered our gear and loaded it into the red zodiac that the station manager had assigned to us. My colleagues and I were headed to a pair of islands off the coast of Belize called Twin Cays, occupied by a unique group of tropical plants and...
McKee, Karen L. My life in dogs
No abstract available.
Middleton, Beth
Surveying a High-Water Mark
Chris Henry and Daniel McCay, USGS hydrologic technicians, use GPS equipment to survey a high-water mark outside of a flooded elementary school in Denham Springs, Louisiana, August 28. This school was located in one of the hardest hit flood areas and the blue line simulates how high the water was at its peak during this historic flood.
USGS Scientists Mark a High-Water Mark in Louisiana
Daniel McCay and Chris Henry, USGS hydrologic technicians, use a level to draw a line on a high-water mark August 26. In most circumstances, when a high-water mark is flagged it would then be surveyed with GPS equipment to obtain its exact coordinates and elevation. However, because of the possibility of more storms hitting Louisiana the teams were initially only
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Looking for High-Water Marks
Daniel McCay and Chris Henry, U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic technicians, search a neighborhood south of Denham Springs, Louisiana, for high-water marks August 26. The term high-water mark refers to the debris flood waters will leave on walls, buildings and trees. This thin line of residue is an indicator of how high the waters reached, yet the fragile nature of
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Recording a High-Water Mark
Jonathan Gillip, USGS hydrologist, documents a high-water mark he flagged near a damage retirement community in Denham Springs, Louisiana, August 26. So far, USGS teams have flagged and surveyed more than 400 high-watermarks across southern Louisiana.
Flooding near Louisiana Water Science Center
The view on South Sherwood Forest Blvd near the USGS Louisiana Water Science Center office on August 15, 2016.
Flooded Street in Denham Springs
Backwater flooding across Florida Blvd near the Amite River Bridge in Denham Springs, LA.
Flooded House in Denham Springs
A flooded house near the confluence of the Comite and Amite Rivers near Denham Springs, LA.
Flooded Neighborhood in Denham Springs
A flooded neighborhood near the confluence of the Comite and Amite Rivers near Denham Springs, LA.
Lake sturgeon at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center
USGS Biologist prepares to artificially spawn a female lake sturgeon in the laboratory at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
USGS Biologist prepares to release a reproductive female sturgeon.
USGS Biologist Sabrina Davenport prepares to release a reproductive female pallid sturgeon.
Pallid sturgeon free embryo at approximately 5 days post-hatch
Figure 3. Pallid sturgeon free embryo at approximately 5 days post-hatch, approximately 14-15 mm (about 0.57 of an inch) in length.
Coastal managers and planners now have access to a new U.S. Geological Survey handbook that, for the first time, comprehensively describes the various models used to study and predict sea-level rise and its potential impacts on coasts.
The City of West Branch, Iowa, and the U.S. Geological Survey recently partnered to provide real-time streamflow and flood warning information on the west branch of flood-prone Wapsinonoc Creek.
Computer simulations of earthquake shaking, replicating the quakes that occurred in 1811-1812 in the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ), indicate that future large earthquakes there would produce major, prolonged ground shaking.
Three tiny fish larvae that were captured by U.S. Geological Survey scientists in May 2014 have just been confirmed to be pallid sturgeon. These new genetic identifications add to mounting evidence that critically endangered pallid sturgeon spawned successfully in the Lower Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam, South Dakota.
Several of the 772 new US Topo quadrangles for Mississippi now display parts of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail and other selected public trails. Further significant additions to the new quadrangles include map symbol redesign, enhanced railroad information and new road source data.
The drainage of small wetlands can decrease wildlife habitat and may contribute to flooding in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey study.
Interior Department’s Northeast Climate Science Center has released a report today synthesizing the latest information on the vulnerability of species and ecosystems to climate change in a 22-state region in the Northeast and Midwest U.S.
Several of the 812 new US Topo quadrangles for Louisiana now display public trails along with improved data layers. Other significant additions include public land survey system information (PLSS), redesign of map symbols, enhanced railroad information and new road source data.
Water contamination by hormone-disrupting pollutants is a concern for water quality around the world. Existing research has determined that elevated concentrations of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical used in consumer products such as plastic food storage and beverage containers, have been deposited directly into rivers and streams by municipal or industrial wastewater.
MENLO PARK, Calif.— Smartphones and other personal electronic devices could, in regions where they are in widespread use, function as early warning systems for large earthquakes according to newly reported research.
MENLO PARK, California — Los teléfonos móviles y otros dispositivos electrónicos personales podrían ayudar en las regiones donde se encuentran en uso generalizado, y pueden funcionar como sistemas de alerta para terremotos mayor según la nueva investigación científica recien publicada.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette and the Southeast Ecological Science Center in Gainesville, Florida will merge under the same leadership effective October 1, 2015.
Contacts
Locations
Region 4: Mississippi Basin
Fork Polk Project Office
Phone: (337) 531-4522 Fax:
Fax: (337) 531-6039
Louisiana Water Science Center
Phone: (225) 298-5481
Fax: (225) 298-5490
Arkansas Water Science Center
Phone: (501) 228-3600
Fax: (501) 228-3601
Ruston Program Office
Phone: (318) 251-9630
Fax: (318) 251-0372
Missouri Water Science Center
Phone: 573-308-3667
Fax: (573) 308-3645
National Geospatial Technical Operations Center - Rolla, MO
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Little Rock, AR Office
Phone: (501) 228-3600
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Jackson, MS Office
Phone: (601) 933-2900
Fax: (601) 933-2901
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Baton Rouge, LA Office
Phone: (225) 298-5481
Fax: (225) 298-5490
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - Lafayette, LA
Phone: 337-266-8500
Fax: 337-266-8513
Columbia Environmental Research Center
Phone: 573-875-5399
Iowa Water Science Center
Phone: 319-337-4191
Fax: (319) 358-3606
Western Iowa Field Office - Council Bluffs
Phone: 712-323-0824
Fax: 712-322-7775
Central Iowa Field Office - Fort Dodge
Phone: 515-576-4571
Fax: 515-576-1692
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Ruston, LA Office
Phone: (318) 251-9630
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Fayetteville, AR Office
Phone: (479) 442-4888
Western Missouri Field Office - Lee's Summit
Phone: 816-554-3489
Fax: 816-554-9273
Eastern Missouri - Olivette
Phone: 314-567-7077 or 314-567-5440
Fax: 314-567-7641
