Unified Interior Regions
Region 5: Missouri Basin

USGS Science Centers in the Missouri Basin Region
For more information on what each center is doing in the Missouri Basin, please follow the links below!
Wyoming - Montana Water Science Center
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Regions L2 Landing Page Tabs
Milford Lake
The USGS Kansas Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), has been studying the extreme cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABS) occurring annually in Milford Lake. CyanoHABs on Milford Lake have impacted local businesses economically, and there have been documented human illnesses and animal deaths associated with the blooms....
Groundwater Flow, Quality, and Mixing in the Wind Cave National Park Area, South Dakota
Project Period: 2007-2010
Cooperator: National Park Service
Project Chief: Andrew Long
Science in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park (GNP) is considered a stronghold for a large diversity of plant and animal species and harbors some of the last remaining populations of threatened and endangered species such as grizzly bear and bull trout, as well as non threatened keystone species such as bighorn sheep and black bear. The mountain ecosystems of GNP that support these species are dynamic and influenced...
Hydrologic Information for Evaluation of Reservoir Management Strategies for Sheridan Lake to Enhance Fish Habitat in Spring Creek
Project Period: 2007-2008
Cooperator: South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks
Project Chief: Dan Driscoll
National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN)
Project Period: 2002-2008
Project Chief: Kathy Neitzert
Potentiometric Surface Mapping of the Arikaree Aquifer, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Bennett County, South Dakota
Project Period: 1998-2007
Cooperator: Oglala Sioux Tribe
Project Chief: Janet Carter
Bedrock Groundwater Levels for Selected Wells located in Western Pennington County
Bedrock Groundwater Levels for Selected Wells located in Western Pennington County
Crow Creek Surface-Water Quality Study
Project Period: 2009-2011
Cooperators: Crow Creek Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Project Chief: Joyce Williamson
Chemistry of Uncontaminated Alluvial Deposits of the Cheyenne and Belle Fourche Rivers, South Dakota
Project Period: 2009-10
Cooperators: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Project Chief: John Stamm
Missouri River Bank Erosion on the Lower Brule Reservation
Project Period: 2011- ongoing
Cooperator: Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe
Project Chief: Ryan Thompson
Application of Paleoflood Survey Techniques for the Black Hills of South Dakota
Project Period: 2008-2010
Cooperators: South Dakota Department of Transportation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, West Dakota Water Development District, City of Rapid City
Project Chief: Dan Driscoll
Analysis of Ground-Water Resources in the Aberdeen area
Project Period: 2007-2010
Cooperator: City of Aberdeen
Project Chief: Larry Putnam
USGS hydrographer on cableway, USGS 12304500, Yaak River near Troy, MT
USGS hydrologic technician Kevin Kirlin on the cableway over the Yaak River near Troy, Montana
Streamflow measurement at Milk River near Harlem, Montana
Streamflow measurement at Milk River near Harlem, Montana
Measuring flood flow at Milk River near Harlem, MT
Measuring flood flow at Milk River near Harlem, MT
Flooding Milk River nr Harlem streamgage, 06154100
Flooding Milk River nr Harlem streamgage, 06154100
Milk River at Havre at NWS flood stage
Milk River at Havre at NWS flood stage
Wyoming-Montana Stream Water-Quality Network site map
Wyoming-Montana Stream Water-Quality Network site map
Water-quality sampling sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin, Montana
Water-quality sampling sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin, Montana
10th Anniversary of Landsat's Free & Open Data Policy
Leaders in the field of remote sensing discuss working with Landsat data since it began in 1972. With the change to a free and open policy 10 years ago, new and exciting possibilities have opened up.
Marshmallow-like Formations on Cannonball River at Regent, ND
Marshmallow-like formations were photographed on the Cannonball River at Regent, North Dakota (USGS streamgage 06350000) on April 3, 2018. Foam is produced naturally from organic material in the water in combination with turbulence resulting from water flowing over the weir. The cold temperatures allowed the foam to freeze into these unique marshmallow-like formations.
Landsat in Action - Advocating for Landsat with Kass Green
Kass Green talks about the role Landsat plays to help create high resolution maps, the benefits of the archive at EROS and the value of Landsat imagery to agencies throughout the government.
FORE-SCE Land Use Model with Terry Sohl
Terry Sohl talks about the FORE-SCE Land Use model that is being used to assist a variety of groups. the model uses land cover products from the USGS and extrapolates that data to predict what areas will look like in the future, based on a variety of scenarios.
USGS scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples
USGS) scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples using an automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) instrument
Chloride contamination of Wichita’s water-supply wells is inevitable unless actions are taken, according to U.S. Geological Survey scientists and authors of a new modeling report describing chloride movement in the area's aquifer.
Streamflow in the eastern portions of the Missouri River watershed has increased over the past 52 years, whereas other parts have seen downward trends.
U.S. Geological Survey field crews are measuring flooding on the Big Sioux River and its tributaries in South Dakota.
Just in time to explore the great outdoors this summer, newly designed US Topo maps covering Montana are now available online for free download.
Scientists have discovered that the rapid spread of hybridization between a native species and an invasive species of trout in the wild is strongly linked to changes in climate.
US Topo maps now have a crisper, cleaner design - enhancing readability of maps for online and printed use. Map symbols are easier to read over the digital aerial photograph layer whether the imagery is turned on or off.
Want to know how elevation will benefit your state? The USGS National Geospatial Program is advancing the 3D Elevation Program, known as 3DEP, in response to the growing need for high-quality three-dimensional representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.
Stronger storms, rising seas, and flooding are placing hundreds of millions people at risk around the world, and big part of the solution to decrease those risks is just off shore. A new study finds that coral reefs reduce the wave energy that would otherwise impact coastlines by 97 percent.
Dr. Gary Krapu, retired U.S. Geological Survey wildlife biologist and North Dakota native, recently received the L. H. Walkinshaw Crane Conservation Award for his career-long research on sandhill cranes.
Science Report Guides Protection of Old Faithful Thermal Features and Historic Yellowstone Buildings
A newly published scientific report on the geology and hydrology in the area around Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park includes suggestions on how to avoid harming the unique hydrothermal (hot water) features during maintenance of nearby park roads, utilities, and historic buildings.
A new report by the U.S. Geological Survey describes the extent and movement of contamination in the East Poplar oil field area in northeastern Montana.
The public and media are invited to attend a free conference about critical South Dakota water issues on April 9 in Rapid City. The John T. Loucks Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Thomas Loveland of the U.S. Geological Survey EROS Data Center, will deliver “Landsat 8: A Sharper Eye in the Sky” during the luncheon.