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
Groundwater-Quality Monitoring near Ashland, Nebraska
Since 1991, the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center has collected water samples from six monitoring wells in the Platte River alluvial aquifer near Ashland. Analytes include major and trace metals, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, pesticides and their degradates, and arsenic species. The samples are analyzed by the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory. The USGS also collects additional...
Riparian Ecology
Riparian ecologists in the AS Branch study interactions among flow, channel change, and vegetation along rivers across the western United States and worldwide. Our work focuses on issues relevant to the management of water and public lands, including dam operation, climate change, invasive species, and ecological restoration. Investigations take place on a range of scales. For example,...
Wetland State-and-Transition Model Project
The Wetland STM project is creating a state-and-transition model to inform management of semi-permanently flooded wetlands in the Intermountain West and western Prairie Pothole Region, as well as designing a monitoring scheme to allow determination of current wetland condition.
Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the Madison and Minnelusa Aquifers, Black Hills Area
The Madison and Minnelusa aquifers are critically important water resources that were a primary focus of the Black Hills Hydrology Study of the 1990s. These aquifers have a large influence on surface-water systems and provide the most important source of groundwater for municipal, domestic, agricultural, and industrial use in the area. Rapidly increasing demand from these aquifers may affect...
Webinar: Karst, Critters, and Climate Change: A Multidisciplinary Evaluation of Karst Species Vulnerability to Climate Change
View this webinar to learn how scientists are exploring the vulnerability of karst species to climate change.
Sagebrush Mineral Resource Assessment
The USGS Mineral Resources Program completed a comprehensive assessment and inventory of potential mineral resources covering approximately10 million acres of federal and adjacent lands in Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.
Ozark Groundwater Availability Study
The U.S. Geological Survey's Groundwater Resources Program (GWRP) is conducting an assessment of groundwater availability throughout the United States to gain a better understanding of the status of the Nation's groundwater resources and how changes in water use and climate may affect those resources. Assessments will be completed for the Nation's principal aquifer systems to help characterize...
Analytical Capabilities, Sample Requirements, and Instrumentation
OGRL works independently or collaboratively to pair fate and transport with biological
experiments and effects. OGRL has three main focuses:
1. Development and modification of robust analytical methods needed for analysis of
compounds in multiple matrices to address relevant environmental health issues.
2. Conduct independent and collaborative lab to national based...
Pesticides in the Prairie Pothole Region
Wetlands of the northern Great Plains are crucial feeding grounds for migrating birds and waterfowl embedded in an agricultural landscape. Land use and hydrology can affect adult aquatic insects – crucial prey for critically declining populations of insectivorous birds. Current studies focus on effects of current-use pesticides on adult aquatic insects to inform decision making about...
OGRL Algal Toxins Methods of Analysis
Algal toxins are a group of toxic compounds produced by a range of photosynthetic freshwater and marine plankton. These toxins have the ability to cause sickness in animals and humans and in severe cases lead to death. OGRL has the ability to evaluate and conduct occurrence, fate, transport, effects, and treatability studies methods.
Glyphosate, AMPA, and Glufosinate Method of Analysis: OGRL LCGY
Glyphosate and glufosinate are herbicides used for weed and vegetation control. AMPA, aminomethylphosphonic acid, is a degradation product of glyphosate. Since the introduction of glyphosate resistant (round-up ready) corn and soybeans glyphosate has become the most widely used herbicide in the world.
Antibiotic Methods of Analysis: OGRL LCAB
Antibiotics are used for human health and livestock management and health. The increase of antibiotic resistant infections has resulted in concern that sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics for weight gain in livestock and the release of low levels of antibiotics into surface and groundwater from urban and agricultural sources may be contributing to this problem.
Landsat Collections — What are Tiers?
This is the third video in a series describing the new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat Collection 1 inventory structure. Collection 1 required the reprocessing of all archived Landsat data to achieve radiometric and geometric consistency of Level-1 products through time and across all Landsat sensors. This video explains how Landsat Collection Level-1 data products
Panoramic image from Sperry Glacier in Glacier NP showing fire smoke.
Panoramic image from Sperry Glacier in Glacier National Park showing smoke from forest fires. Information gathered by the USGS managed Sperry Weather Station are being used by regional fire managers to forecast fire weather and future fire behavior.
USGS scientist doing weather station repairs in Glacier National Park.
USGS scientist Erich Peitzsch does repair on the Sperry Weather Station in Glacier National Park. Information gathered by the USGS managed Sperry Weather Station are being used by regional fire managers to forecast fire weather and future fire behavior during the 2017 fire season.
USGS weather station repair operations in Glacier NP.
Crews perform repairs on the Sperry Weather Station as part of Fire Operations in Glacier National Park. Information gathered by the USGS managed Sperry Weather Station are being used by regional fire managers to forecast fire weather and future fire behavior during the 2017 fire season.
Establishing a survey base station in Lame Deer, Montana
Establishing a survey base station in Lame Deer, Montana
The 2017 Solar Eclipse: Where Will You Be?
On Monday, August 21, 2017, several locations throughout the United States will experience total darkness during the first total solar eclipse in the U.S. in nearly 40 years. Follow along with this video to see satellite imagery of several of these locations that will experience complete darkness for a few minutes when the eclipse occurs. Will you be watching from one of
Measuring cross-sectional depth and water surface of Gallatin River
Using kayak to measure cross-sectional depth and water surface of Gallatin River
Getting Started with VIIRS Surface Reflectance Data Part 1
Getting Started with VIIRS Surface Reflectance Data Part 1: All About Accessing Data
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This video focuses on Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) surface reflectance data products created by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
Getting Started with VIIRS Surface Reflectance Data Part 2
Getting Started with VIIRS Surface Reflectance Data Part 2: Using the Data
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This video focuses on how to use Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Surface Reflectance data products created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA
Measuring the groundwater level in a well near Lame Deer, Montana
Measuring the groundwater level in a well near Lame Deer, Montana
Measuring discharge of Lame Deer Creek near Lame Deer, Montana
Measuring discharge of Lame Deer Creek near Lame Deer, Montana
Image of the Week: Iceberg Separates from Larsen C Ice Shelf
Thermal satellite images are tracking A-68, a newly calved iceberg off the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antartica.
At the USGS EROS Center, we study land change, operate the Landsat satellites, and maintain the longest, continuously acquired collection of images of the Earth's land surface.
Hyperlink: USGS EROS Center (
Nutrient levels decreased in the upper Blue River following upgrades to the Johnson County’s Blue River Main Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) in Overland Park, Kansas, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study.
A distinguished award from The Wildlife Society’s North Dakota Chapter was recently granted to Dr. Marsha A. Sovada, a U.S. Geological Survey wildlife biologist, in recognition of her service to wildlife research and conservation.
Regional flood and storm potentials are highest along the eastern and northeastern periphery of the Black Hills and generally include the areas from Hot Springs to Spearfish, according to a recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Everyday, high above the clouds, dozens of sophisticated imaging satellites circle the Earth, capturing extraordinary conditions and events that are nearly impossible to document from the surface of the planet. These images reveal the planet's surface through the "eyes" of a space satellite.
Approximately 13 million metric tons of rare earth elements (REE) exist within known deposits in the United States, according to the first-ever nationwide estimate of these elements by the U.S. Geological Survey.
In this USGS media tipsheet, we've gone through thousands of GSA conference abstracts and selected some of the newest, most exciting USGS science presentations for your convenience. We hope you find it useful.
The Missouri River will be dyed red today for a water flow study being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
The Missouri River will be dyed red for a water flow study being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
The Missouri River will be dyed red for a water flow study being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
A distinguished award from The Wildlife Society will be granted to local scientists for their research on grizzly bear populations in northwestern Montana.
Heavy rainfall of up to 10 inches in South Dakota has caused record flooding in Firesteel Creek and Sand Creek in the eastern part of the state.
Nebraska residents should not be alarmed to witness a low-flying helicopter over western areas of the state in late-June.