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1,642 records · Page 38Linked to original sources
USGS1976

Results of phytoplankton sampling at National Stream Quality Accounting Network stations in Montana, 1975 water year

Twelve National Stream Quality Accounting Network stations were operated in Montana during the 1975 water year. The network was established for the purpose of acquiring a base of hydrologic data for use by agencies engaged in water-resources planning on a national or regional scale. Among the characteristics analyzed were phytoplankton identification and cell counts. Samples consisted of composites of equal aliquots, collected at the center of each quartile of flow, using modified suspended-sediment samplers and sediment collection techniques. Identification and counting were done using the Sedgwick-Rafter cell method. Cell counts ranged from 21 cells per millilitre at Flathead River at Flathead, British Columbia to 27,000 cells per millilitre at Yellowstone River near Sidney. The class Bacillariophyceae was most abundant in both number and variety at all sampling sites. Anabaena and Aphanizomenon of the phyllum Cyanophyta were found at six stations and two stations respectively. These two genera of blue-green algae often become abundant in enriched waters resulting in nuisance conditions.

Montana↗
USGS2024

Updated three-dimensional temperature maps for the Great Basin, USA

As part of the periodic update of the geothermal energy assessments for the USA (e.g., last update by Williams and others, 2008), a new three-dimensional temperature map has been constructed for the Great Basin, USA. Williams and DeAngelo (2011) identified uncertainty in estimates of conductive heat flow near land surface as the largest contributor to uncertainty in previously published temperature maps. The new temperature maps incorporate new conductive heat flow estimates developed by DeAngelo and others (2023). Predicted temperatures at depth are compared with representative measurements (for conductively dominated conditions), showing good agreement under relatively simple uniform conditions. Inputs included radiogenic heat production for all layers of 1.89 μW/m 3 , effective bulk thermal conductivity of 2.7 W/m/°C for all rocks underlying sedimentary basins, and a previously published (Williams and DeAngelo, 2011) empirically driven estimate of increasing thermal conductivity with depth in sedimentary sequences. The resulting three-dimensional temperature model is published in a USGS data release associated with this manuscript (Burns and others, 2023).

Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah↗
USGS2025

Mapping a Carrington storm

A map is presented of median 1-min-resolution peak geoelectric-field strength across the United States as would be induced by magnetic storms as intense as the 2 September 1859 Carrington storm. The map is constructed from two data sets: Magnetometer time series from 22 ground-based observatories recording 40 magnetic storms, and surface impedance tensors derived from magnetotelluric measurements acquired at 1616 survey sites across the contiguous United States. Carrington-class storm geoelectric fields are likely to be very strong in the United States East and Midwest; > 5.00 V/km at many places. In Virginia, strengths would likely range from 30.30 V/km, with a 68% confidence interval of [19.44,47.20] V/km, to as low as 0.05 [0.03,0.07] V/km. Comparison of model geopotentials with those measured on 30 long lines, indicates errors of about 18%. A Carrington-class storm would likely induce geoelectric fields with strengths 55% greater than for the 13–14 March 1989 storm.

contiguous United States↗
USGS2026

Synthesizing a twelve-year sediment trap time series of planktic foraminiferal flux in the Gulf of America (Mexico)

Sediment trap time series provide powerful frameworks for testing hypotheses about planktic foraminiferal assemblage composition, seasonality, and geochemical responses to environmental variability, all of which are central to improving paleoceanographic reconstructions. We present high resolution foraminiferal assemblage data from a long-running sediment trap (2008–2020) in the northern Gulf of America (Mexico). This study summarizes the species composition, seasonality, and size distribution of the fifteen most abundant species of planktic foraminifera, which account for 98% of total flux. Foraminiferal flux peaks in winter and reaches a minimum in summer, following the seasonal pattern of primary production in the northern Gulf. Winter assemblages are dominated by non-spinose taxa, whereas spinose taxa prevail during summer. Across nearly all species, average monthly test size covaries with temperature, independent of seasonal flux trends. Notably, Trilobatus sacculifer and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei show a significant decline in relative abundance and flux during 2017–2020, nearly disappearing from the assemblage.

Journal of Foraminiferal Research↗
USGS2025

Gulf Coast Basin CORE-CM initiative final report

The Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin (UT-BEG) is leading the Gulf Coast Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative to assess the potential to produce critical minerals (CMs), including rare earth elements (REEs) from coal, coal ash, and produced water related to oil and gas production, and related materials (alumina processing waste [red mud], heavy mineral sands, graphite, and zeolite) within the Gulf Coast Basin. This project represents the first phase in a long-term program and provides reconnaissance data that will be foundational for future work by assessing resources and suggesting plans to be conducted in future work and expanding stakeholder engagement. The project includes several tasks designed to identify, characterize, and assess several necessary aspects for development of CMs and REEs in the Gulf Coast Basin.

Gulf Coast basin↗
USGS2026

Bayesian belief network model to predict human-wildlife conflict in protected areas

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) poses a pervasive global challenge, affecting livelihoods and threatening biodiversity. To better anticipate and mitigate HWC risk, we developed a large-scale predictive model using a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). We surveyed 1,011 park rangers across 135 terrestrial protected areas in three Andean countries, documenting recent HWC incidents involving wildlife persecution or killing, livestock depredation, crop damage, or threats to human safety and property. We identified key drivers of HWC risk, including governance, wildlife acceptance, participation, and habitat quality. A sensitivity analysis revealed that enhancing governance and improving wildlife acceptance could reduce HWC risk by > 85%. The BBN model demonstrated scalability, effectively identifying strategies to reduce HWC risk at multiple scales, from individual protected areas to national networks. Our findings highlight the importance of strengthening governance, increasing wildlife acceptance, and enhancing community participation in conservation efforts. BBNs provide a flexible, cost-effective, and data-driven tool to guide protected areas and wildlife managers in monitoring, anticipating, and making informed decisions to mitigate conflict and promote coexistence.

Scientific Reports↗
USGS2025

A glimpse into the future of tectonic tremor monitoring

Tectonic tremor is a weak, long-duration seismic signal often observed in subduction zones and on some other plate-bounding faults. Because of tremor's characteristically low amplitude (and low signal-to-noise) and lack of clear phase arrivals, detecting and locating tremor usually requires techniques distinct from those applied to typical earthquakes. Major advances in detection and understanding of tremor have derived in the past from a powerful combination of new data and new analysis techniques. In a recent study, Sagae et al. (2025, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025jb031348 ) exploit that combination again, developing a new machine-learning based workflow and applying it to the S-net cabled seismic network in the Japan trench offshore northern Honshu. Their approach, although complex, succeeds in detecting several times more tremor activity than earlier studies, resulting in new insights and providing a blueprint for similar approaches that could be applied elsewhere. As real-time earthquake monitoring adopts similar tools, it may present an opportunity to bring tremor monitoring into operational workflows. In turn, this could solidify tremor monitoring as a component of future operational earthquake forecasting.

JGR Solid Earth↗
USGS2026

Rapid hydrothermal triggering of induced seismicity at the Coso Geothermal Field

The long-term producing Coso Geothermal Field (CGF) in California operates over 100 wells tapping into a reservoir characterized by an extensive fracture network, complex fluid pathways, and regular seismic activity. Understanding the interaction between seismicity and injection can shed important light on the hydrothermal characteristics of the field. Here, we analyze 15 years of local seismic and daily operational data from the CGF, identifying a strong correlation between short-term increase in seismicity rate and seasonal volumetric and temperature variations in the reinjected fluid. Furthermore, the seismic footprint during peak injection of colder fluids reveals a near-instantaneous response up to 2 km away from the injection well, too rapid for pore pressure diffusion alone. This short-term and distant response is observed to have directional preference, indicating structural or permeability anisotropy within the reservoir. Additionally, the seismic response correlates with the initial volumetric increase of colder fluids, but also with temperature decrease during stable injection periods, suggesting thermal effects alone can play an important role in triggering distant seismicity.

California↗
USGS2025

Apatite geo-thermochronology and geochemistry constrain Oligocene-Miocene growth and geodynamics of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Understanding the geodynamics of plateau evolution requires examining the spatial and temporal aspects of mountain building in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, which are still under debate. Here we integrate apatite geo-thermochronological and geochemical data from the Oligocene-Miocene succession of the Xunhua Basin to elucidate the evolution of the regional topography. The results suggest sediment provenance changes, at ca. 28, 20 and 12 Ma, indicating topographic growth of the West Qinling, Laji Shan, and Jishi Shan source areas, respectively. Our findings reveal Oligocene-Miocene stepwise deformation and middle Miocene stress reorganization within the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. We attribute this to Oligocene lithospheric foundering beneath the south-central Tibetan Plateau and the middle Miocene initiation of sinistral strike-slip faults due to the underthrusting of India and North China. This study highlights the roles of lithospheric removal and continental underthrusting in plateau growth, and the value of multi-proxy apatite analyses in provenance studies.

Northeastern Tibetan Plateau↗
USGS2025

A crosswalk of the 2015 World Terrestrial Ecosystems to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Global Ecosystem Typology Framework

To support ecosystem mapping and accounting applications, we aligned the 2015 U.S. Geological Survey/Esri/The Nature Conservancy-World Terrestrial Ecosystems (WTEs) with the International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Ecosystem Typology (GET) framework. This process, known as “crosswalking,” enabled the development of a global map of GET level 3 Ecosystem Functional Groups (EFGs) at a 250-meter spatial resolution. Crosswalking involved manually assigning 1,781 biogeographically stratified WTEs to their most probable EFG based on similarities in climate, terrain, vegetation, and geographic distribution. We compared attributes of the WTE dataset with summary characteristics of the EFGs. The resulting crosswalked global map of International Union for Conservation of Nature GET ecosystems is intended to be useful for standardizing ecosystem classification and reporting under frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting. We discuss key challenges in reconciling non-identical classifications, such as many-to-one relationships and variation in data quality.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2025

The impact of 3D structure on coseismic coastal land-level change and tsunami generation in the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Estimates of coseismic vertical displacements from past and potential future subduction zone earthquakes provide critical constraints on regional seismic and tsunami hazard. Many studies use elastic homogeneous half-space models to calculate vertical displacements from a specified earthquake slip distribution, neglecting complexities of 3D structure in subduction zone settings. Here, we use 3D ground motion simulations of potential Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes to investigate the impact of realistic 3D Earth structure on estimated vertical displacements. We show that offshore uplift increases when including 3D structure due to high fault slip in low-rigidity accretionary wedge sediments and coastal subsidence decreases due to higher rigidity material at depth. These larger offshore uplifts cause increased tsunami maximum wave heights, and coastal subsidence at paleoseismic sites decreases on average by ∼17 cm, or ∼60%, which can have important implications for the amplitude and extent of slip in earthquake scenarios developed based on paleoseismic data constraints.

California, Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2025

Evaluation of daily stream temperature predictions (1979-2021) across the contiguous United States using a spatiotemporal aware machine learning algorithm

Stream temperature controls a variety of physical and biological processes that affect ecosystems, human health, and economic activities. We used 42 years (1979–2021) of data to predict daily summary statistics of stream temperature across >50,000 stream reaches in the contiguous United States using a recurrent graph convolution network. We comprehensively documented the performance – both across all reaches and by stream type (e.g., reservoir or groundwater influence) – as a baseline for future improvement. The model showed reach-level RMSE of <2 °C with 90 % prediction intervals that contain 90.7 % of observations. We also assessed how the model captured variability in ecologically relevant metrics (e.g., R 2 for annual 7-day maximum = 0.76; R 2 for days exceeding 25 °C = 0.75). This model does not outperform state-of-the-art machine learning efforts (e.g., RMSE ≤1.5 °C) due to a limited input set but does provide the most spatially complete modeling to date to support water availability assessments.

contiguous United States↗
USGS2025

Quantitative subsurface characterization illuminates the origin of the Quaternary Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer

The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) is vital to U.S. food security and global agricultural supply. However, quantitative understanding of its Quaternary origin, architecture, and hydrologic function remains incomplete. Here we develop a three-dimensional hydrostratigraphic model to characterize the deposition of clay and silt, fine-medium sands, and graveliferous sands using lithologic data from 75,000 boreholes compiled across the Lower Mississippi Valley and a geostatistical method—interval kriging. We find that cyclic glacial entrenchments, evidenced by remnants of pre-Wisconsinan postglacial sediments, alongside geodynamic activities shaped the MRVA basal configuration. Stratal weakening from faulting and salt diapirism enhanced glacial incision and thereby produced abrupt aquifer thickening. We demarcate the top of graveliferous sands as the regional marker of the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. The MRVA hydrostratigraphy reveals hydrologic function and geologic controls on groundwater storage and quality, advancing the assessment of aquifer sustainability under a changing climate, with implications for alluvial aquifers globally.

Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississip↗
USGS2025

Colored shaded-relief bathymetry and acoustic backscatter of Lake Sammamish, Washington

Evidence of strong earthquakes (such as underwater landslides and associated deposits) may be recorded within the lacustrine sediments of Pacific Northwest lakes. The floor of Lake Sammamish, Wash., an approximately 11 kilometer (6.8 mile) long, 2 kilometer (1.2 mile) wide, and 35 meter (114.8 feet) deep lake located in a populated region just east of Seattle, was mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey in November of 2021 to search for evidence of past earthquakes. Mapping was conducted using a SWATHplus-M 234-kHz interferometric side-scan sonar system was pole-mounted on the U.S. Geological Survey research vessel Parke Snavely, and the system collected full-coverage bathymetric and acoustic backscatter data, which were processed to 2-meter spatial resolution. Two maps were created, a colored shaded-relief bathymetric map showing lake floor morphology (sheet 1), and an acoustic-backscatter map showing backscatter intensities (sheet 2). The results may then be utilized together to investigate past earthquake activity.

Washington↗
USGS2023

WellSTIC: A cost-effective sensor for performing point dilution tests to measure groundwater velocity in shallow aquifers

Many individual measurement points are required to characterize groundwater velocity within an aquifer. Groundwater velocity is most commonly measured using a network of >5 cm diameter monitoring wells, which, if not already present at a site, are expensive and labor-intensive to install. Drive-point piezometers—simple, cost-effective wells that can be installed by hand—are a common tool for sampling groundwater in shallow, alluvial aquifers, but most groundwater velocity measurement techniques require equipment that is too large for these narrow (usually <2 cm inside diameter) piezometers. In this technical note, we introduce a low-cost sensor and well packer system (<$90 USD) for performing point dilution tests in narrow piezometers. Field data show that the magnitude of groundwater velocity measured with this technique agrees with velocities computed from natural gradient tracer tests. Additionally, with proper calibration, these sensors can be used to continuously monitor in-well specific conductance, either during inter-well tracer tests with saline tracers or for water quality monitoring. This system is a viable tool for rapid assessment of the magnitude of groundwater velocity in shallow aquifers.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2026

Divisions of geologic time—Major chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units

Introduction The reports and maps of our Nation’s geological surveys inform and benefit the public, private industry, government officials, and scientists. The use of clear and consistent nomenclature and classifications can improve communication of data and interpretations. Since 1899, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geologic Names Committee (GNC) has been responsible for defining standards that promote uniform geologic nomenclature and classifications among geoscientists. The GNC periodically publishes a geologic time scale, the “Divisions of Geologic Time,” that serves as the national standard for USGS publications (for example, refer to Orndorff and others, 2023). Authors may use other published geologic time scales, such as those of the Geological Society of America (GSA) or the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), provided that they are clearly specified and referenced. Access to the USGS, GSA, and ICS geologic time scales is also available from the U.S. Geologic Names Lexicon (Geolex) website https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Geolex/stratres/timescales. The geologic time scale serves a dual purpose by enabling authors to distinguish earth material units by position (chronostratigraphic) and time (geochronologic), as outlined in order of decreasing rank.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2025

Special issue "Effects of surface geology on seismic motion (ESG): General state-of-research"

To understand and predict the behaviors of strong ground motions incurred during devastating earthquakes, studies focused on the “effects of surface geology (ESG) on seismic motions” (following tradition, herein contracted as: “ESG”) have progressed steadily in the last three decades. These ESG studies typically involve in situ measurements of the wavefield and commonly apply both analytical and computational approaches. Concurrently, improvements in ESG related research can be readily attributed to the proliferation of openly accessible strong motion data, as well as advances in computational power. Nevertheless, there remain significant shortfalls in our understanding of the epistemic and aleatory uncertainties associated with the ESG as demonstrated by phenomena from recent deadly earthquake-related site effects. Thus, investigations toward addressing these deficiencies should be underscored in future earthquake related disaster mitigation efforts. This special issue of Earth, Planets, and Space (EPS) is dedicated to the ongoing efforts by the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth’s Interior (IASPEI) and the International Association of Earthquake Engineering (IAEE) that champion activities promoting studies related to the ESG.

Earth, Planets and Space↗
USGS2026

Precipitation-based flood-inundation maps for the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries at Lee’s Summit, Missouri, 2024

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, assessed flooding of the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries for varying precipitation magnitudes and durations, varying antecedent runoff conditions, and projected climate-change conditions. The precipitation scenarios were used to develop a library of flood-inundation maps for a 2.95-mile reach of the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries within the city. A two-dimensional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System (HEC–RAS; ver. 6.5) rain-on-grid model was calibrated to selected runoff events representing a range of antecedent runoff conditions and hydrologic responses. Lowest adjacent grades for structures within the nearby study area were incorporated into the terrain, and depth grids and water-surface elevation grids were developed for the study area. Simulated velocities at selected bridge locations were also developed from the model. The model was calibrated using water-surface elevation data collected from water-level loggers (pressure transducers) and streamflow measurements and water-surface elevation measurements made at a reference point during runoff events. The calibrated HEC–RAS model was used to simulate streamflows from design rainfall events of 15-minute to 24-hour durations and ranging from a 100- to 0.1-percent annual exceedance probability (1-year to 1,000-year recurrence intervals). Flood-inundation maps were produced for depths at a reference location of 3 to 16 feet, or a depth exceeding the 0.1-percent annual exceedance probability interval precipitation. The results of each precipitation duration-frequency value were represented by a 1-foot-increment inundation map based on the generated peak streamflow from that rainfall event and the corresponding water-surface elevation at the East Fork Little Blue River reference location. Within the HEC–RAS model, 240 scenarios were developed from the design rainfall events with each of 3 antecedent conditions. Additional scenarios were created to simulate the effects of projected precipitation scenarios on the 100-year recurrence interval, 24-hour storm and the 100-year recurrence interval, 6-hour storm. All simulation results were assigned to a flood-inundation map condition based on the generated peak flow and corresponding water-surface elevation at the East Fork Little Blue River reference location. The flood-inundation maps are shown on a web mapping application made available to the public through the City of Lee’s Summit (hyperlink will be added when available). The flood-inundation maps are tied to real-time precipitation data obtained from the Automated Surface Observing System weather station at the Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport, accessible at https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/request/download.phtml?network=MO_ASOS . The availability of these maps, along with information regarding observed rainfall, could help provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood-response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, and for postflood recovery efforts.

Missouri↗