Artificial intelligence strategy for the U.S. Geological Survey
Janice M. Gordon, Alison P. Appling, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, John F. Bechtell, Thomas E. Burley, Janet M. Carter, Peter C. Esselman, Jason C. Fisher, Graham W. Lederer, James M. Mitchell, Neal J. Pastick, Jake Weltzin, Tim Woods
2026, Circular 1562
Artificial intelligence (AI) can offer opportunities to enhance the science, science delivery, and business operations of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Although USGS staff have proactively adopted AI into our workflows for many years, a comprehensive USGS strategy for AI has not previously been developed. The strategy described here is...
Assessing natural recharge in Indian Wells Valley, California: A Basin Characterization Model case study
Dina Saleh, Lorraine E. Flint, Michelle A. Stern
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5114
The communities in Indian Wells Valley (IWV), in the northern Mojave Desert in California, rely on groundwater for domestic and agricultural use. Mountain front recharge from the surrounding Sierra Nevada is the main source of natural recharge to the valley. Increased urbanization, agricultural development, and groundwater pumping during recent decades...
A comparison of non-contact methods for measuring turbidity in the Colorado River
Natalie K. Day, Tyler V. King, Adam R. Mosbrucker
2026, Remote Sensing (18)
Monitoring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) is essential to better understand how sediment transport could adversely affect water availability for human communities and ecosystems. Aquatic remote sensing methods are increasingly utilized to estimate SSC and turbidity in rivers; however, an evaluation of their quantitative performance is limited. This study evaluates the performance...
Treatability study to evaluate bioremediation of trichloroethene at Site K, former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, Arden Hills, Minnesota, 2020–22
Michelle M. Lorah, Emily H. Majcher, Adam C. Mumford, Ellie P. Foss, Trevor P. Needham, Andrew W. Psoras, Colin T. Livdahl, Jared J. Trost, Andrew M. Berg, Bridgette F. Polite, Denise M. Akob, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5113
Executive Summary Chlorinated solvents, including trichloroethene (TCE) and other chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs), are widespread contaminants that can be treated by bioremediation approaches that enhance anaerobic reductive dechlorination. Reductive dechlorination can be enhanced either through the addition of an electron donor (biostimulation) or the addition of a known dechlorinating culture...
Decreased water transparency of nearshore Laurentian Great Lakes habitats is driven by increased dissolved organic carbon.
Nicole Lynn Berry, David B. Bunnell, Thomas J. Fisher, Erin P. Overholt, Elizabeth M. Mette, Todd Howell, Craig E. Williamson
2026, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (83) 1-9
Little is understood of lake browning (due to increased dissolved organic carbon; DOC) in large lakes such as the Laurentian Great Lakes. Lake browning can alter whole lake ecosystems, including decreasing exposure to damaging ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) which is strongly and selectively attenuated by DOC more so...
Action in uncertainty: Data-driven decisions that acknowledge emotional responses and transcendental connections
Nicole K. Ward, Kelly G. Guilbeau, Amanda L. Sesser, Abigail J. Lynch
2026, ESA Bulletin
The increasing uncertainty with global change often stifles action and results in calls for more data before moving beyond status quo environmental decisions (Mahapatra & Ratha 2017; Ripple et al. 2017; Montefalcone et al. 2025). Advancing science and collecting more data is crucial; however, science alone (i.e., “western” or “positivist”...
Rising atmospheric CO2 intensifies nitrogen limitation in boreal forests
Kelley R. Bassett, Stefan F. Hupperts, Sandra Jämtgård, Lars Östlund, Jonas Fridman, Steven S. Perakis, Michael J. Gundale
2026, Nature 629-635
Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) pollution has been emphasized as a cause of eutrophication globally. However, several recent datasets have suggested widespread oligotrophication may be occurring in some ecosystems, which is suggested to be a response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (eCO2). Plant δ15N chronologies have served as primary evidence for oligotrophication,...
Preliminary bedrock geologic map of the Port Henry quadrangle, Essex County, New York, and Addison County, Vermont
Peter M. Valley, Mercer Parker, Gregory J. Walsh, Randall C. Orndorff, Matt S. Walton Jr., E. Allen Crider, Jr.
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1062
Introduction The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Port Henry quadrangle consists of deformed and metamorphosed Mesoproterozoic gneisses of the Adirondack Highlands unconformably overlain by weakly deformed lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Champlain Valley. The Mesoproterozoic rocks occur on the eastern edge of the Adirondack Highlands and represent an extension of...
Genomics reveals extensive population structure and undescribed phylogenetic relationships in the Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae)
Christopher D Cousins, Deanna H Olson, Lindsay S Millward, Michael J. Adams, Christopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Tiffany S Garcia
2026, Journal of Biogeography (53)
AimAims of the study are to examine patterns of range-wide genetic differentiation and population structure in a headwater obligate salamander living in a geologically rich region, to identify genetically distinct populations and areas of gene flow between them.LocationOregon and Washington in the Pacific Northwest,...
Characterizing operational signatures of reservoirs with the SWOT satellite by comparing natural lake and reservoir dynamics
Ryan Matthew Riggs, Jesse E. Dickinson, Craig B. Brinkerhoff, Md. Safat Sikder, Jida Wang, Huilin Gao, George H. Allen
2026, Environmental Research Letters (21)
Due to a lack of management operations data, hydrological models may represent reservoirs as natural lakes, leading to poor discharge predictions in regulated basins. To parse seasonal operational signatures, we compare the dynamics of natural lake and reservoir systems across North America using Surface Water and Ocean...
Assessment of antibiotic resistance genes in Caribbean corals, including those treated with amoxicillin
Karen L. Neely, Christina A. Kellogg, Julie Jenice Voelschow, Allison R. Cauvin, Sydney A.M. Reed, Ewelina Rubin, Julie L. Meyer
2026, Coral Reefs
The decimation of reefs from stony coral tissue loss disease prompted the use of a topical amoxicillin treatment to prevent coral mortality. Application of this treatment led to concerns about unintentional impacts such as potential alteration of the coral microbiome and possible spread of antibiotic resistance. We...
Bathymetric and velocimetric surveys at highway bridges crossing the Missouri River near Kansas City, Missouri, August 8–9, 2023
Richard J. Huizinga, Benjamin C. Rivers
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5124
Bathymetric and velocimetric data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Transportation, near 8 bridge crossings of the Missouri River near Kansas City, Missouri, on August 8–9, 2023. A multibeam echosounder mapping system was used to obtain channel- bed elevations for river reaches...
Effects of groundwater withdrawals for water bottling and municipal use, Wards Brook Valley, Maine and New Hampshire
John R Mullaney, Janet R. Barclay, Jennifer S. Stanton, Carl S Carlson, Madeleine Holland
2026, Preprint
Hydrologic models for the Wards Brook valley near Fryeburg, Maine were developed for historical (2016 – 2021) and hypothetical future conditions (2046 – 2065 and 2080 – 2099) to understand the effects of groundwater withdrawals for bottled water and municipal use on hydrologic conditions (stream base flows and groundwater levels)....
Inference of pattern-based geological CO2 sequestration and oil recovery potential in a commingled main pay and residual oil zone CO2-EOR flood
C. Ozgen Karacan, Emil Attanasi, Sean T. Brennan, Peter D. Warwick
2026, Geoenergy Science and Engineering (260)
Several detailed studies have shown that residual oil zones (ROZs) can present significant resources for additional hydrocarbon recovery as well as subsurface carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration via enhanced oil recovery by injecting CO2 (CO2-EOR). Field development strategies included new wells drilled dedicated to main pay zones (MPZ) and ROZs,...
Groundwater quality near an oil field in a stream-dominated recharge setting, California, USA
Jennifer S. Stanton, Michael J. Stephens, Matthew K. Landon, David H. Shimabukuro, Andrew G. Hunt, Justin T. Kulongoski, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Theron A. Sowers
2026, PLOS Water (5)
Alluvial valley aquifers are important sources of water supply in many areas but effects of co-located oil and gas development on these resources have not been widely reported, especially in settings where recharge is dominated by stream infiltration. Interpreting the presence of geochemical indicators in the context of hydrology, geology,...
Hierarchical mixture models and high-resolution monitoring data can inform siting and operational strategies to mitigate bat fatalities at wind turbines
Charles J. Labuzzetta, Arnold (Contractor) Johnsen, Amber Andress, Teresa Bohner, Alejandro Grajal-Puche, Megan Seymour, Bethany Straw, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Bradley James Udell, Ashton M. Wiens, James Diffendorfer
2026, Ecological Informatics (94)
Bats provide critical ecosystem services, but bat fatalities due to wind energy development may imperil some bat populations. Statistical models are used to estimate the total fatalities that occur based on carcasses observed during monitoring surveys. Current models often estimate fatalities aggregated across species, time, and/or turbines, but fall short...
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Santos Basin, Campos Basin, and Espírito Santo Basin provinces of Brazil, 2024
Christopher J. Schenk, Sarah E. Gelman, Jane S. Hearon, Tracey J. Mercier, Phuong A. Le, Andrea D. Cicero, Benjamin G. Johnson, Jenny H. Lagesse, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller
2026, Fact Sheet 2026-3062
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean conventional resources of 10.4 billion barrels of oil and 53.3 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Santos Basin, Campos Basin, and Espírito Santo Basin provinces of Brazil....
Suspended-sediment and phosphorus response in a fire-affected central Montana headwater catchment
Gregory D. Clark, Michael W. Suplee, Haylie M. Brown, Molly A. Moloney, Rodney R. Caldwell
2026, Journal of Soils and Sediments (26)
Purpose Eutrophication and nuisance filamentous algal blooms (i.e. Cladophora) are increasingly common occurrences throughout much of the western United States. Wildfire may be contributing to the frequency and magnitude of algal blooms through excess sediment and nutrient loading to streams and rivers. Our objective was to evaluate the effects the 2021...
Background, methods, goals, challenges, opportunities, and information needs
Christine D. Miller Hesed, Heather M. Yocum, editor(s)
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5018-A
Understanding how climate change and variability will impact grassland ecosystems is crucial for successful grasslands management in the future. In 2020, the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center began a project to establish a baseline of information to best serve grassland managers (that is, those individuals who develop grassland management...
Post-wildfire water quality and aquatic ecosystem response in the U.S. Pacific Northwest: science and monitoring gaps
Sara Wall, Jana E. Compton, Ashley A. Coble, Beth M. Haley, Jiajia Lin, Allison Myers-Pigg, Justin Kevin Reale, Katie Wampler, Allison Swartz, Kevan Moffett, Kevin D. Bladon, Kurt Carpenter, Heejun Chang, Junjie Chen, David Donahue, Chris S. Eckley, Amanda K. Hohner, Peter M. Kiffney, Lorrayne Miralha, Peter Regier, Joshua Seeds, Mark River
2026, Environmental Research: Water
An increase in the occurrence of large, high severity wildfires in the western Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA, has created an urgent need for science to better inform forest management and policy decisions to maintain source water quality in the region. The western PNW faces similar challenges to other regions with...
Bascom Laser Diffraction Sedimentology Laboratory, Reston, Virginia
Grant D. Colip
2026, Fact Sheet 2025-3051
Introduction At the Bascom Laser Diffraction Sedimentology Laboratory, which is located in the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) headquarters in Reston, Virginia, scientists use physical sedimentology and particle characterization techniques to conduct detailed sediment characterization. Scientists address research problems in collaboration with other USGS science centers, State...
The petrogenesis of Þingmúli volcano, East Fjords; Iceland
Amanda L. Hughes, Joaquín A. Cortès, Dave McGarvie, Richard J. Moscati, Valerie Olive
2026, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
In this work we revisit Þingmúli volcano (Þ = Th), a classic locality known as an example of a complete tholeiitic differentiation. Þingmúli is a ~ 9.5 Ma extinct central volcano located in the East Fjords of Iceland, in which the whole compositional spectrum from basalt to rhyolites have erupted. These volcanic products have been...
Ten new insights in climate science 2025
Daniel Ospina, Paula Mirazo, Richard P. Allan, Smriti Basnett, Ana Bastos, Nishan Bhattarai, Wendy Broadgate, Derik J. Broekhoff, Mercedes Bustamante, Deliang Chen, Yeonju Choi, Peter Cox, Luiz A. Domeignoz-Horta, Krislie Ebi, Pierre Friedlingstein, Thomas L. Frölicher, Sabine Fuss, Helge F. Goessling, Nicolas Gruber, Qingyou He, Sophie R. Hebden, Nadja Hedrich, Adrian Heilemann, Marina Hirota, Øivind Hodnebrog, Gustaf Hugelius, Santiago Izquierdo-Tort, Sirkku Juhola, Fumiko Kasuga, Piyu Ke, Douglas I. Kelley, Şiir Kilkiș, Maximilian Kotz, Nilushi Kumarasinghe, William F. Lamb, Shih-Yu Lee, Junguo Liu, Cara N. Maesano, Maria A. Martin, Guilherme G. Mazzochini, Christopher J. Merchant, Akira S. Mori, Jennifer Morris, Åsa Persson, Hans-Otto Pörtner, Benedict S. Probst, Justine Ramage, Estelle Razanatsoa, Aaron Redman, Johan Rockström, Regina Rodrigues, Sophie Ruehr, Sadie J. Ryan, Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, Peter Schlosser, William A. Scott, Jan C. Semenza, Hansjörg Seybold, Drew T. Shindell, Giles B. Sioen, Kathryn E. Smith, Youba Sokona, Annika H. Stechemesser, Thomas F. Stocker, Sophie H.L. Su, Djiby Thiam, Gregory Trencher, Anna-Maria Virkkala, Lila Warszawski, Sarah R. Weiskopf, Henry Wu, Shupeng Zhu
2026, Global Sustainability (9)
Interdisciplinary understanding is vital for delivering sound climate policy advice. However, navigating the ever-growing and increasingly diverse scholarly literature on climate change is challenging for any individual researcher. This annual synthesis highlights and explains recent advances across a variety of fields of climate change research. This year, the 10 insights...
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in waters associated with oil and gas development in the Denver Basin
Matthew S. Varonka, Aaron M. Jubb, Bonnie McDevitt, Jenna L. Shelton, Elliott P. Barnhart, Denise M. Akob, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli
2026, Scientific Reports (16)
Use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the petroleum industry could be a cause for concern due to the large volumes of produced water (PW) generated during oil and gas extraction, the reuse of these wastes in water-stressed regions, and adverse health outcomes related to PFAS...
Mineral commodity summaries 2026
U.S. Geological Survey
2026, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Introduction Each mineral commodity chapter of the 2026 edition of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries (MCS) includes information on events, trends, and issues for each mineral commodity as well as discussions and tabular presentations on domestic industry structure, Government programs, tariffs, 5-year salient statistics, and world production, reserves,...
