Los Planes watershed vegetation monitoring: Standard operating procedures
Natalie R. Wilson
2026, Report
This is a description of survey procedures for short term vegetation monitoring at Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Stream (NIDS) structure sites and control sites a ranch in the Los Planes, La Paz, Baja California Sur. This study design was modified from USGS Short Term Vegetation Response Study (Wilson et al....
Natomas basin giant gartersnake annual monitoring report 2024
Allison M. Nguyen, Jonathan P. Rose, Anna C. Jordan, Giancarlo R. Napolitano, Daniel Macias, Elliot J. Schoenig, Gabriel A. Reyes, Brian J. Halstead
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1009
The giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) is a semi aquatic snake endemic to the Central Valley of California. After losing 95 percent of its historic wetland habitat (Frayer and others, 1989), giant gartersnakes became state and federally listed as a threatened species (California Fish and Game Commission, 1971; U.S. Fish and...
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Region, 2025
Rand Gardner, Justin E. Birdwell, Jason A. Flaum, Scott A. Kinney, Janet K. Pitman, Stanley T. Paxton, Andrea D. Cicero, Jenny H. Lagesse, Jeffrey D. Pepin, John W. Counts, Benjamin G. Johnson, Celeste D. Lohr, Katherine J. Whidden, Katherine L. French, Tracey J. Mercier, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller
2026, Fact Sheet 2026-3004
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 3 million barrels of oil and 343.5 trillion cubic feet of gas in reservoirs of the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast region....
Inland recreational fisheries harvest far exceeds reported inland harvest in the United States
Matthew D. Robertson, Holly Susan Embke, Abigail Lynch, Stephen R. Midway, Craig Paukert
2026, Fisheries
Recreational fisheries are important global contributors to food security, socio-cultural practices, and local and regional economies. However, inland recreational fisheries are often overlooked by policymakers due to a limited understanding of the magnitude of participation, harvest, and economic impact. Here, we used the U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog...
Drift and dispersion of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) eggs and larvae for hypothetical spawning scenarios in the Upper Mississippi River
Jessica Z. LeRoy, Grace Loppnow, P. Ryan Jackson, G. Everett Lasher
2026, Scientific Reports (16)
Invasive carp pose ecological and economic risks to North American freshwater systems. This study uses the Fluvial Egg Drift Simulator to model the drift of invasive silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) eggs and larvae after hypothetical spawning in Pools 1–10 of the Upper Mississippi River. Although adult invasive carps have been detected...
Water scarcity and infrastructure risk of amplified seasonal sediment transport
Ting Zhang, Jim L. Best, Amy E. East, Lorenzo Rosa, Qianhan Wu, Yiyi Li, Yu Qi, Yunkai Li, Dongfeng Li
2026, Nature Sustainability
Climate warming and deglaciation are reshaping hydrological seasonality in cold–dry regions, threatening the long-term sustainability of agriculture, ecosystems and local communities. However, existing evidence is limited to runoff seasonality. Changing sediment-transport seasonality, a more sensitive component, is emerging as a substantial yet under-recognized threat to water infrastructure. Leveraging monthly observations...
Evaluating reservoir passage and survival of juvenile Chinook Salmon to support reintroduction upstream of Shasta Dam, California
Caitlin Louise Stockwell, Joseph Mitchell Morse, Mikaeli Elizabeth Dirling, Claire E. Couch, Cyril J. Michel, Jeremy J. Notch, Tobias J. Kock
2026, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
ObjectiveJuvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha that are released upstream of Shasta Reservoir migrate more than 35 km to reach Shasta Dam, although survival through this system is poorly understood. We conducted a reservoir-scale acoustic telemetry study to quantify downstream movement and survival under seasonally variable environmental conditions to inform...
Analysis of alternative weir designs for improved passage of select fish at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgaging weir at Blackwells Mills, New Jersey
Thomas P. Suro, Michal J. Niemoczynski, Kevin B. Mulligan
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5002
As the population of New Jersey continues to remain dense, the need for water supply will likely continue to be high, which can lead to water managers needing to make difficult decisions about managing drinking-water supply. Streamgaging weirs like the ones used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) play a...
Preliminary geologic map of the Sparta East, Sparta West, and parts of the Glade Valley and Whitehead 7.5-minute quadrangles, North Carolina and Virginia, and the epicentral area of the August 9, 2020, Mw 5.1 earthquake near Sparta, North Carolina
Arthur J. Merschat, Mark W. Carter, Ashley S. Lynn, Benjamin R. Weinmann, William E. Odom, Ryan J. McAleer, Shannon A. Mahan, Kevin G. Stewart, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, E. Allen Crider, Jr.
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1010
Introduction New bedrock and surficial geologic mapping in the Sparta East, Sparta West, and parts of the Glade Valley and Whitehead 7.5-minute quadrangles, North Carolina and Virginia, investigates the geologic framework and causative mechanisms of the August 9, 2020, Mw 5.1 earthquake near Sparta, North Carolina. The mapping documents (1) the...
Regional conservation planning tool: A spreadsheet model to support spatial prioritization and resource allocation decisions
Anastasia Couvillon, Gregory J. Soulliere, David H. Gordon, Diane Eggeman, Mohammed A Al-Saffar, Dale D. Humburg, James E. Lyons
2026, Wildlife Society Bulletin
Prioritization is a central component of natural resource management because conservation needs routinely exceed available resources. Waterfowl and wetland conservation programs in North America are at the forefront of landscape-scale prioritization and transboundary management decisions due to the migratory nature of ducks, geese, and swans. The growing availability of geographic...
Sex-specific Atlantic salmon upstream passage and fallback at a natural cascade after dam removal
Kurt C. Heim, Jonah L. Withers, William Arden, Laurie Earley, David Minkoff, Theodore Castro-Santos
2026, Fisheries Management and Ecology
In the Boquet River (NY, USA) a low-head dam set above a ~200-m bedrock cascade was removed in 2015. We used radio-telemetry to assess landlocked Atlantic salmon passage at the remaining cascade (2020, 2022). Across years, 52% of males (13/25) attempted cascade passage whereas females made no discernable attempts (0/11)....
An automated geographic information system-based hydraulic modeling tool for developing preliminary culvert designs for stream crossings in Massachusetts
Gardner C. Bent, Brendan A. McCarthy, Luke P. Sturtevant, Meghan A. McCallister, Amanda L. Tudor, Ian P. Armstrong, Mark W. Poe, Alexander P. Graziano, Carl S. Carlson
2026, Fact Sheet 2026-3065
IntroductionCurrently (2026), many of the about 25,000 roadway crossing structures over rivers and streams in Massachusetts are undersized. Undersized culverts and bridges can be detrimental to fish and wildlife movement, habitat continuity, and the health of aquatic organisms. Undersized culverts also can lack the resiliency needed to withstand large floods,...
Informing policy response to declining water supply in the Colorado River basin: Linking water supply management with outcomes for fish communities
John C. Schmidt, Charles B. Yackulic
2026, Report
Water-supply managers in the Colorado River Basin are tasked with balancing consumptive water use with natural water supply. Decisions associated with water-supply policy can include where and how much water consumption occurs, where water could be stored, and how to operate reservoirs. Water-supply decisions often affect other resources including energy...
USGS 2025 critical minerals review
James V. Jones III, Tanya Gallegos, Mojisola Abosede Kunledare, Charlotte E. Riggs
2026, Mining Engineering (78) 42-57
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides scientific information for the Department of Interior and the nation, consistent with its original mission expressed in the Organic Act of 1879 (43 U.S.C. 31): “the classification of the public lands and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products within and...
Holocene barrier dynamics & management on the Eastern Shore of Virginia
Christopher Hein, Allyson Boggess, Kayla Cahoon, Daniel J. Ciarletta, Elizabeth Davis, Michael Fenster, Ioannis Georgiou, Michelle Harris, Emily Hein, Katherine Kivimaki, William McCormick, Justin Shawler
2026, Conference Paper, Field trip guide
No abstract available....
An overview and participatory framework for choosing spatial boundaries in social–ecological systems modeling
Christina D. Perella, Jelena Vukomanovic, Caleb R. Hickman, Adam J. Terando, Mitchell J. Eaton, Marie Schaefer
2026, ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information (15)
A common challenge when modeling social–ecological systems (SESs) is defining the spatial extent of the system. Boundaries that do not adequately capture both social and ecological processes and their interactions can lead to mischaracterization of the system, while expanding boundaries too widely can impact model complexity and required resources. Socially,...
Revisiting the utility of regional-scale, high-quality geophysical data in mineral exploration - A case study featuring the Mammoth Magnetic Anomaly, Pinal County, Arizona
Callum Andrew Walter
2026, Conference Paper
Regional aeromagnetic surveys passively measure the total magnetic intensity (TMI) and are a foundational tool used in mineral exploration (Airo, 2015). With the increased global demand and the number of critical mineral resources required for manufacturing high-tech devices, developing high-quality, regional-scale geophysical surveys could aid critical mineral exploration efforts and...
The United States Magnetotelluric Array and the National Impedance Map
Anna Kelbert, Paul A. Bedrosian, Adam Schultz, Gary D. Egbert, Louise Pellerin, Jeffrey J. Love, Andy Frassetto, Benjamin S. Murphy
2026, Reviews of Geophysics (64)
The United States Magnetotelluric Array (USMTArray) data set, collected in the years 2006–2024, consists of more than 1,700 long-period magnetotelluric stations covering the entirety of the contiguous United States on a quasi-regular 70 km grid. Funding across multiple federal agencies was critical to sustaining this effort to its completion. Important components...
Understanding the occurrence and distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface waters of the nontidal Passaic River Basin
Molly L. Schreiner, Kristin M. Romanok, Jacob T. Gray, Eileen J. Brown, Brianna M. Williams, Maureen Kneser, Albert J. Capuzzi, Jason Boerner, Luke Giunta, Paul Serillo, John J. Trainor, Kelly L. Smalling
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5018
This study, completed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission (NJDWSC), was designed to characterize the occurrence and distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface waters of the nontidal Passaic River Basin in New Jersey that have the potential to...
Assessment of long-term trends in streamflow statistics within and near the Mobile Bay and Perdido Bay watersheds, United States, 1950–2022
William H. Asquith, Elena R. Crowley-Ornelas, Amanda R. Whaling
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5142
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, assessed monotonic trends for a variety of streamflow statistics for 69 long-term U.S. Geological Survey streamgages within either the Mobile Bay or Perdido Bay watersheds that were active through at least at the end of calendar year...
Building resilience in dryland ecosystems: A climate adaptation strategy menu for pinyon–juniper woodlands
Jesse Gray, Mandy L. Slate, Alyson Ennis, Courtney Peterson, John B. Bradford, Adam Roy Noel, Michael C. Duniway, Tara B. Bishop, Ian P. Barrett, Chris Domschke, Joel T. Humphries, Nicole N. Barger
2026, Forests (17)
Pinyon–juniper (PJ) woodlands, one of the most extensive mature and old-growth woodland types in the Western United States, provide critical ecological, cultural, and economic benefits but face increasing threats from climate change, altered disturbance regimes, invasive species, and pests. We developed the PJ Woodland Climate Adaptation Management Menu, a decision...
Nest site and habitat changes over 15 years in a predicted climate refugium in Beluga, AK, USA, have a positive impact on Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) nest survival
Eden Smith, Rose J. Swift, Anna Courtemanche, Feipeng Huang, Mary Margaret Pelton, Lauren Puleo, Josiah Simmonds, Matthew Waller, Hannah Walton, Casey Weissburg, Luke R. Wilde, Nathan R. Senner
2026, Polar Biology (49)
Climate change is transforming the Arctic and sub-Arctic at a pace that threatens many taxa with population declines and extinction. However, some habitats–such as muskeg bogs–can serve as climatic refugia and lessen the effects of a changing climate on the species that rely on them. Hudsonian Godwits (Limosa haemastica) are...
Evaluating approximations of river channel shape using a national cross section database
Carl J. Legleiter, Paul J. Kinzel
2026, Water Resources Research (62)
Many hydrologic applications require basic information on the size and shape of river channels, but measuring cross section (XS) geometry in the field or via remote sensing can be costly and often provides only partial coverage. Given these challenges, we capitalized upon an existing data set of 46,971 XS from...
Changes in suspended sediment concentration along tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay: The tidal freshwater “sediment shadow”
Gregory E. Noe, Rebecca Murphy, Ken Krauss
2026, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (337)
Transport of terrigenic sediment from nontidal watersheds into estuaries has important impacts on coastal habitat quality, pollutant transport, and resilience to sea-level rise. However, relatively little is known about changes in suspended sediment as nontidal rivers encounter tide, transition into tidal rivers through the tidal freshwater zone (TFZ), and enter...
Socio-ecological impacts of the 2025 Los Angeles urban fires on communities, neighborhoods, and homes
Carl August Norlen, Sadikshya Sharma, Francisco J. Escobedo
2026, Nature Communications (17)
Human settlements are increasingly being impacted by urban fires initiated by wildfires. Metrics such as area burned and number of structures destroyed are important, but research often overlooks the socio-ecological complexity of urban fires. We study the impacts of the 2025 Los Angeles fires on two communities at the neighborhood and...