Land treatment exploration tool
David S. Pilliod, Justin L. Welty, Michelle I. Jeffries, Linda S. Schueck, Thomas J. Zarriello
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3042
OverviewLand managers make decisions regarding restoration and rehabilitation actions that influence landscapes and ecosystems. Many of these decisions involve soil and vegetation manipulations, often known as land treatments. Historically, treatments were planned on a case by case basis with decisions derived from personal experience of past successes or failures....
Brackish groundwater and its potential as a resource in the southwestern United States
David W. Anning, Kimberly R. Beisner, Angela P. Paul, Jennifer S. Stanton, Susan A. Thiros
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3010
Secure, reliable, and sustainable water resources are fundamental to food production, energy independence, and the health of humans and ecosystems. But the large-scale development of fresh groundwater resources has stressed aquifers in some areas, causing declines in the amount of groundwater in storage and decreases in discharge to surface-water bodies...
U.S. Geological Survey response to white-nose syndrome in bats
M. Camille Hopkins, Suzanna C. Soileau
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3020
OverviewSince its discovery in 2007, the fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed more than six million bats. Ten of 47 bat species have been affected by WNS across 32 States and 5 Canadian Provinces. The cold-growing fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) that causes WNS infects skin covering the muzzle,...
Idaho water use, 2015
Erin M. Murray
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3036
The ability to quantify water resources hinges on the understanding of water use by the population. The demand humans place on the water cycle varies across the United States, driven by both need and availability. The U.S. Geological Survey quantifies water use nationally, at the county scale, with estimates of...
A database of biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used in market-based conservation
Scott J. Chiavacci, Emily Pindilli
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3039
Market-based conservation uses economic incentives to leverage market forces in ways that encourage and improve efficiency in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of species and habitats. Biodiversity and habitat quantification tools are vital to the operation of this conservation strategy, as they are used to measure the quality and functionality...
Coastal National Elevation Database
Jeffrey J. Danielson, Sandra K. Poppenga, Dean J. Tyler, Monica Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Dean B. Gesch
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3037
The Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) Applications Project develops enhanced topographic (land elevation) and bathymetric (water depth) datasets that serve as valuable resources for coastal hazards research (Danielson and others, 2016; Thatcher and others, 2016). These datasets are used widely for mapping inundation zones from riverine flood events, hurricanes, and...
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian Strata, U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas, 2018
Katherine J. Whidden, Janet K. Pitman, Ofori N. Pearson, Stanley T. Paxton, Scott A. Kinney, Nicholas J. Gianoutsos, Christopher J. Schenk, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Justin E. Birdwell, Michael E. Brownfield, Lauri A. Burke, Russell F. Dubiel, Katherine L. French, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Seth S. Haines, Phuong A. Le, Kristen R. Marra, Tracey J. Mercier, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Cheryl A. Woodall
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3033
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 8.5 billion barrels of oil and 66 trillion cubic feet of gas in continuous accumulations in the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian strata in onshore lands of the U.S. Gulf Coast...
Summary of estimated water use in the United States in 2015
Molly A. Maupin
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3035
A total of 322 Bgal/d of water withdrawals was reported for eight categories of use in the United States in 2015, which was 9 percent less than in 2010 (354 Bgal/d), and continued a declining trend since 2005. The decline in total withdrawals in 2015 primarily was caused by significant...
National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive
John Faundeen, Ryan Longhenry
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3027
The National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive is managed on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observation and Science Center. The Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992 (51 U.S.C. §601) directed the U.S. Department of the Interior to establish a...
Hydrographic surveys of rivers and lakes using a multibeam echosounder mapping system
Richard J. Huizinga, David C. Heimann
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3021
A multibeam echosounder is a type of sound navigation and ranging device that uses sound waves to “see” through even murky waters. Unlike a single beam echosounder (also known as a depth sounder or fathometer) that releases a single sound pulse in a single, narrow beam and “listens” for the...
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Canning Basin Province, Australia, 2017
Christopher J. Schenk, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Tracey J. Mercier, Cheryl A. Woodall, Thomas M. Finn, Phuong A. Le, Michael E. Brownfield, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Kristen R. Marra, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3023
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 1.3 billion barrels of oil and 34.4 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Canning Basin Province of Australia....
Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley, and adjacent highland areas, California
Carmen A. Burton
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3026
Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to...
Klamath River Basin water-quality data
Cassandra D. Smith, Stewart A. Rounds, Leonard L. Orzol
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3031
The Klamath River Basin stretches from the mountains and inland basins of south-central Oregon and northern California to the Pacific Ocean, spanning multiple climatic regions and encompassing a variety of ecosystems. Water quantity and water quality are important topics in the basin, because water is a critical resource for farming...
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the downdip Paleogene formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2017
Marc L. Buursink, Colin A. Doolan, Catherine B. Enomoto, William H. Craddock, James L. Coleman Jr., Michael E. Brownfield, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Timothy R. Klett, Phuong A. Le, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Kristen R. Marra, Tracey J. Mercier, Ofori N. Pearson, Janet K. Pitman, Christopher J. Schenk, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Katherine J. Whidden, Cheryl A. Woodall
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3019
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional resources of 100 million barrels of oil and 16.5 trillion cubic feet of gas in the downdip Paleogene formations in onshore lands and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast region....
MonitoringResources.org—Supporting coordinated and cost-effective natural resource monitoring across organizations
Jennifer M. Bayer, Rebecca A. Scully, Jake Weltzin
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3015
Natural resource managers who oversee the Nation’s resources require data to support informed decision-making at a variety of spatial and temporal scales that often cross typical jurisdictional boundaries such as states, agency regions, and watersheds. These data come from multiple agencies, programs, and sources, often with their own methods and...
Ecosystems science: Genes to landscapes
U.S. Geological Survey
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3030
Bountiful fisheries, healthy and resilient wildlife, flourishing forests and vibrant grasslands are coveted resources that benefit all Americans. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science supports the conservation and management of the Nation’s fish and wildlife, and the landscapes they inhabit. Our biological resources—ecosystems and the wild things that live in them—are...
Lahar—River of volcanic mud and debris
Jon J. Major, Thomas C. Pierson, James W. Vallance
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3024
Lahar, an Indonesian word for volcanic mudflow, is a mixture of water, mud, and volcanic rock flowing swiftly along a channel draining a volcano. Lahars can form during or after eruptions, or even during periods of inactivity. They are among the greatest threats volcanoes pose to people and property. Lahars...
Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources of Upper Cretaceous Shales in the Songliao Basin of China, 2017
Christopher J. Potter, Christopher J. Schenk, Janet K. Pitman, Timothy R. Klett, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Thomas M. Finn, Michael E. Brownfield, Tracey J. Mercier, Kristen R. Marra, Cheryl A. Woodall
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3014
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 3.3 billion barrels of oil and 887 billion cubic feet of gas in shale reservoirs of the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou and Nenjiang Formations in the Songliao Basin of northeastern China....
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Susitna Basin, southern Alaska, 2017
Richard G. Stanley, Christopher J. Potter, Kristen A. Lewis, Paul G. Lillis, Anjana K. Shah, Peter J. Haeussler, Jeffrey D. Phillips, Zenon C. Valin, Christopher J. Schenk, Timothy R. Klett, Michael E. Brownfield, Ronald M. Drake II, Thomas M. Finn, Seth S. Haines, Debra K. Higley, David W. Houseknecht, Phuong A. Le, Kristen R. Marra, Tracey J. Mercier, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Stanley T. Paxton, Ofori N. Pearson, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Cheryl A. Woodall, Margarita V. Zyrianova
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3017
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Susitna Basin of southern Alaska. Using a geology-based methodology, the USGS estimates that mean undiscovered volumes of about 2 million barrels of oil and nearly 1.7 trillion cubic feet of gas...
Assessment of undiscovered continuous gas resources in Upper Devonian Shales of the Appalachian Basin Province, 2017
Catherine B. Enomoto, Michael H. Trippi, Debra K. Higley, William A. Rouse, Frank T. Dulong, Timothy R. Klett, Tracey J. Mercier, Michael E. Brownfield, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Thomas M. Finn, Kristen R. Marra, Phuong A. Le, Cheryl A. Woodall, Christopher J. Schenk
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3018
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous resources of 10.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in Upper Devonian shales of the Appalachian Basin Province....
Coastal estuaries and lagoons: The delicate balance at the edge of the sea
Paul A. Conrads, Kirk D. Rodgers, Davina Passeri, Scott T. Prinos, Christopher Smith, Christopher M. Swarzenski, Beth A. Middleton
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3022
Coastal communities are increasingly concerned about the dynamic balance between freshwater and saltwater because of its implications for societal, economic, and ecological resources. While the mixing of freshwater and saltwater sources defines coastal estuaries and lagoons, sudden changes in this balance can have a large effect on critical ecosystems and...
The HayWired earthquake scenario—We can outsmart disaster
Kenneth W. Hudnut, Anne M. Wein, Dale A. Cox, Keith A. Porter, Laurie A. Johnson, Suzanne C. Perry, Jennifer L. Bruce, Drew LaPointe
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3016
The HayWired earthquake scenario, led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), anticipates the impacts of a hypothetical magnitude-7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault. The fault is along the east side of California’s San Francisco Bay and is among the most active and dangerous in the United States, because it runs...
Science partnership between U.S. Geological Survey and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe—Understanding the Elwha River Dam Removal Project
Jeffrey J. Duda, Matt M. Beirne, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. Magirl
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3025
After nearly a century of producing power, two large hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River in Washington State were removed during 2011 to 2014 to restore the river ecosystem and recover imperiled salmon populations. Roughly two-thirds of the 21 million cubic meters of sediment—enough to fill nearly 2 million dump...
The Midwest Stream Quality Assessment—Influences of human activities on streams
Peter C. Van Metre, Barbara Mahler, Daren M. Carlisle, James F. Coles
2018, Fact Sheet 2017-3087
Healthy streams and the fish and other organisms that live in them contribute to our quality of life. Extensive modification of the landscape in the Midwestern United States, however, has profoundly affected the condition of streams. Row crops and pavement have replaced grasslands and woodlands, streams have been straightened, and...
Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Phosphoria Formation of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, 2017
Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Cheryl A. Woodall, Thomas M. Finn, Janet K. Pitman, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Kristen R. Marra, Phuong A. Le, Timothy R. Klett, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller
2018, Fact Sheet 2018-3001
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 198 billion cubic feet of continuous gas in the Phosphoria Formation of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah....
