Water Released from Crystallizing Magma can Trigger Earthquakes in Yellowstone

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from David Shelly, seismologist, and Shaul Hurwitz, research hydrologist, both with the U.S. Geological Survey. Evolution of the 2017 Maple Creek earthquake swarm. Plots show earthquake locations colored by time. a) Map view. …

Read moreWater Released from Crystallizing Magma can Trigger Earthquakes in Yellowstone

Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing at Yellowstone 101

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from R. Greg Vaughan, research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Thermal infrared satellite images are an important volcano monitoring tool that can be used to estimate surface temperature.  And, in fact, these …

Read moreThermal Infrared Remote Sensing at Yellowstone 101

Mapping Mayhem: How to solve a Yellowstone puzzle with unknown pieces

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Hayley Woodrich, Research Experiences for Undergraduates student, and Natali Kraugh, graduate student, both at Montana State University. Photograph of the west side of Mount Everts taken from Sepulcher Mountain. The linear features …

Read moreMapping Mayhem: How to solve a Yellowstone puzzle with unknown pieces

Mapping Mayhem: How to solve a Yellowstone puzzle with unknown pieces

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Hayley Woodrich, Research Experiences for Undergraduates student, and Natali Kraugh, graduate student, both at Montana State University. Photograph of the west side of Mount Everts taken from Sepulcher Mountain. The linear features …

Read moreMapping Mayhem: How to solve a Yellowstone puzzle with unknown pieces

Using modern tools to look at past earthquakes: How lidar data help to better understand the 1959 Hebgen Lake event

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Mike Stickney, Director of the Earthquake Studies Office at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. Major earthquakes that rupture up to the ground surface and form fault scarps are rare occurrences …

Read moreUsing modern tools to look at past earthquakes: How lidar data help to better understand the 1959 Hebgen Lake event

Using modern tools to look at past earthquakes: How lidar data help to better understand the 1959 Hebgen Lake event

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Mike Stickney, Director of the Earthquake Studies Office at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. Major earthquakes that rupture up to the ground surface and form fault scarps are rare occurrences …

Read moreUsing modern tools to look at past earthquakes: How lidar data help to better understand the 1959 Hebgen Lake event

The Flight of the Nez Perce

[ad_1] Summer 2023 marks 146 years since the flight of the Nez Perce, when an indigenous tribe crossed Yellowstone in an attempt to reach Canada and during a running battle with the US army. [ad_2] Source link

The Flight of the Nez Perce

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Cole Messa, Ph.D. student and Professor Ken Sims, both in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Wyoming. Throughout its history, Yellowstone has been frequented by numerous indigenous tribes. …

Read moreThe Flight of the Nez Perce

A plan for monitoring the Yellowstone Volcanic System

[ad_1] The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory recently published a monitoring plan for better understanding and tracking earthquake, magmatic, and hydrothermal activity associated with the Yellowstone caldera system. The plan, which covers 2022–2032, will expand hazards forecasting capabilities and enable scientific advances that will help geologists better understand how Yellowstone works. [ad_2] Source link

A plan for monitoring the Yellowstone Volcanic System

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Map of seismic stations in the Yellowstone region, with numbers of channels indicated by number and sensor …

Read moreA plan for monitoring the Yellowstone Volcanic System

How might the devastating June 2022 floods in and around Yellowstone National Park influence seismic and hydrothermal activity?

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Shaul Hurwitz and Blaine McCleskey, research hydrologists with the U.S. Geological Survey, and Erin White, Park Hydrologist …

Read moreHow might the devastating June 2022 floods in and around Yellowstone National Park influence seismic and hydrothermal activity?

How might the devastating June 2022 floods in and around Yellowstone National Park influence seismic and hydrothermal activity?

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Shaul Hurwitz and Blaine McCleskey, research hydrologists with the U.S. Geological Survey, and Erin White, Park Hydrologist …

Read moreHow might the devastating June 2022 floods in and around Yellowstone National Park influence seismic and hydrothermal activity?

USGS Media Alert: USGS crews continue to measure and assess Yellowstone River flood conditions and probabilities

[ad_1] These data are essential for partner agencies to estimate downstream flow, as well as analyze results to predict future event probabilities.  Realtime flood and historic data can be found at: USGS | National Water Dashboard  Streamflow data have been collected for around 100 years at three USGS streamgages on the Yellowstone River in southern …

Read moreUSGS Media Alert: USGS crews continue to measure and assess Yellowstone River flood conditions and probabilities

USGS Media Alert: Flights Above Parts of Montana to Map Geology

[ad_1] A low-flying helicopter will soon be visible to residents in six counties of Montana in the greater region of Helena, the Elkhorn Mountains, Bull Mountain and the Tobacco Root Mountains.  Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology and Rio Tinto are partnering to image geology using airborne geophysical technology as …

Read moreUSGS Media Alert: Flights Above Parts of Montana to Map Geology

USGS Media Alert: Flights Above Parts of Montana to Map Geology

[ad_1] A low-flying helicopter will soon be visible to residents in six counties of Montana in the greater region of Helena, the Elkhorn Mountains, Bull Mountain and the Tobacco Root Mountains.  Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology and Rio Tinto are partnering to image geology using airborne geophysical technology as …

Read moreUSGS Media Alert: Flights Above Parts of Montana to Map Geology

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report—available at a website near you!

[ad_1] Front cover of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report, which includes a summary of earthquake, deformation, and geyser activity, as well as research investigations and other information. The report is freely available online at https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/cir1494. Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution …

Read moreThe Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report—available at a website near you!

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report—available at a website near you!

[ad_1] Front cover of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report, which includes a summary of earthquake, deformation, and geyser activity, as well as research investigations and other information. The report is freely available online at https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/cir1494. Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution …

Read moreThe Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report—available at a website near you!

From the Seafloor to Outer Space, USGS is on the Case

[ad_1] At a much deeper vantage, USGS researchers are monitoring what’s happening on the seafloor to better understand risks from tectonic activity that could impact public safety.    In earthquake-prone regions, like the west coast of the Americas, a surge of underwater movement could impact people and their environment along the coast.   Marine geohazards are sudden …

Read moreFrom the Seafloor to Outer Space, USGS is on the Case

From the Seafloor to Outer Space, USGS is on the Case

[ad_1] At a much deeper vantage, USGS researchers are monitoring what’s happening on the seafloor to better understand risks from tectonic activity that could impact public safety.    In earthquake-prone regions, like the west coast of the Americas, a surge of underwater movement could impact people and their environment along the coast.   Marine geohazards are sudden …

Read moreFrom the Seafloor to Outer Space, USGS is on the Case

Secretary Haaland Announces Progress Toward Conservation and Restoration of Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity

[ad_1] GPS collars deployed on elk in the Tex Creek herd between 2007 and 2009 revealed that the herd migrates an average of 40 miles between their summer and winter ranges within the Caribou Range of the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area in Idaho. WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland today announced several actions …

Read moreSecretary Haaland Announces Progress Toward Conservation and Restoration of Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity

Secretary Haaland Announces Progress Toward Conservation and Restoration of Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity

[ad_1] GPS collars deployed on elk in the Tex Creek herd between 2007 and 2009 revealed that the herd migrates an average of 40 miles between their summer and winter ranges within the Caribou Range of the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area in Idaho. WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland today announced several actions …

Read moreSecretary Haaland Announces Progress Toward Conservation and Restoration of Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity

New Study Unveils the Secrets of Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Plumbing

[ad_1] Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs, Mud Volcano and Morning Glory Pool are just a few of the over 10,000 active hydrothermal features formed by the interaction of ground water with the heat remaining from the ancient volcano that formed Yellowstone. While these mesmerizing features are enjoyed by millions of visitors every …

Read moreNew Study Unveils the Secrets of Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Plumbing

New Study Unveils the Secrets of Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Plumbing

[ad_1] Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs, Mud Volcano and Morning Glory Pool are just a few of the over 10,000 active hydrothermal features formed by the interaction of ground water with the heat remaining from the ancient volcano that formed Yellowstone. While these mesmerizing features are enjoyed by millions of visitors every …

Read moreNew Study Unveils the Secrets of Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Plumbing

Yellowstone exposed! New elevation map reveals park’s complex geologic history

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Dr. Ben Crosby, Professor, and Kyra Bornong, graduate student, with the Department of Geosciences at Idaho State University. Top image is a view of the Silver Gate landslide complex, near Mammoth Hot …

Read moreYellowstone exposed! New elevation map reveals park’s complex geologic history

Yellowstone exposed! New elevation map reveals park’s complex geologic history

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Dr. Ben Crosby, Professor, and Kyra Bornong, graduate student, with the Department of Geosciences at Idaho State University. Top image is a view of the Silver Gate landslide complex, near Mammoth Hot …

Read moreYellowstone exposed! New elevation map reveals park’s complex geologic history

When in Earth’s history did Yellowstone’s volcanism begin? Let’s look at the calendar to find out.

[ad_1] What were the major events have shaped the Earth and its environment, and when did these events takes place? When did the major volcanic events in Yellowstone take place within the sequence of Earth’s major events? Geologic research has made significant progress to answer these questions, and future discoveries will further refine the fascinating …

Read moreWhen in Earth’s history did Yellowstone’s volcanism begin? Let’s look at the calendar to find out.

When in Earth’s history did Yellowstone’s volcanism begin? Let’s look at the calendar to find out.

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Shaul Hurwitz, Research Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. The timing of major events in Earth’s long history are continuously being refined as the accuracy and precision of dating methods improves and …

Read moreWhen in Earth’s history did Yellowstone’s volcanism begin? Let’s look at the calendar to find out.

Yellowstone—the year 2021 in review

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Yellowstone is a very active place in terms of seismicity.  Typically the University of Utah Seismograph Stations, …

Read moreYellowstone—the year 2021 in review

Yellowstone—the year 2021 in review

[ad_1] It was business as usual in 2021 at Yellowstone—earthquakes, ground deformation, geyser eruptions, and lots of field work! As is tradition, this first Caldera Chronicles of the new year takes a look back at what happened in Yellowstone during the previous 12 months. [ad_2] Source link

USGS Releases Oil and Gas Assessment for the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of Montana and North Dakota

[ad_1] The USGS has completed an oil and gas estimate for the Bakken and Three Forks Formations in the Williston Basin of Montana and North Dakota.  The estimate includes 4.3 billion barrels of unconventional oil and 4.9 trillion cubic feet of unconventional natural gas in the two formations. This assessment updates the 2013 USGS assessment …

Read moreUSGS Releases Oil and Gas Assessment for the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of Montana and North Dakota

USGS Releases Oil and Gas Assessment for the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of Montana and North Dakota

[ad_1] The USGS has completed an oil and gas estimate for the Bakken and Three Forks Formations in the Williston Basin of Montana and North Dakota.  The estimate includes 4.3 billion barrels of unconventional oil and 4.9 trillion cubic feet of unconventional natural gas in the two formations. This assessment updates the 2013 USGS assessment …

Read moreUSGS Releases Oil and Gas Assessment for the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of Montana and North Dakota

USGS and Rio Tinto Partner to Survey for Critical Minerals in Southwest Montana

Cessna 180 Fixed-wing Aircraft

[ad_1] The USGS will fly airborne geophysical surveys in areas of interest with support from Rio Tinto during 2022 as part of its Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). This is the first time the USGS has partnered with a resources company for the Earth MRI program, allowing it to double the area being surveyed …

Read moreUSGS and Rio Tinto Partner to Survey for Critical Minerals in Southwest Montana

USGS and Rio Tinto Partner to Survey for Critical Minerals in Southwest Montana

[ad_1] The USGS will fly airborne geophysical surveys in areas of interest with support from Rio Tinto during 2022 as part of its Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). This is the first time the USGS has partnered with a resources company for the Earth MRI program, allowing it to double the area being surveyed …

Read moreUSGS and Rio Tinto Partner to Survey for Critical Minerals in Southwest Montana

USGS and Rio Tinto Partner to Survey for Critical Minerals in Southwest Montana

[ad_1] The USGS will fly airborne geophysical surveys in areas of interest with support from Rio Tinto during 2022 as part of its Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). This is the first time the USGS has partnered with a resources company for the Earth MRI program, allowing it to double the area being surveyed …

Read moreUSGS and Rio Tinto Partner to Survey for Critical Minerals in Southwest Montana

Pathology Case of the Month – Red Crossbills and American Goldfinches

[ad_1] Gross Findings: Gross findings were similar in all examined birds. On external examination, abundant light green fecal material was present in the feathers around the vent. On internal examination, there was no subcutaneous, visceral, or epicardial fat. Pectoral muscle was atrophied in some birds. There were multiple variably sized thick tan plaques or seed-like …

Read morePathology Case of the Month – Red Crossbills and American Goldfinches

Pathology Case of the Month – Red Crossbills and American Goldfinches

[ad_1] Gross Findings: Gross findings were similar in all examined birds. On external examination, abundant light green fecal material was present in the feathers around the vent. On internal examination, there was no subcutaneous, visceral, or epicardial fat. Pectoral muscle was atrophied in some birds. There were multiple variably sized thick tan plaques or seed-like …

Read morePathology Case of the Month – Red Crossbills and American Goldfinches

Relics of past earthquakes: How the 1959 Hebgen Lake M7.3 earthquake may continue to influence Yellowstone seismicity today

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Mike Stickney, Director of the Earthquake Studies Office at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. Hebgen Lake fault scarp in 1959. USGS photo by J. R. Stacy. The greater Yellowstone region …

Read moreRelics of past earthquakes: How the 1959 Hebgen Lake M7.3 earthquake may continue to influence Yellowstone seismicity today

An outlier of Yellowstone’s thermal areas: the travertine of Mammoth Hot Springs

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Pat Shanks, research geologist emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey. Map of Yellowstone National Park showing locations of thermal basins that host hot springs, geysers, and mudpots.  Dark green areas host alkaline-chloride fluids.  Yellowstone …

Read moreAn outlier of Yellowstone’s thermal areas: the travertine of Mammoth Hot Springs

Greater Yellowstone Area Expected to Become Warmer, Drier

Research raft on Spider Lake, WY

[ad_1] This image shows a research raft on Spider Lake, Wind River Indian Reservation, Wind River Range, Wyoming. (Credit: Bryan Schuman, University of Wyoming) Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana State University and the University of Wyoming studied climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) from 1950-2018. They evaluated how these changes could …

Read moreGreater Yellowstone Area Expected to Become Warmer, Drier

Greater Yellowstone Area expected to become warmer, drier

[ad_1] This image shows a research raft on Spider Lake, Wind River Indian Reservation, Wind River Range, Wyoming. (Credit: Bryan Schuman, University of Wyoming) Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana State University and the University of Wyoming studied climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Area, or GYA, from 1950-2018. They evaluated how these changes …

Read moreGreater Yellowstone Area expected to become warmer, drier

New Insight into Climate Change Impacts on Yellowstone

[ad_1] WHAT:   Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana State University, the University of Wyoming, Greater Yellowstone Coalition and partners studied past climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Area and evaluated how those changes could progress by 2100. Coauthors of the forthcoming report and voices from the Greater Yellowstone Area will discuss the significance of the findings and answer media questions. This event is open to members of …

Read moreNew Insight into Climate Change Impacts on Yellowstone

Media Event: New Insight into Climate Change Impacts on Yellowstone

[ad_1] WHAT:   Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana State University, the University of Wyoming, Greater Yellowstone Coalition and partners studied past climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Area and evaluated how those changes could progress by 2100. Coauthors of the forthcoming report and voices from the Greater Yellowstone Area will discuss the significance of the findings and answer media questions. This event is open to members of …

Read moreMedia Event: New Insight into Climate Change Impacts on Yellowstone

Travertine: Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Timekeeper | U.S. Geological Survey

[ad_1] Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Lauren Harrison, a postdoctoral researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey. Travertine is a form of limestone composed of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are both made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). In contrast to …

Read moreTravertine: Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Timekeeper | U.S. Geological Survey

Piping Plovers Breed Less and Move More in the Northern Great Plains

Two banded piping plover adults stand near a nest with a small video camera pointed at it on a sandbar of the Missouri River.

[ad_1] Two banded piping plover adults stand near a nest with a video camera pointed at it on a sandbar in the the Missouri River. Video cameras were used to identify adults attending nests.  Piping plovers are small-bodied, short-distance migratory shorebirds. The Northern Great Plains population has been listed as a threatened species under the …

Read morePiping Plovers Breed Less and Move More in the Northern Great Plains

Piping Plovers Breed Less and Move More in the Northern Great Plains

[ad_1] Two banded piping plover adults stand near a nest with a video camera pointed at it on a sandbar in the the Missouri River. Video cameras were used to identify adults attending nests.  Piping plovers are small-bodied, short-distance migratory shorebirds. The Northern Great Plains population has been listed as a threatened species under the …

Read morePiping Plovers Breed Less and Move More in the Northern Great Plains

New Report Highlights Declining Sagebrush Ecosystem, Provides Foundation for Next Generation of Conservation and Management

Big sagebrush near Parawon, UT

[ad_1] A team of 94 scientists and specialists from 34 federal and state agencies, universities and non-governmental organizations contributed to the comprehensive assessment of the sagebrush ecosystem, which covers 14 western states and two Canadian provinces. The effort was coordinated by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) with support from the U.S. …

Read moreNew Report Highlights Declining Sagebrush Ecosystem, Provides Foundation for Next Generation of Conservation and Management

New Report Highlights Declining Sagebrush Ecosystem, Provides Foundation for Next Generation of Conservation and Management

[ad_1] A team of 94 scientists and specialists from 34 federal and state agencies, universities and non-governmental organizations contributed to the comprehensive assessment of the sagebrush ecosystem, which covers 14 western states and two Canadian provinces. The effort was coordinated by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) with support from the U.S. …

Read moreNew Report Highlights Declining Sagebrush Ecosystem, Provides Foundation for Next Generation of Conservation and Management

Landsat will help U.S. and Canada Share River’s Water

[ad_1] The green color depicts vegetation in this 2016 Sentinel-2 normalized difference vegetation index image of land along the Milk River in Alberta. A tool for managing the complexity of a river system’s waters can come, surprisingly, from hundreds of miles above the Earth. Satellite technology and research conducted by the US Geological Survey’s Earth …

Read moreLandsat will help U.S. and Canada Share River’s Water

Bakken Shale unconventional oil and gas production has not caused widespread hydrocarbon contamination to date in groundwater used for water supply

[ad_1] Our surface water, groundwater, and aquatic ecosystems are priceless resources, used by people across the Nation for drinking, irrigation, industry, and recreation. The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project is a leading source of scientific data and knowledge for development of science-based policies and management strategies to improve and protect our water resources. [ad_2] Source …

Read moreBakken Shale unconventional oil and gas production has not caused widespread hydrocarbon contamination to date in groundwater used for water supply

Surface-water nutrient and sediment mappers are now available

[ad_1] SPARROW mappers are interactive tools that allow users to evaluate streamflow and nutrient and sediment conditions as well as the importance of different sources of contaminants in a selected river basin. Data can be visualized at different scales using maps and interactive graphs and tables. SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) models estimate the …

Read moreSurface-water nutrient and sediment mappers are now available

TNMCorps Mapping Challenge Summary Results for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD

[ad_1] This challenge is now complete!!  Thank you to everyone who contributed! (Public domain.) Here is a time lapse of our volunteer contributions for this challenge: (Public domain.) Overall, 8 volunteers participated and edited 405 unique points throughout the challenge.    Here is a summary of the edits by user role:   Standard Editor: 96  Peer Reviewer: 8  Advanced Editor: 470    Many thanks to our volunteers who contributed!    …

Read moreTNMCorps Mapping Challenge Summary Results for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD

FINISHED!! TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD

[ad_1] This challenge is now FINISHED!!  Thank you to everyone who contributed! We’re putting together summary results and will post them on this page shortly.  We’re also working on a new challenge that will soon be posted on this page.  In the mean time, our challenges for Arkansas schools and Arkansas city / town halls …

Read moreFINISHED!! TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for City / Town Hall Structures in MT, ND, & SD

President Proposes $971.2 Million FY 2021 Budget for USGS

[ad_1] Today, President Trump proposed a $971.2 million Fiscal Year 2021 budget for the U.S. Geological Survey that prioritizes scientific inquiry for effective stewardship of America’s natural resources and natural hazard monitoring and assessments. “President Trump’s 2021 budget request for the Department is about investing in our people and public lands and waters,” said Secretary of …

Read morePresident Proposes $971.2 Million FY 2021 Budget for USGS

Majority of Prairie Dogs Are Consuming Plague Vaccine

Image: Sampling Prairie Dog Fur

[ad_1] A veterinarian takes hair samples from a prairie dog that’s under anesthesia before scientists release the animal back into the wild. Portions of hair from sylvatic plague-vaccinated animals turn the color of the vaccine-laiden bait under UV light. (Credit: Marisa Lubeck, USGS) Sylvatic plague can decimate prairie dog populations, which in turn affects the recovery of endangered …

Read moreMajority of Prairie Dogs Are Consuming Plague Vaccine

Geologic Groundwork-How USGS Coal Assessments Assist EIA’s Coal Forecasts

Image shows coal being loaded into trucks at a coal mine

[ad_1] Coal is loaded into trucks at the Trapper Mine in northwest Colorado.(Credit: David C. Scott, USGS. Public domain.) For instance, in just one part of the energy sector—coal—the United States consumed just under 800 million short tons in 2015, which supplied a little over 30 percent of the Nation’s electricity. Those numbers come from …

Read moreGeologic Groundwork-How USGS Coal Assessments Assist EIA’s Coal Forecasts

USGS Releases Selenium Modeling Framework for Montana and British Columbia’s Lake Koocanusa

Image shows a view of Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa

[ad_1] This is thanks to a new modeling framework by the U.S. Geological Survey that lays out how to use available, site-specific data within a proven modeling approach to understand how selenium may move and build up in the Lake Koocanusa ecosystem. “I’m excited for the release of this modeling framework,” said USGS scientist Karen …

Read moreUSGS Releases Selenium Modeling Framework for Montana and British Columbia’s Lake Koocanusa

Increases in Wildfire-Caused Erosion Could Impact Water Supply and Quality in the West

Ash and sedimentation saturating a stream in Las Conchas, New Mexico.

[ad_1] As a number of previous peer-reviewed studies have shown, the area burned annually by wildfires has increased in recent decades and is expected to continue to increase this century. Many growing cities and towns rely on water from rivers and reservoirs that originates in watersheds where wildfire and sedimentation are projected to increase. Increased sedimentation …

Read moreIncreases in Wildfire-Caused Erosion Could Impact Water Supply and Quality in the West

Stitching Together the New Digital Geologic Quilt of the United States

Image shows a screenshot of the web viewer for the State Geologic Map Compilation

[ad_1] Fortunately, in an effort with needlepoint detail, the U.S. Geological Survey has stitched together geologic maps of the Lower 48 States, providing a seamless quilt of 48 State geologic maps that range from 1:50,000 to 1:1,000,000 scale. The new product, called the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation, is a database compilation based on the …

Read moreStitching Together the New Digital Geologic Quilt of the United States

Red Dye Study Will Examine Water Flow in Yellowstone River near Glendive, Montana

Photo of a red dye-tracer study in June 2016 on the Missouri River near Fort Peck Dam, Montana.

[ad_1] U.S. Geological Survey scientists will inject a harmless, bright red fluorescent dye into the Yellowstone River during the week of June 26, 2017, weather permitting. The study is being done in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. The goal of the dye study is to understand how …

Read moreRed Dye Study Will Examine Water Flow in Yellowstone River near Glendive, Montana

new science-based tools support Bureau of Land Management’s landscape approach

Landscape intactness for the western conterminous U.S.

[ad_1] FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Land Management today released a collaborative report with new information and tools to support effective management of millions of acres of BLM public lands.  The report underscores the value of a landscape approach to management, and shows that the BLM manages some …

Read morenew science-based tools support Bureau of Land Management’s landscape approach

Schmidt is New Deputy Director of USGS Idaho Water Science Center

Christian Schmidt

[ad_1] Christian Schmidt is the Deputy Director of the Idaho Water Science Center (Public domain.) BOISE, Idaho — The U.S. Geological Survey has selected Christian Schmidt as the Deputy Director of its Idaho Water Science Center, headquartered in Boise. Schmidt comes to Idaho from Helena, Montana, where he served as the Water Quality Division Administrator for …

Read moreSchmidt is New Deputy Director of USGS Idaho Water Science Center

Small Alpine Insects are Big Messengers of Climate Change

Sampling for alpine insects above the stream in Glacier National Park.

[ad_1] A scientist is working to collect alpine insects by picking through moss below tiny, cold, alpine streams. This spot was below a small seep on a slope above a tributary to the Dry Fork, North of the Two Medicine area in Glacier National Park. Public domain The 20-year study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the current status, …

Read moreSmall Alpine Insects are Big Messengers of Climate Change

Study to Uncover Yellowstone’s Subsurface Mysteries

SkyTEM electromagnetic and magnetic survey flying over Spirit Lake, near Mt. St. Helens, Washington

[ad_1] A new study providing an unprecedented regional view of the earth’s crust beneath Yellowstone National Park will begin with a helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic (HEM) survey on November 7, 2016. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Wyoming and Aarhus University in Denmark hope to distinguish zones of cold fresh water, hot saline …

Read moreStudy to Uncover Yellowstone’s Subsurface Mysteries

USGS Assesses Mineral Potential for Sagebrush Habitats in Six Western States

Image shows a map illustration with sagebrush focal areas marked in different colors

[ad_1] USGS has completed a comprehensive assessment and inventory of potential mineral resources covering approximately 10 million acres of Federal and adjacent lands in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The assessment, conducted at the request of the Bureau of Land Management, ranked the mineral potential in select areas of these states along a …

Read moreUSGS Assesses Mineral Potential for Sagebrush Habitats in Six Western States

Claudia Regan Takes the Helm as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center in Bozeman

Claudia Regan

[ad_1] Claudia Regan begins work this week as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Water Science Center, headquartered in Bozeman.Claudia Regan, USGS, Public domain. BOZEMAN, Mont. — Claudia Regan begins work this week as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, headquartered in Bozeman. “Please join me in welcoming …

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Study Shows Cold and Windy Nights Physically Drain Mangy Wolves

Image: Warmth From the Sun

[ad_1] Note the bright red patch on the wolf’s hindquarters in this thermal image of a captive wolf at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. This is where fur was shaved to replicate the loss of fur associated with sarcoptic mange. The fur will eventually grow back. USGS scientists are examining thermal …

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New Method for Ranking Global Copper Deposits Saves Time and Money

Figure showing the top three ranked areas.

[ad_1] A new approach to ranking copper resources could result in identifying future supplies of copper while saving both time and money, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This technique has been used to evaluate 10 areas of the world where undiscovered copper resources in sedimentary rock could be found. The areas are in addition to five, …

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Restoration Handbook for Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems, Part 2

Image:  Big Sagebrush Re-establishing 15 Years Post-wildfire Along the Boise Front Mountains

[ad_1] CORVALLIS, Ore. — Ecosystem restoration is complex and requires an understanding of how the land, plants, and animals all interact with each other over large areas and over time. Today, the U.S. Geological Survey published part two of a three-part handbook addressing restoration of sagebrush ecosystems from the landscape to the site level. “Land managers do …

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New Remote Sensing Handbook Published

[ad_1] A newly published, three-volume “Remote Sensing Handbook” is a comprehensive coverage of all remote sensing topics written by over 300 leading global experts. With 82 chapters, and more than 2000 pages, the handbook is a reference for every remote sensing student, professor, scientist, professional practitioner and expert. The technical handbook includes up-to-date examples of successful …

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Genetic Study Confirms Growth of Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Population

A female grizzly with a cub.  Adult females are considered the most important segment of the grizzly population and consequently

[ad_1] BOZEMAN, Mont. – Genetic data show the grizzly bear population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has grown since the 1980s with no loss in genetic diversity, according to a report by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team. Results indicate that the effective population size of Yellowstone grizzly bears, or the number of individuals that contribute …

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Oil Development Can Affect Critical Habitat

[ad_1] Many grassland bird species in the Bakken shale region, including some seriously declining populations, are displaced from their habitats as a result of oil and gas development, according to new U.S. Geological Survey research. During 2012-2014, USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists studied Bakken grassland sites in northern North Dakota containing oil well pads, …

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EarthWord: Crepuscular

USGS scientists prepare to launch the Raven-A sUAS at the start of civil twilight. Credit: USGS Fort Collins Science Center

[ad_1] The term crepuscular describes events relating to, resembling, or occurring during twilight, meaning morning and evening hours. An animal described as crepuscular is active during twilight. EarthWords is an on-going series in which we shed some light on the complicated, often difficult-to-pronounce language of science. Think of us as your terminology tour-guides, and meet …

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New Evidence Shows Endangered Pallid Sturgeon Spawned in Lower Missouri River

Image: Pallid Sturgeon Free Embryo

[ad_1] Three tiny fish larvae that were captured by U.S. Geological Survey scientists in May 2014 have just been confirmed to be pallid sturgeon. These new genetic identifications add to mounting evidence that critically endangered pallid sturgeon spawned successfully in the Lower Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam, South Dakota.   Although successful spawning by the endangered …

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Drainage of Prairie Pothole Wetlands Can Increase Flooding and Degrade Ecosystems

[ad_1] The drainage of small wetlands can decrease wildlife habitat and may contribute to flooding in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey study.    USGS scientists analyzed data on 141 large PPR wetlands in North Dakota from the 1930s through 2010, and found that they have increased significantly in size. …

Read moreDrainage of Prairie Pothole Wetlands Can Increase Flooding and Degrade Ecosystems