The evaluation of the status of a specific ecosystem or geographic area and how a proposed change in management or a proposed project will affect that status.
The Contaminant Biology Program investigates contaminant exposure and effects on fish, wildlife, and other organisms, their habitat and ecosystems. Links include description of projects, research centers, and news.
Paper from Land Use History of North America giving results of a study to estimate the extent of developed land in the United States and the impact of development on soil resources.
The USGS reviews and prepares technical comments on environmental impact statements and establishes policies to implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Site has links to environmental laws and regulations including NEPA.
Studies in Eastern United States on massive sulfide deposits in Maine, Vermont, Great Smoky Mountains, and Virginia to assess potential environmental impacts.
Report describing the results of an interdisciplinary environmental study of the World Trade Center (WTC) area after the attack on September 11, 2001. The investigations included imaging spectroscopy mapping and laboratory analysis.
Field trip to Powder River Basin coalbed methane (CBM) development areas showing impacts related to drilling, facilities, pipeline networks, access roads, withdrawal, and disposal of co-produced water from CBM wells.
This publication focuses on the geological framework and sedimentary processes of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and provides links to interactive tools, regional research, and sediment data in GIS formats for display and analysis.
Description of research studies of the Lake Roosavelt-Upper Columbia area on contaminants and effects on environmental health with links to publications and products, partners, related links, project summaries, and contacts.
Study of the effects on the environment of hydrocarbons and produced water (brines) at Skiatook Lake, Osage Reservation, Oklahoma, with links to maps, photos, and data.
Detailed information on Total Maximum Daily Load, the total quantity of a pollutant that a stream can carry and still conform to water quality standards, used as a measurement in the monitoring, assessment, and remediation of polluted waters.
Homepage for Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, with links to data library, geographical search, science programs, partnerships, long-term resource monitoring program, reports and publications, and education.
The report describes a strategy for monitoring, modeling, and research activities to support management decisions to improve water-quality conditions in the Mississippi River Basin, reduce hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and improve conditions for
Study of the processes by which the conversion occurred of the Palouse bioregion from perennial native grass, shrub, and forest vegetation to agriculture and the interactions between human cultures and environment.
A chapter of the publication: Land Use History of North America on general patterns of plant species diversity in North America that shows how these patterns have changed over time.
Detailed publication on the classification system for an inventory of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States used to describe ecological taxa and arrange them in a system useful to resource managers.
Declines in fish and wildlife populations, water-quality issues, and changes in coastal habitats have prompted this USGS study of the region's nearshore life and environment.
Includes links to data from published reports.
Homepage for Earth Surface Processes Team with research studies in two general categories: climate change and geologic mapping. Links to research activities, available data sets, workshop, and programs.
Links to USGS activities in the environment theme area, including anthropogenic and natural contaminants, ecosystems, energy, human health, global change, etc. Also includes links to environment-related fact sheets.
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--When can natural processes to reduce, or even destroy, contaminants at toxic waste sites be relied on?
Home page for the Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project, a demonstration study of the northern Colorado Front Range urban corridor and the entire Rocky Mountain Front Range urban corridor with links to projects, datasets, and publications.
Chapter from Land Use History of the North America on the results of a study to understand the interactions of population growth, urbanization, and agricultural activity over time.
Results of a study that provides a regional vegetation history of the Great Lakes area during the last 150 years compared to the preceding 1,000 years.
Describes project to identify sources of fecal coliform bacteria by ribotyping to develop the use of Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) values for contaminated stream segments in Virginia.
Land Remote Sensing Program (LRS) provides a primary source of remotely sensed data and applications of land remote sensing, nationally and internationally.
Report prepared with NASA on the importance of a historical context for understanding ongoing changes in land cover and land use in North America and the effect on the environment. Site contains primarily contents of a book edited by T.D. Sisk.
Fact sheet on mercury and the environment, including toxic effects, risk to people and wildlife, sources of mercury, environments where methylmercury is a problem, and mercury contamination.
This report presents geochemical data generated during mineral and environmental assessments for the Bureau of Land Management in northern Nevada, northeastern California, southeastern Oregon, and southwestern Idaho, along with metadata and maps.
An interagency program that improves information about natural resources management and environmental protection. The Advisory Committee on Water Information identifies water information needs, evaluates information and recommends improvements.
Brief descriptions of categories of USGS research programs and projects on water resources in Michigan with links to more detailed information on projects.
Links to descriptions, publications, and photos of research projects in Michigan related to drinking water including source assessment, ground water availability, water resources, and contaminants in water.