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Flooding Spring 2011

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How Climate Change Affects Wildlife

Studying What Matters: Director Marcia McNutt’s 2011 Earth Day Message

Caves, Sinkholes and Springs

Flooding Spring 2011
Between snowmelt and extreme rain, many areas of the United States are experiencing major flooding. USGS field crews are responding to measure streamflow and river height. Stay informed about flooding in your area by using USGS WaterAlert.

Helping With Disaster Recovery From Space
The effects of the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami on Japan are being monitored using Landsat satellite data from the USGS.

How Climate Change Affects Wildlife
The USGS, NASA, and other organizations and Federal agencies are studying how climate change affects wildlife and ecosystems.

Studying What Matters: Director Marcia McNutt’s 2011 Earth Day Message
Earth Day was conceived more than 40 years ago in the wake of the horrific Santa Barbara oil spill. On the one year anniversary of yet another major marine oil-spill disaster, it is important for us to remember why paying attention to our planet is so important.

Caves, Sinkholes and Springs
Soluble rock layers called “Karst” exist throughout the nation. While Karst aquifers produce half the nation’s drinking water, rock layers underneath karst dissolve easily sometimes creating sinkholes that threaten life and property. Join us May 4th to learn more about this unseen world beneath our feet.

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) encourages people to join the millions in 11 states who have signed up to participate in the April 28, 2011, Great Central U.S. ShakeOut drill...Preparing for the Great ShakeOut Drill: Handbook Offers Vital Earthquake History and Preparedness Information to Central U.S. Residents
(Released: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:48:44 EDT)

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The National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council has issued a new report in which independent experts conclude that current USGS estimates for significant earthquake hazards in the New Madrid Seismic Zone—affecting eight central and eastern U.S states—are based on sound science...USGS Director Welcomes Independent Panel Report Confirming that Scientific Basis for New Madrid Seismic Hazard is Sound
(Released: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:21:37 EDT)

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Earthquakes – and large ones at that – threaten to shake residents and buildings of the central and eastern United States, a reality that scientists, emergency responders and others hope to drive home during the bicentennial of the 1811 and 1812 New Madrid earthquakes...Closing Thoughts -- New Madrid Earthquake Bicentennial Remains Central Topic at Memphis Conference
(Released: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:43:25 EDT)

Latest Publications

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Lee, Michael T.

The water quality in estuaries and bays and the health of these coastal ecosystems are affected by sediment and nutrient loads transported by streams. Large sediment loads delivered to an estuary or bay can degrade water quality. Concentrations of suspended sediment are affected by natural conditions (such as soil erosion and streambed resuspension) and can also be affeEvaluating the variability of sediment and nutrient loading from riverine systems into Texas estuaries and bays
(Released: Sun, 1 May 2011 00:00 -0600)

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Biedenbach, James M.

The Washington Department of Ecology annually determines the quality of recently deposited sediments in Puget Sound as a part of Ecology's Urban Waters Initiative. The annual sediment quality studies use the Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) approach, thus relying on measures of chemical contamination, toxicity, and benthic in-faunal effects (Chapman, 1990). Since 2002,Sediment toxicity test results for the Urban Waters Study 2010, Bellingham Bay, Washington
(Released: Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:00 -0600)

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Pawlitz, R.J.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Southeast Ecological Science Center (SESC) is a research center that studies the biology and ecology of aquatic environments in the United States and around the world. This brochure offers a glimpse of the diverse issues addressed by SESC researchers.Southeast Ecological Science Center: Who we are, what we do
(Released: Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:00 -0600)

CoreCast

Flooding Hits Along the Mississippi River
Host: Kara Capelli
(4/27/2011 | Length: 4:55)

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Latest Photo or Image
Flooded Gage House Quick look:
Flooded U.S. Geological Survey gage house on the Sheyenne River near Lisbon, North Dakota, April 22, 2011. At this time streamflow was approximately 7,450 cubic feet per second and gage height (stage) was 21.23 feet. More information about this streamgage is available

Latest Video or Animation
Turbid Bay: Sediment in Motion Quick look:
USGS scientists from the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center explore how sediment moves across San Francisco Bay tidal flats. The research team deploys a suite of large instrumented tripods to record sediment movements over a six-week period in early 2011. Answers from this work...

Latest Audio or Podcast
USGS Hydrologic Investigation of West Africa's Congo River (part three) Quick look:
USGS South Carolina Water Science Center Data Chief, John Shelton in a special hydrologic expedition down the Congo River, West Africa. Part three of the three part episode, reveals a hydrologic data set that changed the world record books....

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Avian Influenza Climate Change Contaminants Droughts Earthquakes Energy and Minerals Floods Geospatial Analysis Groundwater, Surface water	Human Health Invasive Species Map Interfaces Maps and Atlases Microbiology Real-time data Remote Sensing Volcanoes Water Quality Wildfires

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Page Last Modified: Monday, April 04, 2011