ABOUT THE WYOMING-MONTANA WATER SCIENCE CENTER

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USGS IN YOUR STATE

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

A Welcome from John Kilpatrick, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center Director

The USGS was established by Congress in 1879 to provide the Nation with reliable and impartial information in order to understand the Nation's natural resources.  Today, the USGS is known as a science organization that provides impartial information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, and the impacts of climate and land-use change.  Above all else the USGS is a scientific organization concerned with providing credible, relevant, impartial, and timely information to all.  This information can be used by policy makers, resource managers, scientists, and the general public to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

The Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center focuses our research and data collection programs primarily on water resources issues.  Our activities include the operation of long term networks monitoring the quality and quantity of water in Wyoming and Montana's streams, reservoirs, and groundwater systems.  We also conduct short-term interpretive investigations of specific water-resources issues on a local, State, regional, national, and international level.  Some examples include investigations of the: 

• Effects of abandoned or inactive mine lands on aquatic systems
• Impact of past and future energy development on water resources in Wyoming and Montana
• Effects of population growth and land- and water-use changes on water resources in intermontane valleys
• Changes in stream-channel geomorphology resulting from natural and anthropogenic factors
• Changes in water quality over time
• Effects of climate change on water resources
• Changes in hydrology caused by wildfires
• Interaction of groundwater and surface-water and other components of the water budget in intermontane watersheds
• Occurrence of mercury in Wyoming and Montana aquatic systems

The Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center carries out its activities from our main offices in Helena and Cheyenne along with our field offices in both Montana and Wyoming.  The Center has a highly trained staff of scientists, technicians, and support personnel committed to providing accurate and timely natural resources information.

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