Current Events

San Luis Obispo Field Office Grand Opening

On the morning of February 5th, the Cal Poly Tech Park II facility on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus, in which the new USGS California Water Science Center Field Office is housed, had its grand opening.

Published: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:54:43 EDT

Media Alert: Low-level airplane and helicopter flights to scan geology over southern, central New Mexico

RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey plans low-level flights by airplane and helicopter over southern and central New Mexico to image geology using airborne geophysical technology. The survey will begin this month and will continue through the fall, weather and wildfire restrictions permitting.

Published: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:22:55 EDT

USGS Powell Center Releases New Guidance for Managing Ecosystems Amid Rising Climatic Novelty

The USGS Powell Center has released new guidance to help land and natural-resource managers navigate a future where climate-driven environmental conditions increasingly diverge from historical norms. 

Published: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:55:33 EDT

Volcano Watch — Episode 43, new fountain height record and tephra fallout on communities

Episode 43 at the summit of Kīlauea began at 9:17 a.m. HST on March 10, 2026, and continued for 9 hours. Both the north and south vents erupted lava fountains, with the south vent fountain reaching 1770 feet (540 meters) high — a new record for this eruption. Southwesterly winds carried tephra traveled toward visitor overlooks and nearby communities, both near and far. 

Published: Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:48:25 EDT

Updates to the Upper Klamath and Harney Basin interactive data mappers

The Upper Klamath Basin and Harney Basin interactive web maps have been updated with additional well sites and recent groundwater level field measurements collected during 2025-26 site visits.

Published: Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:34:11 EDT

Photo & Video Chronology — March 10 & 11, 2026 — Kīlauea episode 43 eruption and fallout

Over its 9‑hour duration, episode 43 generated significant tephra fall across Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities. The eruption prompted elevated alert levels, road closures and ash fall warnings as winds carried ash, Pele’s hair, and tephra to Puna, Hilo, and the Hamakua coast. 

Published: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:45:16 EDT

Linking climate variability to shoreline change in the Pacific Northwest

Sandy beaches worldwide are constantly shifting, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically. Now, new research focused on the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast finds that climate patterns such as El Niño and La Niña don’t just influence beaches seasonally—they shape their year-to-year evolution in measurable and predictable ways.

Published: Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:03:38 EDT

Living Dinosaurs of the Hudson: Shortnose Sturgeon Science and Recovery

From sustaining Native communities to supplying the caviar trade, sturgeons have shaped the Hudson River’s history.

Published: Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:19:06 EDT

2026 William T. Pecora Award Nominations Now Being Accepted

The William T. Pecora Award is presented annually to individuals or teams using satellite or aerial remote sensing that make outstanding contributions toward understanding the Earth (land, oceans, and air), educating the next generation of scientists, informing decision-makers, or supporting natural or human-induced disaster response. Both national and international nominations are welcome.

Published: Mon, 9 Mar 2026 10:40:30 EDT

A New Framework to Minimize Costs and Maximize the Benefits of Biodiversity in Land Restoration

A new CASC supported framework aims to help land managers prioritize sites for restoration by evaluating biodiversity benefits, species' historical and future habitats, climate projections, and habitat preferences to optimize limited conservation resources while supporting ecosystem resilience.

Published: Mon, 9 Mar 2026 10:20:57 EDT

Mushroom Pool: The subtle spring with the spectacular story

Mushroom Pool is nondescript in appearance, but its impacts on microbiology and on how research is done in Yellowstone National Park have been profound.

Published: Mon, 9 Mar 2026 06:00:00 EDT

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Continues to Affect Wild Birds Across All Four U.S. Flyways

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center is closely monitoring the ongoing impacts of highly pathogenic avian influenza on wild bird populations across the United States as the virus continues to drive significant mortality events nationwide.

Published: Fri, 6 Mar 2026 08:57:17 EST

A Decade Later, the Climate Action Tool Relaunches with Regional Focus

The Northeast CASC and the University of Massachusetts Amherst have launched an expanded Climate Action Tool, providing updated science-based resources to support natural resource managers and communities across the Northeast.

Published: Fri, 6 Mar 2026 08:33:12 EST

Upcoming CDI Monthly Meetings

CDI Monthly Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month, from 11-12:30 pm Eastern Time. 

Published: Fri, 6 Mar 2026 08:01:00 EST

Volcano Watch — USGS updates “Volcano Observatory Notice to Aviation” alerts

The Volcano Observatory Notice to Aviation (VONA) is a notification product used by volcano observatories globally to inform the aviation community (pilots, air traffic managers, dispatchers, meteorologists, and airlines) of volcanic activity that could pose a hazard to aviation. An upcoming change in message formatting will improve the way that the aviation community gets this information.

Published: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 20:01:42 EST

USGS to Launch Updated Aviation-Focused Volcano Notices in March 2026

Beginning in early March 2026, the U.S. Geological Survey will introduce updated Volcano Observatory Notices to Aviation (VONAs) that follow new standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). 

Published: Wed, 4 Mar 2026 16:24:17 EST

Climate-Scenario Project to Inform New England Farming Industry

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working to predict how temperature and precipitation changes over the next few decades could impact the water cycle and affect the New England farming industry, including water availability for plants and inconsistencies in crop yield. 

Published: Wed, 4 Mar 2026 13:19:38 EST

USGS Astrogeology Science Center: Where dreams take flight

Since the 1960s, the hallways of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center have served as a bridge between the dusty trails of Earth and the silent craters of the cosmos. It is a place where “ground truth” meets celestial ambition—a sanctuary for those who believe that to understand the heavens, one must learn the language of the stones beneath our feet. 

Published: Wed, 4 Mar 2026 00:31:20 EST

Central Plains Water Science Center Quarterly Newsletter - March 2026

March 2026 issue of the KSWSC Quarterly Newsletter from the USGS Central Plains Water Science Center.

Published: Tue, 3 Mar 2026 12:58:26 EST

The Central Plains Water Science Center Presents: Science Seminar Series - March 2026

Topic: Enhancing Urban Flash Flood Preparedness and
Response through Real-Time IoT Sensor Networks

Published: Tue, 3 Mar 2026 12:51:06 EST

New tree-ring science demonstrates successful restoration of historical fire patterns in two southwestern wilderness areas

Increasing modern fire is occurring against the backdrop of a large fire deficit created by fire exclusion since circa 1900. In a new study, researchers describe and apply new tree-ring methods to ask whether historically frequent fire regimes can be restored in two Southwest wilderness areas. 

Published: Mon, 2 Mar 2026 17:38:37 EST

New tools for a growing threat: Co-developed science informs the fight against invasive grasses in the sagebrush biome

In a new study, FORT scientists worked with resource managers to co-develop a strategic framework for invasive grass management across the sagebrush biome. The framework, implemented through computer simulation models, can help resource managers explore the efficacy of invasive grass management strategies and develop informed, economic conservation plans.

Published: Mon, 2 Mar 2026 16:29:03 EST

DOI scientists engage with Southeast Alaska Indigenous Guardians to discuss local sea otter ecology and economics

Aaron Enriquez (USGS-FORT), Joe Eisaguirre (USGS-ASC), and Paul Schette (USFWS) presented at the Tlingit & Haida Seacoast Indigenous Guardian Network (SIGN) Gathering in Juneau, Alaska from February 17-20. They discussed collaborative research related to changing Southeast Alaska sea otter distribution and abundance and the associated economic impacts of sea otters on local communities.

Published: Mon, 2 Mar 2026 12:01:13 EST

Echinus Geyser is back in action! For now…

The world’s largest acidic geyser is located in Norris Geyser Basin.  Lately, it’s been putting on quite a show.

Published: Mon, 2 Mar 2026 06:00:00 EST

Science in Service: USGS monitoring sustains a delisted species for the US Navy

Working closely with the U.S. Navy on San Nicolas Island, the USGS conducts a long-term monitoring program of Island Night Lizards, a rare species endemic to the California Channel Islands. The USGS-Navy collaboration provides rigorous scientific data essential for making informed management decisions while supporting the Navy's dual mission of operational readiness and environmental stewardship.

Published: Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:00:00 EST

Photo & Video Chronology — February 26, 2026 — Kīlauea summit fieldwork and overflight

On February 26, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff serviced the V3 livestreaming camera at the summit of Kīlauea, and conducted a monitoring helicopter overflight. 

Published: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:43:28 EST

Volcano Watch — Mauna Loa has lessons to teach during quiet times

The 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa was an extraordinary eruption in a lot of ways. It was the first eruption from this volcano in 38 years and the first Mauna Loa eruption that occurred during the current era of modern instrumentation. Scientists continue to learn about Mauna Loa monitoring in the years since the 2022 eruption, including subtle recent changes. 

Published: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:15:23 EST

New project: Early detection of aquatic threats—eDNA research in the Colorado River ecosystem & Lake Powell

The USGS and partners are conducting environmental DNA (eDNA) research in the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam and in Lake Powell to detect invasive fish species and other aquatic threats before they become established. eDNA is a cutting-edge technology that makes it possible to identify invasive species before they are visible.

Published: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:00:00 EST

Multi-Year USGS and State Collaboration

A new publication from the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Department of Water Resources summarizes multiple years of collaborative work between the two agencies in the northern Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.

Published: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:38:22 EST

The Art and Science of Topo: Cartographic Specifications

Elevate Your Understanding with Detailed Specifications

Published: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:10:47 EST