Current Events

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea is all tied up at 47 episodes

The lava fountains that erupted a week ago, on Thursday May 14, marked the 47th episode of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption. This episode tied the 1983-1986 initial phase of the Pu‘u‘ō‘ō eruption, which had a total of 47 events, for the most fountaining episodes ever recorded at Kīlauea.  Now that we’ve reached this milestone, let’s dig a bit deeper into how these historic eruptions compare.

Published: Thu, 21 May 2026 15:50:41 EDT

Volcano Minute — Kīlauea's Halemaʻumaʻu eruption reaches a historic milestone

Today, we’re celebrating a milestone at Kīlauea: the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption had its 47th fountaining episode on May 14—tying the number of fountaining episodes in this eruption to that of the opening years of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption from 1983-1986. 

Published: Thu, 21 May 2026 13:30:40 EDT

10k Years of Climate Data Retrieved from Minnesota Lake

USGS scientist Dr. Jessica Rodysill was interviewed in a Northern News Now story highlighting how sediment layers collected from Minnesota’s Lake LaSalle reveal what climate conditions looked like thousands of years ago. 

Published: Wed, 20 May 2026 15:19:31 EDT

PCMSC’s Andy O’Neill Receives CSBPA’s Joe Johnson Outstanding Service Award

This annual award honors coastal scientists, planners, engineers, and innovators who advance the knowledge and understanding of coastal science and coastal processes, with special focus on California and the West Coast.

Published: Wed, 20 May 2026 11:11:09 EDT

Photo & Video Chronology — May 19, 2026 — Kīlauea summit fieldwork

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory conducted a GPS survey to measure the elevation along a transect across the tephra cone formed by lava fountaining episodes at the summit of Kīlauea. Repeat measurements across the same set of points have been done after episodes to track the hill growth and changes over time.

Published: Tue, 19 May 2026 22:07:25 EDT

As Wildfires Burn, Rainfall Can Strip Oxygen From Rivers, Killing Fish

Runoff from a high-intensity storm during the 2022 McKinney Fire depleted oxygen in the Klamath River to levels lethal to fish, killing aquatic life along nearly 60 miles of one of California's most culturally significant waterways, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study.

Published: Tue, 19 May 2026 16:22:52 EDT

Causal Analysis of Fire Regime Drivers

Join us for a co-hosted USGS Friday's Findings / Fueling Discovery webinar that takes a closer look at how climate and human factors influence wildfire activity. 

Published: Tue, 19 May 2026 15:12:04 EDT

Genetic Diversity is a Key Factor in Climate-Driven Range Shifts

A new global study of nearly 1,900 species, co-authored by National CASC scientists, shows that species with higher genetic diversity are better able to persist in changing conditions and expand their ranges as the climate warms.

Published: Tue, 19 May 2026 13:32:49 EDT

Webinar Series - Fueling Discovery with USGS Wildland Fire Science

Fueling Discovery with USGS Wildland Fire Science is a public webinar series hosted by USGS Wildland Fire Science and the Ecosystems Mission Area. These webinars are meant to provide information on the breadth of USGS fire science used by stakeholders to make decisions before, during, and after wildfires in ecosystems across the U.S.

Published: Tue, 19 May 2026 10:54:03 EDT

Celebrating American Wetlands Month with USGS Wetland Science

This month we’re recognizing American Wetlands Month by sharing the important wetland science the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC) provides to partners along the Gulf Coast, throughout America, and around the world.

Published: Tue, 19 May 2026 08:45:00 EDT

Repeated Marine Heatwaves Have Dramatically Reshaped Coral Reefs in Hawaiʻi National Parks

Coral reefs along Hawaiʻi’s Kona Coast have undergone major declines over the past two decades, according to a new report from USGS and the National Park Service (NPS).

Published: Mon, 18 May 2026 15:14:25 EDT

Acadia National Park Stream Crossings Assessed for Erosion Potential, Flood Vulnerability

Acadia National Park has had stronger and more frequent precipitation events in recent years, leading to a rise in high, infrastructure-damaging streamflows (flood flows), stream erosion, and costly impairments to historic carriage roads and trails.

Published: Mon, 18 May 2026 11:24:49 EDT

Happy 25th Birthday YVO!

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is turning 25 years old!  Surprisingly, the seeds for the observatory were planted at Lassen Volcanic National Park, almost 1,000 miles to the southwest.

Published: Mon, 18 May 2026 06:00:00 EDT

Photo & Video Chronology — May 14, 2026 — Kīlauea episode 47

Episode 47 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea lasted for 9 hours, from 3:27 p.m. HST on May 14, 2026, until 12:27 a.m. HST on May 15, 2026. Lava fountained from the north vent; sparse tephra fell in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Fine ash and Peleʻs hair fell outside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in communities to the northeast.

Published: Fri, 15 May 2026 22:54:43 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey Library Celebrates Our Nation's 250th Anniversary

June – August 2026

In celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the USGS Library will host a special art installation in the National Center Art Hallway throughout the months of June, July, and August.

Published: Thu, 14 May 2026 10:42:05 EDT

Volcano Watch — A “window” into forecasting fountaining episodes at Kīlauea’s summit

Over the past month, the frequency of fountaining events at the summit of Kīlauea has increased to nearly one per week. This is reminiscent of the early days of the current episodic eruption that began on December 23, 2024. Nonetheless in 2026, we started to get used to longer pauses between episodes, which allowed for more time to clean up fallout if necessary and to prepare for the next episode.

Published: Thu, 14 May 2026 10:19:16 EDT

Volcano Minute — Forecasting fountaining episodes at Kīlauea's summit

Over the past month, Kīlauea’s summit has seen fountaining episodes nearly every week—much faster than earlier in this eruption, which began in December 2024. These quick turnarounds happen because recent episodes have erupted less lava, allowing the volcano’s magma system to recover more quickly.

Published: Thu, 14 May 2026 09:24:38 EDT

Photo & Video Chronology — May 12, 2026 — Kīlauea summit overflight

On May 12, 2026, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory conducted a helicopter overflight around Halema‘uma‘u crater and the eruptive vents at Kīlauea summit.

Published: Wed, 13 May 2026 21:34:36 EDT

Geoscience Australia Leaders Visit USGS to Advance Collaboration

The U.S. Geological Survey welcomed senior leaders from Geoscience Australia (GA) to Reston, Virginia, on April 15–16 for strategic discussions, technical exchanges, and visits with USGS program teams. The delegation included Melissa Harris (Chief Executive Officer), Alison Rose (Chief of the Space Division), and Andrew Heap (Chief of Minerals, Energy, and Groundwater). 

Published: Tue, 12 May 2026 16:26:32 EDT

Where surface water runs low, groundwater supplements water supply

Both surface water and groundwater provide critical water supplies across the United States. In surface-water limited regions, users turn to groundwater to meet water demand. But water above and below the ground can be closely connected. Is groundwater the answer to limited surface water supplies?

Published: Tue, 12 May 2026 15:19:00 EDT

USGS, NASA Map Critical Minerals from 65,000 Feet

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The U.S. Geological Survey and NASA announced an addition to the world’s largest airborne hyperspectral survey – a digital portrait of critical minerals and geology in the American West, taken from 12 miles up.

Published: Tue, 12 May 2026 15:00:00 EDT

Your Favorite Software for Calculating Shoreline Change Just Got Better

Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 6.1 is now available, offering new and reinstated features such as more data export options, enhanced editing tools and customizable symbology, and the ability to forecast shoreline positions. 

Published: Tue, 12 May 2026 11:40:12 EDT

IGBST Public Notifications and Resources

As part of ongoing efforts required under the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) captures and monitors grizzly bears for research and monitoring purposes. Here you will find capture notifications for the current field season.

Published: Tue, 12 May 2026 06:15:00 EDT

USGS Response to April 2026 Michigan and Wisconsin Floods

In mid-to late April 2026, Michigan and Wisconsin faced one of the wettest springs on record, as rapid snowmelt combined with sustained, record‑breaking rainfall produced widespread flooding across rivers and streams.

Published: Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:00 EDT

A tribute to Mike Stickney, Montana’s earthquake expert!

Mike Stickney was a one-person earthquake hazards show in Montana for 45 years and a valuable contributor to the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.  His retirement in 2025 is a good excuse to celebrate his understated yet impactful career.

Published: Mon, 11 May 2026 00:30:00 EDT

May ScienceBase Data Release Training for USGS Authors and Data Managers

The USGS Science Data Management Branch will be hosting two upcoming training events for USGS authors and data managers. The first will be our general ScienceBase data release training and the second will be training on data release revisions.

Published: Fri, 8 May 2026 14:02:32 EDT

Congratulations to the 2026 CDI Awarded Projects

The Community for Data Integration announces ten projects to be supported in FY2026. The theme this year was R2X (Research to Technology, Application, or Operations), and USGS Data Strategy goals in support of USGS and Department of the Interior priorities.

Published: Fri, 8 May 2026 12:45:00 EDT

Volcano Watch — Think Hawaii has many volcanoes? Think again, says El Salvador

This past March, a team of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists—two of whom travelled from Hawaii—visited El Salvador in Central America for volcanological field studies and a workshop on lava flow hazards. Exchanges like this help to improve awareness of volcanic hazards in other countries, and they enable the USGS to better understand volcanoes in our own backyard.

Published: Thu, 7 May 2026 20:03:07 EDT

Volcano Minute — Recent USGS work on El Salvador volcanoes

Today, we’re heading to Central America, where a team of USGS scientists — including two from right here in Hawaii — spent March studying one of the most volcanically crowded countries on Earth: El Salvador. 

Published: Thu, 7 May 2026 19:54:59 EDT

1,000 Cameras and Counting

The USGS Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System (HIVIS) now has more than 1,000 active webcams providing remote visibility of current water conditions. This real-time imagery supports water science and public safety nationwide.

Published: Thu, 7 May 2026 13:49:24 EDT