All News

Volcano Minute — Scientists sample layers of Kīlauea’s past

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:10:34 EDT

In July of this year, scientists visited a rare window into Kīlauea volcano’s long-term history — layers of lava, ash and other tephra exposed along the western wall of Kaluapele, the summit caldera, during the dramatic 2018 collapse. Because Kīlauea is usually active, much of the surface is covered by young lava flows less than a thousand years old.

Volcano Watch — The tephra time machine: exploring Kīlauea’s past

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:54:23 EDT

In July, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists visited an exposure of tephra and lava flows in the western wall of Kaluapele. The layers were exposed by the 2018 summit collapse and hold important clues to Kīlauea’s long-term eruptive history.

Nevada and California Water Science Centers Join Forces at 2026 Tahoe Summit

harry_ackley@ios.doi.gov — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:26:48 EDT

Scientists from the California and Nevada Water Science Centers attended the 30th annual Lake Tahoe Summit to discuss the work the USGS is doing in the Tahoe Basin. This year’s event was hosted by Nevada senator Jacky Rosen and featured, American rock climber and author, Tommy Caldwell, as keynote speaker.

Photo & Video Chronology — USGS HVO supports Hurricane Lala response

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:43:22 EDT

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory supported the response to Hurricane Lala, which affected the Hawaiian Islands the weekend of August 15.  On Friday, August 21, HVO organized a helicopter LiDAR mission over flood-damaged areas in the Kaʻū district on the Island of Hawaiʻi.

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit episode 54

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:47:34 EDT

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea began at 10:30 a.m. HST on August 25, 2026.

Forams in Flux: Study Reveals Sharp Decline in Two Key Gulf Plankton Species

kmalpeli@usgs.gov — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:12:27 EDT

A new USGS study documents an unprecedented decline in two planktic foraminifera species from 2017-2020 in the northern Gulf.

In SF Bay, even an exceptionally wet year can’t supply enough sediment to keep pace with rising seas, new study finds

ppearsall@usgs.gov — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:28:17 EDT

Extreme rainfall can send huge amounts of sediment rushing off hillsides and into streams. But a new USGS study finds that even an exceptionally wet year may deliver only a small fraction of that sediment to San Francisco Bay—far short of what is needed to help coastal wetlands and shorelines keep pace with rising sea levels.

Beach nourishment morphodynamics at the Columbia River Mouth

ppearsall@usgs.gov — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:59:44 EDT

Beach nourishment projects are often judged by how long newly placed sand remains on the beach. But new research suggests that even when nourishment appears to disappear quickly, it may continue providing important coastal benefits beneath the waves.

Yellowstone’s thumping hot springs

mpoland@usgs.gov — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:30:00 EDT

Yellowstone National Park is rightly famous for spectacular geysers. It also has hot springs that create thumps you can hear and feel!

Help Shape the Future of USGS Topographic Mapping

jmbaker@usgs.gov — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:49:24 EDT

topoBuilder is driven by user feedback, and now it’s easier than ever to have your voice heard with the newly released survey feature accessible in the topoBuilder application.

Volcano Minute — HVO field engineers, the backbone of the observatory

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:26:34 EDT

Have you ever felt an earthquake and rushed to the USGS website to check where it happened and what magnitude it was? Or wondered whether Kīlauea’s summit is building pressure again so you took at peek at the tiltmeter data? Maybe you heard that another fountaining episode is happening at Kīlauea’s summit, so you’ve pulled up a livestream to see lava flowing.

Volcano Watch — A thank you letter to the HVO field technicians

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:45:40 EDT

Did you feel that earthquake? Time to check the location and magnitude. Do you need to find out how much Kīlauea summit region has repressurized since the last eruption? You can check tiltmeter data in about three clicks. Is the eruption forecast window open? Turn on those livestreaming cameras to see if lava is flowing.

Call for Proposals and How-To Seminar

lhsu@usgs.gov — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:54:45 EDT

The Powell Center invites researchers to submit proposals for two-year synthesis projects on any Earth or environmental science topic.

Presumptive Candida Stomatitis in a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)

arahama@usgs.gov — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:11:04 EDT

History: In late August of 2025, an adult male 2.5 g Broad-Tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) was found dead in Apache county, Arizona, USA.

August 2026 ScienceBase Data Release Training for USGS Authors and Data Managers

aliford@usgs.gov — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:54:02 EDT

The USGS Science Data Management Branch will be hosting two upcoming training events for USGS authors and data managers. The first will be focused on Globus Transfer for data release and the second will be a Metadata 101 training.

An expanded understanding of the Lava Creek Tuff eruption

mpoland@usgs.gov — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:30:00 EDT

Supereruptions are often imaged to be massive instantaneous events. New geological evidence from Yellowstone, however, shows that these eruptions are more complex and might involve numerous smaller pulses spread over years.

Volcano Minute — Using ocean noise to monitor for volcanic eruptions

mzoeller@usgs.gov — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 18:29:41 EDT

Out in the open ocean, waves are constantly rolling and crashing. That motion creates a steady, rhythmic beating on the seafloor. Those vibrations travel through the Earth and are picked up by seismometers around the world, including here in Hawaii.

Volcano Watch — Using ocean noise to monitor for volcanic eruptions

mzoeller@usgs.gov — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:24:41 EDT

Ocean swells are constantly beating on the ocean floor. This nonstop drumming creates continuous signals that travel through the Earth and are recorded on seismometers. Changes in the speed of these ocean noise signals can give us clues about volcanic activity.

Decades of satellite imagery show how groins reshape California beaches

ppearsall@usgs.gov — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:32:10 EDT

Long-term satellite observations show how human-built coastal structures influence the movement and buildup of sand along three Southern California beaches: Ventura, Santa Monica and Newport Beach.

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit episode 53

ldesmither@usgs.gov — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 22:53:23 EDT

Lava fountaining episode 53 at the summit of Kīlauea started on August 12 at 3:45 p.m. HST and ended on August 13 at 1:23 a.m. HST.

Science Spotlight: USGS Monitoring of Glacial Outburst Flood in Juneau Alaska

lmcduffie@usgs.gov — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:01:30 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center is working in cooperation with the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF), and the Corps of Engineers (COE) to provide real-time warning of an impending glacial outburst flood and monitor Mendenhall River conditions during the flood.

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight

mzoeller@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:30:00 EDT

On Tuesday, August 11, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists completed a brief helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u crater, site of the Kīlauea summit eruption that is expected to see a fifty-third lava fountaining episode in the coming days.

Reeling in Cleaner Data: Experts Use AI to Support Resilient Inland Fisheries

cduzet@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:06:29 EDT

An interdisciplinary team of fisheries science experts is using artificial intelligence to help tackle one of the most data-limited areas of environmental science: inland fisheries.

Expanding Our Global ZIGsight into Freshwater Ecology

jlmckay@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:01:17 EDT

The Zooplankton International Geospatial (ZIG) dataset is a global, harmonized collection of freshwater zooplankton records paired with water chemistry data, built through a multi‑year community effort. It includes information from 311 lakes across 37 countries, providing extensive long‑term observations that help researchers analyze ecological change.

Western Fisheries Research Center Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Meeting - August 19, 2026

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:37:34 EDT

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for oversight of the animal care and use program and the components as described in the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

Advancing the Science and Management of Range Shifts

sbayliss@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:39:01 EDT

Scientists from the USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers published a new paper outlining a research agenda for supporting management of species with shifting ranges, including understanding the drivers of range shifts, evaluating management strategies, and improving how science supports decision-making across ecological and jurisdictional boundaries.

Understanding Uncertainty, Four Realms at a Time

sbayliss@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:31:03 EDT

By melding scientific measures with human emotional responses and values, National CASC researchers and partners discuss a more holistic way to understand the uncertainties caused by accelerating global changes.

Addressing Knowledge Gaps on the Potential Effects of Critical Minerals on Aquatic Life

kkovacs@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:25:04 EDT

Join this Friday's Findings to learn how USGS is investigating the potential effects of critical minerals on aquatic life and characterizing the bioavailability and toxicity of these elements in aquatic ecosystems.

USGS advances water data collaboration in Kyrgyz Republic

smieszek@usgs.gov — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:51:50 EDT

USGS scientists traveled to Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic June 20-27, 2026, to meet with government agencies and other organizations with active water projects to discuss how USGS science could support priorities and address challenges for water resource management in the country.

As above, so below? Trends in groundwater and streamflow across the United States 1980-2020

rhammer-lester@usgs.gov — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:16:24 EDT

Joint trend analysis of streamflow and groundwater on a national scale is a critical step toward understanding how national water budget components respond concurrently and interactively to environmental drivers. A new USGS study shows that groundwater and streamflow don’t always respond to drivers of change in the same way.