USGS Newsroom

Crowd-Sourcing the Nation: Using Volunteers for Enhanced Data Collection

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 1 Apr 2013 18:41:01 EDT

The USGS is expanding the involvement of volunteers to enhance data collection about structures for The National Map.

This program, known as The National Map Corps, focuses on encouraging citizens to collect data relating to structures by both adding new features and/or correcting existing data within The National Map database. These structures can include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public places.

Collaborative pilot projects in Colorado were recently used to test the concept of crowd-sourcing. While the project is on-going, early indications point to positive results and show the success of using TNMC volunteers to enhance data sets.

Over a trial period of ten months, 143 volunteers collected, improved, or deleted data on more than 6,400 structures in Colorado. The volunteers’ actions were accurate and exceeded USGS quality standards. In the Colorado pilot project the volunteer-collected data showed an improvement of approximately 25 percent in both location and attribute accuracy for existing data points. Completeness, or the extent to which all appropriate features were identified and recorded, was nearly perfect.

The significant results of the Colorado pilot have led to a phased, nation-wide expansion of the crowd-sourcing /volunteer project. The states in the first expansion of TNMC are: Arkansas, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia

After an evaluation of the quality and procedures of the first group of states, the second set will be made available. Ultimately, by the end of 2013, the third batch of states will complete the expansion of the program.

"The response by volunteers in Colorado exceeded our expectations both in terms of the number of volunteers and the quality of the data they collected”, said Kari Craun, the Director of the USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center. “The Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) community represents a fantastic, untapped resource to assist USGS in maintaining data that are part of The National Map.”

While some familiarity with the area that a volunteer chooses is helpful, one doesn’t have to live near a particular place to contribute. The tools on TNMC website, along with ancillary information available on the Internet, are generally sufficient to edit a distant area.

There have been several instances of crowd-sourced geographic information making significant contributions to research and databases in government, private sector, and non-profit organizations. The goal of the TNMC is to provide data for the nation’s primary federal mapping agency in its effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial data via the web-based National Map.

The citizen geographers/cartographers who participate in this program will make a significant addition to the USGS’s ability to provide accurate information to the public. Data collected by volunteers become part of TNM Structures dataset which is available to users free of charge.

Without a network of volunteers, the desired information would not be collected this year and the existing data would not be updated. TNMC volunteers perform important work that otherwise will not be accomplished in the foreseeable future.

Becoming a volunteer for TNMC is easy; go to the National Map Corps website to learn more and to sign up as a volunteer. If you have access to the Internet and are willing to dedicate some time to editing map data, we hope you will consider participating!

Come Test the Waters at the USGS

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 3 Dec 2012 10:12:17 EDT

I'm Anthony Lopez, a hydrologist with the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center located in West Trenton, N.J. This past spring, I finished my five-year undergraduate career at Rutgers University with two B.S. degrees in BioEnvironmental Engineering. I grew up in southern New Jersey outside of Philadelphia and consider myself an avid Phillies and Eagles fan. During my spare time I enjoy spending quality time with my niece and attending boxing events with my brother.

Finding my path to USGS

During my junior year of college I was encouraged by one of my professors to apply for a position with the USGS. I was fortunate enough to be offered an internship as a Student Career Experience Program employee with the NJ Water Science Center and happily accepted the opportunity. After working at the center for three years as an intern, I was offered a full-time position as a hydrologist.

What is a typical day like for you?

At the USGS, there has been no "typical" day as of yet, which is one my favorite aspects of working here. As an intern, I spent many days out in the field sampling wells and streams throughout the state. On the days when I was not in the field I would be compiling databases, working with groundwater flow models, or designing maps using GIS software. As a hydrologist, my day is usually comprised of working on one of the two projects that I am currently involved with. The first project is a rapid assessment of landfills in the Pinelands National Reserve. More specifically, the study focuses on "uncapped landfills" which are landfills that lack a proper containment layer of material above the disposed waste layer. The majority of my time spent on this project involves retrieving laboratory and well records from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The second project that I am working on involves the characterization of contaminants and toxicity of bed sediment in Barnegat Bay and its tributaries. I have been heavily involved in the sample collection process, in addition to designing maps for use in the final report.

What is your most memorable experience with the USGS so far?

One of the most fun days that I've had while with the survey would have to be the experience of electrofishing. Electrofishing uses electricity to temporarily stun fish within a certain radius of the device, where they can then be scooped up in a net and collected. We used the process of electrofishing to collect biological samples to determine the species diversity of the stream. This was something that I had never seen before or been a part of and was truly a unique experience.

What do you see as the most valuable part of your work?

I believe that the most valuable part of the work I do is to expand what we know about the crucial water resources in New Jersey. Better information will lead to the protection and conservation of our water resources for all of those who use them now and in the future. The Pinelands Landfill Assessment is valuable in that we are determining the "threat" level each landfill poses to nearby receptors, which could be a nearby water supply well or sensitive ecological habitat. Similarly, the Barnegat Bay Sediment Toxicity Project will help assess the health of the bay and its tributaries.

What are your future plans?

I am planning on taking my Fundamentals of Engineering Exam as preparation to earning my Professional Engineer license. I hope to continue my career using my engineering skill set to design contaminant treatment systems.

Why is the USGS a good place for students to work?

The USGS is a great place for young people to work mainly because of the atmosphere created by those who currently work there. Everyone I have met at the NJ Water Science Center has been eager and willing to pass their knowledge on to the younger adults in the office. Those with more experience in sampling, modeling, database work, and GIS, have all been willing to take time out of their busy schedules in order to teach me what they know. The USGS has some of the most experienced "teachers" that I have ever been around and if you are a young person who wants to continue to learn new things then the USGS can be a great place to do it.

What would you like people to know about the USGS?

The USGS is a great agency for networking with other environmental organizations. I have had the opportunity to meet and develop relationships with other professionals from the EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, Pinelands Commission, and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, along with working with fellow USGS employees from across the country.

Lidar Confirms Sandy's Dramatic Coastal Change Impacts and Future Coastal Vulnerability

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:31:20 EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. –The extent of Hurricane Sandy's wrath -- and the future coastal vulnerability of the region -- is clear in a new U.S. Geological Survey analysis of recently collected lidar coastal data. The research documented particularly dramatic impacts within the Fire Island National Seashore on Long Island, NY.

Lidar, or light detection and ranging, uses lasers to measure elevations in a specific distance/area. Researchers used the lidar data, collected during an airborne survey, to construct a high-resolution three-dimensional map of before- and after-storm conditions.

This information can help scientists and decision-makers identify the areas along the shore that have been made more vulnerable to future coastal hazards in the storm’s wake.

"Coastal dunes are our last line of natural defense from the onslaught of storms and rising seas," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "They are dynamic features that retreat from the battering of major storms like Sandy and rebuild in the aftermath; their natural cycle is inconsistent with immobile development."

USGS research oceanographer Hilary Stockdon said that the lidar data show that at Ocean Bay Park, for example, storm surge and waves associated with Sandy demolished protective dunes – and the structures built on top of them.

"In the pre-storm elevation image of Ocean Beach, you can see houses that are sitting right on the sand dune," Stockdon said. "But in the post-storm elevation image, the high dune elevation is gone. The dune and the houses on it were completely washed away."

The pre- and post-storm ground conditions at Fire Island were similarly dramatic, USGS coastal geologist Cheryl Hapke said, noting that the USGS worked closely with the National Park Service to gather field data on the island.

"We found that there was widespread dune erosion and overwash," Hapke said. "On average, where the dunes were not completely overwashed, they eroded back 70 feet -- the equivalent of 30 years of change. Our research also showed that dunes lost as much as 15 feet of elevation."

The lidar analysis, said Stockdon and Hapke, combined with ground survey data, and pre- and post-storm oblique aerial photography, tell a dramatic story of Sandy’s catastrophic effect on the shoreline – and future coastal vulnerability – in this region. It will also help to demonstrate the accuracy of coastal change predictions calculated before the storm in this area.

"This work can help coastal communities understand where they are most vulnerable to future storms," Stockdon said "and help decision makers at all levels create policies that protect their economic, environmental, and ecological health in the coastal areas most susceptible to extreme storm impacts."

North Carolina, Delmarva Coastlines Changed by Hurricane Sandy

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:10:57 EDT

USGS releases new before-and-after photos

Updated

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The USGS has released a series of aerial photographs showing before-and-after images of Hurricane Sandy's impacts on the Atlantic Coast. Among the latest photo pairs to be published are images showing the extent of coastal change in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.

The photos, part of a USGS assessment of coastal change from as far south as the Outer Banks of North Carolina to as far north as Massachusetts, show that the storm caused dramatic changes to portions of shoreline extending hundreds of miles. Pre- and post-storm images of the New Jersey and New York shoreline in particular tell a story of a coastal landscape that was considerably altered by the historic storm. Meanwhile, images from hundreds of miles south of the storm’s landfall demonstrate that the storm’s breadth caused significant coastal change as far south as the Carolinas.

"Sandy taught us yet again that not all Cat-1 hurricanes are created equal: the superstorm's enormous fetch over the Atlantic produced storm surge and wave erosion of historic proportions," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We have seized this opportunity to gather unique data on a major coastline-altering event."

As major storms approach, the USGS conducts pre-storm and post-storm flights to gather aerial images along the length of the coastline expected to experience impacts from the storm’s landfall. Identifying sites of such impacts helps scientists understand which areas are likely to undergo the most severe impacts from future storms, and improves future coastal impact forecasting.

Photo pairs from North Carolina to Massachusetts are now available online.

"This storm’s impact on sandy beaches included disruption of infrastructure in the south, such as overwash of roads near Pea Island, Buxton, and Rodanthe in N.C., and some dune erosion near Duck, N.C.," said St. Petersburg-based USGS oceanographer Nathaniel Plant. Such storm-induced changes to the coastal profile can jeopardize the resilience of impacted coastal communities in the path of subsequent storms.

"Houses and infrastructure may be more vulnerable to future storms because beaches are narrower and dunes are lower," Plant said.

The configuration of a coastline's physical features determine how it will respond to storm forces, and whether it will experience erosion, overwash, or inundation.

In South Bethany, Delaware, the storm appears to have eroded a low dune that had stood between the Atlantic and a row of beachfront homes. Like overwash, beach and dune erosion can compromise a coastline's natural defenses against future storms.

The Hurricanes and Extreme Storms team aims to quantify the degree to which such these defenses have weakened in all areas Hurricane Sandy impacted.

Data collected from these surveys are also used to improve predictive models of potential impacts from future severe storms. Before a storm makes landfall, USGS makes these predictions to help coastal communities identify areas particularly vulnerable to severe coastal change, such as beach and dune erosion, overwash, and inundation.

For instance, in the days before Sandy approached the eastern seaboard, the USGS ran models forecasting that 91 percent of the Delmarva coastline would experience beach and dune erosion, while 98 percent and 93 percent of beaches and dunes in New Jersey and New York, respectively, were likely to erode. Preliminary analysis suggests that Hurricane Sandy rapidly displaced massive quantities of sand in a capacity that visibly changed the landscape.

The USGS assessment also includes pre- and post-landfall airborne lidar data, which offers a more quantitative look at the extent of coastal change caused by Sandy. Lidar, or light detection and ranging, is an aircraft-based remote sensing method that uses laser pulses to collect highly detailed ground elevation data.

Photos Reveal Severity of Hurricane Sandy's Coastal Impacts

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Fri, 9 Nov 2012 15:20:00 EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The USGS has released a series of aerial photographs showing before-and-after images of Hurricane Sandy’s impacts on the Atlantic Coast.

Photo pairs from North Carolina to Massachusetts will be made available online as the coastal change assessment continues.

"This storm's impact on sandy beaches included significant beach and dune erosion and minor disruption of infrastructure in the south," said USGS oceanographer Nathaniel Plant, "to extreme and often catastrophic erosion, overwash and sediment deposition, and inundation on northern beaches like Mantoloking, New Jersey."

Overwash occurs when storm surge and waves exceed the elevation of protective sand dunes, thereby transporting sand inland. In addition to threatening infrastructure like roadways, it can bury portions of buildings and cause extensive property damage. Since beaches and dunes serve as a first line of defense against extreme storms, this could further compromise the safety of coastal populations.

The USGS worked closely with the National Park Service to gather field data on pre- and post- storm conditions at Fire Island National Seashore on Long Island. The field team went to Fire Island in advance of the storm to capture the morphology of the beach and dunes. The team re-surveyed the beach to capture its state immediately after the storm, and they found drastic changes.

"We found that there was widespread dune erosion and overwash," said St. Petersburg-based USGS coastal geologist Cheryl Hapke. "On average the dunes eroded back 70 feet - the equivalent of 30-years of change, which had previously been measured. Our data also showed that dunes lost as much as 10 feet of elevation."

This rapid response data was used to help the National Park Service assess the areas of the coast that were most vulnerable to a nor'easter that impacted the coast a week after Sandy.

The USGS is also processing pre- and post-landfall airborne lidar data to gather information on the extent of coastal change caused by Sandy. Lidar, or light detection and ranging, is an aircraft-based remote sensing method that uses laser pulses to collect highly detailed ground elevation data.

USGS Sampling Water for Nutrients, Sediment, and Pesticides in Hurricane Sandy's Aftermath

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 1 Nov 2012 13:17:01 EDT

As recovery efforts for those impacted by Hurricane Sandy continue, U.S. Geological Survey crews are sampling water for nutrients, sediment, and pesticides to document water quality in areas affected by the hurricane. This sampling effort is part of the federal government’s broad efforts to ensure public health and to support the state, tribal, and local response to the storm.

"We tend to think of events like Sandy in terms of the ephemeral effect of the wind, rain, waves, and even snow as it swept through our communities, but in fact this superstorm can have a longer-term effect in the large pulse of sediment and associated pollutants swept into our waterways," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "It is particularly important to quantify the input of this one unusual event before concluding that certain efforts to reduce pollutant run-off from year to year have or have not been effective."

Sampling is taking place at various locations. In New Jersey, crews will collect water quality samples along the Delaware River near Trenton and along the Raritan River near Queens Bridge. Pennsylvania crews will be sampling near the Chesapeake Bay. In Maryland, water quality samples will be collected from the Potomac River, various sites in Washington, D.C., several locations along the Eastern Shore, and from the Susquehanna River at the Conowingo Dam. In addition, Virginia crews will be sampling throughout Northern Virginia. USGS crews will be sampling in these and other areas for contaminants like pesticides, E. coli, nutrients, and sediment to document water quality in areas affected by the hurricane.

"Significant high water events are important to document, because a storm event like this can flush large quantities of nutrients, pesticides, and sediment into rivers," said Charles Crawford, coordinator of the sampling effort. "When looking at long-term water quality trends and year-to-year variation, this hurricane could be a defining event for the past few decades, and it’s important that USGS captures a complete picture of what happens."

Excessive nutrients in the Nation's rivers, streams and coastal areas are a major issue for water managers, because they cause algal blooms that increase costs to treat drinking water, limit recreational activities, and threaten valuable commercial and recreational fisheries. Increased sediment can cause costly changes in shipping channels, where new sediment can require additional dredging.

"The USGS creates models that relate nutrient, pesticide and sediment concentrations to how much water is flowing," said Crawford. "In order to have the most accurate model, it’s important to document concentrations during a high flow event such as this one."

The USGS collects water-quality samples in cooperation with States as part of several water-quality monitoring programs and the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Update: Sandy to Erode Many Atlantic Beaches

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:36:16 EDT

Oct. 29 Update: USGS Revises Coastal Change Forecasts

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – On Oct. 29, 2012, USGS revised its forecasts for coastal change due to Hurricane Sandy. Now, the forecasts are as follows:

Delmarva Peninsula: 91 percent of the beaches are expected to experience erosion; 55 percent of the beaches are expected to experience overwash, and 22 percent are expected to experience inundation.

Coastal New Jersey: 98 percent of the beaches are expected to experience erosion; 54 percent of the beaches are expected to experience overwash, and 9 percent are expected to experience inundation.

South Coast of Long Island: 93 percent of the beaches are expected to experience erosion; 12 percent of the beaches are expected to experience overwash, and 4 percent are expected to experience inundation.

The new forecasts, along with maps showing the extent of the impacts, can be found online.

End Update

(Original post from Oct. 27, 2012)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Nearly three quarters of the coast along the Delmarva Peninsula is very likely to experience beach and dune erosion as Hurricane Sandy makes landfall, while overwash is expected along nearly half of the shoreline.

The predictions of coastal change for the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia peninsula is part of a larger assessment of probable coastal change released by the U.S. Geological Survey Friday.

"Model forecasts are run anew for each hurricane, as each case has unique factors in terms of storm intensity, timing with respect to tides, angle of approach, and must account for ever-changing details of coastal dune configuration," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "These models help us understand where emergency management resources might be most needed."

Overwash, the landward movement of large volumes of sand from overtopped dunes, is forecasted for portions of the east coast with the projected landfall of the storm. The severity of overwash depends on the strength of the storm, the height of the dunes, and how direct a hit the coast takes.

"On the Delmarva Peninsula, near the storm's expected landfall, close to three quarters of the sandy coast is expected to see beach and dune erosion. Fifteen percent of the coast is very likely to be inundated by waves and storm surge," said USGS Oceanographer Hilary Stockdon from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center.

In these areas, waves and storm surge would transport large amounts of sand across coastal environments, depositing sand both inland and offshore and causing significant changes to the landscape, Stockdon noted.

The models show that along the New Jersey shore, 81 percent of the coast is very likely to experience beach and dune erosion, while 7 percent is very likely to experience overwash. It also indicates that on the south shore of Long Island, N.Y., including Fire Island National Seashore, 43 percent of the coast is very likely to experience beach and dune erosion. Overwash and inundation are not expected in these areas because of the relative high dune elevations.

According to USGS geologist Cheryl Hapke, many of the sandy beaches along the mid-Atlantic Coast have become increasingly vulnerable to significant impacts such as erosion because of past storms, including Hurricanes Ida (2009) and Irene (2011), as well as large northeastern storms in 2005 and 2007.

"Beaches and dunes often serve as the first line of defense for coastal communities against flooding and other hazards associated with extreme storm" said Hapke, "Any compromise to these features means that storm-related hazards are more likely to threaten coastal property, infrastructure, and public safety during a future extreme storm event."

Beach and dune erosion occurs when storm surge and waves collide with the base of a dune, termed collision in the model, and wash away significant amounts of sand. Overwash happens when these forces exceed dune height and move sand inland. Inundation is a process by which an entire beach system is submerged and, in extreme cases, can result in island breaching.

The USGS coastal change model forecasting likely dune erosion and overwash from the storm can be viewed online.

For the latest forecasts on the storm, listen to NOAA radio. For information on preparing for the storm, visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov

USGS Storm-Surge Sensors Deployed Ahead of Tropical Storm Sandy

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:01:41 EDT

RESTON, Va. -- Storm response crews from the U.S. Geological Survey are installing more than 150 storm-tide sensors at key locations along the Atlantic Coast -- from the Chesapeake Bay to Massachusetts -- in advance of the arrival of Tropical Storm Sandy.

Working with various partner agencies such as NOAA, FEMA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the USGS is securing the storm-tide sensors, frequently called storm-surge sensors, to piers and poles in areas where the storm is expected to make landfall. The instruments being installed will record the precise time the storm-tide arrived, how ocean and inland water levels changed during the storm, the depth of the storm-tide throughout the event, and how long it took for the water to recede.

"In the hours and days before Irene made its epic sweep up the eastern seaboard last year, USGS deployed a record number of storm-surge sensors that yielded important new information on storm tides along some of the most populated coastline in the United States," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Now with Sandy we have the opportunity to test and improve predictive models of coastal zone impact based on what we previously learned."

Storm-tides are increases in ocean water levels generated at sea by extreme storms and can have devastating coastal impacts. In locations where tidal forecasts are known, the sensors being installed can also help determine storm surge. For differences between storm-surge and tidal-surge, visit the National Hurricane Center's website.

This information will be used to assess storm damage, discern between wind and flood damage, and improve computer models used to forecast future coastal inundation.

In addition, rapid deployment gauges will be installed at critical locations to provide real-time information to forecast floods and coordinate flood-response activities in the affected areas. The sensors augment a network of existing U.S. Geological Survey streamgages, which are part of the permanent network of more than 7,500 streamgages nationwide.

Of the sensors deployed specifically for Sandy, eight have real-time capability that will allow viewing of the storm-tide as the storm approaches and makes landfall. Besides water level, some of these real-time gauges include precipitation and wind sensors that will transmit all data hourly. All data collected by these sensors and the existing USGS streamgage network will be available on the USGS Storm-Tide Mapper link at www.usgs.gov/hurricanes.

Providing information to support future forecasts could ultimately save lives during future storms. These sensors were deployed for the first time during Hurricane Rita in 2005. Before then, scientists had limited data available to study the effects of storm surge.

"Forecasters at the National Weather Service rely on USGS real-time and long-term data to improve storm surge models and prepare storm-tide warnings," said Brian McCallum, assistant director of the USGS Georgia Water Science Center, who is helping coordinate the sensor installation effort. "Floodplain managers, federal, state and local emergency preparedness officials, emergency responders, scientists and researchers all benefit from the storm-tide and associated flood data. It’s useful for flood damage prevention and public safety."

The USGS studies the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms to better understand potential impacts on coastal areas. Information provided through the sensor networks provides critical data for more accurate modeling and prediction capabilities and allows for improved structure designs and response for public safety.

The USGS also continuously monitors water levels and flows at thousands of the nation's streams on a real-time basis. The public can access this information for their area at the USGS Current Streamflow Conditions web page. Also, USGS WaterAlert allows users to receive a text or email from the USGS when waters are rising in rivers and streams near them.

For the latest forecasts on the storm, listen to NOAA radio. For information on preparing for the storm, visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov

Sandy to Erode Many Atlantic Beaches

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 13:56:16 EDT

The predictions of coastal change for the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia peninsula is part of a larger assessment of probable coastal change released by the U.S. Geological Survey Friday.

“On the Delmarva Peninsula, near the storm's expected landfall, close to three quarters of the sandy coast is expected to see beach and dune erosion. Fifteen percent of the coast is very likely to be inundated by waves and storm surge,” said USGS Oceanographer Hilary Stockdon from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center.

“Beaches and dunes often serve as the first line of defense for coastal communities against flooding and other hazards associated with extreme storm” said Hapke, “Any compromise to these features means that storm-related hazards are more likely to threaten coastal property, infrastructure, and public safety during a future extreme storm event.”

The USGS coastal change model forecasting likely dune erosion and overwash from the storm can be viewed online.

For the latest forecasts on the storm, listen to NOAA radio. For information on preparing for the storm, visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov

Sea Level Rise Accelerating in U.S. Atlantic Coast

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EDT

Rates of sea level rise are increasing three-to-four times faster along portions of the U.S. Atlantic Coast than globally, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report published in Nature Climate Change.

Since about 1990, sea-level rise in the 600-mile stretch of coastal zone from Cape Hatteras, N.C. to north of Boston, Mass. -- coined a "hotspot" by scientists -- has increased 2 - 3.7 millimeters per year; the global increase over the same period was 0.6 – 1.0 millimeter per year.

Based on data and analyses included in the report, if global temperatures continue to rise, rates of sea level rise in this area are expected to continue increasing.

The report shows that the sea-level rise hotspot is consistent with the slowing of Atlantic Ocean circulation. Models show this change in circulation may be tied to changes in water temperature, salinity and density in the subpolar north Atlantic.

"Many people mistakenly think that the rate of sea level rise is the same everywhere as glaciers and ice caps melt, increasing the volume of ocean water, but other effects can be as large or larger than the so-called 'eustatic' rise," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "As demonstrated in this study, regional oceanographic contributions must be taken into account in planning for what happens to coastal property."

Though global sea level has been projected to rise roughly two-to-three feet or more by the end of the 21st century, it will not climb at the same rate at every location. Differences in land movements, strength of ocean currents, water temperatures, and salinity can cause regional and local highs and lows in sea level.

"Cities in the hotspot, like Norfolk, New York, and Boston already experience damaging floods during relatively low intensity storms," said Dr. Asbury (Abby) Sallenger, USGS oceanographer and project lead. "Ongoing accelerated sea level rise in the hotspot will make coastal cities and surrounding areas increasingly vulnerable to flooding by adding to the height that storm surge and breaking waves reach on the coast."

During the 21^st century, the increases in sea level rise rate that have already occurred in the hotspot will yield increases in sea level of 8 to 11.4 inches by 2100. This regional sea level increase would be in addition to components of global sea level rise.

To determine accelerations of sea level, USGS scientists analyzed tide gauge data throughout much of North America in a way that removed long-term (linear) trends associated with vertical land movements. This allowed them to focus on recent changes in rates of sea-level rise caused, for example, by changes in ocean circulation.

The report, Hotspot of accelerated sea-level rise on the Atlantic coast of North America, was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

USGS Releases Unconventional Gas Estimates for Five East Coast Basins

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:04:29 EDT

Using a geology-based assessment method, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean undiscovered natural gas resource of 3.9 trillion cubic feet and a mean undiscovered natural gas liquids resource of 135 million barrels in continuous accumulations within five East Coast Mesozoic basins, according to a new USGS report.

The area assessed extends across parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The five basins assessed are the Deep River, Taylorsville, South Newark, Dan River-Danville, and Richmond basins. Of those five, the Deep River, in North Carolina; the Taylorsville, primarily in Virginia and southern Maryland; and the South Newark, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are estimated to possess the most resource potential.

"Americans are currently benefitting from a plentiful supply of natural gas from continuous resource accumulations similar to the ones considered in this assessment," explained USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "By providing estimates of undiscovered resources, the USGS helps both producers and consumers understand the future for our domestic supply and the geographic locations for impacts from energy development."

The five basins formed 227 million years ago during the Mesozoic era along the continental margin in response to the regional uplift, extension (rifting), and crustal thinning that occurred during the early opening of the Atlantic Ocean. As the basins formed, they were filled with a variety of sediments, including boulder beds, coarse-grained fluvial to deltaic sandstones, red siltstones, mudstones, gray and black shales, and coal.

The USGS assessment of undiscovered gas resources ranges from 1.8 to 7.1 trillion cubic feet (95 percent and 5 percent probability, respectively). The assessment of undiscovered natural gas liquids ranges from 56 to 260 million barrels (95 percent and 5 percent probability, respectively).

Natural gas resources like those found in the East Coast Mesozoic Basins are known as continuous resources. Continuous resources have a close association with one or more petroleum source rocks and typically extend across a large area of accumulation. Continuous petroleum accumulations may be found in shale, coal, and sandstone. All of the accumulations assessed in this study are "tight gas sandstone" continuous reservoirs.

This assessment of the East Coast Mesozoic basins is based on the geologic and geochemical characteristics of the individual total petroleum systems, or TPS. For the petroleum source rock, the characteristics include the source rock richness, thermal maturation, timing of petroleum generation, and migration; for the reservoir rocks and seals, they include their stratigraphic position and content and petrophysical properties. Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined a composite TPS and an assessment unit for continuous accumulations in each of the 14 major East Coast Mesozoic rift basins. The basins are present both onshore and offshore, in State-administered waters, of the eastern United States. Of those 14 basins, only five had enough data to be quantitatively assessed.

The USGS acknowledges the directors and staff of the state geological surveys of North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey for providing geological information and assisting with the basin-analysis workshops, which were held in preparation for the USGS assessment.

USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources of onshore lands and offshore state waters. The USGS estimates of continuous accumulations within the East Coast Mesozoic basins are part of a nationwide project to assess domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol.

To access this assessment, as well as learn more about USGS energy research, please visit the USGS Energy Resources Program, and stay up to date with USGS energy science by subscribing to the USGS Energy Newsletter or following us on Twitter.

A Big Day for Science: Citizens Have Contributed One Million Observations to Top Nature Database

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 3 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

RESTON, Va. — Thanks to citizen-scientists around the country, the USA National Phenology Network hit a major milestone this week by reaching its one millionth nature observation.

The millionth observation was done by Lucille Tower, a citizen-scientist in Portland, Ore., who entered a record about seeing maple vines flowering. Her data, like all of the entries, came in through USA-NPN’s online observation program, Nature's Notebook, which engages more than 4,000 volunteers across the country to observe and record phenology – the timing of the recurring life events of plants and animals such as when cherry trees or lilacs blossom, when robins build their nests, when salmon swim upstream to spawn or when leaves turn colors in the fall.

Each record not only represents a single data point — the status of a specific life stage of an individual plant or animal on one day – but also benefits both science and society by helping researchers understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and, in turn, how those responses are affecting people and ecological systems.

"My dream is that through the wonders of modern technology and the National Phenology Network we could turn the more than six billion people on the planet into components of our scientific observing system," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We could make giant leaps in science education, improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the planet, lower the cost of scientific data collection, and all while making ordinary citizens feel a part of the scientific process."

Jake Weltzin, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and the executive director of USA-NPN, concurs. "Hitting the one millionth observation is exciting because researchers and decision-makers need more information to understand and respond to our rapidly changing planet. More information means better-informed decisions that ensure the continued vitality of our natural areas that we all depend on and enjoy."

For example, said Weltzin, the data in Nature's Notebook are already being used to benefit society, including the development of more accurate indicators of spring, forecasting the onset of allergy seasons or the chances of western wildfires, managing wildlife and invasive plants, and setting goals for habitat restoration. Ultimately, such information can be used for better managing water resources, wildlife and ecosystem management, and even help farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Changes in phenology are among the most sensitive biological indicators of global change. Across the world, many springtime events are occurring earlier — and fall events happening later — than in the past. These changes are happening quickly for some species and more slowly, or not at all, for others, altering relationships and processes that have been dynamically stable for thousands of years. Some wildlife —like caribou and butterflies — are becoming mismatched from their plant food resources, which are responding differently. Migrations for some birds are changing too, as they can now overwinter instead of moving south for the winter, or as they fly north more quickly to keep pace with an advancing front of spring flowering.

Because of this, said Weltzin, scientists need more and better information about the pace and pattern of nature — locally to nationally — to answer important scientific and societal questions, and to build the tools and models needed to help people understand and adapt to the changes.

"So much of our improved understanding about global environmental changes is driven by varied and valuable sources of information that include networks of citizen-scientists," said John Wingfield, National Science Foundation’s assistant director for biological sciences. "The public at large has played an important role collecting observations and data for a hundred years and more. Knowledge and data gained from their work will continue to have a lasting effect on how we understand regularly recurring biological phenomena for hundreds of plant and animal species and contribute to the policy arena."

Gwen Lundburg in Seattle is one citizen-scientist who has contributed hundreds of entries into Nature’s Notebook. "Just noticing small changes like tiny purple lilac buds suddenly turning green has taught me to look more closely at my plants," Lundburg said. "I see things in my garden I never saw before."

With the help of citizen-scientist volunteers, working in concert with professionals, the USA-NPN, which was established in 2007, collects, stores and freely shares phenological data on more than 800 species of plants and animals. The Nature’s Notebook observing program has been in operation since 2009. The coordinating office of the organization is located at 1955 E. 6^th St., Tucson, Ariz., 85721. For more information, visit the USA National Phenology Network, or contact Jake Weltzin at 520-626-3821 or jweltzin@usgs.gov.

River Levels Set Records in 10 States

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:26:07 EDT

USGS Continues to Monitor East Coast Rivers for Flooding

Editors note: this news release will be updated online with more information on the streamgage records being set by state as it becomes available.

Updated September 1: includes more information on streamgage records set in each state. Also includes information on records set in Puerto Rico.

Rivers and streams are reaching record levels as a result of Hurricane Irene’s rainfall, with more than 80 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages measuring record peaks.

The northeast is seeing the bulk of the records, as higher than average precipitation the past few weeks had saturated the ground in many locations prior to Irene’s arrival.

While some rivers have already crested, or reached their highest levels, other rivers are still expected to rise.

Immediately after the worst of the storm had passed, USGS hydrologists from North Carolina to Maine deployed to measure high-water marks at rivers and streams and to verify high river flows and peak stages. The crews also calibrated and repaired streamgages damaged by the storm to ensure they continued to transmit information in real time to users working to protect lives and property.

To date, records have been set on rivers and streams in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Puerto Rico.

The USGS, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, operates a nationwide network of more than 7,000 streamgages on inland rivers and streams. These gauges provide real-time data important to the National Weather Service, FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other state and local partners involved in issuing flood and evacuation warnings, coordinating emergency responses to communities, and operating flood-control reservoirs.

Real-time information from these streamgages can be seen here.

Flooding information and records known so far:

Information on record peaks and flows is still being gathered and is subject to change.

In Connecticut, a new record was set on the Naugatuck River
In Delaware, records were set at three streamgages on the St. Jones River, Beaverdam Branch at Houston and Silver Lake tributary
In Maine, the fastest flowing water was recorded on the border with New Hampshire with at least one record set on the Wild River
In Maryland, records were set at six streamgages on the Choptank River, James Run, Tuckahoe Creek, Three Bridges Branch, Swan Creek and St. Clement Creek
In Massachusetts, records were set at eight streamgages on the Deerfield, North, South, Green, Mill and Housatonic rivers
In New Hampshire, records were set at five streamgages on the Saco, Pemigewasset, Cockermouth and Connecticut rivers
In New Jersey, records were set at 34 streamgages on the Papakating Creek, Hackensack River, Passaic River, Green Pond, Rockaway River, Whippany River, Pequannock River, Wanaque River, Ringwood Creek, Ramapo River, Peckman River, Saddle River, Elizabeth River, Rahway River, Raritan River, Stonybrook at Princeton, Millstone River, Middlebrook River, Bound Brook, Lawrence Brook, Manasquan River, Metedeconk River, Little Ease Run, Musconetcong River, Crosswicks Creek, McDonalds Branch and Racoon Creek
In New York, records were set at 37 streamgages the Cold Spring Brook, Battenkill River, Canajoharie Creek, Schoharie Creek, West Kill River, Bear Kill River, Manor Kill Stream, Platter Kill Stream, Mine Kill Stream, Schoharie Creek, Esopus Creek, Hollow Tree Brook, Stony Clove Creek, Bush Kill Stream, Rondout Creek, Croton River, Titicus River, Cross River, Hackensack River, Ramapo River, Mahwah River, Delaware River, Dry Brook, Neversink River, Ausable River, Mettawee River, Birch Creek
In Pennsylvania, a record was set on the Schuykill River
In Puerto Rico, records were set at two streamgages on the Gurabo and Guayanes rivers
In Vermont, records were set at eight streamgages on the Saxtons River, Little River, Ayers Brook, Williams River, Walloomsac River, Otter Creek, Dog River, and Mad River

This monitoring is part of the federal government’s broad efforts to ensure public safety to support the state, tribal, and local response to the storm.

For more information on being prepared for storms go to ready.gov.

USGS In the Surge Sampling for Nutrients, Sediment, E. coli, and Pesticides

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:39:09 EDT

Follow USGS on twitter @USGS to learn where the crews will be each day.
Media: If you would like to accompany a USGS crew during sampling, contact Kara Capelli at kcapelli@usgs.gov.

As Hurricane Irene has left her mark along the East Coast, USGS crews are sampling water for pesticides, E. coli, nutrients, and sediment to document water quality in areas affected by the hurricane. This sampling effort is part of the federal government’s broad efforts to ensure public health and to support the state, tribal, and local response to the storm.

Sampling is taking place along the East Coast. Crews will follow the path of the hurricane where it brought high flows.

“Significant high water events are important to document, because a storm event like this can flush large quantities of nutrients, pesticides, and bacteria into rivers and also alter sediment flow,” said Charles Crawford, coordinator of the sampling effort. “When looking at long-term water quality trends and year to year variation, this hurricane could be a defining event for 2011, and it’s important that USGS captures a complete picture of what happens this year.”

Excessive nutrients in the Nation’s rivers, streams and coastal areas are a major issue for water managers, because they cause algal blooms that increase costs to treat drinking water, limit recreational activities, and threaten valuable commercial and recreational fisheries. Increased sediment can cause costly changes in shipping channels, where new sediment can require additional dredging.

“The USGS creates models that relate nutrient, pesticide and sediment concentrations to how much water is flowing,” said Crawford.” In order to have the most accurate model, it’s important to document concentrations during a high flow event such as this one.”

Additionally, high flows from the hurricane have the potential to create higher concentrations of E. Coli in areas that use surface water for drinking.

USGS Responds to Hurricane Irene and Prepares for Aftermath

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:18:11 EDT

Storm-Surge Sensor Installations in Northeast Nearly Complete

* Reporters: want to join a crew recovering storm-surge sensors, making flood flow measurements, or sampling water quality? Contact the above points of contact.

Government scientists have blanketed the East Coast the past few days installing advanced equipment to monitor potential impacts from Hurricane Irene as it moves up the coast. This is part of the Federal government's broad efforts in support of state, tribal and local response to the storm.

U.S. Geological Survey crews completed installations of storm-surge sensors at key locations along the North Carolina coast, Chesapeake and Delaware Bays yesterday, and are finishing installations all the way up the east coast today.

In total, more than 260 emergency sensors needed to measure storm surge will have been installed in critical areas from North Carolina to Maine. The data that the sensors produce will help define the depth and duration of overland storm-surge, as well as the time of its arrival and retreat. That information will help public officials assess storm damage, discern between wind and flood damage, develop better land use and building codes, and improve computer models used to forecast future floods.

The USGS, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, already operates long-term sensor networks on inland rivers and streams throughout through out the nation. These networks provide real-time data important to the National Weather Service, FEMA and other USGS partners involved in issuing flood and evacuation warnings, coordinating emergency responses to communities, and operating flood-control reservoirs.

The information collected by the USGS real-time storm surge sensors is available online. Additionally, the USGS has deployed a live webcam at Virginia Beach, Va., to be able to observe the storm there.

Storm-surges are increases in ocean water levels generated at sea by extreme storms and can have devastating coastal impacts. The USGS studies the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms to better understand potential impacts on coastal areas. Information provided through the sensor networks provides critical data for more accurate modeling and prediction capabilities and allows for improved structure designs and response for public safety.

In addition to the storm surge, the USGS is also looking at streamflows to assist in forecasting flooding, and how water quality and coastal geology may be impacted by the storm.

Streamgages and flooding

Hydrologists from USGS Water Science Centers up the entire coast are prepared to go into the field immediately after the worst of the storm passes to calibrate streamgages and ensure they transmit critical river level and flow velocity information to the National Weather Service for flood forecasting and to emergency officials for response.

Real time data from these streamgages is available online.

Precipitation in Maryland, New Jersey and New York during the last two weeks is already four to six times normal in some of these areas, according the NWS, with Hurricane Irene expected to add significantly to runoff. USGS crews will measure flood flows along streams and major rivers in the days following the storm.

Water quality

Other USGS crews will sample water quality at selected sites along the Atlantic coast to document the impact of Hurricane Irene on water quality. They will be monitoring concentrations and transport to coastal areas of nutrients, sediment, carbon, E. coli, and pesticides during the high flows expected along major rivers in the days following Irene.

Sand movement and overwash

USGS coastal geologists have forecast that sand may be washed inland, covering roads, evacuation routes, and lower levels of homes in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. USGS has completed pre-storm surveys to assess significant coastal erosion expected in this area, and is beginning post-storm survey flights as early as Sunday.

As USGS continues to take all appropriate preparedness and response actions as Hurricane Irene develops over the coming days, we encourage everyone to visit ready.gov or listo.gov for tips on creating emergency plans and putting together an emergency supply kit.

If you are in an impact zone, stay inside, away from windows, and off the roads. Irene remains a dangerous storm, and no hurricanes should be taken lightly.

If you are in an evacuation zone and can still leave, do so now-you are not just risking your own life, but putting first responders in danger and taking resources away from those who need help, including the sick and disabled.