All News

Congratulations to Tobyn Rhodes for Winning this Issue’s Photo Contest!

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:28:00 EDT

We are excited to announce Tobyn Rhodes as the winner of this issue’s photo contest!

Our Research on a Tire Chemical and its Impact on Fish Featured in LakeLine Magazine

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:27:00 EDT

We are excited to announce that our work on 6PPD, a toxic chemical used in nearly all vehicle tires, was recently featured in the Fall 2025 issue of LakeLine Magazine.

How do we cope when the ocean has a sick day? Scientists at WFRC Study How to Manage Marine Disease Outbreaks

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:21:00 EDT

USGS WFRC Scientists participate in a groundbreaking special issue informing marine disease management strategies.

As Invasive Mussels Reach West, WFRC Scientists Help Evaluate the Risks they Pose to Washington’s Hatcheries

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:18:00 EDT

Invasive quagga mussels were recently found in the greater Columbia River basin. Our scientists are working with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine which of their fish hatcheries are at greatest risk of invasion and what can be done to mitigate the impacts.

Restoring Pinto Abalone in Washington’s Waters

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:15:55 EDT

After decades of population decline, Washington State’s pinto abalone recovery program is making meaningful progress. With the first-ever population uptick observed at a long‑term survey site, scientists are cautiously optimistic about the species’ path toward recovery.

Director's Message: Upcoming Renovation and Relocation of the Columbia River Research Laboratory

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:12:06 EDT

Western Fisheries Research Center staff in the Columbia River Gorge are moving to a new facility!

Nighttime Imaging Grows Landsat’s Science Value

jlawson@contractor.usgs.gov — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:01:45 EDT

For more than 50 years, Landsat has imaged Earth’s land and near-shore surfaces as the satellites descend in midmorning orbit, when daily sunlight is optimal. That’s just what they’ve always done.

Currently, Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 circle the globe while also making better use of their ascending paths, peering into the darkness for special requests.

The 2024 YVO annual report has just exploded from the presses!

mpoland@usgs.gov — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:30:00 EDT

In 2024, Yellowstone experienced a year of contrasts. Hydrothermal explosions dominated the headlines, but in terms of seismicity and ground deformation it was a quiet year.

April 11, 2026—HVO monitoring network outage

mzoeller@usgs.gov — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:00:00 EDT

On Saturday, April 11, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) noted an outage of its radio telemetry network, resulting in the loss of multiple monitoring data streams. HVO is working to rectify the problem as soon as possible, and staff continue tracking several unaffected data streams to maintain watch over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.

Media Advisory: USGS Announces Low-Level Flights to Image Geology and Aquifers in Southwest Michigan

jburton@usgs.gov — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:34:45 EDT

In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the U.S. Geological Survey is announcing the start of a low-level airborne project in Southwest Michigan. Your assistance in informing the local communities is appreciated.

Upcoming CDI Monthly Meetings

lhsu@usgs.gov — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:01:00 EDT

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

Photo & Video Chronology — April 9, 2026 — Kīlauea summit episode 44

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 22:19:28 EDT

Episode 44 of lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea took place on April 9, 2026. Southerly/southwesterly winds resulted in the plume being transported in the north/northeast direction, resulting in tephra falling in areas of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, on Highway 11 nearby, and on communities near the summit of Kīlauea.

Volcano Watch — Caldera clues: tephra deposits from Kīlauea’s past

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 16:01:13 EDT

Past “Volcano Watch” articles have summarized the episodic lava fountaining eruptions in Kīlauea’s recent history—within the past couple hundred years. A look further back in the geologic record reveals that several lava fountaining eruptions similar to the ongoing one in Halemaʻumaʻu occurred within Kīlauea caldera within the past 500 years.

New open access articles on Mauna Loa 2022 eruption

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 17:58:23 EDT

Recent publications in a special Bulletin of Volcanology volume, titled, "Mauna Loa 2022 – Unrest, Eruption, and Outreach at the World’s Largest Volcano," present multidisciplinary studies of Mauna Loa investigating magma storage and ascent, summit and rift zone dynamics, and fissure and lava flow processes and hazard assessments. Several of these papers are open access and available online.

Alaska Park Science: USGS and National Park Service Partners in Research

lmcduffie@usgs.gov — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 11:42:33 EDT

The latest issue of Alaska Park Science features articles on collaborative research between USGS and NPS scientists in park units across Alaska, building a body of science that informs a variety of disciplines as well as park management.

USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day: Implications of highly pathogenic avian influenza to ecosystem health

sally_house@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 10:50:54 EDT

We are proud to celebrate the 2nd Annual USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day on Friday, April 24, 2026. As the lead federal agency for wildlife disease research and surveillance, USGS connects the dots between animal health, human health, and the outdoor traditions that communities across the country hold dear. Join us on Friday, April 24th for a wildlife health-focused Friday's Findings webinar!

Can't make it to the Moon? Try California's volcanoes!

jlball@usgs.gov — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 09:00:00 EDT

If you listened to astronauts describing the surface of the Moon during the NASA Artemis II flyby yesterday, you might be interested to learn about the roles California's volcanoes - and the USGS - have played in the history of lunar exploration!

Western Fisheries Research Center Institutional Animal Care and Use Meeting - POSTPONED

nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 14:53:51 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.

SAWSC Scientists Share Latest Research Results at North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (NC WRRI) Conference

richard_young@ios.doi.gov — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 11:07:52 EDT

Scientists Will Hamilton, Charlie Stillwell, and Rosemary Fanelli presented their latest research at the 2026 annual North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (NC WRRI) conference.

Landsat 9 Products Impacted by 2025 Safehold Now Available

lowen@contractor.usgs.gov — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 10:10:05 EDT

Landsat 9 data acquired following an October 2025 safehold event were recently processed into Landsat Level-1 and Level-2 products for the first time and are now available for download.

Additionally, a small number of Landsat products processed just prior and just after the safehold were also reprocessed.

The path of least resistance: Investigating hot spring plumbing systems in Yellowstone using electrical measurements

mpoland@usgs.gov — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 00:30:00 EDT

Have you ever wondered what it looks like underneath a Yellowstone hot spring? Clues about those hot water plumbing systems can be learned by using electricity to probe the subsurface!

Volcano Watch — Adapting to an evolving eruption: revising Kīlauea’s Alert Level and Aviation Color Code Notifications

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 22:56:54 EDT

The USGS Volcano Alert Level (ground-based hazards) and Aviation Color Code (airborne hazards) communicate Kīlauea status and activity. After episode 44, which is forecast to begin between April 6–14, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) will change how it applies the Alert Level and Aviation Color Code to better convey hazards between and during eruptive episodes at Kīlauea summit.

New England WSC Products in the First Quarter of 2026

smieszek@usgs.gov — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 10:43:24 EDT

List of products from the New England Water Science Center released in the first quarter of 2026.

Land Treatment Exploration Tool 3.0 Launch

lisa_hoaks@ios.doi.gov — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 19:00:09 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey launched an updated version of the Land Treatment Exploration Tool that includes many new features for a better user experience.

Land Treatment Digital Library Version 2.0 Launch

lisa_hoaks@ios.doi.gov — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 18:28:52 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey launched an updated version (2.0) of the Land Treatment Digital Library to improve user experience, include additional data, and enhance Bureau of Land Management access.

Photo & Video Chronology — March 31, 2026 — Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight

kmulliken@usgs.gov — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:40:08 EDT

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists completed a helicopter overflight of the Kīlauea summit on March 31, 2026, during which they captured photos of the eruptive vents in Halemaʻumaʻu, along with the tephra deposit from the ongoing episodic lava fountaining eruption.

Predicting Harmful Algal Blooms and Toxicity in the San Francisco Estuary

harry_ackley@ios.doi.gov — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:37:36 EDT

In fall 2023, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a five‑year, $3 million Monitoring and Event Response Research Program (MERHAB) grant to improve Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) detection in the San Francisco Estuary.

New AI Tool Forecasts Drought 90 Days Ahead Nationwide

jlavista@usgs.gov — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:00:00 EDT

RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey released a new machine learning tool that forecasts droughts up to 90 days ahead nationwide. The tool may provide communities extra time to prepare for water shortages that could impact agriculture, municipal supplies, recreation and ecosystems.

Powell Center Seminar: Beyond waves and shifting sand: considering ecosystem processes in forecasts of coastal landscape change

lhsu@usgs.gov — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:17:32 EDT

Join us for a Powell Center seminar on Monday, April 13 from 1-2 pm MT / 3-4 pm ET.

Landsat Bulk Metadata Now Accessible in New Format

lowen@contractor.usgs.gov — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:36:02 EDT

Landsat product metadata are now available in the Apache Parquet file format, in addition to existing CSV and XML files. Parquet files help users access metadata information more efficiently and provide faster, customized results.