In New Study, Scientists Identify Key Markers of the Anthropocene Epoch
Study Finds Seasonal Differences in Marshland Erosion in South San Francisco Bay
Benthic Invertebrate Response to Estuarine Marsh Restoration at the Nisqually River Delta
New Tool Revolutionizes Coastal Shoreline Mapping with Decades of Satellite Data
Deep-Sea Mining and Potential Impacts on Marine Ecosystems: New Study Highlights Geochemical Implications
Seafloor Imaging Reveals Nearly 1,500 Submarine Landslides Off Southern California Coast
Revisiting the 1957 Aleutian Earthquake: New Insights into Tsunami Hazards for Hawaiʻi
Traversing the Sea for Science
How USGS Uses the Federal Fleet to Study Natural Hazards, Resources, and More
How USGS Uses the Federal Fleet to Study Natural Hazards, Resources, and More
New USGS-led Research Sheds Light on Deep-Sea Food Webs
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program Scientists Presented with Distinguished Service Awards
Carolyn Ruppel and Curt Storlazzi were presented with awards at DOI HQ
Carolyn Ruppel and Curt Storlazzi were presented with awards at DOI HQ
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
We conduct multidisciplinary scientific research in the coastal and offshore areas of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and other US Pacific Islands; and in other waterways of the United States.
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Research Projects
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Science Seminar Series
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News
In New Study, Scientists Identify Key Markers of the Anthropocene Epoch
In New Study, Scientists Identify Key Markers of the Anthropocene Epoch
Study Finds Seasonal Differences in Marshland Erosion in South San Francisco Bay
Study Finds Seasonal Differences in Marshland Erosion in South San Francisco Bay
Benthic Invertebrate Response to Estuarine Marsh Restoration at the Nisqually River Delta
Benthic Invertebrate Response to Estuarine Marsh Restoration at the Nisqually River Delta
Publications
Post-fire sediment yield from a central California watershed: Field measurements and validation of the WEPP model
In a warming climate, an intensifying fire regime and higher likelihood of extreme rain are expected to increase watershed sediment yield in many regions. Understanding regional variability in landscape response to fire and post-fire rainfall is essential for managing water resources and infrastructure. We measured sediment yield resulting from sequential wildfire and extreme rain and flooding in
Palaeontological signatures of the Anthropocene are distinct from those of previous epochs
The “Great Acceleration” beginning in the mid-20th century provides the causal mechanism of the Anthropocene, which has been proposed as a new epoch of geological time beginning in 1952 CE. Here we identify key parameters and their diagnostic palaeontological signals of the Anthropocene, including the rapid breakdown of discrete biogeographical ranges for marine and terrestrial species, rapid chan
Seasonality of retreat rate of a wave-exposed marsh edge
Wave-driven erosion of marsh boundaries is a major cause of marsh loss, but little research has captured the effect of seasonal differences on marsh-edge retreat rates to illuminate temporal patterns of when the majority of this erosion is occurring. Using five surface models captured over a study year of a marsh with a steep escarped boundary in South San Francisco Bay, we find a pronounced seaso
Science
Eyes on Earth Episode 120 – Mapping the California Coastline
Coastline erosion can change your favorite beach. But it can also affect highways and buildings. Landsat, along with high-resolution data, can be used to model the past and predict the future of changes caused by sea level rise and coastal erosion.
Post-Fire Sediment Research at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
The USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) in Santa Cruz, California, has been growing our post-fire research contributions since 2017, through studies of post-fire sediment movement that address the Natural Hazards Mission Area objectives for understanding wildfire hazards.
Anthropogenic Nutrient Loading and Coral Health at Ofu, American Samoa
Declining water quality poses a significant and persistent threat to coral reefs worldwide, contributing to their widespread degradation. Identifying the specific impacts of water quality stressors is challenging due to the complex interplay of various physical and biological factors affecting reef health. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) plays a crucial role in transporting nutrients into...