Images

A U.S. Geological Survey hydraulic habitat assessment boat in not enough water.

USGS fish biologists launch at sunset on the Upper Missouri River for a night of sampling for larval pallid sturgeon.

Typical contents of a net deployment showing larval fish, possibly pallid sturgeon.

A US Geological Survey hydroacoustic survey boat measures velocity profiles on the Upper Missouri River.

Research hydrologist Dr. Susannah Erwin and hydrologic technician Brian Anderson inspect ADCP data on the Upper Missouri River.

Student Contractor Garrett Cook processes a drift sample collected on June 27 shortly after the free embryos and beads were released. Note the small cluster of pallid sturgeon free embryos and green beads in the lower portion of the sorting tray. These embryos and beads were elements of the Upper Missouri River drift experiment.

Pre-deployment briefing for the Upper Missouri River Pallid Sturgeon Drift Study. Fish biologists and physical scientists from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, US Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Montana, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and US Army Corps of Engineers go over the sample design and assignments.

Distribution of free embryos to boats in preparation for mass release.

Simultaneous mass release of 700,000 free embryos from boats distributed across the channel of the Upper Missouri River.

USGS scientists prepare to mix rhodamine-WT dye for the dye trace experiment.  The suits are to keep the harmless dye off of clothing.

Monitoring riparian vegetation along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam

Developing pallid sturgeon embryo.

Macro photo of a developing pallid sturgeon embryo. Developing embryo appears light gray

Led by Dr. Al Zale with the Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at Montana State University, researchers Michael Lance and T. David Ritter are working closely with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks personnel, local landowners, and engineers to study salmonid movements in the popular Smith River system in central Montana.

The USGS monitors water quality at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire, Michigan. 

The USGS monitors water quality at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire, Michigan. 

A piping plover adult standing over a nest scrape with four eggs. Photo was taken on the Garrison Reach of the Missouri River, North Dakota

A piping plover adult stands on a sandbar on the Garrison Reach of the Missouri River, North Dakota. The yellow alphanumeric leg flag and color bands that identify it are clearly visible.

Two banded piping plover adults stand near a nest with a small video camera pointed at it on a sandbar on the Garrison Reach of the Missouri River, North Dakota. The yellow alphanumeric leg flag and color bands that identify it are clearly visible. Video cameras were used to identify adults attending nests. 

A pink-footed shearwater in flight.

NPS/USGS remote den camera. Fisher family denning in a mountain beaver burrow. Look carefully! Two fisher kits in front of their den site in a mountain beaver burrow (foreground) with mom (background left) watching on. The kits are about 4-5 months old.