Rockaway Beach, New York is heavily developed, has seawalls and groins and is regularly nourished. It hasn’t changed much over 20 years. The shoreface is steep and sediment cover doesn’t extend far from shore—likely the result of being fixed in place for decades. USGS scientists collect geologic and morphologic data from this island’s shoreface.
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Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.
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Rockaway Beach, New York 1994 - 2014
Rockaway Beach, New York is heavily developed, has seawalls and groins and is regularly nourished. It hasn’t changed much over 20 years. The shoreface is steep and sediment cover doesn’t extend far from shore—likely the result of being fixed in place for decades. USGS scientists collect geologic and morphologic data from this island’s shoreface.
A helicopter flight reveals landslides' damage in Utuado municipality
An aerial view of landslide damage after Hurricane Maria in Utuado municipality, Puerto Rico.
An aerial view of landslide damage after Hurricane Maria in Utuado municipality, Puerto Rico.
HVO looks to the past to better understand future Mauna Loa eruptions
During the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption, an ‘a‘ā flow about 457 m (1500 ft) wide and 9 m (30 ft) high headed straight for the village of Ho‘ōpūloa on April 18, as shown here. By the next day, the lava flow had destroyed a dozen houses, a church, and the wharf, and had nearly obliterated the bay. Photo by Army Air Corps, 11th Photo Section.
During the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption, an ‘a‘ā flow about 457 m (1500 ft) wide and 9 m (30 ft) high headed straight for the village of Ho‘ōpūloa on April 18, as shown here. By the next day, the lava flow had destroyed a dozen houses, a church, and the wharf, and had nearly obliterated the bay. Photo by Army Air Corps, 11th Photo Section.
On a hillside in Las Marias, USGS scientists examine landslide effects
USGS ground failure experts examine landslides after Hurricane Maria in the municipality of Las Marias, Puerto Rico.
USGS ground failure experts examine landslides after Hurricane Maria in the municipality of Las Marias, Puerto Rico.
Red-crowned cranes
Photo Contest Winner | March 2020 | Where We Work
Red-crowned cranes at USGS Wildlife Toxicology site visit to Kushiro Marsh, Japan
Photo Contest Winner | March 2020 | Where We Work
Red-crowned cranes at USGS Wildlife Toxicology site visit to Kushiro Marsh, Japan
Green Infrastructure project West Delavan Ave. Gage
Supervisory Research Hydrologist, Mike McHale taking a volumetric flow measurement in a storm sewer at USGS 425520078535601 West Delavan Avenue, Buffalo, New York, as part of the Green Infrastructure project. (Credit: Michael Antidormi, USGS. Public domain.)
Supervisory Research Hydrologist, Mike McHale taking a volumetric flow measurement in a storm sewer at USGS 425520078535601 West Delavan Avenue, Buffalo, New York, as part of the Green Infrastructure project. (Credit: Michael Antidormi, USGS. Public domain.)
Overview of Taan Fiord
Overview of Taan Fiord. Inset showing location of Taan Fiord, Alaska in Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Taan Fiord is about 100 km from the nearest town, Yakutat, AK. Landsat 8 image of Taan Fiord acquired in 2016. Vegetation loss is clear near the water line.
Overview of Taan Fiord. Inset showing location of Taan Fiord, Alaska in Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Taan Fiord is about 100 km from the nearest town, Yakutat, AK. Landsat 8 image of Taan Fiord acquired in 2016. Vegetation loss is clear near the water line.
Puerto Rico’s Sierra de Luquillo mountains, El Yunque National Forest
: A site visit to Puerto Rico’s Sierra de Luquillo mountains and El Yunque National Forest, 2020. (credit – M. Eaton)
: A site visit to Puerto Rico’s Sierra de Luquillo mountains and El Yunque National Forest, 2020. (credit – M. Eaton)
A closeup of the northern shoreline shows how opaque the water is against the ro
A closeup of the northern shoreline shows how opaque the water is against the rocks. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
A closeup of the northern shoreline shows how opaque the water is against the rocks. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Hawai'i 'Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens).
Hawai'i 'Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens).
Hawai'i 'Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens).
Personal watercraft equipped with sonar and GPS
A USGS scientist navigates a personal watercraft (PWC) slowly through Elkhorn Slough. The PWC is equipped with an echosounder and GPS, to record accurate depth and location. This mapping effort is part of recurring surveys in the Monterey Bay area.
A USGS scientist navigates a personal watercraft (PWC) slowly through Elkhorn Slough. The PWC is equipped with an echosounder and GPS, to record accurate depth and location. This mapping effort is part of recurring surveys in the Monterey Bay area.
The water pond from the webcam site. This view provides a better view of the gr
The water pond from the webcam site. This view provides a better view of the greenish zone in the west end of the pond (bottom right of photo).
The water pond from the webcam site. This view provides a better view of the greenish zone in the west end of the pond (bottom right of photo).
The whistling coqui (E. cochranae)
The whistling coqui (E. cochranae), one of 17 iconic Puerto Rican amphibians in the genus Eleutherodactylus, observed in a lowland delta marsh of the Arecibo River on Puerto Rico’s north coast. (credit – M. Eaton)
The whistling coqui (E. cochranae), one of 17 iconic Puerto Rican amphibians in the genus Eleutherodactylus, observed in a lowland delta marsh of the Arecibo River on Puerto Rico’s north coast. (credit – M. Eaton)
Collecting nearshore bathymetry data off Rio del Mar
A USGS scientist navigates a personal watercraft equipped with sonar and GPS to collect depth information (bathymetry) of the nearshore. This mapping effort is part of recurring surveys in the Monterey Bay area.
A USGS scientist navigates a personal watercraft equipped with sonar and GPS to collect depth information (bathymetry) of the nearshore. This mapping effort is part of recurring surveys in the Monterey Bay area.
Collecting beach profile data with GPS
A USGS scientist walks along Santa Cruz Main Beach at the edge of the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz, California, wearing a backpack with GPS equipment. She is collecting elevation data that will be used to create a topographic map of the beach. This mapping effort is part of recurring surveys in the Monterey Bay area.
A USGS scientist walks along Santa Cruz Main Beach at the edge of the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz, California, wearing a backpack with GPS equipment. She is collecting elevation data that will be used to create a topographic map of the beach. This mapping effort is part of recurring surveys in the Monterey Bay area.
Debris flow after the 2003 Old Gran Prix fire
Damage from a major post-wildfire landslide that occurred on 25 December 2003 near Devore, San Bernardino County as a result of the Old/Grand Prix fires that ran through the San Bernardino Mountains.
Damage from a major post-wildfire landslide that occurred on 25 December 2003 near Devore, San Bernardino County as a result of the Old/Grand Prix fires that ran through the San Bernardino Mountains.
Home damaged by post-wildfire debris flow in Montecito, CA.
Damage from a major post-wildfire landslide that occurred on 9 January 2018 near Montecito, Santa Barbara County as a result of the 2017 Thomas Fire.
Damage from a major post-wildfire landslide that occurred on 9 January 2018 near Montecito, Santa Barbara County as a result of the 2017 Thomas Fire.
Surveyors Road
Photo Contest Winner | March 2020 | People
Surveyors Road
Photo Contest Winner | March 2020 | People
Surveyors Road
Collapsed arch
Collapsed arch in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.
Collapsed arch in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.
Deploying streamer
Alex Nichols, Wayne Baldwin, and Eric Moore deploying a streamer in Puerto Rico.
Alex Nichols, Wayne Baldwin, and Eric Moore deploying a streamer in Puerto Rico.
Group Photo in Puerto Rico
From left to right – Uri ten Brink, Eric Moore, Wayne Baldwin, Alex Nichols, Jason Chaytor, and Captain Orlando Espinoza. Less than two months after the largest earthquake in the seismic sequence, the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center organized a rapid response seismic survey.
From left to right – Uri ten Brink, Eric Moore, Wayne Baldwin, Alex Nichols, Jason Chaytor, and Captain Orlando Espinoza. Less than two months after the largest earthquake in the seismic sequence, the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center organized a rapid response seismic survey.