Images

A peek into a USGS planning meeting to coordinate water-quality sampling efforts in response to Harvey. 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

Scientist Nate Stephenson with a large juniper tree in the Sierra Nevada

USGS scientist Alec MacDonald takes flood measurements on the Guadalupe River in Victoria, Texas.

A new rift has been forming on Petermann Glacier, Greenland, throughout 2017. An older crack to the right of the new rift also seems to be extending toward the glacier's center. If this new rift meets up with the older crack, and an iceberg breaks off, it would be Petermann's third massive iceberg calving since 2010.

Cores were collected from various areas of thawing permafrost-peatlands in Alaska. Permafrost thaw results in ground subsidence and inundation that kills black spruce and other understory plants living on the permafrost plateau. 

Unnamed stream and beaver pond in the Taiya River floodplain

USGS field crew measure reservoir water-level data at Addicks Reservoir, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers make informed reservoir operation decisions.

USGS field crew measure reservoir water-level data at Addicks Reservoir, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers make informed reservoir operation decisions.

USGS scientist Tom Pistillo wades through the waters of Barker Reservoir to ensure accurate reservoir water-level data are being measured, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County Flood Control District make informed reservoir operation decisions.

USGS scientist Tom Pistillo services the streamgage at Addicks Reservoir to ensure that accurate reservoir water-level data are being measured, which are critical for helping the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harris County Flood Control District make informed reservoir operation decisions.

Planning meeting at the USGS Gulf Coast Office.

USGS field crews made multiple record high flood measurements on Aug. 27, including downstream of Addicks and Barker dam. Flood measurements near Addicks and Barker dam are critical for making public safety decisions, as 1.2 million people live downstream.

USGS scientist Mackenzie Mullins takes flood measurements at Berry Bayou in Houston, Texas.

 

USGS scientist Matthew Barnes makes the highest streamflow measurement ever recorded at Eagle Ferry Rd near Anahuac, Texas. Find more
information from this site information here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=08042558

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Texas as a Category 4 hurricane on the night of August 25, 2017. It then stalled over southeastern Texas as a tropical storm and continued to creep northeast over Louisiana.

In addition to staff that conduct field measurements of flooding conditions, others monitor information indoors. Here, USGS scientist Jeff East is monitoring streamflow and flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

 

Photo of a USGS streamgage on the west side of Houston during Hurricane Harvey. Find more information from this site information here:
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=08072680

 

Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek, Alaska.

Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek, Alaska.

USGS storm-tide sensor installed in preparation for Hurricane Harvey on St. Charles Bay near Interstate 35.  

USGS scientist Charles Hartmann installs a storm-tide sensor in preparation for Hurricane Harvey in Carancahua Bay, Texas.