Images

This map shows the airborne geophysical survey area and planned flight paths across the Illinois River Basin in Illinois and northwest Indiana. Surveys will not occur directly above populated areas. Planned flight lines and survey progress can be found online. 

(USGS map) 

Map showing principal aquifers (PAs) and wells that were sampled as part of a Nationwide assessment of the quality of groundwater used for public supply.  

USGS scientists busy developing methods for identifying pollinators using environmental-DNA. Photo credit: Dawn Shively, USGS (contractor).

Preparing flower samples for spiking with known DNA for a method development experiment evaluating pollinator environmental-DNA recovery from flowers. Photo credit: Dawn Shively, USGS (contractor).

A group of Bleeding Fairy Helmet fungi (Mycena haematopus) infected by other fungi hyphae and separated from a healthy colony, as seen in Heron Rookery, Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana. Photo credit: Johanna Nifosi, USGS.

Aaron Aunins (Eastern Ecological Science Center, Leetown, West Virginia) prepares samples for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as Kasia Kelly (left) and Dawn Shively (middle) (both from Great Lakes Science Center, Chesterton, Indiana) observe and document the procedure. Photo credit: Murulee Byappanahalli, USGS.

A sunset on Lake Michigan with the Chicago skyline in the distance as seen from Ogden Dunes Beach within Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana. Photo credit: Johanna Nifosi, USGS.

A prairie sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris) stands out from the dry landscape of sand and beach grass at West Beach in Indiana Dunes National Park. Photo credit: Johanna Nifosi, USGS.

Native green bee resting peacefully inside a yellow jewelweed flower (Impatiens capensis) at Heron Rookery trail within Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana. Photo credit: Johanna Nifosi, USGS.

Ringless honey mushroom (Armillaria tabescens) seen in the Heron Rookery, Indiana Dunes National Park. Photo credit: Johanna Nifosi, USGS.

USGS contractor Victoria Conn counting and measuring invasive dreissenid mussels in a laboratory at the GLSC Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station (Chesterton, Indiana) as part of the Great Lakes Integrated Cladophora Assessment Project.

Sugar Creek, near New Palestine, Indiana. Sugar Creek is part of a long-term USGS stream monitoring project, and was one of 72 U.S.

Phytoplankton, including diatoms, viewed under a microscope. Phytoplankton occupy the lower levels of the food web.

Map of the super gage site locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana

More major highways intersect in Indiana than in any other state, therefore, it is known as “The Crossroads of America.” Indiana also has more miles of Interstate Highway per square mile than any other state.

Capital Indianapolis

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 6,785,528

Photograph showing the White River downstream from the White River Trail bridge, looking east toward White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Photograph by Matt Williams, The Nature Conservancy.

Randy Bayless (kneeling), USGS Research Hydrologist; Caleb Artz (standing in yellow), USGS Hydrologic Technician; and Danielle Szymkowski (standing in red), USGS Contractor; collect a groundwater sample from well CH-3 (USGS Station ID: 413611087201004) at the Gary City Hall rain garden.

Danielle Szymkowski, USGS Contractor, collecting runoff sample below a the North Flume (USGS Station ID: 413611087201001) at the Gary City Hall rain garden, Indiana.

Hydrologic Technician Amy Story repairing the data-transmission system at the Gary City Hall (Indiana) rain garden. The data-transmission system gathers data from several instruments and provides it in real time to the USGS web site.

Caleb Artz, USGS Hyrologic Technician, installing a heated precipitation gage (USGS station ID: 413611087201301) to measure rain and snow falling at the Gary City Hall rain garden. 

Invasive Phragmites australis and a fire hydrant in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Credit: Dan Engel, USGS