Programs

The Biological Threats Research Program delivers science to protect public safety, property, and ecosystems from invasive plants and animals and infectious fish and wildlife diseases that pose significant ecologic and economic threats to the resources of the United States.

From wildfires to sea-level rise, climate change creates evolving challenges for ecosystems across the Nation. The USGS National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) is a partnership-driven program that teams scientists with natural and cultural resource managers and local communities to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate.

The Land Change Science Program in the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area strives to advance the understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological components of the Earth system, the causes and consequences of climate and land use change, and the vulnerability and resilience of the Earth system to such changes.

Established in 1935 at Iowa State University, our mission is our hallmark: work with University students to develop the conservation workforce, help decision-makers make complex conservation decisions, and to provide technical assistance between natural resource agencies and universities. We support 43 units located in 41 States, at 44 host universities.

The Environmental Health Program (Contaminant Biology and Toxic Substances Hydrology) supports integrated natural science expertise and capabilities across the USGS related to environmental contaminants and pathogens. This One Health approach recognizes the interdependence of human and animal health and the health of ecosystems that they share. 

The Land Management Research Program conducts research to improve the effectiveness of land management and inform restoration of priority ecosystems on millions of acres including public lands such as National Parks, refuges, and other critical landscapes that support the biodiversity of fish, wildlife, and plant species, as well as thriving economies.

The Species Management Research Program provides science that is used by managers, policy makers, and others for decisions that protect, conserve, and enhance healthy fish and wildlife populations across the United States and beyond.  

From transportation to electricity, energy resources are critical to keep the Nation running. We provide actionable science and tools to support decision-making related to all aspects of the energy resource lifecycle. 

We are the Nation’s primary source of scientific information about the full life cycle and supply chains of mineral resources. Our science is essential to responsibly managing natural resources and to procuring minerals needed to sustain and advance modern manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, and low-carbon energy production.  

Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program scientists and staff study coastal and ocean resources and processes from shorelines and estuaries to the continental shelf and deep sea.

The USGS monitors and reports on earthquakes, assesses earthquake impacts and hazards, and conducts targeted research on the causes and effects of earthquakes. We undertake these activities as part of the larger National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), a four-agency partnership established by Congress.

We monitor the Earth's magnetic field. Using ground-based observatories, we provide continuous records of magnetic field variations; disseminate magnetic data to various governmental, academic, and private institutions; and conduct research into the nature of geomagnetic variations for purposes of scientific understanding and hazard mitigation.

The primary objective of the National Landslide Hazards Program is to reduce long-term losses from landslide hazards by improving our understanding of the causes of ground failure and suggesting mitigation strategies.

There are about 170 potentially active volcanoes in the U.S. The mission of the USGS Volcano Hazards Program is to enhance public safety and minimize social and economic disruption from volcanic unrest and eruption through our National Volcano Early Warning System. We deliver forecasts, warnings, and information about volcano hazards based on a scientific understanding of volcanic behavior.

The Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program (GWSIP) serves as the national source of impartial, timely, rigorous, and relevant data for short- and long-term water decisions by stakeholders across the United States.

The National Water Quality Program provides an understanding of water-quality conditions; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions.

 The Water Availability and Use Science Program (WAUSP) assists in the determination of water that is available for human and ecological uses, now and in the future.

The Water Resources Research Act Program is a Federal-State partnership that plans, facilitates, and conducts research that helps resolve State and regional water problems; promotes technology transfer; promotes dissemination and application of research; trains scientists through participation in research; and awards competitive grants under the Water Resources Research Act.