U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

When Every Foot Matters: USGS Flood Maps Saves Lives 🌦️🗺️ Our teams were recently in the field throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia measuring devastating floodwaters, which reached historic levels at several monitoring locations. As floodwaters recede, we're reminded of nature's immense power—and the critical importance of preparation. Throughout this emergency, USGS field crews have been working tirelessly in dangerous conditions, wading through swift currents to collect precise measurements of water levels and flow rates. This real-time data proves invaluable for emergency response. What's remarkable? Our flood inundation maps, paired with National Weather Service river forecasts, accurately predicted which areas would flood. Emergency managers use these detailed visualizations to coordinate evacuations, potentially saving countless lives. The accuracy validated years of meticulous modeling and data collection. These life-saving maps cover 37 sites in Indiana, 5 in Kentucky, and 14 in Ohio. They're available to everyone—from emergency managers to concerned residents. The USGS works seamlessly with partners like the National Weather Service, who use our data to issue timely warnings and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Don't wait for the next flood. Sign up for USGS WaterAlert in your community today 👉 https://ow.ly/LEAf50VeUSt When minutes matter, early warnings save lives. 📸 1: USGS water expert Jeremy White measures how high and fast floodwaters are moving at Piney Creek near Raleigh, WV. He's using special water measurement equipment (a hydroacoustic doppler profiler) to collect this data. 📸 2: USGS water experts Logan VanWatermulen and Shawn LeMaster measure how high and fast floodwaters move at Green River in Munfordville, KY on February 17, 2025. 📸 3: USGS flood inundation map showing affected areas along the North Fork Kentucky River on February 16, 2025.

🎉 Happy 146th birthday to us! 🎉 We know, we know... we don’t look a day over 145 — but hey, that's super young in geologic time! #HappyBirthday #Science

You asked, we answered... At the beginning of the week, we asked you for your burning invasive species questions. Your responses were excellent. Check out the video to learn the answers to the questions: 🚫What's the best invasive species success story? ❓Are all invasive species bad to have around? 🔥How do invasive species impact wildfires? Huge thanks to the scientists for answering these burning questions and to those of you who asked. #NISAW2025 #NISAW #ScienceBoss #InvasiveSpecies #Biosecurity 🎥USGS video: Four videos of talking people stitched together.

In June 2022, nonnative, predatory smallmouth bass passed through the turbines of the Glen Canyon Dam into the #ColoradoRiver. Without swift action, these fish, invasive in the Southwest, might devastate native populations of threatened humpback chub and other native fish in the Grand Canyon. In our new film, learn how USGS and partners are working diligently to address the threat of smallmouth bass in the Grand Canyon. Watch here [finger pointing emoji] [link] The film covers how lower water levels in #LakePowell not only facilitate the passage of #smallmouthbass, which were introduced to the lake in the 1980s, through the dam and into the Grand Canyon, they also raise river temperatures to a degree in which smallmouth bass can successfully reproduce below the dam. USGS scientists are collaborating with the National Park Service Bureau of Reclamation Arizona Game and Fish Department and other partners to provide the best science to protect Grand Canyon ecosystems. USGS research includes modeling fish population growth and forecasting dam operation effects to counter challenges posed by low water levels. With the Grand Canyon as a stronghold for recovering humpback chub, an invasive population of smallmouth bass may jeopardize their recovery. Researchers are working to be able to predict how fast smallmouth bass will spread and the most effective ways to prevent them from reproducing and moving downstream. #NISAW #InvasiveSpecies #Invasive #Biosecurity 🎥: USGS video. Scenes of smallmouth bass, native fish, a dam with water flowing out of it, the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and experts talking.

How can land managers predict if a new invader is coming their way? 🌱 Afterall, stopping invasive species before they spread is crucial for protecting healthy ecosystems and the economies that depend on them. For invasive plants, USGS’s Invasive Species Habitat Tool (INHABIT) can help! INHABIT—built for managers and with managers—maps and produces datasets of how well over 250 invasive plant species would be able to survive in habitats in over 10,000 management areas across the contiguous United States. App users can: • View maps of habitat suitability for 259 invasive species of management concern • Summarize invasion risk for specific management units and regions • Download INHABIT data for field monitoring and to create watchlists of potential new invaders Newly released, version 4.0 includes additional management areas and invasive plant species, predictions for species occurrence and abundance, and an updated interface. Stay ahead of the threat! Learn more about INHABIT and version 4.0 here 👉https://ow.ly/29Mf50V7cZh #NISAW #InvasiveSpecies #Invasive #Biosecurity 🎥 USGS video: A globe with a photo of a plant and a question mark over it, a photo of cheatgrass with a "no" symbol over it and a video of bison walking in a sagebrush ecosystem with a city in the background, a series of screenshots of the webtool "INHABIT", an iPAD with a map on it.

Waverly J. Person: A trailblazer in the field of science 🌎 As a geophysicist and seismologist, Waverly worked at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) in Golden, Colorado. He became the first spokesperson for the NEIC, starting with Great Alaska Earthquake in 1964 and continuing for more than 40 years. His contributions earned him recognition in the media as "Mr. Earthquake," a testament to his longstanding influence and leadership in the field. Waverly was honored with numerous awards over the course of his career, including an honorary doctorate, Outstanding Government Communicator Award from the National Association of Government Communicators, and the Meritorious Service Award from the US Department of the Interior. 🏅 His legacy continues to inspire future generations of scientists. Image 1: Waverly studies seismic data from a seismogram. Image 2: Waverly at the USGS NEIC office. #BlackHistoryMonth

You might know where the wild things are, but have you ever stopped to wonder, “when the wild things are”?👑🐺 Animals are commonly described as having specific activity patterns, like being active during the day, at night, or only during dawn and dusk. But USGS scientist Brian Gerber wondered if that was really the case… After all, scientists call humans “diurnal” meaning we’re active during the day, but how many people identify as night owls versus early birds? In a new study, Gerber and lead study author Kadambari Devarajan teamed up with over 200 other scientists to comb through the data on nearly 450 species of mammals to test if the traditional classifications held water. What they found might literally rewrite the textbooks. Read the study to learn more: https://ow.ly/22sC50V5gsM #DielActivity #ScienceBoss #Nightowl #Earlybird 🎥: USGS Video. A person in a poofy sherpa coat with front buttons, the hood on and white animal ears on their head speaks while scenes of mammals and habitats play in the background. A squirrel eating an acorn is shown for diurnal, a bat is shown for nocturnal, and a wolf howling is shown for crepuscular. When the spoiler alert is given, a skunk and a fox, two animals classified as crepuscular, are shown wandering around at night.

You, yes you 🫵, can help stop invasive species. How, you ask? 🚶♀️ Go for a walk. This is (maybe) more for you than for us, but trust us, it helps with science. 👀 Look at the world around you. Get familiar with the plants and animals in your area. 📷 See something you don't recognize? Or maybe something you recognize but have never seen in the wild where you are before? Snap a picture! 📱 Upload your picture to your favorite species identification app. ✅ Science, done. Records like these can help scientists find newly introduced species and identify potential hotspots for where they are being introduced. Targeting management efforts in areas where invasive species are commonly introduced should increase the success of preventing the spread of invasive species. Learn more about the importance of this work and how to get involved on our website 👉https://ow.ly/yxax50V5vyN #NISAW #InvasiveSpecies #Invasive #Biosecurity 📷: 1. University of Wyoming photos by Daniel Coles. German statice, Goniolimon tataricum, in situ. 2. University of Wyoming photo by Kelsey Brock. Herbarium card showing dried specimen, the location it was first found on a map, and an in situ photo of the live plant.

Spotted!... er… Scented! Spotted lanternflies have become an invasive menace in the Northeastern United States. Once they take hold, they’re easy to spot—but finding them early, before they spread, is a whole different challenge. As you can imagine, not being able to find an invasive species makes it difficult to prevent it from reaching infestation levels or spreading to new areas. USGS scientists tackle challenging problems like these related to invasive species across the country. Recently, Dr. Angela Fuller and colleagues published a study where they tested the effectiveness of detection dogs in finding spotted lanternflies. In the study, the scientists found that detection dogs are 3 times more effective than people in finding these insects in forested areas. Read the study to learn more 👉https://ow.ly/n7ls50V4C4h #NISAW #InvasiveSpecies #Invasive #Biosecurity USGS photos showing a spotted lanternfly, a dog detecting a spotted lanternfly egg mass, a spotted lanternfly egg mass, and another dog scenting for spotted lanternflies

USGS: a leader in the invasive species busting business for decades This year, for National Invasive Species Awareness Week, we are focusing on biosecurity, or the prevention of the introduction or spread of invasive species. While there is no practical way to completely prevent the introduction of potentially invasive species, USGS science tackles this challenge. For example, in a new study, scientists “scanned” thousands of legally imported vertebrate species to determine those with the highest invasion risk. Experts then reviewed 840 species, of which 32 species of fish and reptiles were found to have the highest level of risk for establishment, spread and negative impacts. The majority of those species have the capacity to disrupt ecosystems they occupy, and some are dangerous to people. If you’d like to learn more, read the study here: https://ow.ly/qgbv50V4BEF #NISAW #InvasiveSpecies #Invasive #Biosecurity #InvasivesBusters IMGS: kinkajou, Moorish idol, rose-ringed parakeet, and monitor lizard