Climate Change News

• NOAA: Fourth Warmest U.S. Summer on Record
  The contiguous United States had its fourth-warmest summer (June-August) on record, according to the latest NOAA State of the Climate report issued on Wednesday, Sept. 8. […]
• U.S. Departments of Commerce and the Interior to Cooperate on Climate-Related Activities
  U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar formalized an agreement between the two departments to coordinate and cooperate on climate related activities involving science, services, mitigation, adaptation, education and communication. […]

Earth FAQ

• Why aren't we drilling in the Bakken Formation?
  Oil has been produced from the Bakken Formation since the 1950’s.  Please see our slideshow presentation for context at http://energy.usgs.gov/flash/Bakken_slideshow.swf.  The USGS does not maintain statistics on oil production, however, this information can be obtained from publicly available sources like the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources […]
• What does the term "stream stage" mean?
  Stream stage is an important concept when analyzing how much water is moving in a stream at any given moment. Stage is the water level above some arbitrary point in the river and is commonly measured in feet. For example, on a normal day when no rain has fallen for a while, a river might have 'a stage of 2 feet.' If a big storm hits, the river stag […]
• How can I find out about tsunamis?
  For information on current or recent tsunamis, try: Pacific Tsunami Warning CenterWest Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center Current Messages Recent Tsunamis Recent Events - from the University of WashingtonDatabase of tsunami information - from NOAA Other organizations in tsunami monitoring and research include: British Columbia Provincial Emergency Progr […]

U.S. Geological Survey

• Potomac River: Ten-fold Increase in Native Submerged Vegetation Reflects Improved Water Quality
  The report, “Long-term reductions in anthropogenic nutrients link to improvements in Chesapeake Bay habitat is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1003590107.  Images are available on the project website. The Potomac River in Washington, D.C. is showing multiple benefits from restoratio […]
• New Report Warns of Expanding Threat of Hypoxia in U.S. Coastal Waters
  A report issued today by key environmental and scientific federal agencies assesses the increasing prevalence of low-oxygen “dead zones” in U.S. coastal waters and outlines a series of research and policy steps that could help reverse the decades-long trend. The interagency report notes that incidents of hypoxia—a condition in which oxygen levels drop […]
• Many Urban Streams Harmful to Aquatic Life Following Winter Pavement Deicing
  This USGS report is published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology and is available as a free download online. The use of salt to deice pavement can leave urban streams toxic to aquatic life, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study on the influence of winter runoff in northern U.S. cities, with a special focus on eastern Wisconsin and […]

Earth Publications

U.S. Department Of The Interior