Current Events

Value of U.S. mineral production rose last year, driven by precious metals prices

The USGS releases Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, the first and most authoritative source for mineral production, trade and consumption data

Published: Fri, 6 Feb 2026 12:00:00 EST

Photo & Video Chronology — February 4, 2026 — Kīlauea summit overflight

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff participated in a monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit caldera, Kaluapele, the morning of February 4, 2026.

Published: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 18:45:04 EST

February ScienceBase Data Release Training for USGS Authors and Data Managers

The USGS Science Data Management Branch will be hosting two upcoming training events for USGS authors and data managers. The first will be our general ScienceBase data release training and the second will be training on how to create metadata for your data release.

Published: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 18:43:37 EST

Low-level helicopter flights to image geology over Wyoming and Colorado

RESTON, Va. — Low-level helicopter flights are planned over areas of Wyoming and northern Colorado to image geology using airborne geophysical technology for up to one month.

 

Published: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 17:59:00 EST

Volcano Watch — New Hawaii citizen science tool: Is Tephra Falling?

During Kīlauea summit lava fountaining episode 41, residents and visitors shared their observations of tephra falling via email, phone calls, and on social media. A new online tool, “Is Tephra Falling?” will allow people to share their observations in a more systematic way. 

Published: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 17:05:56 EST

CASC Intern Reflects on Experience Researching Conservation Translocations

George Mason University Fish and Wildlife Adaptation Intern Andie May Hardin shares highlights and reflections from her time researching conservation translocations with the National CASC.  

Published: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 11:47:32 EST

Heterosigma akashiwo in San Fracisco Bay

A new study by several scientists examines the environmental conditions that fueled a massive algal bloom in the San Francisco Bay. By analyzing water quality, circulation, and microscopic communities, the research helps explain how rare combinations of factors can drive major ecological events, including blooms of Heterosigma akashiwo, a species first identified in Japan.

Published: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 16:28:37 EST

Photo Roundup: December 2025-January 2026

A selection of coastal and ocean videos and photographs from across the USGS.

Published: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 15:05:32 EST

WEBINAR: USGS Invasive Species Science - Innovation for a Healthy Nation

USGS scientists will be sharing their latest innovations during a North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) webinar for National Invasive Species Awareness Week. 

Published: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 14:10:19 EST

Earthquake swarms in California: What’s the difference between magmatic and tectonic?

If you live in California, you've almost certainly felt an earthquake - maybe more than one. Maybe, as the residents of the Bay Area city of San Ramon are finding out, you get to feel a LOT of earthquakes. But how can we tell what's causing them? 

Published: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 13:00:00 EST

Upcoming CDI Monthly Meetings

CDI Monthly Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month, from 11-12:30 pm Eastern Time. 

Published: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 08:01:00 EST

New habitat suitability model to inform decision making and recover rare species in New Mexico

In collaboration with multiple land management agencies, FORT scientists developed a new habitat suitability model to inform decision making on public lands and help conserve a rare plant.

Published: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 17:41:38 EST

USGS Oregon Water Science Center remembers the 1996 flood

In February 1996, one of the Pacific Northwest’s most devastating floods of the 20th century struck the region. The U.S. Geological Survey’s rapid response helped protect communities and earned national recognition. 

Published: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 17:01:25 EST

Message from the Director—Oregon Water Science Center, Winter 2026 Newsletter

Updates from the Center Director, Joanna Thamke.

Published: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 13:50:05 EST

Satellite Imagery Shows Beach Widening in Southern California Driven by Human Activity

While many of California’s beaches have narrowed over time due to coastal erosion, new research from USGS and the University of California, Irvine shows that some beaches consistently defy this trend. In fact, the amount of beach growth outpaces the erosion in southern California—thanks largely to human intervention.

Published: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 12:32:05 EST

Yellowstone earthquakes that are related to ground deformation

We know that Yellowstone is an active volcanic system due to the high rate of seismicity and the active ground deformation.  What happens when those two things are happening simultaneously, like they are right now?

Published: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 06:00:00 EST

Humboldt River Basin Capture Query Tool

The Humboldt River Basin Capture Query Tool (HCQT) is an interactive tool allows users to explore how groundwater pumping affects streamflow and other water sources across the Humboldt River Basin.

Published: Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:36:02 EST

Volcano Watch — When it rained rocks: tephra fall during Kīlauea’s episode 41

Large lava fountains streamed from both the north and south vents reaching heights of at least 1475 feet (450 meters) during episode 41 of Kīlauea’s summit eruption on January 24, 2026.  Strong updrafts coupled with light winds blowing to the east and north sent lava fragments from the fountains, called tephra, over much of the District of Puna and into South Hilo and the eastern edge of Kaʻū.

Published: Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:04:38 EST

Photo & Video Chronology — January 27, 2026 — Tephra fall from Kīlauea episode 41

During episode 41 on January 24, lava fountains from the north and south vents in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea reached up at least 450 m (1475 feet). Weak surface winds in combination with stronger upper-level winds blowing to the east and north resulted in widespread tephra fall in communities to the northeast and east within the Districts of Kaʻū, Puna, and South Hilo. 

Published: Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:16:20 EST

USGS READI-Net Tests Next Generation Environmental DNA Sampling Robot for Early Detection of Biological Threats

USGS READI-Net project team members and collaborators were trained by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute staff on a next-generation environmental DNA autonomous robot—the Filtering Instrument for DNA Observation (FIDO). FIDO will enhance READI-Net’s ability to provide managers and scientists tools and strategies for early detection of biological threats.

Published: Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:22 EST

Water data delivery changes and new features: real-time data, APIs, interactive maps, charts, and tables

Important changes to how USGS water data will be delivered as we modernize our water data storage and delivery systems. 

Published: Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:40:14 EST

Using Landsat Data: More Helpful Tutorials Now Available

The USGS EROS User Services team recently added several new tutorials to their code repository. These guides help users access and work with Landsat data stored in a commercial cloud environment more effectively.

Published: Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:36:24 EST

Photo & Video Chronology — January 24, 2026 — Kīlauea episode 41

Episode 41 of lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea was active for 8 hours and 18 minutes on January 24, 2026. Weak surface winds in combination with stronger upper-level winds blowing to the east and north during episode 41 resulted in widespread tephra fall in communities to the north, east-northeast, and east of the eruptive vents (District of Puna on the Island of Hawaiʻi)

Published: Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:25:46 EST

Finding and defending grassland cores using spatial covariance

Grassland ecosystems continue to lose ecological integrity as woody plants invade and fragment habitat. This talk demonstrates how spatial covariance can more accurately flag grassland cores and edge conditions relevant to bird occupancy than tree‑cover metrics alone. The talk highlights management implications for defending cores and restoring contiguous habitat.

Published: Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:00:51 EST

Florida’s Fading Coral Reefs Could Sharply Increase Coastal Flood Risk

Coral reefs do more than support vibrant marine ecosystems—they also act as natural breakwaters, protecting coastlines from storm-driven waves. New USGS-led research shows that as Florida’s coral reefs continue to degrade, the loss of this natural protection could dramatically increase flooding risk for coastal communities in southeast Florida. 

Published: Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:45:31 EST

The largest thermal area in Yellowstone National Park: Lower Geyser Basin

Yellowstone is a land of superlatives. Even in such an environment, the Lower Geyser Basin stands out as one of the most spectacular areas in the park.

Published: Mon, 26 Jan 2026 06:00:00 EST

Biophysical controls on sediment erodibility in San Francisco Bay

The erodibility of bed sediment in estuaries can shape everything from water clarity to habitat quality, and influences the magnitude of sediment transport. While scientists largely understand how bed sediments in sandy environments erode, less attention has focused on muddy sediments in estuaries. New research from USGS shows that waves matter—but so do the animals living in the mud.

Published: Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:34:40 EST

Volcano Watch — What do small earthquakes beneath Kīlauea summit mean for the ongoing eruption?

“Volcano Watch” articles over the past two weeks have described past episodic lava fountaining eruptions at Kīlauea Iki (1959) and Maunaulu (1969). Next week, we will continue this series with a summary of the most recent past episodic eruption at Kīlauea. Why? Because past eruptions can give us clues as to how the ongoing episodic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu might progress or change.  

Published: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:08:58 EST

2025 in Review: The Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment

Update for the Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment project to summarize progress in calendar year 2025 highlighting extensive data collection and preliminary analysis efforts across multiple scientific themes. 

Published: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:17:50 EST

Landsat in 2025: Milestones Continue the Mission's Legacy

In 2025, Landsat celebrated several milestones. We officially bid farewell to Landsat 7 and its 26-year mission and legacy, while continuing to show how Landsat imagery supports real world decision-making through new stories highlighting its role across industries. The year also brought the announcement of  a new Landsat Science Team set to begin in 2026. Catch up on our year here.

Published: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:10:55 EST