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California Water Science Center Scientists Share their Research at 2026 IEP Annual Workshop

By harry_ackley@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 21, 2026.

From March 16th through the 18th, Scientists from the USGS California Water Science Center (CAWSC) presented their research at the 2026 Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) Workshop in Sacramento.

Sharing science at the Pacific Islanders Encouraging Fun, Science & Technology (PIEFEST) festival

By jlball@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 21, 2026.

P.I.E.F.E.S.T. – what’s that?? It stands for Pacific Islanders Encouraging Fun, Engineering, Science, and Technology, and the 5th Annual P.I.E.F.E.S.T. in San Mateo, CA was where California Volcano Observatory Scientists spent their Saturday on April 11.

April Science You Can Use newsletter features wildfire risk mitigation research from USGS and collaborators

By edietrich@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 20, 2026.

The US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station publishes a monthly newsletter, Science You Can Use, that summarizes current scientific research for land managers. This month's newsletter features multiple components of the wildfire mitigation research completed by the interdisciplinary Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team. Read the newsletter and learn more about WiRē through the links below.

No longer in the dark: Shining a light on Yellowstone’s hydrothermal explosions

By mpoland@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 19, 2026.

Determining the ages of hydrothermal explosions in Yellowstone is difficult because traditional dating methods often don’t work on those deposits. But an emerging application of a technique called luminescence dating literally sheds new light on this important problem.

Protecting Tennessee’s Native Bass Heritage

By dchilds@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 19, 2026.

USGS researchers at the Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (TNCFRU), The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), Tennessee Tech University (TTU), and bass anglers are working together to address an emerging conservation challenge: the spread of invasive Alabama bass (Micropterus henshalli) into Tennessee waters.

Amphibian Week with USGS: Science for Healthy Habitats

By sally_house@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 17, 2026.

Amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians) are key contributors to healthy ecosystems and important indicators of environmental change. During Amphibian Week, the USGS is highlighting how long-term science is helping us understand amphibian declines and support conservation across the nation.  Attend our webinar or one of our local events for more amphibian fun!

USGS Investigates Groundwater Drought Metrics Across the United States

By krossos@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 17, 2026.

In a pioneering study led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), researchers analyzed groundwater levels across the conterminous United States to see how certain drought metrics, like severity and duration, change over time. 

Volcano Watch — Fountains and festivities: Kīlauea erupts episode 44 as Merrie Monarch begins

By kmulliken@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 16, 2026.

As Hilo was bustling with activity for the Merrie Monarch Festival, Kīlauea was brewing for episode 44 of lava fountaining, which happened for 8.5 hours on the day that the renowned hula competition began. 

New research shows prehistoric lake contributed to the birth of the Grand Canyon

By seth_amgott@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 16, 2026.

RESTON, Va. — A new collaborative study led by the U.S. Geological Survey provides strong evidence that the Grand Canyon was carved out by spillover flooding from ancient Lake Bidahochi, a large lake fed by the ancestral Colorado River.  The lake’s eventual spillover likely helped establish the course of the Colorado River.

What Duck Movement Tells Us About Bird Flu Risk

By dchilds@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 16, 2026.

Researchers at the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit are examining the short-distance movements birds make outside of migration. The researchers found these birds travel a lot less in areas with human activity, likely because they're able to more easily find shelter, food, and water.

Photo & Video Chronology — April 14, 2026 — Resolving HVO monitoring network outage

By kmulliken@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 15, 2026.

On Saturday, April 11, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) noted an outage of its radio telemetry network, resulting in the loss of multiple monitoring data streams. HVO field engineers rectified the problem—a damaged radio—on April 14, 2026, and affected volcano monitoring data streams have been restored.

Fate of barrier islands facing rising seas tied to underwater shape, new models show

By ppearsall@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 15, 2026.

Barrier islands—long, narrow strips of sand that line many coasts around the world—serve as a first line of defense against storms and rising seas. These dynamic landforms are heavily influenced by wind and waves, and new research suggests that seafloor features just offshore of barrier islands may play a bigger role in their survival than previously understood. 

USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day 2026: Healthy Wildlife, Enduring Traditions

By kmalpeli@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 15, 2026.

Healthy wildlife on land and in water sustain rich biodiversity that allows ecosystems across the nation to thrive. The USGS works to advance wildlife health science.

Congratulations to Tobyn Rhodes for Winning the Spring 2026 Something Fishy Photo Contest!

By nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 14, 2026.

We are excited to announce Tobyn Rhodes as the winner of this issue’s photo contest! 

Our Research on a Tire Chemical and its Impact on Fish Featured in LakeLine Magazine

By nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 14, 2026.

We are excited to announce that our work on 6PPD, a toxic chemical used in nearly all vehicle tires, was recently featured in the Fall 2025 issue of LakeLine Magazine

How do we cope when the ocean has a sick day? Scientists at WFRC Study How to Manage Marine Disease Outbreaks

By nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 14, 2026.

USGS WFRC Scientists participate in a groundbreaking special issue informing marine disease management strategies.

As Invasive Mussels Reach West, WFRC Scientists Help Evaluate the Risks they Pose to Washington’s Hatcheries

By nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 14, 2026.

Invasive quagga mussels were recently found in the greater Columbia River basin. Our scientists are working with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine which of their fish hatcheries are at greatest risk of invasion and what can be done to mitigate the impacts. 

Restoring Pinto Abalone in Washington’s Waters

By nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 14, 2026.

After decades of population decline, Washington State’s pinto abalone recovery program is making meaningful progress. With the first-ever population uptick observed at a long‑term survey site, scientists are cautiously optimistic about the species’ path toward recovery.

Director's Message: Upcoming Renovation and Relocation of the Columbia River Research Laboratory

By nandita_kohli@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 14, 2026.

Western Fisheries Research Center staff in the Columbia River Gorge are moving to a new facility! 

Nighttime Imaging Grows Landsat’s Science Value

By jlawson@contractor.usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 13, 2026.

For more than 50 years, Landsat has imaged Earth’s land and near-shore surfaces as the satellites descend in midmorning orbit, when daily sunlight is optimal. That’s just what they’ve always done. 

Currently, Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 circle the globe while also making better use of their ascending paths, peering into the darkness for special requests.

The 2024 YVO annual report has just exploded from the presses!

By mpoland@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 12, 2026.

In 2024, Yellowstone experienced a year of contrasts.  Hydrothermal explosions dominated the headlines, but in terms of seismicity and ground deformation it was a quiet year.

April 11, 2026—HVO monitoring network outage

By mzoeller@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 11, 2026.

On Saturday, April 11, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) noted an outage of its radio telemetry network, resulting in the loss of multiple monitoring data streams. HVO is working to rectify the problem as soon as possible, and staff continue tracking several unaffected data streams to maintain watch over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.

Research shows Chesapeake Bay streams are getting saltier

By mnewbrough@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 10, 2026.

Bay Journal — by Lauren Hines-Acosta — April 10, 2026

Media Advisory: USGS Announces Low-Level Flights to Image Geology and Aquifers in Southwest Michigan

By jason_burton@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 10, 2026.

In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the U.S. Geological Survey is announcing the start of a low-level airborne project in Southwest Michigan. Your assistance in informing the local communities is appreciated.

Upcoming CDI Monthly Meetings

By lhsu@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 10, 2026.

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

Photo & Video Chronology — April 9, 2026 — Kīlauea summit episode 44

By kmulliken@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 09, 2026.

Episode 44 of lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea took place on April 9, 2026. Southerly/southwesterly winds resulted in the plume being transported in the north/northeast direction, resulting in tephra falling in areas of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, on Highway 11 nearby, and on communities near the summit of Kīlauea. 

Volcano Watch — Caldera clues: tephra deposits from Kīlauea’s past

By kmulliken@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 09, 2026.

Past “Volcano Watch” articles have summarized the episodic lava fountaining eruptions in Kīlauea’s recent history—within the past couple hundred years. A look further back in the geologic record reveals that several lava fountaining eruptions similar to the ongoing one in Halemaʻumaʻu occurred within Kīlauea caldera within the past 500 years. 

New open access articles on Mauna Loa 2022 eruption

By kmulliken@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 08, 2026.

Recent publications in a special Bulletin of Volcanology volume, titled, "Mauna Loa 2022 – Unrest, Eruption, and Outreach at the World’s Largest Volcano," present multidisciplinary studies of Mauna Loa investigating magma storage and ascent, summit and rift zone dynamics, and fissure and lava flow processes and hazard assessments. Several of these papers are open access and available online.

Alaska Park Science: USGS and National Park Service Partners in Research

By lmcduffie@usgs.gov from All News. Published on Apr 08, 2026.

The latest issue of Alaska Park Science features articles on collaborative research between USGS and NPS scientists in park units across Alaska, building a body of science that informs a variety of disciplines as well as park management.

USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day: Implications of highly pathogenic avian influenza to ecosystem health

By sally_house@ios.doi.gov from All News. Published on Apr 07, 2026.

We are proud to celebrate the 2nd Annual USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day on Friday, April 24, 2026. As the lead federal agency for wildlife disease research and surveillance, USGS connects the dots between animal health, human health, and the outdoor traditions that communities across the country hold dear. Join us on Friday, April 24th for a wildlife health-focused Friday's Findings webinar!

 

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