“Decision-support systems can be used to help synthesize, visualize, and analyze the natural-science and socioeconomic information needed for making risk-reduction and land-use choices.”
“This large Burmese python, weighing 162 pounds and more than 15 feet long at the time of its capture in 2009, was caught alive in the Everglades and was found to have eaten an American alligator that measured about 6 feet in length.” Quoted from the USGS media gallery.
In the Mississippi River Delta Plain, there are large expanses of floating marsh. This unique ecosystem is dominated by a variety of grasses and forbs, which can create a buoyant mat that floats on a layer of water. How these marshes form and some of their unique features are described.
“Fountain Stream is one of the largest rivers draining Malaspina Glacier. The changes in this river over the past 120 years provides an example of how glacial retreat can starve rivers of sediment and lead to erosion downstream, and an example of the complex changes that can result from climate change.”
” The storm we watched eroded 10 feet of forest floor. Beneath the tree roots, we could see the remains of beaches formed only a few decades ago, when a surplus of sand was still flowing from the glacier.” Quoted from the case study.
After a storm, the signs of rapid coastal erosion are especially obvious. Here, spruce roots trail uselessly down to the beach, where the dirt has been washed away beneath them. Coastal Erosion Slideshow
“After the recent great quakes that have swept away entire coastlines and cities in Japan, Haiti and Sumatra, scientists are now looking hard at the nation that may suffer the gravest threat of all: Bangladesh.”
We thought that this was an excellent video. Did you know that a magnitude 8 earthquake caused the Brahmaputra River to change course? Have you ever seen a human powered drill rig – made from bamboo – that can complete a 300 foot-deep well in one day?
A powerful storm moving across the Bering Sea has brought 80 mph winds to the western Alaska coastline and is expected to cause storm surges of over ten feet.
“California beach towns could face hefty economic losses caused by sea level rise in the next century, according to a new state-commissioned study conducted by economists at San Francisco State University.” Quoted from the San Francisco State University news release.
“This video describes causes of wetland loss in the Mississippi River Delta. Rapid land subsidence due to sediment compaction and dewatering increases the rate of submergence in this deltaic system.” Quoted from the USGS video release.
Some members of Congress recommend opening portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the outer continental shelf for oil and natural gas drilling as a way to create jobs and cut the deficit.
Pre- and post-storm photo comparisons between Cape Lookout, NC and Oregon Inlet, NC. ”
The barrier island coast between Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras has a very different orientation than the coast between Cape Hatteras and Oregon Inlet; in fact, together, they form nearly a right angle. This difference in orientation has contributed to differences in impact on each coast during the passage of Hurricane Irene.” Quoted from the USGS news release.
This fall the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will consider legislation that will allow the leasing of 3 million acres for offshore exploration off the coast of Virginia.
“Seventy-five percent of the world’s coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures. Most threats arise from local sources, which currently threaten more than 60% of coral reefs. Local threats include impacts from fishing, coastal development, and pollution. The percent of threatened reefs will increase to more than 90% by 2030 and to nearly all reefs by 2050.” Quote from USA.gov.
“This video podcast looks at the science behind understanding coastal vulnerability and hazards posed by extreme storms. It documents how USGS scientists study the response of coastal environments to the extreme winds, waves, and currents brought by such storms.” Quoted from the USGS video release.
“This process of longshore transport is responsible for moving sediment up and down coastlines. It can sometimes lead to the development of barrier islands and spits—thin strips of beach that generally form parallel to the mainland.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
“The ebb and flow of the ocean tides, generally thought to be one of the most predictable forces on Earth, are actually quite variable over long time periods, in ways that have not been adequately accounted for in most evaluations of prehistoric sea level changes.” Quoted from the Oregon State University news release.
“The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is engaged in a research project of national scope to measure, report, and interpret historical shoreline change along open-ocean coasts of the United States. One of the primary goals of this project is to understand shoreline change hazards using methods that are comparable from one area of the country to another and that will allow for future, repeatable analyses of shoreline movement, coastal erosion, and land loss.” Quoted from the USGS Fact Sheet.
“Coastal erosion is a widespread process along most open-ocean shores of the United States that affects both developed and natural coastlines. As the coast changes, there are a wide range of ways that change can affect coastal communities, habitats, and the physical characteristics of the coast—including beach erosion, shoreline retreat, land loss, and damage to infrastructure. Global climate change will likely increase the rate of coastal change.” Quoted from the USGS Factsheet.
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