The area north of the Arctic Circle has an estimated 90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, 1,670 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable natural gas, and 44 billion barrels of technically recoverable natural gas liquids in 25 geologically defined areas thought to have potential for petroleum.

The U.S. Geological Survey assessment released today is the first publicly available petroleum resource estimate of the entire area north of the Arctic Circle.

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These resources account for about 22 percent of the undiscovered, technically recoverable resources in the world. The Arctic accounts for about 13 percent of the undiscovered oil, 30 percent of the undiscovered natural gas, and 20 percent of the undiscovered natural gas liquids in the world. About 84 percent of the estimated resources are expected to occur offshore. 

"Before we can make decisions about our future use of oil and gas and related decisions about protecting endangered species, native communities and the health of our planet, we need to know what's out there," said USGS Director Mark Myers. "With this assessment, we're providing the same information to everyone in the world so that the global community can make those difficult decisions."   

Of the estimated totals, more than half of the undiscovered oil resources are estimated to occur in just three geologic provinces - Arctic Alaska, the Amerasia Basin, and the East Greenland Rift Basins. On an oil-equivalency basis, undiscovered natural gas is estimated to be three times more abundant than oil in the Arctic. More than 70 percent of the undiscovered natural gas is estimated to occur in three provinces - the West Siberian Basin, the East Barents Basins, and Arctic Alaska.

The USGS Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal is part of a project to assess the global petroleum basins using standardized and consistent methodology and protocol. This approach allows for an area's petroleum potential to be compared to other petroleum basins in the world. The USGS worked with a number of international organizations to conduct the geologic analyses of these Arctic provinces.

Technically recoverable resources are those producible using currently available technology and industry practices. For the purposes of this study, the USGS did not consider economic factors such as the effects of permanent sea ice or oceanic water depth in its assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources. The USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources. 

Exploration for petroleum has already resulted in the discovery of more than 400 oil and gas fields north of the Arctic Circle. These fields account for approximately 40 billion barrels of oil, more than 1,100 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 8.5 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. Nevertheless, the Arctic, especially offshore, is essentially unexplored with respect to petroleum.

To learn more about the USGS Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal and to see results of the assessment, please visit http://energy.usgs.gov/arctic.

For a podcast interview about the USGS Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal, listen to episode 55 of CoreCast at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/.

A video, maps, photos and a briefing paper on carbon-capture farming are available at the USGS California Water Science Center Web site at http://ca.water.usgs.gov/news/ReleaseJuly23_2008.html.  

Imagine a new kind of farming in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta - "carbon-capture" farming, which traps atmospheric carbon dioxide and rebuilds lost soils. 

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the University of California, Davis plan to make it happen. 

DWR has awarded USGS and UC Davis a three-year, $12.3 million research grant to take the concept of carbon-capture farming to full-scale in a scientifically and environmentally sound way. 

Long-standing farming practices in the Delta expose fragile peat soils to wind, rain and cultivation, emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) and cause land subsidence. To capture or contain the carbon, farmers would "grow" wetlands. In doing so, they would begin to rebuild the Delta's unique peat soils, take CO₂ out of the atmosphere, ease pressure on the Delta's aging levees and infuse the region with new economic potential.

Carbon-capture farming works as CO₂ is taken out of the air by plants such as tules and cattails. As the plants die and decompose, they create new peat soil, building the land surface over time.

The USGS and DWR have already partnered on a pilot project that shows the promise of carbon-capture farming. On deeply subsided Twitchell Island in the western Delta, USGS scientists recorded elevation gains of more than 10 inches from 1997 to 2005 on two seven-acre test plots as cattails, tules and other plants grew, died and decomposed. The process leaves behind roots and plant remnants that compact into a material similar to what formed the peat soils initially.

Construction on the new wetlands, covering approximately 400 acres on a western Delta island, is scheduled to start in the spring of 2009. 

"This project is an investment in California's future that could reap multiple benefits over several decades - for California, the nation and the world," said Dr. Roger Fujii, the project director and Bay-Delta program chief for the USGS California Water Science Center. "It will build on the results of the ongoing Twitchell Island Pilot Project and assess on a large scale the ability of re-established wetlands on Delta peat islands to sequester carbon, reverse subsidence and provide an economically sustainable land-use practice."

"UC Davis scientists will play a major role in this project. We'll be providing the scientific expertise necessary to gain a better understanding of the factors controlling carbon capture in these re-established wetlands," said Dr. William Horwath, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources and the James G. Boswell Endowed Chair in Soil Sciences. 

Added David Mraz, chief of DWR's Delta-Suisun Marsh Office, "The developing carbon market holds great promise for regaining land elevation in the Delta. It could provide sustainable farming opportunities for Delta farmers and an economic incentive to sustain the existing Delta levee system."

Throughout the Delta, oxidation of the soils from farming practices has resulted in land-surface subsidence - a steady loss of elevation. As a result, most of the farmed Delta islands are more than 20 feet below the surrounding waterways and are permanently protected by levees.

The falling land surface threatens the stability of the region's levees, which in turn protect the Delta's rich agricultural lands and the conveyance of much of California's water supplies. Water flowing through the Delta's levee-protected farmland provides fresh water to more than 25 million Californians and millions of acres of farmland in the Central Valley.

The research will develop wetland management approaches that maximize carbon sequestration and subsidence reversal. It will also evaluate and seek to minimize other potential environmental consequences, such as how to effectively manage any changes in mosquito populations.

Thomas F. Lahr, deputy associate chief biologist for information at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has been named 2007 Federal Librarian of the Year by the Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC) of the Library of Congress.

Lahr, who serves as a senior manager in the USGS Biological Informatics Program, has led the development of new ways to integrate and deliver information and has initiated and maintained USGS public and private partnerships with a wide variety of organizations.

The announcement came on June 23, when FLICC recognized all its winners of national awards for federal librarianship. The awards identify the many innovative ways that federal libraries, librarians and library technicians fulfill the information demands of government, business, scholarly communities, the American public, and citizens worldwide.

His leadership role in many activities of the Commerce, Energy, NASA, Defense Information (CENDI) Managers Group was noted by FLICC, including his important contributions to the development of the Science.gov Alliance, the Web-based system for providing reliable information about science and technology from a wide range of U.S. government organizations. As co-chair of the Alliance, Lahr oversaw the site's expansion, funding and content development.

His participation in international organizations, such as the International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI), was also highlighted.  During 2007, Lahr led an ICSTI project to develop an international science portals forum and create momentum for what is now known as WorldWideScience.org, the global science gateway. Modeled after Science.gov, WorldWideScience.org makes the best databases and information from organizations around the world all searchable via a single query. 

 "We're so pleased and proud that Tom has gained this honor," said Sue Haseltine, the USGS Associate Director for Biology. "It's a tribute to his considerable talents and hard work that also speaks highly of the efforts of so many of the information professionals he works with at USGS, other government agencies and numerous organizations around the globe."

Before coming to the USGS in 1995, Lahr's distinguished federal career has included senior information management posts with the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Defense 

Lahr received his B.A. in American History in 1977 from Catholic University, Washington, DC, and his M.S.L.S. in Library and Information Science in 1978, also from Catholic University. His many other honors and awards include Meritorious Service Award (Department of the Interior), Unit Award for Excellence of Service (Department of Interior), Cooperative External Achievement Award (NASA), and multiple special act or special achievement awards. His academic honors include membership in Pi Gamma Mu (the social science honor society) and Phi Alpha Theta (the history honor society). 

FLICC will honor Lahr and its other award winners at the 25th Annual FLICC Forum on Federal Information Policies on September 12 at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. At that time, the winners will formally receive their awards from the Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington.

FLICC fosters excellence in federal library and information services through interagency cooperation. Created in 1965 and headquartered at the Library of Congress, FLICC makes recommendations on federal library and information policies, programs, and procedures to federal agencies and to others concerned with libraries and information centers.

USGS is the scientific agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior and is headquartered in Reston, Va. The mission of the USGS Biological Informatics Program is to create the informatics framework, provide the scientific content, and develop the public and private partnerships needed for the understanding and stewardship of our nation's biological resources.

Anchorage, AK - Okmok Volcano in Alaska continues to produce explosions and ash plumes through a newly created vent and poses hazards to air travel in the area.

Scientists are using a combination of seismic and GPS instruments on the ground and weather and radar satellites in space to track the progress of the eruption. Human visual observations are limited because airborne ash obscures a view of what is happening inside the volcano's 6-mile-diameter caldera and the area is too hazardous to enter.

"We are dealing with a scientific challenge because the volcano went from very quiet to a large eruption, putting ash to high altitudes with almost no warning," said John Power, Acting Scientist in Charge of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO).

The powerful eruption in the Eastern Aleutian Islands began unexpectedly on July 12, sending up a wet, ash and gas-rich plume that reached an altitude of 50,000 ft above sea level. Heavy ash fall occurred on eastern Umnak Island. A dusting of ash fell in the busy fishing community of Unalaska, 65 miles northeast of Okmok volcano. The ash plume soon spanned several hundred miles across the North Pacific, causing many trans-Pacific flights to be diverted and cancellation of flights to the Dutch Harbor airport. The gas cloud from the eruption is now over Montana.

The eruption also destroyed or damaged seismic and deformation sensing equipment at two monitoring stations. A third station has lost its communication pathway due to destruction at the other two. Seismic equipment relays earthquake information and GPS equipment is used in monitoring the deformation of the ground surface in response to magma movement. Seven seismic stations are still operational and seismicity has gradually decreased in intensity since the initial eruption.

At a minimum, activity at Okmok is likely to continue for days or weeks. Strong gas-driven explosions can produce rock ballistics or larger volcanic debris that can be hurled beyond the crater rim of the volcanic caldera, potentially landing in surrounding areas several miles away. Fast moving clouds of ash, larger debris, and hot gas can form and flow across the caldera floor, rise up over the caldera wall and continue to flow down Okmok's flanks. Rain mixed with ash could create mudflows and rapid flooding along island drainages. As soon as conditions allow, AVO scientists will travel to the volcano in order to document and understand the sudden onset of explosive activity and repair damage to monitoring equipment.

The Okmok caldera formed during catastrophic eruptions 12,000 and 2,000 years ago. There are about a dozen cones within the modern caldera that formed in the last 2000 years, and the most recent eruptive activity occurred in 1945, 1958 and 1997. One violent eruption of Okmok in 1817 produced many feet of ash and "scoria" rock debris on the northeastern caldera rim, as well as ash fall on Unalaska Island and floods that buried an Aleut village at Cape Tanak on the northeast Bering Sea Coast of Umnak Island.

USGS is responsible for issuing timely warnings of potential volcanic disasters to affected communities and civil authorities.

Information about the current eruption of Okmok Volcano, including activity statements, images, background materials, and related hazards can be found at the AVO home page and the AVO Okmok Activity web page.

The Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Okmok Volcano, Umnak Island, Alaska is available.

AVO is a partnership of USGS, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

Endangered black-footed ferrets, like children, aren't exactly lining up to be stuck with a vaccine, but in an effort to help control an extensive outbreak of plague in South Dakota, some of the ferrets are getting dosed with a vaccine given by biologists.

This is the first time the vaccine has been used during a major plague epizootic—an animal version of a human epidemic. Sylvatic plague is an infectious bacterial disease usually transmitted from animal to animal by fleas. This exotic disease is usually deadly for black-footed ferrets and their primary prey, prairie dogs. Black-footed ferrets are one of the rarest mammals in North America.

In mid-May, the Centers for Disease Control confirmed sylvatic plague in black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the Conata Basin area of Buffalo Gap National Grasslands in southwestern South Dakota. As of late June, about 9,000 acres of prairie dog habitat — including colonies occupied by vulnerable black-footed ferrets — have been infected by the disease, according to U.S. Forest Service mapping. Black-tailed prairie dogs are also being reconsidered for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Ferret population surveys in the fall of 2007, before the outbreak, indicated at least 290 ferrets lived in the Conata Basin ferret reintroduction area. Some of the plague-impacted prairie-dog colonies were occupied by ferrets, but researchers do not know yet how many ferrets have died from the outbreak. Scientists report that in the past, such outbreaks have wiped out entire colonies of prairie dogs and the black-footed ferrets that depended on them for food.

To help increase ferret survival during this outbreak, biologists are vaccinating wild ferrets to provide immunity if they become exposed to plague. The plague vaccine was developed for humans by the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease and is being tested and modified for animals at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) in Madison, Wisc.

Ferret getting vaccinated at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (courtesy USGS)

Spraying insecticide in prairie-dog colony (courtesy USFWS)

Black-footed ferret poking its head out of a prairie-dog burrow (courtesy USFWS)

"Although the plague vaccine is still experimental in wildlife, we hope its use during this epizootic will protect as many ferrets as we can capture in the field and boost ferret survival during this critical period," said USGS NWHC Research Chief Dr. Christopher Brand.

Prairie Wildlife biologists working with the federal agencies have captured and vaccinated 40 black-footed ferrets since the outbreak began, said Scott Larson with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who is coordinating measures to conserve ferrets among the federal agencies.

Dr. Tonie Rocke, the lead researcher at the USGS NWHC testing the vaccine for animals, said the vaccine is administered to prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets through an initial shot and a booster about a month later. She noted that the NWHC is working on a separate oral vaccine for prairie dogs that can be put into bait and delivered in the field without having to handle the animals, a process that is time-consuming.

Another strategy to control plague outbreaks is to apply insecticide that will reduce the flea populations in the prairie dog colonies that are important to black-footed ferrets, but that have not yet experienced plague die-offs.

Dr. Dean Biggins, a research ecologist and black-footed ferret expert at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center in Colorado, is collaborating with the NWHC to investigate the combined efficacy of dusting burrows with insecticide and vaccinating animals in the field. "We've had experience with burrow dusting in other areas, and we know dusting protects both species from plague during these outbreaks," Biggins said.

Field tests, said Biggins, showed that the combination of burrow dusting and experimental vaccine protected black-footed ferrets in Montana during a time of low-level plague mortality in the area.

"What we're trying to do in South Dakota is assess the protectiveness of the vaccine for prairie dogs and ferrets during a full-blown eruption of plague that is causing high mortality in the prairie dog population," Biggins said. About 75 prairie dogs were experimentally vaccinated in 2007 in South Dakota, and vaccination is continuing in 2008.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service are working together to lessen the impacts of this outbreak, as are private organizations such as Prairie Wildlife Research and conservation groups, including World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Prairie Dog Coalition.

The same bacterium that affects ferrets, prairie dogs, and other rodents, is also responsible for human cases of plague. The disease is transmitted from animals to humans by bites of infected fleas, but it can be cured with antibiotics if treatment is prompt. About 5 to 15 people are infected by plague each year, and it is not unusual to have some human fatalities as a result. Last November, a National Park Service biologist contracted plague from a cougar and died.

Young Chinook Salmon should be able to grow and develop in the waters of Upper Klamath Lake and the Williamson River, according to a new study. That could be the first step in a journey back to ancestral waters for fall-run Chinook salmon.

Researchers found that water-quality conditions in those bodies of water appear adequate for the physiological development of the salmon. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Oregon State University. The study examined Iron Gate Hatchery fall-run Chinook salmon, which are a potential candidate for reintroduction.

Chinook salmon historically occupied Upper Klamath Lake and the tributaries that flow into it.  However, anadromous fish like Chinook salmon that live part of their lives in the ocean and part in fresh water have not had access to these waters since 1918. That was the year the first Klamath River hydroelectric dam was completed.

"Biologists were concerned about the effects of decades of habitat loss and declining water quality on the fish," said USGS scientist Alec Maule. "We wanted to determine how Chinook salmon would respond physiologically to being reintroduced to their ancestral waters after being absent for almost 90 years."

The biologists studied how current water-quality conditions impacted young Chinook smolts that were kept in netpens in Upper Klamath Lake and in the Williamson River. Smolts are young fish that develop a readiness to migrate to the sea. The researchers found water quality to be conducive to salmon development and survival during the study.  They also found no vulnerability to disease that would preclude or impair these young fish from properly developing in the areas where the tests occurred.

"This study is an important first step and will help state, federal and Tribal fish managers in their efforts to eventually restore anadromous fish to Upper Klamath Lake and tributaries," said FWS field supervisor Phil Detrich. "The findings suggest that conditions in Upper Klamath Lake and the Williamson River are sufficient to support the physiological development of this native fish."

Read the study, which was conducted in October 2005 and May 2006. A copy may also be obtained from the media contacts above.

__________________________

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov/.

Listen to a podcast interview with Dr. Barnett Rattner in Episode 54 of the USGS CoreCast.

Millions of pounds of lead used in hunting, fishing and shooting sports wind up in the environment each year and can threaten or kill wildlife, according to a new scientific report.

Lead is a metal with no known beneficial role in biological systems, and its use in gasoline, paint, pesticides, and solder in food cans has nearly been eliminated. Although lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting in 1991, its use in ammunition for upland hunting, shooting sports, and in fishing tackle remains common.

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While noting that more information is needed on some aspects of the impact of lead on wildlife, the authors said that numerous studies already documented adverse effects to wildlife, especially waterbirds and scavenging species, like hawks and eagles. Lead exposure from ingested lead shot, bullets, and fishing sinkers also has been reported in reptiles, and studies near shooting ranges have shown evidence of lead poisoning in small mammals.

Frequently used upland hunting fields may have as much as 400,000 shot per acre. Individual shooting ranges may receive as much as 1.5 to 23 tons of lead shot and bullets annually, and outdoor shooting ranges overall may use more than 80,000 tons of lead shot and bullets each year. Although precise estimates are not available for lead fishing tackle in the environment, about 4,382 tons of lead fishing sinkers are sold each year in the United States.

The most significant hazard to wildlife is through direct ingestion of spent lead shot and bullets, lost fishing sinkers and tackle, and related fragments, or through consumption of wounded or dead prey containing lead shot, bullets or fragments, emphasized USGS contaminants experts Drs. Barnett Rattner and Chris Franson. The two scientists are lead authors of The Wildlife Society (TWS) technical report and co-authors with five other experts of a recent Fisheries article on the same subject.

"Science is replete with evidence that ingestion of spent ammunition and fishing tackle can kill birds," Rattner said. "The magnitude of poisoning in some species such as waterfowl, eagles, California condors, swans and loons, is daunting. For this reason, on July 1, 2008, the state of California put restrictions on the use of lead ammunition in parts of the range of the endangered California condor because the element poses such a threat to this endangered species." Lead poisoning causes behavioral, physiological, and biochemical effects, and often death. The rate of mortality is high enough to affect the populations of some wildlife species. Although fish ingest sinkers, jigs, and hooks, mortality in fish seems to be related to injury, blood loss, exposure to air and exhaustion rather than the lead toxicity that affects warm-blooded species.

Although lead from spent ammunition and lost fishing tackle is not readily released into aquatic and terrestrial systems, under some environmental conditions it can slowly dissolve and enter groundwater, making it potentially hazardous for plants, animals, and perhaps even people if it enters water bodies or is taken up in plant roots. For example, said Rattner, dissolved lead can result in lead contamination in groundwater near some shooting ranges and at heavily hunted sites, particularly those hunted year after year.

Research on lead poisoning related to spent ammunition and lost fishing tackle has been focused on bird species, with at least two studies indicating that the ban on the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl in North America has been successful in reducing lead exposure in waterfowl, the report said. The authors found that upland game — such as doves and quail — and scavenging birds — such as vultures and eagles — continue to be exposed to lead shot, putting some populations (condors in particular) at risk of lead poisoning.

Some states have limited the use of lead shot in upland areas to minimize such effects, and others are considering such restrictions. Environmentally safe alternatives to lead shot and sinkers exist and are available in North America and elsewhere, but use of these alternatives is not widespread, according to the report.

The authors of the report concluded that a better understanding of the toxicity and amount of lead poisoning in reptiles and aquatic birds related to fishing tackle is needed, as well as more information on the hazards of spent ammunition and mobilized lead at or near shooting ranges. In addition, the authors suggested that a more detailed knowledge of how lead shot and fishing tackle specifically affect wildlife here and in other countries is essential, as well as studies that evaluate the effects on wildlife health and ecosystems of regulations restricting the amount of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle.

This technical review was authored by contaminant experts at the request of TWS and the American Fisheries Society (AFS). Such reviews synthesize available information and research on a particular topic.  In this case, TWS and AFS sought to address the scientific data on the hazard and risk of lead in hunting, shooting sports, and fishing activities to fulfill their conservation missions.

To obtain a copy of the technical review report, "Sources and Implications of Lead-Based Ammunition and Fishing Tackle on Natural Resources," visit The Wildlife Society. Read more from the American Fisheries Society article (PDF) on the known and potential impacts of lead in shooting and fishing.

Radiograph of immature bald eagle containing numerous lead shot in its digestive tract (Jacobson et al. 1977). (courtesy of Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association)	Lead shot in the fall zone at the Broadkiln Sportsman’s Club (quarter-coin for scale). (courtesy of Daniel J. Soeder, USGS)	Brown pelican stomach with ingested jig head, hooks, and line. (courtesy of Scott Hansen, USGS)
Fishing weights and line from a trumpeter swan gizzard. (courtesy of J. Christian Franson, USGS)	Bullet jacket fragment from bald eagle stomach. (courtesy of Paul Soler, USFWS)

Spring nutrient delivery from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin to the northern Gulf of Mexico is estimated to be among the highest in the last three decades.  

Nutrient delivery, particularly during the months of April through June, has been identified as one of the primary factors controlling the size of the hypoxic zone that forms during the summer in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf hypoxic zone is an area where oxygen levels drop too low to support most life in bottom and near-bottom waters. Estimated nutrient contributions from October 2007 through June 2008 are available at http://toxics.usgs.gov/hypoxia/mississippi/oct_jun/index.html.

The large nutrient contributions are primarily due to near record-breaking streamflows this spring (April through June) in the Mississippi River Basin. Streamflows were about 50 percent higher this year compared to the long-term spring average flows since about 1980. Nutrient contributions for a given spring vary depending on the amount of flow in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin, as well as average stream water nutrient concentrations.    

Contributions of phosphorus to the Gulf of Mexico are estimated to be the highest for the USGS record since the 1980s. Total phosphorus (83,000 tons) and dissolved orthophosphate (26,000 tons) are about 60 and 85 percent higher than the long-term spring average for the nearly 30-year period.

Similarly, nitrogen contributions to the Gulf of Mexico from April through June are estimated to be about 35 to 40 percent higher than the long-term spring average since the early 1980s. Contributions for total nitrogen and dissolved nitrate during the three months are estimated to be about 817,000 and 578,000 tons, respectively.

USGS releases preliminary estimates of monthly nutrient fluxes from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico in early July each year for the previous nine months (October through June). These estimates are used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other researchers for modeling the areal extent of the hypoxic zone.

Final USGS nutrient fluxes are based on streamflows and nutrient information for the full water year (through September 2008), and will be available in 2009 after data are finalized. Nutrient fluxes for previous years are available at http://toxics.usgs.gov/hypoxia/mississippi/nutrient_flux_yield_est.html.

USGS has monitored streamflow and water quality in the Mississippi River Basin for decades. More information on the monitoring network used to estimate total delivery of flow and nutrients to the Gulf; dataset preparation steps; and nutrient flux estimation methods are available in an online report at http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/of-2007-1080/index.html.

For more than 125 years, the USGS has monitored flow and (or) quality in selected streams and rivers across the U.S. Access data from more than 7,400 streamgages, many of which provide real-time data in 15 minute increments at http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/. For an even larger variety of USGS data, such as for ground water and water quality, access the National Water Information System Web Interface (NWISWeb), which contains over 1.5 million sites, and averages over 25 million hits per month (at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/).

In addition, USGS uses innovative geo-spatial modeling (referred to as SPARROW) to help understand relations among sources of nutrients, watershed characteristics, and resulting transport of nitrogen and phosphorus throughout the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin. http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/sparrow/gulf_findings/.

VANCOUVER, WA-  Scientists say the nearly three and a half years of eruption at Mount St. Helens is over for now and have lowered the volcano alert level from Advisory to Normal and the aviation color code from Yellow to Green. 

Mount St. Helens, which erupted violently in 1980, killing 57 people, reawakened in October 2004 when four explosions blasted steam and ash up to 10,000 feet above the crater. Scientists watched a spine of fresh hot lava pierce up through the bulging crater floor and growth of a lava dome continued until late January 2008.

"Five months have passed with no signs of renewed eruptive activity," said scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO). "Earthquakes, volcanic gas emissions, and ground deformation are all at levels seen before the eruption began."

"We know that Mount St. Helens will erupt again in the future in some mix of renewed dome building and more explosive behavior. However, at this point, we can't forecast when the next eruption will begin," said Cynthia Gardner, Scientist-in-Charge at CVO. "USGS and the University of Washington's Pacific Northwest Seismic Network will continue to monitor Mount St. Helens closely for signs of renewed activity. Scientists expect that days to weeks of warning will herald the next time Mount St. Helens ‘wakes up' for another eruption."

USGS designates the level of activity at a U.S. volcano using the terms "Normal," for typical non-eruptive behavior; "Advisory," for elevated unrest; "Watch," for escalating unrest or a minor eruption underway that poses limited hazards; and, "Warning," if a highly hazardous eruption is underway or imminent. These levels reflect conditions at a volcano and the expected or ongoing hazardous volcanic phenomena.

From October 2004 to late January 2008, about 125 million cubic yards of lava had erupted onto the crater floor to form a new dome-enough to pave seven highway lanes three feet thick from New York City to Portland, Oregon. A comparable volume had flowed out to form the 1980s lava dome. All lava erupted since 1980 has refilled about 7% of the crater, which was created by the catastrophic landslide and eruption of May 18, 1980.  

Even though the eruption has ended, some hazards persist. The new lava dome remains hot in places and capable of producing avalanches or minor explosions that could dust areas with ash up to 50 miles from the volcano. Rock fall from crater walls can produce clouds of dust that rise above the crater rim, especially during dry, windy days. Also, heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt can send small debris flows onto the Pumice Plain north of the crater.

A weekly update of the status of all Cascade volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens, can be seen at http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/cvo/current_updates.php. For more information about the 2004-2008 eruption, visit http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/Eruption04/framework.html. Alert level and aviation color code definitions can be found at http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Cascades/CurrentActivity/volcano_warning_scheme.html . Additional information about volcanoes and volcano hazards is at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/.

From New Findings on Contaminant Threats in African Dust to the Future of Coral Reefs to Coral Chemical Defenses

USGS scientists will present major research findings at the 11^th International Coral Reef Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. from July 7-11, 2008.

For more information on the symposium, please visit http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/

African Dust Poses Threat to Coral Reefs and Human Health:  Contaminants carried with African dust to the Caribbean and the Americas may be a threat to marine organisms and humans, according to preliminary results of a new study by researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon State University, and the University of the West Indies. The scientists compared contaminant levels in sources of African dust and downwind regions. Of the more than 100 persistent organic pollutants screened for in the samples, including banned and common-use pesticides, six pesticides (chlorpyrifos, dacthal, endosulfans, hexachlorobenzene, chlordane, and trifluralin) were detected in samples from all sites. Concentrations were significantly higher in Mali. DDE (a breakdown product of DDT) was also identified in Mali, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Trinidad samples. To date, DDT and carcinogenic dioxins and furans have been detected only in samples from Mali. Many of the identified contaminants are thought to be toxic to corals and other marine organisms and can interfere with reproduction, fertilization, or immune function. For more information, contact Virginia Garrison at 727-803-8747, ext. 3061 or ginger_garrison@usgs.gov.

The Emperor Has No Coral? Results of research on coral reefs in the Florida Keys reef challenge the highly popular notion that present declines in reefs in Florida and elsewhere are related to human activities. High-resolution sub-bottom profiling, reef drilling, and mapping of benthic habitats along the reef tract present a paradox in coral growth patterns: reefs that are dead or dying -- and therefore not building -- outnumber live and building reefs about 100 to 1. Yet growth rates of all common coral reef species should have kept pace with the well-documented rise in sea level over the past 6,000 years. Why did so few reefs keep pace or build up with the rise in the present sea level? Geological history may provide an answer: two 500-year periods of non-growth of coral reefs occurred in the region 4.5 thousand years ago and 3,000 years ago. These periods of non-growth indicate times of environmental crises that predated modern human presence in the Florida Keys. The present period of rapid coral demise has spanned only about 30 years. For more information, contact Eugene Shinn at 727-533-1158, eshinn@marine.usf.edu or Barbara Lidz at 727-803-8747, ext. 3031, blidz@usgs.gov.

The Future of Coral Reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Can the Two Most Important Coral Species Recover?  The Caribbean bleaching and disease event that began in the summer of 2005 caused significant  mortality of the two most important reef-building corals in the U.S. Virgin Islands -- Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral) and Montastraea annularis (star coral) complex (Macx). The ability of these corals to recover will largely determine the future seascape in the Virgin Islands. Research by U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, and Florida Institute of Technology scientists on the effects of bleaching and disease showed that M. annularis complex was more affected by bleaching and disease than Acropora palmata. After the record-high seawater temperatures in 2005, more than 98 percent of the Macx coral cover bleached, and about 90 percent of the mortality from disease also occurred on this species group, with healing of disease lesions not seen. From 2003 to 2007, researchers documented disease prevalence on A. palmata around St. John that ranged from 0 to 52 percent, with high levels of white pox and low levels of white band disease. White pox lesions often heal. In addition, A. palmata in the U.S. Virgin Islands bleached for the first time in 2005. Over the next 50 to 100 years, it appears that A. palmata has a greater potential to recover than Macx because of its higher growth rate, greater ability to colonize new areas, and lower vulnerability to bleaching and disease. The future of these major reef-building corals and of U.S. Virgin Island reefs will depend also on the connectivity between these reef zones and sources of coral larvae. For more information, contact Caroline Rogers at 340-693-8950, ext. 221, caroline_rogers@usgs.gov. Also, check out the new fact sheet on coral diseases following the massive bleaching event in 2005; it can be found at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3058/

Research Suggests Coral Bleaching Increases Likelihood of Diseases: Unusually high-water temperatures can increase the occurrence of coral disease by either influencing the concentration or virulence of disease-causing agents, or by increasing host susceptibility through bleaching. The 2005 Caribbean coral-bleaching event provided the opportunity to test the compromised-host hypothesis on two species in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Researchers found that as water temperature increased, the prevalence of disease on both bleached and unbleached coral colonies increased, and bleached A. palmata colonies suffered greater disease-associated mortality than unbleached colonies.  By November 2005, more than 98 percent of the Montastraea cover had bleached, and within 5 months, disease incidence had increased 51-fold. Although the scarcity of unbleached Montastraea colonies prohibited a comparison between bleached and unbleached colonies, disease incidence returned to pre-bleaching conditions once colonies partially recovered by July 2006. These studies support the compromised-host hypothesis by indicating that disease prevalence and severity increase when colonies bleach, at least for A. palmata and Montastraea species. For more information, contact Erinn Muller at 321-674-7323, emuller@fit.edu. Also, check out the new fact sheet on coral diseases following the massive bleaching event in 2005; it can be found at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3058/  

The Good, the Bad, and the Smelly: How do Coral Larvae Know Where to Settle? How algal species maintain dominance in degraded reef habitats is a critical question for reef resource managers. Some common reef algae, but not all, use chemical defenses to inhibit grazing by Caribbean reef fishes and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum. These chemical defenses may also influence competitive interactions between algae and corals. In this study, researchers found that chemical extracts of certain algal species could be detected (i.e., "smelled") by coral larvae, causing them to avoid settling in the area. However, not all algae are bad; some coralline (calcified) algae may act as facilitators for coral settlement.  The research also showed that individual species of corals had the highest settlement in response to different species of coralline algae, indicating that higher coralline algal diversity could potentially enhance coral recruit diversity. For more information, contact Raphael Ritson-Williams at 772-538-0495, williams@si.edu  or Ilsa Kuffner at 727-492-3886, ikuffner@usgs.gov.

Underwater Sleuthing with Deep ATRIS: A New Tool for Mapping Habitats and Animals: Although geo-positioned observations of coral reefs and nearby areas are essential to many resource-conservation, monitoring and research projects, acquiring such imagery for large areas can be expensive and time-consuming. To enhance its mapping capabilities and provide a more efficient alternative, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed the Deep Along-Track Reef-Imaging System (Deep ATRIS), a towed sensor package deployable from boats of moderate size. Deep ATRIS is a lightweight, computer-controlled, towed vehicle that is 1.3 m long with a 63-cm wing span, and an operating tow-depth limit of 27 m, extendable to 90 m. Transect lengths of 56 km can be surveyed in 6 hours. Deep ATRIS can carry a wide variety of instruments, including sensors for measuring salinity, temperature, and chlorophyll, as well as cameras. Images are displayed and archived in real time on a topside computer, along with the corresponding GPS coordinates and imaging distance. The first sea trial was conducted in a coral reef habitat within Biscayne National Park, Florida, in July 2007. Deep ATRIS can provide a wealth of important information for managers and researchers, including percent cover, species abundance and richness, and bed-form characteristics. This information is useful for characterizing essential habitat, assessing changes, monitoring the progress of restoration efforts and ground-truthing other kinds of imagery.  The images obtained from Deep ATRIS also reveal the potential for unobtrusive animal observations; fish and sea turtles seem unperturbed by the presence of the vehicle.  For more information, contact David Zawada at 727-803-8747, ext 3132, dzawada@usgs.gov.

Barium Provides Clues to Coral Reef Health on Moloka‘i, Hawaii: An increase in erosion - and therefore sediment run-off into rivers and oceans -- on the island of Moloka‘i, Hawaii, has been linked to intensification of farming, clearing of native vegetation and introduction of feral and domesticated grazing animals. Managers would like to know if and how this increased sediment is affecting coral health in the fringing reef of Moloka‘i's southern coast. It is difficult, however, to decisively demonstrate a clear link between land-use patterns and changes in coral condition. Geochemical proxy records from corals offer a technique for recording environmental changes. Since suspended sediment in river water contains minor levels of barium, USGS researchers examined the presence of this element in Moloka‘i's coral skeletons as an indicator of coral reef health. Scientists also investigated the effects of infrequent, large-scale events such as Kona Storms and modification of the coastline. Coral geochemical results show an alongshore barium presence indicative of local runoff and sediment transport from the trade winds as well as reduced barium levels due to the impediment of sediment accumulation west of the wharf.  The researchers compared these results with historical information from adjacent watersheds to compare present-day conditions with those of the past several decades.  For more information, contact Nancy Grumet Prouty at 831-427-4726, nprouty@usgs.gov or Michael Field at 831-427-4737, mfield@usgs.gov.

The Origin of Aspergillus Sydowii, a Common Disease of Caribbean Corals:  Coral reefs are increasingly suffering outbreaks of disease, causing dramatic declines in population abundance and diversity. One of the best-characterized coral diseases is aspergillosis, caused by the fungus Aspergillus sydowii. A. sydowii is a globally distributed fungus commonly found in soil, so its presence in marine systems raises questions about its origin. By using microsatellite markers, researchers analyzed the population structure of A. sydowii from diseased sea fans, diseased humans and environmental sources worldwide. The results indicate that A. sydowii forms a single global population, with low to moderate genetic differences between the disease found in sea fans and the same fungus from environmental sources. Past researchers have suggested that A. sydowii originates from African dust blown into the Caribbean, and have identified Aspergillus from dust samples, although often only to the genus level. To test this, researchers isolated fungi from dust samples collected in Mali and St. Croix. Although a diversity of fungi was documented from African dust, including seven species of Aspergillus, none of the samples contained A. sydowii. Taken in conjunction with recent molecular evidence suggesting lack of a single point source of the fungus, this research suggests  that there are likely multiple sources and introductions of this pathogen into marine systems. For more information contact Krystal Rypien at 858-534-3196, krypien@ucsd.edu or  Virginia Garrison at 727-803-8747, ext. 3061 or ginger_garrison@usgs.gov.

Growth Anomalies in Corals of the Indo-Pacific: Researchers assessed the distribution and prevalence of growth anomalies in Acropora corals from French Frigate Shoals (Hawaii), Johnston Atoll, and Tutuila (American Samoa) to better understand the disease and to develop preliminary assessments of the disease's spread in coral colonies. The study found that Acropora coral in all three regions had growth anomalies, but the distribution and prevalence was highest in American Samoa.  Growth anomalies appear to cluster on coral colonies and progress to colony death.  For example, growth anomalies on two coral colonies increased from 90 to 300 percent over 11 months of monitoring.  At the cellular level, it is unclear whether these growth anomalies are true cancers or not. For more information, contact Thierry Work at 808-792-9520, thierry_work@usgs.gov.

Coral Disease in the Remote Central Pacific: Distribution and the Importance of Proper Characterization: Coral diseases are an ever-increasing threat to coral reefs. This is clearly a concern for conservation and management of these systems and their reef associated organisms. This baseline survey was aimed at detailing the relationship between coral disease occurrence, environmental variables and coral community structure. Researchers conducted their study in the summer of 2007 at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.  They measured environmental variables and recorded growth anomalies on four coral genera (Astreopora, Montipora, Fungia and Acropora). In addition, researchers observed tissue loss on colonies of encrusting Montipora sp. This presentation will discuss how prevalence of coral disease relates to the environmental variables and coral community structure. In addition, this study and others have determined that gross and microscopic characterization of Astreopora growth anomalies is crucial in helping establish case definitions for coral disease. Knowledge of coral disease at this important wildlife refuge will aid its future monitoring and management, as well as advance the understanding of coral diseases globally. For more information, contact Gareth Williams at Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, 808-386-4784, Gareth.Williams@vuw.ac.nz or Thierry Work at 808-792-9520, Thierry_work@usgs.gov. 

Disease Characteristics of Montipora White Syndrome in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii: Coral disease is emerging as a problem in the Indo-Pacific yet little is known about the ecology of these diseases or factors that may be affecting disease levels. Montipora white syndrome (MWS) is a coral disease resulting in tissue loss that was identified in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, in 2004 but that has been documented throughout the Hawaiian archipelago. Kaneohe Bay provided a model system to examine the ecology and pathogenesis of this disease in detail.  MWS was found in all seasons of the year, as well as all regions of Kaneohe Bay but prevalence was highest in south Kaneohe Bay. Fifty-four out of 57 tagged coral colonies infected with this disease experienced progressive tissue loss ranging from 1 percent of the colony to complete mortality within one year. One-third of the colonies lost more than 90 percent of their tissues resulting in partial to complete colony collapse within one year. Researchers found that MWS stopped and re-started on individual colonies and that multiple potential causes were seen when lesions were examined under the microscope. In addition, orange morphs of Montipora capitata are more susceptible to the disease than red morphs.  For more information, contact Greta Aeby at 808 386-4784,  greta@hawaii.edu or Thierry Work at 808-792-9520, Thierry_work@usgs.gov.

Reporters: Want to interview a Tribal Skipper or scientist along the journey? Contact Jennifer or Charlie (contacts listed above). Follow the Tribal Journey's progress through press releases, maps, videos and photos by visiting www.usgs.gov/coastsalish.

The Coast Salish Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will embark on a Canoe Journey to study and improve water resources in the Salish Sea, July 8-29.

Water quality has deteriorated significantly across Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia in recent decades and threatens most nearshore and marine habitats and ecosystem functions.

This is the only year so far that a scientific component has been added to the Coast Salish Annual Tribal Journey. For the first time, water quality surveys will be simultaneously conducted behind multiple canoes to show variations in a broad area crossing international borders. This project will blend traditional knowledge of the Coast Salish People with USGS science in an effort to help improve management of ancestral waters experiencing environmental decline.

"Over the last 100 years, people have looked at our most sacred site (the Salish Sea) as a dump site," said Swinomish Chairman Brian Cladoosby. "You have everything - heavy metals, toxins, farm runoff, nonpoint pollution - and it ends up in the Salish Sea. It's up to this generation and future generations to make everyone aware of the conditions. We as Coast Salish have decided no more and we are stepping forward to restore and protect our most precious waters of the Salish Sea."

During the journey, members of western Washington Tribes and British Columbia First Nations will travel in more than 100 canoes from locations throughout Washington and British Columbia to Cowichan First Nation in Duncan, B.C. Five of those canoes will carry water-quality probes and Global Positioning System (GPS) units. Canoes are ideal because they are slow moving and do not add any toxins to the environment. The probes will measure specific water quality components including; surface-water temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, and turbidity.  The project is coordinated by the Swinomish Tribe and lead by Sarah Akin, a scientist with the Tribe for three years. USGS scientists Eric Grossman and Paul Schuster have been invited by the Coast Salish to participate as science advisors to provide technical expertise in planning and conducting the study and analyzing the data. 

"The Coast Salish have extensive traditional ecological knowledge of their environment and patterns of change across the Salish Sea," said Grossman. "This project will provide a unique opportunity to improve understanding of ongoing change to the region's ecologic and cultural resources and the processes that affect them."

The collected data will provide an informational snapshot of conditions that can be compared with future canoe journey measurements that will help Tribal, Federal, State, and local entities identify water-quality issues and ultimately manage Salish Sea resources.

Follow the Tribal Journey's progress through press releases, maps, videos and photos by visiting www.usgs.gov/coastsalish

The project is supported through the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Northwest Straits Commission, USGS and the Potlatch Fund. For information on the Coast Salish Project or to learn more about the history, peoples, and mission of the Coast Salish visit http://www.coastsalishgathering.com/.

For a podcast interview on the Tribal Journey, listen to episode 52 of CoreCast at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/.

In this edition of Science Picks, learn about an upcoming Canoe Journey to study water resources in the Salish Sea, a new USGS partnership to develop a volcano early warning system in Chile, how California sea otter populations are recovering at a slow rate and what the odds are of a 500-year flood in the Midwest. Discover what makes an old geyser faithful, a recent finding that may help explain the solar system's formation and new research on the sage-grouse's chances for survival. As Independence Day approaches, many will ask what makes the colors in fireworks so vivid. Learn the answer to this and much more! If you would like to receive Science Picks via e-mail, would like to change the recipient, or no longer want to receive it, please e-mail jrobertson@usgs.gov.

July Highlights:

• Tribal Canoe Journey to Help Restore Salish Sea Resources
• USGS to Help Chile Develop Volcano Early Warning System
• California Sea Otters: Population Recovery Continues at Slower Rate
• Two 500-Year Floods Within 15 Years: What are the Odds?
• What Makes an Old Geyser Faithful?
• One Step Closer to Understanding the Solar System's Formation
• Chances for Sage-Grouse Survival: New Model Explains Population and Habitat Trends
• What Makes the Colors in Fireworks?
• USGS Helps the Phoenix Mars Lander Safely Land
• Stalking Snakes: On the Prowl for Invasive Species
• National Treasure Expands: National Archives to Include Earth Imagery
• Water Science for Schools Now Available in Chinese
• Hair Sheds Light on Elusive Carnivores

Federal and state agencies that need satellite imagery from commercial sources will find it much easier to acquire the data through a streamlined process managed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Many federal and state agencies rely on imagery of the earth acquired by commercial satellites to conduct missions related to natural hazard response, resource management, crop monitoring and climate change studies. These agencies can now meet their requirements by working through USGS multiple-award contracts rather than individual vendor contracts, saving the agencies considerable time and money.

Five commercial satellite data contracts will enhance the variety of current satellite imagery available to federal and state agency partners by providing multi-resolution, all-weather radar and multispectral imaging capabilities. The five commercial data contracts were awarded to EADS North America of Arlington, Va.; DMC International Imaging of Surrey, United Kingdom; GeoEye of Dulles, Va.; DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colo.; and SPOT Image Corporation of Chantilly, Va.

Interested federal and state agencies may contact Sandra Lintz, (303) 236-9560 or slintz@usgs.gov, for commercial satellite data ordering and product information or to discuss their specific imagery information needs.

Additionally, all satellite data users, including the general public, will benefit from a recent USGS policy change making the entire Landsat data library available through USGS Web portals at no cost to the user. Further information about no-cost historical Landsat data products is available at http://landsat.usgs.gov/.

For additional information on USGS Land Remote Sensing, please visit http://remotesensing.usgs.gov/.

Notas: Artículo de noticias disponible en Español

The U.S. Geological Survey is partnering with the Chilean government to develop a volcano early warning and emergency response system for the country after the historic eruption of Chaitén Volcano on May 2.

Following the eruption, the USGS helped Chile to install monitoring networks at Chaitén to transmit data in real time and help warn the public of further eruptions. On June 13, the USGS signed a letter of intent with President Bachelet of Chile to help the nation establish a volcano early warning system.

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USGS to Help Chile Develop Volcano Early Warning System

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"There was virtually no instrumental monitoring at Chaitén Volcano prior to the eruption," said USGS scientist John Ewert, who noted that 5,000 residents were evacuated from areas near the volcano. "Without the monitoring, people nearby or at risk have almost no time to prepare themselves, their families or their possessions for what may be a life-altering event."

"The Chaitén Volcano is continuing to build a lava dome at a spectacular rate, to emit fine ash, and to produce lahars - rivers of mud and debris - that continue to flow through the town of Chaitén," said USGS scientist Andy Lockhart, who was on the ground at Chaitén.

Chile's volcano early warning system will be modeled after a plan the USGS released in 2005 in the United States that systematically ranks the most dangerous volcanoes and assesses monitoring gaps at each volcano.

The United States has a total of 169 potentially active volcanoes, half of which have some monitoring, and five volcano observatories nationwide. Chile has 120 potentially active volcanoes and one volcano observatory for the nation.

The work in Chile was done with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, and future work will be coordinated through the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program, a 22-year collaborative project between the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and the USGS.

"Fundamentally, we build friendships with our colleagues and partners around the world and together we are better able to mitigate these potentially dangerous events," said USGS scientist John Pallister.

Listen to episode 51 of CoreCast to hear a podcast interview with volcanologists Pallister, Ewert and Lockhart.

Dr. Matthew C. Larsen has been named Associate Director for Water of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).                         

In his Associate Director role, Dr. Larsen has programmatic responsibility for all water-related research and activities at the USGS. He will be responsible for water issues relating to flooding, water quality, drought, climate change and water availability.

Larsen has been the leader of the USGS National Research Program in hydrology in his position of Chief Scientist for Hydrology since 2005. 

"Matt has an outstanding record as a research scientist, advancing knowledge of hydrologic and landslide processes in tropical ecosystems. He has worked closely with the National Science Foundation on collaborative efforts in water research and has directed USGS hydrologic research in advancing the understanding of the impacts of climate change on hydrologic systems," said USGS Director Mark Myers. 

As USGS Caribbean District Chief, Larsen supervised water resources programs and worked with external partners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands starting in 2000. That same year he also served as a coordinator and researcher on a USGS international mission that responded to the December 1999 landslide and flashflood disaster in Venezuela.

Larsen was the Luquillo, Puerto Rico, Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budget project chief from 1991 to 2000. Prior to that, he was project chief on a USGS study of landslide hazards in eastern Puerto Rico. Larsen began his USGS career in 1977 with the Branch of Pacific and Arctic Marine Geology, Menlo Park, CA. He was a physical science technician and participated in a study of natural hazards to petroleum development in the Northern Bering Sea, Alaska.

Dr. Larsen earned a bachelor's in Geology in 1976 from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and a doctorate in Geography at the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1997. He is also the Chair of the U.S. National Committee for the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme and is the author of 66 scientific reports and journal articles.