USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Wildfire”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,117 records · Page 62Linked to original sources
USGS2013

The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Florida

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Florida, elevation data are critical for natural resources conservation; flood risk management; infrastructure and construction management; coastal zone management; sea level rise and subsidence; wildfire management, planning, and response; and other business uses. Today, high-density light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the primary sources for deriving elevation models and other datasets. Federal, State, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data that are older and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data. The National Enhanced Elevation Assessment evaluated multiple elevation data acquisition options to determine the optimal data quality and data replacement cycle relative to cost to meet the identified requirements of the user community. The evaluation demonstrated that lidar acquisition at quality level 2 for the conterminous United States and quality level 5 ifsar data for Alaska with a 6- to 10-year acquisition cycle provided the highest benefit/cost ratios.The new 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) initiative selected an 8-year acquisition cycle for the respective quality levels. 3DEP, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, the OMB Circular A–16 lead agency for terrestrial elevation data, responds to the growing need for high-quality topographic data and a wide range of other 3D representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.

Florida↗
USGS2013

Natural Hazards Science at the U.S. Geological Survey

The mission of the USGS in natural hazards is to develop and apply hazard science to help protect the safety, security, and economic well-being of the Nation. The costs and consequences of natural hazards can be enormous, and each year more people and infrastructure are at risk. The USGS conducts hazard research and works closely with stakeholders and cooperators to inform a broad range of planning and response activities at individual, local, State, national, and international levels. It has critical statutory and nonstatutory roles regarding floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, coastal erosion, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and magnetic storms. USGS science can help to understand and reduce risks from natural hazards by providing the information that decisionmakers need to determine which risk management activities are worth­while.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2013

The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Texas

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Texas, elevation data are critical for natural resources conservation; wildfire management, planning, and response; flood risk management; agriculture and precision farming; infrastructure and construction management; water supply and quality; and other business uses. Today, high-quality light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the source for creating elevation models and other elevation datasets. Federal, State, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data, on a national basis, that are (on average) 30 years old and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data. The new 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) initiative, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), responds to the growing need for high-quality topographic data and a wide range of other three-dimensional representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.

Texas↗
USGS2013

National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive

The National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive (NSLRSDA) resides at the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. Through the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, the U.S. Congress directed the Department of the Interior (DOI) to establish a permanent Government archive containing satellite remote sensing data of the Earth's land surface and to make this data easily accessible and readily available. This unique DOI/USGS archive provides a comprehensive, permanent, and impartial observational record of the planet's land surface obtained throughout more than five decades of satellite remote sensing. Satellite-derived data and information products are primary sources used to detect and understand changes such as deforestation, desertification, agricultural crop vigor, water quality, invasive plant species, and certain natural hazards such as flood extent and wildfire scars.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2013

The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Alabama

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Alabama, elevation data are critical for flood risk management; infrastructure and construction management; wildfire management, planning, and response; natural resources conservation; geologic resource assessment and hazards mitigation; and other business uses. Today, high-density light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the primary sources for deriving elevation models and other datasets. Federal, State, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data that are older and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data. The National Enhanced Elevation Assessment evaluated multiple elevation data acquisition options to determine the optimal data quality and data replacement cycle relative to cost to meet the identified requirements of the user community. The evaluation demonstrated that lidar acquisition at quality level 2 for the conterminous United States and quality level 5 ifsar data for Alaska with a 6- to 10-year acquisition cycle provided the highest benefit/cost ratios. The new 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) initiative selected an 8-year acquisition cycle for the respective quality levels. 3DEP, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16 lead agency for terrestrial elevation data, responds to the growing need for high-quality topographic data and a wide range of other 3D representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.

Alabama↗
USGS2014

The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Oregon

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of business uses, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. In the State of Oregon, elevation data are critical for river and stream resource management; forest resources management; water supply and quality; infrastructure and construction management; wildfire management, planning and response; natural resources conservation; and other business uses. Today, high-density light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the primary source for deriving elevation models and other datasets. The Oregon Lidar Consortium (OLC), led by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), has developed partnerships with Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies to acquire quality level 1 data in areas of shared interest. The goal of OLC partners is to acquire consistent, high-resolution and high-quality statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data. The National Enhanced Elevation Assessment evaluated multiple elevation data acquisition options to determine the optimal data quality and data replacement cycle relative to cost to meet the identified requirements of the user community. The evaluation demonstrated that lidar acquisition at quality level 2 for the conterminous United States and quality level 5 ifsar data for Alaska with a 6- to 10-year acquisition cycle provided the highest benefit/cost ratios. The 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) initiative selected an 8-year acquisition cycle for the respective quality levels. 3DEP, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Office of Management and Budget Circular A–16 lead agency for terrestrial elevation data, responds to the growing need for high-quality topographic data and a wide range of other 3D representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.

Oregon↗
USGS2015

Invasive Species Science Branch: research and management tools for controlling invasive species

Invasive, nonnative species of plants, animals, and disease organisms adversely affect the ecosystems they enter. Like “biological wildfires,” they can quickly spread and affect nearly all terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Invasive species have become one of the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st century in economic, environmental, and human health costs, with an estimated effect in the United States of more than $120 billion per year. Managers of the Department of the Interior and other public and private lands often rank invasive species as their top resource management problem. The Invasive Species Science Branch of the Fort Collins Science Center provides research and technical assistance relating to management concerns for invasive species, including understanding how these species are introduced, identifying areas vulnerable to invasion, forecasting invasions, and developing control methods. To disseminate this information, branch scientists are developing platforms to share invasive species information with DOI cooperators, other agency partners, and the public. From these and other data, branch scientists are constructing models to understand and predict invasive species distributions for more effective management. The branch also has extensive herpetological and population biology expertise that is applied to harmful reptile invaders such as the Brown Treesnake on Guam and Burmese Python in Florida.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2015

U.S. Geological Survey water-resources programs in New Mexico, FY 2015

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected hydrologic information in New Mexico since 1889, beginning with the first USGS streamflow-gaging station in the Nation, located on the Rio Grande near Embudo, New Mexico. Water-resources information provided by the USGS is used by many government agencies for issuing flood warnings to protect lives and reduce property damage,managing water rights and interstate water use, protecting water quality and regulating pollution discharges, designing highways and bridges, planning, designing, and operating reservoirs and watersupply facilities, monitoring the availability of groundwater resources and forecasting aquifer response to human and environmental stressors, and prioritizing areas where emergency erosion mitigation or other protective measures may be necessary after a wildfire. For more than 100 years, the Cooperative Water Program has been a highly successful cost-sharing partnership between the USGS and water-resources agencies at the State, local, and tribal levels. It would be difficult to effectively accomplish the mission of the USGS without the contributions of the Cooperative Water Program.

New Mexico↗
USGS2017

The 3D Elevation Program—Landslide recognition, hazard assessment, and mitigation support

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landslide Hazards Program conducts landslide hazard assessments, pursues landslide investigations and forecasts, provides technical assistance to respond to landslide emergencies, and engages in outreach. All of these activities benefit from the availability of high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) elevation information in the form of light detection and ranging (lidar) data and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IfSAR) data. Research on landslide processes addresses critical questions of where and when landslides are likely to occur as well as their size, speed, and effects. This understanding informs the development of methods and tools for hazard assessment and situational awareness used to guide efforts to avoid or mitigate landslide impacts. Such research is essential for the USGS to provide improved information on landslide potential associated with severe storms, earthquakes, volcanic activity, coastal wave erosion, and wildfire burn areas. Decisionmakers in government and the private sector increasingly depend on information the USGS provides before, during, and following disasters so that communities can live, work, travel, and build safely. The USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) provides the programmatic infrastructure to generate and supply lidar-derived superior terrain data to address landslide applications and a wide range of other urgent needs nationwide. By providing data to users, 3DEP reduces users’ costs and risks and allows them to concentrate on their mission objectives. 3DEP includes (1) data acquisition partnerships that leverage funding, (2) contracts with experienced private mapping firms, (3) technical expertise, lidar data standards, and specifications, and (4) most important, public access to high-quality 3D elevation data.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2019

The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting California's Economy

Introduction California faces unprecedented challenges presented by shifting weather patterns that are defining a “new normal.” The result has been extreme weather events, prolonged drought, flooding, and debris flows. These conditions drive severe tree mortality, increase wildfire occurrence and intensity, reduce water availability, and hasten subsidence in groundwater basins. Collectively, these challenges threaten public safety, compromise infrastructure, and adversely impact the economic well-being of California's citizens. Critical applications that address these issues depend on light detection and ranging (lidar) data that provide a highly detailed, three-dimensional (3D) model of the Earth’s surface. The U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program works in partnership with Federal, State, Tribal, U.S. territorial, and local agencies to acquire consistent lidar coverage to meet the needs of California and the Nation.

California↗
USGS2019

2019 Disaster Relief Act: USGS recovery activities

The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (H.R. 2157) was signed by the President on June 6, 2019. The U.S. Geological Survey received $ 98.5 million for repair and replacement of facilities and equipment, collection of high-resolution elevation data in affected areas, and scientific assessments to support recovery and rebuilding decisions for declared disasters in 2018 from the Kīlauea volcano eruption, Hurricanes Florence and Michael, the Anchorage earthquake, and California wildfires.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2021

Oregon and Landsat

Oregon’s landscape is as complex and diverse as it is beautiful. Mountain peaks in the Cascade Range soar higher than 10,000 feet. Crater Lake sinks to a depth of 1,943 feet, making it the deepest lake in the United States. Oregon’s lands feature forests, farm fields, grasslands, ocean coastline, rivers, a semidesert, and mountain ranges that stretch across the State. A wide range of birds, animals, and fish—including 16 federally endangered species—share this space with more than 4 million people. With Oregon’s economy tied to these natural resources, industries like agriculture, timber, and fishing interlace with the well-being of wildlife and residents. Landsat data and imagery are one of many U.S. Geological Survey tools used by State resource managers and scientists to help achieve a natural balance and provide information about forests, habitats, and much more to Oregon decision makers. This will become even more important as research indicates climate change will make extreme weather more likely, leading to the likely increase in droughts, infestation, wildfires, and other natural hazards.

Oregon↗
USGS2022

2022 Emergency Assistance Act — USGS recovery activities

The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 117-43) was enacted on September 30, 2021. The U.S. Geological Survey received $26.3 million in supplemental funding to repair and replace facilities and equipment, collect high-resolution elevation data, and complete scientific assessments to support direct recovery and rebuilding decisions in areas affected by declared disasters—earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, and floods—that occurred between 2019 and 2021.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2022

LANDFIRE data and applications

LANDFIRE is a Federal program that provides a suite of spatial datasets indicating areas of disturbance, vegetation and fuels distributions and structure, and historical conditions. The level of detail presented in LANDFIRE’s classifications of disturbance, vegetation, and fuels is unparalleled and can be used in a variety of applications, including (1) modeling wildfire risk and fire behavior, (2) modeling habitat and species ranges, (3) understanding how disturbances affect the landscape, and (4) researching departure from precolonial conditions. Additionally, the all-lands paradigm of LANDFIRE mapping creates spatial data that do not stop at jurisdictional boundaries. The primary research and management applications of LANDFIRE data are detailed in this fact sheet, providing users with a well-rounded understanding of the potential of LANDFIRE’s spatial data layers.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2022

Mississippi and Landsat

Mississippi holds a significant place in the cultural and economic history of the United States. For example, the Magnolia State was a hotbed for the Delta blues, an early 20th century musical genre with tremendous cultural effects in the United States and around the world. The “Delta” in Delta blues is the Mississippi River Delta, the largest delta in the United States. The Mississippi River is one of the longest in the Nation, having 1,800 navigable miles that serve as a natural transportation corridor that is foundational to America’s economic fortunes. This important waterway forms Mississippi’s western border, and the fertile alluvial soils that fan out across its western third served to bolster its early economy and remain key drivers of its agriculture sector. These soils continue to support cotton, soybeans, corn, and agricultural products for which Mississippi is a national leader: rice and farmed catfish. Such heavy reliance on the land necessitates a strong understanding of the health of—and threats to—the landscape. Spikes in extreme heat and associated wildfire dangers, the increasing frequency of powerful hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, and annual tornadoes all stand as challenges to the Magnolia State’s land resources. The U.S. Geological Survey Landsat program serves a critical role in mapping, monitoring, and understanding changes across Mississippi. Here are a few examples of how Landsat benefits the State.

Mississippi↗
USGS2022

Postfire debris flow hazards—Tips to keep you safe

Often referred to as “mudflows,” debris flows are a type of landslide made up of a rapidly moving mixture of dirt, rocks, trees, and water (and sometimes ash) that start on a hillside and travel downvalley. They can easily overflow channels and severely damage houses, vehicles, or other structures. Areas burned by wildfires are especially susceptible to these hazards, which can be triggered by storms occurring days to years after a fire. Debris flows in burned areas can start on a dry slope after only a few minutes of heavy rainfall—about half an inch an hour or more. They can also threaten unsuspecting areas downstream, as debris flows can travel many miles and affect places that were neither burned nor received any rain. The tips provided in this Fact Sheet can help to keep you safe in a potential debris flow danger area.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2023

U.S. Geological Survey Rocky Mountain Region 2022 science exchange, showcasing interdisciplinary and state-of-the-art USGS science

Introduction The Rocky Mountains and the Colorado River Basin in the Western United States represent complex, interconnected systems that sustain a number of species, including tens of millions of humans. These systems face several challenges, including worsening drought, altered wildfire regimes, climate change, and the spread of invasive species. These factors can exacerbate one another, further contributing to habitat loss and affecting species of conservation concern. Characterizing and managing these challenges require interdisciplinary communities of scientists to develop information and decision-support tools that can inform holistic land and water management solutions. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Rocky Mountain Region 2022 Science Exchange focused on the use of interdisciplinary and state-of-the-art science being conducted by USGS scientists in the region to address these complex problems. The USGS Rocky Mountain Regional Office organized its first Science Exchange in 2017 to share scientific information between leaders and early career scientists throughout the region. Science Exchanges held in 2018 and 2020 focused on drought science relevant to the region and the Earth Monitoring, Analyses, and Prediction (EarthMAP) concept, which is designed to facilitate interdisciplinary, timely, and actionable science related to drought in the Colorado River Basin and other areas. Based on the emerging need for more holistic approaches to address increasingly complex natural resource issues that affect society, the Region hosted a virtual fourth Science Exchange for three days in April 2022. This event focused on barriers and bridges to interdisciplinary science and highlighted studies from the Region to inspire collaboration across disciplines. Presentations described recent and ongoing research that applied collaborative and state-of-the-art methods to address problems in the fields of geology, hydrology, ecology, and natural hazards. Science collaboration and outreach to all levels of stakeholders are vital elements needed for providing timely and actionable data, interpretations, analytical tools, and products. These presentations led to active online chats and panel discussions and showcased interdisciplinary science and advanced methods that may inform and lead to more effective, holistic management decisions as the Western United States adapts to ongoing and future changes.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2023

The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Oregon's economy

Introduction Oregon’s physical environments and vegetation are diverse. The varied geologic and climatic conditions combined with increasing population have created the need for high-quality elevation data that can be used for infrastructure management, forestry and wildfire management, agriculture, natural resources conservation, and other business uses. Critical applications that meet the State’s management needs depend on light detection and ranging (lidar) data that provide a highly detailed three-dimensional (3D) model of the Earth’s surface and aboveground features.

Oregon↗