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At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

USGS1974

Mineral resources of Du Noir Addition, Washakie Wilderness area, Fremont County, Wyoming

The Du Noir Addition to the Washakie Wilderness area consists of 34,200 acres (13,840 hectares) of scenic mountainous terrain that adjoins the Teton Wilderness and Washakie Wilderness areas. The area was studied in 1973 by the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines to evaluate its mineral, fuel, and geothermal energy potential. This evaluation is based on a search of the geologic literature, claim and production records, and fieldwork including mapping, inspection of claims and prospects, interpretation of aeromagnetic maps, and analyses of bedrock and stream-sediment samples. Flat-lying Eocene volcaniclastic rocks of the Absaroka volcanic field are exposed in about two-thirds of the Du Noir Addition. These volcanics unconformably overlie the deeply eroded, northwest-trending Du Noir anticline in which Paleozoic marine strata of Devonian through Permian age are exposed. Of lesser importance are small deposits of Eocene non-volcanic conglomerate, and basaltic intrusive and extrusive rocks of late Pliocene and possibly younger age. The results of this study indicate that the mineral, fuel, and geothermal potential of the Du Noir Addition are minimal. Low-grade copper-molybdenum mineralization occurs outside the addition, associated with intrusive rocks, but no indications of alteration or mineralization were found within the study area. Anomalous, but not economically important, concentrations of molybdenum and uranium were found in Permian and Eocene carbonaceous shales. Phosphate rock in the Phosphoria Formation occurs in beds too thin to constitute a resource. Large amounts of very pure limestone are present in the Madison Limestone, but equally pure limestone, much closer to transportation facilities, is found throughout this part of Wyoming. That part of the Du Noir anticline in the addition is too deeply eroded to be a likely reservoir of oil and gas. Present data indicates a low potential for geothermal energy in or near the addition.

Wyoming↗

USGS2007

Surficial sediment character of the New York-New Jersey offshore continental shelf region: A GIS compilation

Broad continental shelf regions such as the New York Bight are the product of a complex geologic history and dynamic oceanographic processes, dominated by the Holocene marine transgression (>100 m sea-level rise) following the end of the last Pleistocene ice advance ~ 20,000 years ago. The area of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (U.S. EEZ) territory, extending 200 nautical miles seaward from the coast, is larger than the continental U.S. and contains submerged landforms that provide a variety of natural functions and societal benefits, such as: critical habitats for fisheries, ship navigation and homeland security, and engineering activities (i.e. oil and gas platforms, pipeline and cable routes, potential wind-energy-generation sites). Some parts of the continental margins, particularly inner-continental shelf regions, also contain unconsolidated hard-mineral deposits such as sand and gravel that are regarded as potential aggregate resources to meet or augment needs not met by onshore deposits (Williams, 1992). The present distribution of surficial sediment off the northeastern United States is shaped from the deposits left by the last glaciation and reflects the cumulative effects of sediment erosion, transport, sorting, and deposition by storm and tidal processes during the Holocene rise in sea level. As a result, the sediments on the sea floor represent both an historical record of former conditions and a guide to possible future sedimentary environments. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through the Coastal and Marine Geology Program, in cooperation with the University of Colorado and other partners, has compiled extant sediment character and textural data as well as other geologic information on the sea floor from all regions around the U.S. into the usSEABED data system (Reid and others, 2005; Buczkowski and others, 2006; Reid and others, 2006). The usSEABED system, which contains information on sediment grain size and lithology for more than 340,500 stations within the U.S. EEZ. has been developed and populated with data as part of the USGS Marine Aggregate Resources and Processes and the National Benthic Habitats projects in order to provide the base-line data needed to update the current maps of offshore surficial geologic character and sediment distribution. The maps are also used to characterize benthic sea floor environments important for marine ecosystems. U.S. Geological Survey, Data Series 118 (Reid and others, 2005), of the usSEABED data release series, represents the combined efforts of the USGS and several other government agencies to provide a unified resource for accessing and preserving records of U.S. east coast sea floor geologic information and sediment texture data. For this present report, we have chosen to focus on the New York-New Jersey region, an area that has been intensely studied by the USGS for many years to address many complex issues. This report illustrates the uses of the usSEABED database for GIS applications, while offering additional insight into the resources and data available from the USGS and its collaborative institutions. This report is based on data contained in U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 118 (Reid and others, 2005) and shows an assortment of example GIS products that are possible using usSEABED. All data are intended to be GIS-ready and should not require any additional cleanup, formatting, or renaming of fields in order to use the data in a Geographic Information System. This project employs the Environmental Systems Research Institute's (ESRI) ArcView™ software. Many of these maps were made as part of the ongoing USGS study to assess marine aggregate resources offshore New York and New Jersey, but these maps can serve many other purposes. The marine science community, educators, students and others are encouraged to use these data to generate GIS products for their own purposes. The objectives of the Marine Aggregate Resources and Processes project are to produce a series of new geologic maps and reports of the sea floor that will provide scientific insights into the character and geologic development of U.S. continental margins and to use these maps and information to assess the potential availability of offshore sand and gravel resources. The mapping and aggregate resource assessments are being conducted on a national scale using the usSEABED data base as described in Williams and others (2003). Potential uses for these data include: (1) defining the geological variability of the sea floor in relation to benthic habitat diversity; (2) improving our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments and benthic habitats; (3) locating aggregate resources for beach nourishment and industrial applications; and (4) providing a detailed geospatial framework for future marine science research, monitoring, and management activities. The initial assessments are in progress for the New York Bight and Louisiana offshore areas.

New Jersey, New York↗

USGS2024

Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 4

Broadly distributed across the Western United States, ungulates (hooved mammals) play an important role in ecosystem function by affecting vegetation communities and forming the prey base for large carnivores. Additionally, ungulates provide economic benefits to regional communities through tourism and hunting and hold cultural significance for many Tribal communities. Many ungulates migrate seasonally between distinct summer and winter ranges to take advantage of spatially and temporally variable food sources and avoid threats such as predators and deep snow. Increasingly, these migrations are threatened by the growing human footprint and associated subdivisions, energy development, and increased traffic volume. Efforts to study ungulate populations and conserve their migrations received support in recent years from the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretarial Order No. 3362, which provided Federal support for enhancing habitat quality for ungulates across the Western States. In response to Secretarial Order No. 3362, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) established the Corridor Mapping Team, a collaboration among USGS and participating State and Federal wildlife management agencies and numerous Tribal Nations. Together, the Corridor Mapping Team maps ungulate migrations throughout the Western United States in the USGS “Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States” report series. This report (volume 4) details migrations and seasonal ranges from 31 new herds throughout nine Western States. Additionally, this report includes updates to two herds published in previous reports. Including this report, the report series has provided the mapped migrations and seasonal ranges of 182 unique herds and has provided a map-based inventory of the documented ungulate migrations across the Western United States for biologists, managers, policy makers, and conservation practitioners. This report also discusses how the mapping efforts associated with the Corridor Mapping Team can be used to guide management and policy regarding renewable energy development and ungulate disease, specifically chronic wasting disease, in the Western United States.

Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada,↗

USGS2000

Management of land use conflicts in the United States Rocky Mountains

People have long been attracted to the beauty and grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Until very recently, however, the Rocky Mountain region was sparsely populated and its use mostly extractive. Commodities removed in massive quantities included first beaver, then precious metals, timber, energy, and finally water. There has been a fundamental change in migration patterns since the 1980s. Populations are expanding not only in urban areas; many rural areas are also growing faster. In an affluent and mobile society, Americans are moving to the West for aesthetic reasons, often based on perceptions that have little to do with regional roots, family ties, or economic opportunities. Wallace Stegner described the West into the 1980s as a colony for the rest of the nation. “It seems to be almost like a continuous repetitive act of God that the western resources should be mined …, that populations should rush in and have to rush out again, or trickle out again…. Get in, get rich, get out….Every boom and bust leaves the West physically a little poorer, a little worse damaged” ( Stegner 1996 ). In an article about actor and director Robert Redford, writer Richard Raynor talks about unexpected side effects Redford's movies have had on American behavior. “A River Runs Through It" dangerously swelled the banks of American rivers with novice fishermen. It seems likely that Redford's loving rendition of ranch life in The Horse Whisperer … will have a similar effect on western Montana, filling it with even more people in a nostalgic search for American rapture and simplicity” (1998).

Rocky Mountains↗

USGS1984

Government investment in mineral resource information on leasable public lands: The case of strippable coal

A scheme is presented to aid the government in estimating the net benefits, in terms of itsrecovery of expected rents, of performing various levels of exploration of mineral tracts prior to leasing and making such information available to potential bidders. Conditions are identified where the government will profit by investment in geologic data that are collected and provided to potential bidders without reducing the expected returns to bidders. Expected benefits of an optimal data-collection program depend on (1) the degree of bidder risk aversion, (2) the expected degree of lease competition and (3) unique lease tract factors that determine economic rents—thickness of seams, proximity to markets, extraction costs, and the spatial correlation characteristics of data. The effects of price uncertainty and government policies affecting market stability on the value of information are also discussed.

Resources and Energy↗

USGS2022

Exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol results in differential susceptibility of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to bacterial infection

Disease outbreaks, skin lesions, mortality events, and reproductive abnormalities have been observed in wild populations of centrarchids. The presence of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (EEDCs) has been implicated as a potential causal factor for these effects. The effects of prior EEDC exposure on immune response were examined in juvenile largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) exposed to a potent synthetic estrogen (17α-ethinylestradiol, EE2) at a low (EE2 Low , 0.87 ng/L) or high (EE2 High , 9.08 ng/L) dose for 4 weeks, followed by transfer to clean water and injection with an LD 40 dose of the Gram-negative bacteria Edwardsiella piscicida . Unexpectedly, this prior exposure to EE2 High significantly increased survivorship at 10 d post-infection compared to solvent control or EE2 Low -exposed, infected fish. Both prior exposure and infection with E. piscicida led to significantly reduced hepatic glycogen levels, indicating a stress response resulting in depletion of energy stores. Additionally, pathway analysis for liver and spleen indicated differentially expressed genes associated with immunometabolic processes in the mock-injected EE2 High treatment that could underlie the observed protective effect and metabolic shift in EE2 High -infected fish. Our results demonstrate that exposure to a model EEDC alters metabolism and immune function in a fish species that is ecologically and economically important in North America.

Environmental Science and Technology↗

USGS1999

Environmental setting of the Yellowstone River basin, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming

Natural and anthropogenic factors influence water-quality conditions in the Yellowstone River Basin. Physiography parallels the structural geologic setting that is generally composed of several uplifts and structural basins. Contrasts in climate and vegetation reflect topographic controls and the midcontinental location of the study unit. Surface-water hydrology reflects water surpluses in mountainous areas that are dominated by snowmelt runoff, and arid to semiarid conditions in the plains that are dissected by typically irrigated valleys in the remainder of the study unit. Principal shallow aquifers are Tertiary sandstones and unconsolidated Quaternary deposits. Human population, though sparsely distributed in general, is growing most rapidly in a few urban centers and resort areas, mostly in the northwestern part of the basin. Land use is areally dominated by grazing in the basins and plains and economically dominated by mineral-extraction activities. Forests are the dominant land cover in mountainous areas. Cropland is a major land use in principal stream valleys. Water use is dominated by irrigated agriculture overall, but mining and public-supply facilities are major users of ground water. Coal and hydrocarbon production and reserves distinguish the Yellowstone River Basin as a principal energy-minerals resources region. Current metallic ore production or reserves are nationally significant for platinum-group elements and chromium. The study unit was subdivided as an initial environmental stratification for use in designing the National Water-Quality Assessment Program investigation that began in 1997. Ecoregions, geologic groups, mineral-resource areas, and general land-cover and land-use categories were used in combination to define 18 environmental settings in the Yellowstone River Basin. It is expected that these different settings will be reflected in differing water-quality or aquatic-ecological characteristics.

Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming↗

USGS2013

Microbial production of natural gas from coal and organic-rich shale

Natural gas is an important component of the energy mix in the United States, producing greater energy yield per unit weight and less pollution compared to coal and oil. Most of the world’s natural gas resource is thermogenic, produced in the geologic environment over time by high temperature and pressure within deposits of oil, coal, and shale. About 20 percent of the natural gas resource, however, is produced by microorganisms (microbes). Microbes potentially could be used to generate economic quantities of natural gas from otherwise unexploitable coal and shale deposits, from coal and shale from which natural gas has already been recovered, and from waste material such as coal slurry. Little is known, however, about the microbial production of natural gas from coal and shale.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS1973

Geology and mineral resources of central Antioquia Department (Zone IIA), Colombia

This report summarizes the geology of an area of some 6000 square kilometers in the northern part of the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. The area, in north-central Department of Antioquia, was mapped between 1964 and 1968 as part of the Inventario Minero Nacional (IMN) project. Mineral resources are summarized within a larger area, designated as subzone ILK of IMN Zone If, which comprises almost 22,000 sq. kin, including the area mapped geologically by IMN and additional areas mapped by other agencies. The oldest formation is a micaceous paragneiss of early Paleozoic or possibly late Precambrian age. A thick geosynclinal sedimentary series accumulated during the Paleozoic Era and became regionally metamorphosed to greenschist (locally amphibolite) facies during the Permian or early Triassic; these schists and gneisses are designated collectively as the Valdivia Group. The Permian(?) orogenic episode included intrusion of concordant syntectonic plutons, mostly of tonalitic composition. Rocks of unequivocal Triassic or Jurassic age are not recognized. The Cretaceous is well represented by both igneous and sedimentary assemblages. Eugeosynclinal alpine ophiolites comprising submarine basalt flows and numerous intrusions of gabbro and serpentinite are prominent in the Lower Cretaceous, together with flysch composed of marine shale and lesser sandstone and conglomerate. The Upper Cretaceous is represented along the west border of the mapped area by submarine basalt flows and pyroclastic rocks, locally Interbedded with fine-grained clastic sedimentary beds, and lenses of dark laminated chert, at least part of which is radiolarian. The Late Cretaceous was marked by an orogenic event that profoundly folded and faulted all rocks and in the Central Cordillera caused low-grade metamorphism, the overprint of which is hardly observable in pre-Cretaceous rocks elsewhere. The Late Cretaceous orogeny culminated with discordant intrusion of the epizonal tonalitic Antioquian batholith. Displacement along the great Romeral wrench fault may have begun in the Cretaceous. Plutonism continued into the Cenozoic, exemplified by the hornblende-diorite Sabanalarga pluton. Intermontane basins were filled with molasse derived from the erosion of adjacent highlands; Tertiary sedimentation in marshy areas included organic carboniferous matter subsequently converted to lignite or subbituminous coal. The Sabanalarga fault system originated in the Late Tertiary; intermittent displacement continued on the older wrench faults such as the Romeral. Epeirogenic uplift, which probably began in the Pliocene and continued through the Pleistocene and Holocene, brought on renewed erosion which has sculptured the mountains into their present form. Mineral resources in subzone IIA are varied but not of outstanding importance. Gold and silver mining, significant in past centuries, is minor today. Ferruginous laterite on serpentinite once considered as a potential source of iron ore is not economically exploitable. IMN has explored nickeliferous laterite at the extreme northwest corner of subzone IIA; this is a potential resource, exploitable only after exhaustion of the larger and richer nickel laterite deposit at Cerro Matoso, farther to the north and outside the boundaries of Zone If. Known deposits of mercury, chromium, manganese, and copper are small, with limited economic potential. Nonmetallic resources include raw materials for cement, including portland cement. Saprolite clay is widely used in making common red brick and tile, still a dominant construction material in all but the most modern multistory buildings. Aggregate materials are varied and abundant. Kaolin of good quality near La Union is important as a ceramic raw mineral filler. Tertiary subbituminous coal beds are an important energy resource in western subzone IIA, and have a good potential for greater development. Deposits of sodic feldspar, talc, decorative stone, and silica a

Open-File Report↗

USGS2016

Are the Columbia River Basalts, Columbia Plateau, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, USA, a viable geothermal target? A preliminary analysis

The successful development of a geothermal electric power generation facility relies on (1) the identification of sufficiently high temperatures at an economically viable depth and (2) the existence of or potential to create and maintain a permeable zone (permeability >10 -14 m 2 ) of sufficient size to allow efficient long-term extraction of heat from the reservoir host rock. If both occur at depth under the Columbia Plateau, development of geothermal resources there has the potential to expand both the magnitude and spatial extent of geothermal energy production. However, a number of scientific and technical issues must be resolved in order to evaluate the likelihood that the Columbia River Basalts, or deeper geologic units under the Columbia Plateau, are viable geothermal targets. Recent research has demonstrated that heat flow beneath the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System may be higher than previously measured in relatively shallow (<600 m depth) wells, indicating that sufficient temperatures for electricity generation occur at depths 5 km. The remaining consideration is evaluating the likelihood that naturally high permeability exists, or that it is possible to replicate the high average permeability (approximately 10 -14 to 10 -12 m 2 ) characteristic of natural hydrothermal reservoirs. From a hydraulic perspective, Columbia River Basalts are typically divided into dense, impermeable flow interiors and interflow zones comprising the top of one flow, the bottom of the overlying flow, and any sedimentary interbed. Interflow zones are highly variable in texture but, at depths <600 m, some of them form highly permeable regional aquifers with connectivity over many tens of kilometers. Below depths of ~600 m, permeability reduction occurs in many interflow zones, caused by the formation of low-temperature hydrothermal alteration minerals (corresponding to temperatures above ~35 °C). However, some high permeability (>10-14 m 2 ) interflows are documented at depths up to ~1,400 m. If the elevated permeability in these zones persists to greater depths, they may provide natural permeability of sufficient magnitude to allow their exploitation as conventional geothermal reservoirs. Alternatively, if the permeability in these interflow zones is less than 10-14 m 2 at depth, it may be possible to use hydraulic and thermal stimulation to enhance the permeability of both the interflow zones and the natural jointing within the low-permeability interior portions of individual basalt flows in order to develop Enhanced/Engineered Geothermal System (EGS) reservoirs. The key challenge for an improved Columbia Plateau geothermal assessment is acquiring and interpreting comprehensive field data that can provide quantitative constraints on the recovery of heat from the Columbia River Basalts at depths greater than those currently tested by deep boreholes.

Idaho, Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2022

Deep-ocean polymetallic nodules and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the global ocean: New sources for critical metals

The transition from a global hydrocarbon economy to a green energy economy and the rapidly growing middle class in developing countries are driving the need for considerable new sources of critical materials. Deep-ocean minerals, namely cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts and polymetallic nodules, are two such new resources generating interest. Polymetallic nodules are essentially two-dimensional mineral deposits sitting on abyssal plain sediments at about 3,500–6,000 m water depths. Metals of economic interest enriched in nodules include nickel, copper, manganese, cobalt and molybdenum. Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts are also two-dimensional deposits forming pavements on rock outcrops on seamounts and ridges at water depths of 400–7,000 m. Metals of economic interest for crusts include cobalt, manganese, nickel, molybdenum, tellurium, platinum, vanadium and rare earth elements. A conservative estimate is that 21.1 billion dry tons of polymetallic nodules exist in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone ( CCZ ) manganese nodule field, the largest in area and tonnage of the known global nodule fields. Based on that estimate, tonnages of many critical metals in the CCZ nodules are greater than those found in global terrestrial reserves. About 7.5 billion dry tons of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts are estimated to occur in the Pacific Ocean Prime Crust Zone, the area with the highest tonnage of critical-metal-rich crust deposits, with many elements contained therein estimated to be greater than those found in global terrestrial reserves. Deep-ocean mining has not yet been carried out in the Exclusive Economic Zone of any nation, nor in the Areas beyond national jurisdiction, although extensive mineral exploration and environmental studies are being conducted and exploitation regulations codified, indicating that mining activities will likely begin in the near future. If deep-ocean mining follows the evolution of offshore production of petroleum, we can expect that about 35–45 per cent of the demand for critical metals will come from deep-ocean mines by 2065.

Book chapter↗

USGS2018

A database of biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used in market-based conservation

Market-based conservation uses economic incentives to leverage market forces in ways that encourage and improve efficiency in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of species and habitats. Biodiversity and habitat quantification tools are vital to the operation of this conservation strategy, as they are used to measure the quality and functionality of areas of land that have undergone or are proposed for preservation, improvement, or development activities (for example, construction of energy or transportation infrastructure and residential development). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science and Decisions Center in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Environmental Markets have created a database of the quantification tools available for use in biodiversity and habitat markets in the contiguous United States. This database provides landowners, regulatory agencies, tool developers, and the general public with a central location from which to search for and identify the tools applicable to specific species, habitats, or locations of interest, such as those shown in figures 1 and 2. The database contains summary information about the intended application and features of each tool and will be updated as the need to add new tools warrants.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2021

Rigorously valuing the coastal hazard risks reduction provided by potential coral reef restoration in Florida and Puerto Rico

The restoration of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, can reduce risks by decreasing the exposure of coastal communities to flooding hazards. In the United States, the protective services provided by coral reefs were recently assessed in social and economic terms, with the annual protection provided by U.S. coral reefs off the coasts of the State of Florida and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico estimated to be more than 9,800 people and $859 million (2010 U.S. dollars). Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 caused widespread damage to coral reefs in the State of Florida and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Here we combine engineering, ecologic, geospatial, social, and economic data and tools to provide a rigorous valuation of where potential coral reef restoration could decrease the hazard faced by Florida and Puerto Rico’s reef-fronted coastal communities. The three restoration scenarios considered: (1) Ecological restoration, ‘E25’, which assumes planting 0.25-meter (m)-high corals on a (cross-shore) 25-m-wide reef; (2) Structural plus ecological, ‘S25’, which assumes emplacing a 1.00-m high structure with 0.25-m high corals on top on a 25 m wide reef; and (3) structural plus ecological, ‘S05’, which assumes emplacing a 1.00-m high structure with 0.25-m high corals on top on a 5 m wide reef. Planted corals are assumed to increase hydrodynamic roughness, thereby dissipating incident wave energy and decreasing flooding potential. We used a standardized approach to ‘place’ potential restoration projects throughout the whole (linear) extent of reefs bordering Florida and Puerto Rico to identify where coral reef restoration could be useful for meeting flood reduction benefits. We always sited potential restoration projects within the existing distribution of reefs even though many sites were far (kilometers [km]) offshore and some sites were relatively deep (up to 7 m depth). We followed risk-based valuation approaches to map flood zones at 10-square-meter resolution along all 980 km of Florida and Puerto’s Rico reef-lined shorelines for the three potential coral reef restoration scenarios and compare them to the flood zones without coral reef restoration. We quantified the potential coastal flood risk reduction provided by coral reef restoration using the latest information from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Bureau of Economic Analysis for return-interval storm events. Using the damages associated with each storm probability, we also calculate the change in annual expected damages, a measure of the annual protection gained because of coral reef restoration. We found that the benefits of reef restoration off Florida and Puerto Rico are spatially highly variable. In most areas, we found little or no benefit from reef restoration (for example, restoration sites were far offshore or deep). However, there were a number of key areas where reef restoration could have substantial benefits for flood risk reduction. In particular, we estimated the protection gained by Florida and Puerto Rico’s coral reefs from coral reef restoration to result in: Avoided flooding to more than 5.6 square kilometers (2.16 square miles) of land annually; Avoided flooding affecting more than 3,100 people annually; Avoided direct damages of more than $124.2 million to more than 890 buildings annually; and Avoided indirect damages to more $148.7 million in economic activity owing to housing and business damage annually. Thus, the annual value of flood risk reduction provided by potential coral reef restoration in Florida and Puerto Rico is more than 3,100 people and $272.9 million (2010 U.S. dollars) in economic activity. These data provide stakeholders and decision makers with a spatially explicit, rigorous valuation of how, where, and when potential coral reef restoration in Florida and Puerto Rico can increase critical coastal storm flood reduction benefits. These results help identify areas where reef management, recovery, and restoration could potentially help reduce the risk to, and increase the resiliency of, Florida and Puerto Rico’s coastal communities.

Florida↗

USGS2017

Loss of ecosystem services due to chronic pollution of forests and surface waters in the Adirondack region (USA)

Sustaining recent progress in mitigating acid pollution could require lower emissions caps that will give rise to real or perceived tradeoffs between healthy ecosystems and inexpensive energy. Because most impacts of acid rain affect ecosystem functions that are poorly understood by policy-makers and the public, an ecosystem services (ES) framework can help to measure how pollution affects human well-being. Focused on the Adirondack region (USA), a global ‘hot-spot’ of acid pollution, we measured how the chronic acidification of the region's forests, lakes, and streams has affected the potential economic and cultural benefits they provide to society. We estimated that acid-impaired hardwood forests provide roughly half of the potential benefits of forests on moderate to well-buffered soils – an estimated loss of ∼ $10,000 ha −1 in net present value of wood products, maple syrup, carbon sequestration, and visual quality. Acidic deposition has had only nominal impact – relative to the effects of surficial geology and till depth – on the capacity of Adirondack lakes and streams to provide water suitable for drinking. However, as pH declines in lakes, the estimated value of recreational fishing decreases significantly due to loss of desirable fish such as trout. Hatchery stocking programs have partially offset the pollution-mediated losses of fishery value, most effectively in the pH range 4.8–5.5, but are costly and limited in scope. Although any estimates of the monetary ‘damages’ of acid rain have significant uncertainties, our findings highlight some of the more tangible economic and cultural benefits of pollution mitigation efforts, which continue to face litigation and political opposition.

New York↗

USGS2023

Assessment of lunar resource exploration in 2022

The idea of mining the Moon, once purely science-fiction, is now on the verge of becoming reality. Taking advantage of the resources on the Moon is part of the plans of many nations and some enterprising commercial entities; demonstrating in-situ (in place) resource utilization near the lunar south pole is an explicit goal of the United States’ Artemis program. Economic extraction and sustainable management of these resources require understanding the nature, quantity, and quality of each resource. This publication aims to provide a relatively simple, but technically rigorous, assessment of the status of lunar resource exploration in 2022. Building on the experience of the U.S. Geological Survey in conducting resource assessments for Earth, we propose a general methodology for quantitative lunar resources assessments. Lunar resources can be categorized as energy, mineral, and water and classified with respect to their certainty and their recoverability. The portion of the technically recoverable resource that can be converted to a commodity within budgetary and other mission constraints can be classified as a “reserve.” For energy resources, solar energy is known to be especially abundant along some high ridges near the lunar poles and the technology to exploit it is mature. Mineral resources, largely in the form of loose rock powder that covers the surface of the Moon, are also widely accessible in large quantities. Many different technologies to convert this material into useful commodities (such as landing pads and oxygen) are currently being developed and are likely to be available for industrial-scale application within 30 years. Water ice almost certainly exists in the polar regions of the Moon but there are fundamental unanswered questions about when and how the ice formed—leaving us without knowledge of the form, quantity, quality, and distribution of lunar ice. Until rover missions bring new ground truth data, lunar ice will remain a highly speculative resource that may be both limited and non-renewable.

Circular↗

USGS2022

Tennessee and Landsat

From the flat, rich soil of western Tennessee to the Appalachian Mountains in the east, and rolling hills in between, “the Volunteer State” enjoys a wealth of natural resources. The Tennessee, Cumberland, and Mississippi Rivers supply economically crucial navigation routes, along with recreation for residents and visitors. Additionally, 14 million acres of hardwood and softwood forests cover roughly one-half of the State, contributing an estimated $24 billion and nearly 100,000 jobs to Tennessee’s economy. Within a span of more than 400 miles, the State’s diverse agricultural products include cotton, corn, soybeans, poultry, horses, cattle, goats, hay, vegetables, nursery crops, and tobacco. Energy production is important to Tennessee and the region, and power sources range from coal and nuclear to hydroelectric sources. Tourism also is a key industry, and music attractions and historical sites are balanced by natural features such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which recorded 14.1 million visits and ranked second for most visited National Park Service site in the United States in 2021. Landsat imagery’s broad geographic scale and rich historical archive have proven useful to land managers and State agencies for monitoring natural resources. Here are several ways Landsat has benefited Tennessee.

Tennessee↗

USGS2019

Demonstrating the value of Earth observations—methods, practical applications, and solutions—group on Earth observations side event proceedings

Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Association for Remote Sensing Companies, and the European Space Agency in coordination with the GEOValue Community hosted a side event to the Group on Earth Observations Plenary on October 23–24, 2017, in Washington, D.C. The workshop, entitled “Demonstrating the Value of Earth Observations: Methods, Practical Applications and Solutions,” brought together more than 60 international experts including economists, scientists, and engineers to consider the state of the science and applications of valuing Earth observations (EO). This 2-day workshop built upon previous activities developed under the GEOValue initiative. This workshop brought together expert analysts from multiple disciplines and backgrounds who are developing methods to identify and measure the value of information generated from the use of satellite and in-situ data. The mix of government agencies, international financial institutions, and independent consultants who participated in the workshop blended to develop a rich mix of views, approaches, and outcomes. During the first part of the workshop, the focus was on the latest science in valuing EO. A number of methodologies were described. Approaches generally assess the societal benefits of specific actions (for example, investments in EO). Some methods focus on broad measures of economic activity (for example, gross domestic product) or methods to assess total economic value such as contingent valuation surveys. Alternatively, use-case approaches (a use case is defined as an evaluation in which one or more decisions, applications, or other uses of data, information, and information products are specifically considered) start with the specific actions and how information is used to support decision making and affect outcomes. The second part of the meeting was focused on the use and development of value chains and decision trees. A value chain can be defined as the set of value-adding activities that one or more organizations perform in creating and distributing goods and services. In terms of EO, the value chain approach can be applied to consider societal benefits of the data and assess the value of data and data features. The EO value chain considers the geospatial data sources and the processing of the data into value added information to be incorporated into decision-support systems, leading to decision makers’ actions. To understand the value of EO, one would also need to recognize the demand side of the equation or how EO benefits users. Extending the value chain concept and incorporating tenets of Bayesian decision making, a decision tree would include one or more use cases. The value provided by the marginal increase in information could flow from one or several parts of the supply side of the value chain. The decision tree is based on the premise that information has no value if it is not used in at least one decision. By connecting the value chain and the decision tree, a framework is created that allows for conceptualizing the value of EO in its many uses. One can then apply economic techniques to monetize the marginal benefit of an outcome with information versus one without. A third part of the meeting applied the value chain and decision-tree frameworks to five specific thematic areas, each with the focus of using information for a decision point: Effect of increasing temperatures on human health; Flooding—Mitigating, managing, and avoiding impacts to safety and property damage; Harmful algal blooms—Effects on human health, recreation, and tourism; Energy and mineral supply—Mitigating, managing, and avoiding impacts of shortfalls on the economy; and Effects of natural hazards on transportation systems—Effects on mobility, safety, and the economy. During the working session, five separate groups worked to define and delineate the value chains and decision trees associated with each topic, discussing the related challenges and data needs. The outcomes were reported back to the full group. Because of the complexity of the topics, most groups first identified a network of value chains and then narrowed the scope to develop a single value chain to address their group’s topic. Although they worked separately and on different topics, the groups came to similar conclusions, concurring that the value chain and decision-tree frameworks are very effective for informing quantitative impact assessments and developing a relatable narrative to assist the public in understanding the link between EO and citizens.

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USGS2025

Co-location of sheep grazing and solar energy production yields agrotechnological synergies

CONTEXT Agrivoltaics—the co-location of solar energy and agricultural production—may reduce land-use competition and boost revenues for landowners. Sheep grazing in solar facilities (i.e., solar grazing/agrivoltaic grazing systems) is increasingly common in agricultural areas. Solar grazing can provide land access to flock owners and support agricultural viability via payments for vegetation management. However, there is a need for more data on how co-location of sheep grazing and solar energy production affects flock health, stocking rates, and feedback loops for maintenance of vegetation in solar facilities across regions. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to better understand synergies and tradeoffs associated with agrivoltaic grazing systems by investigating applied grazing management questions as well as questions regarding agrotechnological co-benefits related to simultaneous flock health and vegetation management in solar facilities. METHODS We tested effects of sheep stocking rates (0 to 10 sheep per ha–1), site preparation (fallow vs. legume seed-mix planting), and microclimate (panel-shaded areas vs. panel interspaces) on herbage yield and nutritional quality, flock health and condition, and a vegetation management success index. We collected these data across two grazing seasons in an operational, 21.85-ha photovoltaic solar facility (18 MW) established on a previous old field in New York State, USA. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Shade from solar panels negatively affected herbage yield. We detected no significant differences in herbage yield or vegetation management outcomes between fallow and planted legume plots, suggesting that regrowth from native seed banks in solar facilities on previous old fields may be an economical alternative to seeding for sheep forage relative. Sheep stocking rates affected flock health and condition; we identified an optimal stocking rate of 8 sheep per ha–1 for achieving sufficient herbage yield and quality, maintaining flock health, and preventing vegetation overgrowth from shading solar panels at our study site. Solar grazing can yield an agrotechnological synergy supporting healthy forage, healthy sheep, and vegetation management in community-scale (i.e., <25 MW) solar facilities without mowing. In a well-managed solar grazing system, high herbage yield and quality promote high flock health and condition, and the healthy flock suppresses vegetation enough to prevent panel shading. SIGNIFICANCE Our study highlights the potential for sheep grazing in solar facilities to simultaneously benefit sheep and solar energy production systems. Solar grazing can present a “win-win” scenario for solar developers and sheep producers in the northeastern U.S.

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