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USGS2025

Exploring the science and data foundation for Federal public lands decisions

Public lands provide diverse resources, values, and services worldwide. Laws and policies typically require consideration of science in public lands decisions, and resource managers are committed to science-informed decision-making. However, it can be challenging for managers to use, and document the use of, science and data in their decisions. To better understand science and data use in Federal public lands decisions in the United States, we assessed the number, type, and age of documents cited in 70 Environmental Assessments (EAs) completed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado from 2015–2019. We focused on the BLM, as they manage the largest area of public lands in the United States. We selected Colorado as our study area, as actions proposed on BLM lands in Colorado are representative of those across the nation. Fifty percent of citations were categorized as science and 23% as data. EAs contained an average of 17 citations (range 0–111), with documents analyzing effects of oil and gas development and recreation actions including the highest and lowest mean number of citations (41 and 6, respectively). Of individual resource analysis sections within EAs, 24% contained ≥1 science citation and 21% contained ≥1 data citation. Journal articles were the most cited type of document (26% of citations) followed by non-BLM inventories (13%). Forty-seven percent of citations were relatively recent (2010 or later); the oldest citation was from 1927. Commonly analyzed resources with the highest mean number of citations were socioeconomics, mineral resources, and noise. Fourteen of 33 commonly analyzed resources included <1 citation on average. Actions and resources with no or few citations represent opportunities for strengthening the transparent use of science and data in public lands decision-making.

Colorado↗
USGS2026

Keeping pace: Migrating sea lampreys adjust swim speed in response to shifting water velocity to maintain a constant ground speed

Upstream migrating fish must balance energetic costs with environmental and ecological constraints. Theoretical models predict that fish can conserve energy by adjusting swim speed in response to changing water velocity, but detailed field tests of these predictions remain rare. We used fine-scale acoustic telemetry and hydrodynamic modeling to track adult sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) migrating through a river and evaluated how movement speeds varied with environmental conditions and individual traits. Swim speed increased with faster water velocities, while ground speed remained constant, supporting the hypothesis that lampreys regulate swim effort to maintain a fixed migration pace. The average ground speed aligned with a predicted optimum of ∼1 body length per second. Both swim and ground speeds declined slightly in deeper water, suggesting a trade-off between movement efficiency and predator avoidance. These findings provide field-based support for a theoretical model of energy optimization and underscore how migratory fish adaptively adjust behavior to local hydrodynamic conditions. Our results highlight the value of using high-resolution tracking and environmental modeling to reveal behavioral tactics that underlie efficient migration strategies.

Michigan↗
USGS2026

Identifying overlap between native fish movements and a possible seasonal Grass Carp deterrent in the Sandusky River, Ohio, USA

Riverine fishes are vulnerable to habitat fragmentation caused by interrupted access to vital habitats. Fragmentation using artificial structures can be used to limit the spread of invasive fishes by inhibiting movement between critical habitats. Thus, tradeoffs exist between maintaining connectivity for native species and restricting movement of invasive fishes. A nonphysical deterrent has been proposed to prevent invasive Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) from reaching spawning habitats in the Sandusky River, a tributary to Lake Erie, during late spring–summer. However, this timing overlaps with spawning periods of a suite of native fishes. We used acoustic telemetry and ichthyoplankton surveys to examine movement and spawning activity of multiple native species and to assess potential impacts of deterrent operation on reproduction. All species used the proposed deterrent location during the Grass Carp spawning period, and their movements corresponded with larval fish collections, indicating upstream spawning. These findings suggest the deterrent could unintentionally restrict native species’ access to essential habitats. Balancing habitat connectivity and invasive species control will likely depend on species-specific responses and careful timing of deterrent operation.

Ohio↗
USGS2025

Integrating marine historical ecology into management of Alaska’s Pacific cod fishery for climate readiness

The Pacific cod ( Gadus macrocephalus ) fishery was closed in 2020 after a rapid decline in biomass caused by the marine heat waves of 2014–2019. Pacific cod are exceptionally thermally sensitive and management of this fishery is now challenged by increasingly unpredictable climate conditions. Fisheries monitoring is critical for climate readiness, but short-term monitoring data may be inadequate for recognizing and anticipating change under rapid climate changes. We propose an interdisciplinary, marine historical ecology framework that looks to long-term records (local and traditional knowledge, history, archaeology, and paleoclimatology) to capture a long range of ecological variability and provide historical context for management. In order to connect to contemporary fisheries management, this framework must be built on a common vocabulary and an understanding of the key metrics used in fisheries stock assessments. Here, we propose metrics derived from Pacific cod stock assessment and synthesize information relevant to understanding the effects of past warming periods on cod populations across the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. This case study provides a framework for thinking about how to use these historical records in the context of fisheries management under rapidly changing climate conditions.

Alaska↗
USGS2026

Evaluating the effects of a multi-modal deterrent on upstream passage by invasive carp and native species

Invasive carp, including Silver Carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) and Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ), are increasing their range within the Mississippi River Basin, threatening native fishes and ecosystem function. We conducted a 3-year field test of a multi-modal deterrent that uses sound, bubbles, and light to test its ability to impede upstream passage by invasive carp. The test was performed at a lock and dam on the Cumberland River, Kentucky, USA, using acoustic telemetry to track the movements of Silver Carp, Grass Carp, and several native fish species. When the deterrent was operating, the estimated probability of upstream lock passage was 53% lower (95% CI: 41%–63%) for Silver Carp but 74% higher (95% CI: 3%–190%) for Grass Carp compared to times when the deterrent was not operating. Paddlefish ( Polyodon spathula ) passage was reduced by 43% (95% CI: 71% reduction to 9% increase), although this was not statistically significant. We detected no significant effects on Freshwater Drum ( Aplodinotus grunniens ) or Smallmouth Buffalo ( Ictiobus bubalus ). However, sample sizes were small for these native species, limiting our ability to identify effects. Water temperature, tailwater elevation, and vessel lockages affected passage rates, although this varied among species.

Kentucky↗
USGS2026

Geophysical architecture and geochronology of the Neoarchean Mentor anorthosite intrusive complex, northwestern Minnesota: Largest anorthosite complex of the Superior Province?

The Neoarchean Mentor anorthosite intrusive complex (MAIC) lies within the Wawa subprovince in northwestern Minnesota, in a region where the Wawa, Quetico, and Wabigoon subprovinces are juxtaposed in close proximity. Archean rocks are entirely concealed, and interpretations are developed from aeromagnetic, gravity, and borehole samples. The MAIC includes both anorthosite (dense, weakly magnetized) and oxide-rich gabbro (strongly magnetized) lithologies. Anorthosite is coarse-grained to megacrystic, intensely altered, and locally brecciated. Pervasive epidote alteration enhanced the density of the anorthosite via introduction of higher-density mineral assemblages, explaining why the MAIC produces a significant gravity high. Oxide-rich gabbro forms a border phase of the MAIC and has potential for vanadium, chromium, and titanium mineralization, and produces a strong aeromagnetic high. The MAIC is interpreted to extend over an area of 640 km 2 , making it the largest known anorthosite complex of the Superior Province, as measured by preserved areal extent. Modeling indicates the MAIC extends more than 6 km into the subsurface. A new Pb–Pb zircon age of 2737.2 ± 4.5 Ma is interpretated as the crystallization age of anorthosite within the MAIC, showing that the MAIC formed well before the ca. 2690 Ma Shebandowanian orogeny, and raising new questions about correlations with other parts of the Wawa subprovince. A low-density batholith, here informally called the Fertile batholith, is interpreted to intrude the southern part of the MAIC. A new Pb–Pb zircon age of 2701.1 ± 6 Ma is interpreted as the magmatic age of the Fertile batholith.

Minnesota↗
USGS2025

New constraints on location and timing of the Great Lakes tectonic zone, central Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA

The Great Lakes tectonic zone (GLTZ) forms the boundary between the Wawa–Abitibi and Minnesota River Valley subprovinces within the Archean Superior Province. The GLTZ is concealed for all of its 1100 km length, except for a segment in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There, it is exposed as a northwest-striking mylonite zone along a 11 km segment, extending to the onlap of Paleozoic rocks to the east. Farther east, its location has been unknown. Here, we use aeromagnetic and gravity data to develop interpretations of the expression of the GLTZ and to define its extent under cover. Aeromagnetic gradients over the mylonite zone are interpreted to be produced by structurally juxtaposed rocks with varying magnetizations. Gravity data show a regional gradient along the GLTZ, produced by the juxtaposition of a dense greenstone belt on the north against lower-density gneisses and granites on the south. The GLTZ is interpreted to extend ∼55 km under cover to the east. The GLTZ is terminated on the east by the buried eastern arm of the ca. 1100 Ma Midcontinent Rift. An undeformed granitic dike that cuts the mylonitic foliation produces a U–Pb apatite age of 2523 ± 33 Ma, implying no major post-Archean shearing occurred, and is at odds with previous interpretations of major Proterozoic reactivation. A granite intrusion in the Minnesota River Valley subprovince produces a Pb–Pb zircon age of 2606.9 ± 3.6/7.4 Ma. This suggests that magmatism related to the Sacred Heart orogeny, previously known in Minnesota, extended to Michigan.

Michigan↗
USGS2024

Enhanced microplastic fragmentation along human built structures in an urban waterway

Plastic pollution and microplastic (MP, 1 µm to 5 mm) generation are growing problems affecting the global community and a wide range of natural and disturbed environments. Urban and suburban waterways are directly impacted by plastic pollution due to their proximity to population centers and many different types single use plastic waste sources. In this study, plastic waste accumulation and fragmentation was investigated along the Cooper River in Camden County, NJ. Polymer composition was identified for individual plastic waste particles collected along the Cooper River using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. Multiple human-built structures (Wallworth Lake, Evans Pond and Hopkins Pond dams) along the Cooper River were found to accumulate different types of plastic waste. The accumulation of plastic waste along these structures resulted in the initial stages of plastic fragmentation and the identification of large MP particles (1 to 5 mm). Quantitative analysis revealed that fragmented polystyrene (PS) particles constituted 82.8% of the total plastic fragments identified, most of which were identified at the Wallworth Lake dam. Many other types of fragmented plastic litter, including polyethylene and polypropylene, were identified at the Wallworth Lake dam, as well. This research demonstrates that engineered structures within urban and suburban aquatic ecosystems serve as significant aggregators of plastic debris, thereby catalyzing its breakdown into microplastics. Considering the escalating ecological and human health ramifications of microplastic proliferation, the fragmentation of plastic waste in an urban and suburban waterway observed in this study can also result in potentially toxic smaller MP particles, and increased exposure to aquatic organisms and humans.

New Jersey↗
USGS2024

Detrital zircons and the magmatic history of Viti Levu, Fiji

We integrate the existing detrital zircon data from multiple modern river sediment samples on Viti Levu, Fiji, with the most current available geological and topographic mapping of the respective river drainage basins to compare detrital populations with potential bedrock sources. The temporal and spatial variations in zircon geochemistry supplement what is known from igneous rocks and confirm the petrological differences between plutonic and volcanic rocks from the Eocene to early Oligocene (Yavuna age, >30 Ma), middle Oligocene to middle Miocene (Wainimala age, 30–12.5 Ma), late Miocene (Colo age, 12.5–6.5 Ma) and latest Miocene (Namosi age, 6.5–5 Ma). The >30 Ma Yavuna-age zircons are restricted to areas that drain the previously mapped Yavuna Group. The 30–12.5 Ma zircons are found across central Viti Levu from west to east, and the 30–15 Ma zircons have distinctively low U/Yb and high Dy/Yb ratios. They are the best radiometric evidence of widespread early to middle Miocene arc magmatism in Fiji that was relatively U-poor. Peak deconvolution of the Colo age zircons from individual basins suggests the following ages for undated or poorly dated plutons from central Viti Levu. The large Mavuvu pluton is probably composed of multiple intrusions in the 12–10 Ma range, the Waiqa pluton is probably ca 10 Ma, and the Noikoro pluton is probably ca 9 Ma. There are zircons from unknown plutonic or volcanic sources between 8 and 7 Ma in western Viti Levu that have distinct Eu/Eu* ratios. We attribute the highest U/Yb ratios in some Colo age zircons to crustal anatexis. Namosi-age zircons are abundant in the Medrausucu Group and can be found scattered across Viti Levu.

Viti Levu↗
USGS2026

Upper Triassic igneous rocks of the southern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska – Prelude to Early Jurassic subduction along the western Wrangellia composite terrane margin

New U–Pb zircon geochronology identifies a latest Triassic (ca 214–201 Ma) igneous suite of tuff, hypabyssal dikes, and a pluton on the southern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The igneous suite was emplaced within Upper Triassic sedimentary rocks along the southern margin of Western Wrangellia, the western-most fragment of the Wrangellia composite terrane. The igneous rocks range from mafic (50.6% SiO 2 ) to felsic (78.3% SiO 2 ), characteristically have less than 1.55% K 2 O, and generally have low trace element abundances. The tonalitic and trondhjemitic magmas were largely sourced in mafic-rich lower crust and incompletely assimilated quartz and other mineral xenocrysts are common. Fractionation involving plagioclase and amphibole is indicated for some magmas and composite intrusions and igneous xenoliths indicate magma mixing was possible. Paleozoic and Precambrian inherited zircons and initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (0.704103–0.705609) and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd (0.512396–0.512777) ratios indicate that the Western Wrangellia crustal sources are heterogeneous and contain sialic components. The latest Triassic magmatism reflects processes that preceded Early Jurassic subduction along the Wrangellia composite terrane and Pacific Ocean plate boundary. These processes involved heating and melting of mantle lithosphere and lower crust as mantle instabilities accompanied the breaking of the plate boundary linkages. The Late Triassic transition to subduction along the Wrangellia composite terrane margin coincided with the transition to subduction cessation in the Late Triassic arcs of the western Intermontane terranes of Canada. The shift to subduction along the outboard Wrangellia composite terrane margin marks the beginning of the Pacific Ocean–Cordillera plate interactions that came to dominate the tectonic evolution of the northern Cordillera from the Early Jurassic to today.

Alaska↗
USGS2024

Deformation by pressure solution and grain boundary sliding in a retrograde shear zone in southern New England, USA

Alleghanian phyllonites in a shear zone in southern New England were formed by the retrogression and hydration of a high-grade Acadian pelitic schist. The retrogression was locally incomplete, resulting in both heterogeneous mineralogy and mineral compositions, and in many arrested reaction textures. These features, documented by backscattered electron and element map imaging, and by 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating, provide a record of the processes active as the schist was converted to a phyllonite. On the margins of the shear zone relic biotite and garnet grains survive but are partially replaced by chlorite. Relic high-grade muscovite flakes containing up to 35 % paragonite (pg) also persist but are entrained in swarms of pg-poor muscovite flakes producing folia with an anastomosing network of muscovite grains of variable composition. Single crystals of pg-rich muscovite are truncated by muscovite in successively younger cross-cutting folia that contain decreasing pg contents, falling to <5% pg in the youngest folia. In the core of the shear zone all high-grade minerals are destroyed, but recrystallization continues with earlier greenschist facies folia replaced by lower grade and pg-poorer muscovite in younger folia. Muscovite grains in truncated folia are commonly kinked and selective recrystallization of muscovite in kink bands to pg-poor-compositions demonstrates that strain energy helped drive recrystallization. The boundaries of these new pg-poor muscovite folia are sharp, and truncations indicate that grain boundary sliding (GBS) involved dissolution. GBS also enabled folding by flexural slip along muscovite grain boundaries. Fold amplitudes increased as chlorite dissolved from fold limbs precipitated in fold hinges producing crescent-shaped saddle-reef-like structures. Together these observations of truncation and replacement by dissolution and precipitation demonstrate that pressure solution and GBS facilitated both the formation of the phyllonitic shear zone and slip along it.

Connecticut↗
USGS2026

Sedimentological and geochemical characterization of lacustrine deposits of the Babouri-Figuil basin, northern Cameroon: Implications for source rocks distribution and petroleum exploration

The West and Central African Rift System (WCARS) refers to the series of Cretaceous rift basins where commercial hydrocarbon accumulations have been discovered. Some of the WCARS frontier basins are currently being investigated to increase our understanding of these basins in light of new commercial discoveries. The present study was performed in the Babouri-Figuil Basin (BFB), which is genetically related to the WCARS and constitutes an area of interest in terms of petroleum prospecting, where the distribution of petroleum source rocks and potential targets for petroleum exploration across the entire basin is poorly understood. For the current study, an integrated facies analysis along with organic and inorganic geochemical techniques were applied to the basin's Cretaceous deposits with the aim of reconstructing the paleodepositional environment, assessing factors that triggered the input of organic matter, and providing a spatial overview of the organic matter accumulation in the basin based on outcrop samples. An alluvial fan-lacustrine-braided river system is inferred from the facies analysis of the stratigraphic sequence consisting of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, limestone, marlstone, and claystone. Bulk analysis of organic matter reveals that black shale and massive claystone are the main prospective petroleum source rocks in the basin. Inorganic geochemical analyses reveal the influence of anoxic conditions, moderate to high primary productivity, and low terrigenous inputs in organic matter enrichment. The formations rich in organic matter are predominantly concentrated in the western and eastern parts of the basin which may represent areas with depressions, characterized by high accommodation space. In terms of the regional context of the WCARS rift basins, typical hydrocarbon exploration in the BFB may target basal-conglomerate, sandstone beds situated directly above or/and interbedded with the Lower Cretaceous source rocks, and the Upper Cretaceous sandstone beds. Basement rocks (granite, granodiorite, and gneisses) and oil shale deposits may represent potential unconventional hydrocarbon exploration. The current integrated study provides an insight that should guide future hydrocarbon exploration campaigns in the basin.

Babouri-Figuil basin↗
USGS2025

Rare earth element-mineralized carbonatite in the Bear Lodge Alkaline Complex, USA—Ore genesis implications from fluid inclusion characterization

Rare earth element (REE) resources of the Bear Lodge Alkaline Complex, Wyoming, are hosted in variably leached carbonatite spatially related to diatreme breccia pipes. We investigated the genesis of REE and lesser-known gold resources through fluid inclusion analysis of carbonatite, fluorite breccia, and smoky quartz vein samples. Physicochemical characteristics of inclusion-trapped fluids were evaluated using petrography, microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy, decrepitate mound analysis, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and noble gas isotope analysis. Microthermometry results reveal three fluid types that affected carbonatite dikes within deeper zones that escaped near-surface, ore-grade REE enrichment: (1) high-temperature (330–432°C) magmatic fluid captured in fine-grained calcite; (2) REE-enriched alkali bicarbonate-sulfate brine; and (3) low-temperature (117–182°C) diluted magmatic or meteoric water. Multiphase brine-like inclusions contain burbankite, nahcolite, strontianite, celestine and alkali sulfate daughter crystals, linking them to early burbankite mineralization. Peripheral smoky quartz and fluorite occurrences at Smith Ridge, 1.5 km from the central carbonatite dike swarm, contain primary inclusions that are Cl-poor and rich in Na-HCO 3 -SO 4 , similar to secondary and pseudosecondary inclusions in carbonatites. Helium isotopes reveal a MORB-like source for carbonatite samples and an older crust signature at Smith Ridge, consistent with the proximal ridge-top exposures of Archean granite. Results from this fluid inclusion study coupled with previous studies of carbonatite mineral paragenesis, show that light REEs (LREEs) were not mobilized great distances. Instead, burbankite crystallized within carbonatite from alkali bicarbonate fluids. With sodium retained in early burbankite, outward-emanating fluids enriched in potassium relative to sodium (higher K:Na) resulted in potassium–ferric iron metasomatism of silicate host rocks. This alkali fractionation was accompanied by fractionation of LREEs and heavy REEs (HREEs), with LREEs dominating the central carbonatite resources. In contrast, areas of peripheral REE mineralization at Bear Lodge are commonly characterized by higher HREE:LREE ratios. The K:Na ratio of associated fenites or alteration assemblages could be indicative of early crystallized burbankite in carbonatites and REE fractionation processes potentially leading to areas of concentrated HREEs with greater supply vulnerabilities.

South Dakota, Wyoming↗
USGS2026

Rare earth element potential in coal and coal ash in the U.S. Gulf Coast

United States heavy reliance on imports of critical minerals (CMs), including rare earth elements (REEs), underscores the importance of development of domestic sources. The study objective was to quantify CM and REE concentrations in coal and coal ash in the US Gulf Coast region. CM and REE concentrations were measured for 118 samples from outcrops and 14 mines in the Gulf Coast. Results show that total REE + Yttrium (REY) concentrations (dry coal basis) are comparable to those of the upper continental crust (UCC) with localized hot spots, such as the Texas Gibbons Creek mine (REY ≤ ~ 2860 ppm). When normalized to UCC REY concentration (169 ppm, dry coal basis), REY to UCC ratios for Gulf Coast coal samples range from 0.1 to 17 (median ratio 0.6). REE extractability from lignites is high (median: 63%–93%) using environmentally benign weak acid. In addition to raw coal, coal ash from power plants could also serve as an REE source with a median ratio of REY in ash relative to coal of 4; however, extractability from coal ash is generally much lower (≤ 5% using the same weak acid as in coal). The median basket price for extracted REY as oxides from coal, assuming 70% extractability, is $3.2 per tonne of coal and $186 billion based on 58 billion metric tonnes of dry coal in the Gulf Coast. REEs important for magnets (Pr + Nd + Tb + Dy) account for ~ 80% of the total value. The corresponding median basket price for extracted REY as oxides from coal ash, assuming ~ 30% extractability, is ~$4.4 per tonne of ash and $1.2 billion based on 258 million tonnes of ash. REE production from coal would likely require co-products, such as activated carbon or humic acids, to attain economic viability. Production of REEs from coal ash could offset remediation costs related to potential water contamination. This reconnaissance study shows the potential for REE production from coal and coal ash in the Gulf Coast; however, carbon coproducts and/or societal benefits would likely be required for socioeconomic viability.

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas↗
USGS2024

Groundwater-Surface water interactions research: Past trends and future directions

Interactions between groundwater and surface water sustain groundwater-dependent ecosystems and regulate river temperature and biogeochemical cycles, amongst many other processes. These interactions occur in freshwater environments including rivers, springs, lakes, and wetlands, and in coastal environments via tidal pumping, submarine groundwater discharge, and seawater intrusion. Here, we explore groundwater-surface water interactions research using bibliometric analyses of titles, abstracts, and keywords from 20,275 journal papers published between 1970 and 2023 extracted from Scopus. Analyses show that research into groundwater-surface water interactions is highly multi-disciplinary, with growing contributions from the social and biological sciences. The number of groundwater-surface water interactions papers is rapidly increasing with over 1200 papers published per year since 2020. Drawing on our data-driven approach and expert knowledge, we synthesise current research trends and identify critical future research directions. Despite the thousands of papers on groundwater-surface water interactions, important processes are still difficult to quantify or predict at meaningful spatial scales to inform water-resources management. We see benefits in future groundwater-surface water interactions research focusing on: (1) using new technologies including internet-of-things-based sensors, uncrewed vehicles, and remote-sensing approaches for data collection to inform groundwater-surface water interactions at large scales, (2) seeking approaches to upscale site-specific findings to better inform management, and (3) continuing the movement towards multi-disciplinary investigations to better inform the understanding of groundwater-surface water interactions and processes that will enable better management outcomes.

Journal of Hydrology↗
USGS2026

Long-term monotonic trends in water budget components in the contiguous United States: Insights from two hydrologic models

Characterizing changes to water availability for domestic, industrial, agricultural, and other uses is essential to support water management. To better quantify these changes, the U.S. Geological Survey and National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research produced two hydrologic models simulating water budget components from 1980 to 2021 over the contiguous United States (CONUS). Both hydrologic models were driven by a common atmospheric forcing dataset and aggregated to common spatial and temporal scales, which enables a novel evaluation of congruency between the models. We present annual and seasonal trends in six water budget components (precipitation, evapotranspiration, streamflow, groundwater recharge, soil saturation, and snow water equivalent) based on the Mann–Kendall test for monotonic trend and Theil-Sen slope estimate for the water year 1983–2021 period for ~86,000 catchments in CONUS. Additional components and metrics from our analysis pipeline are available in an associated published dataset, which contains more than 46 million trend results. The water budget trends showed broad agreement with prior observational and modeling studies that indicate increasing trends in the northeast and decreasing trends in southwestern CONUS. We found the seasonal variability in water budget trends was greatest in the southern, central, and northwest CONUS. These findings support integrated trend assessments when coupled with trends in water quality and use.

Contiguous United States↗
USGS2026

Diverging mineral chemistry of iron and nickel throughout Earth’s changing redox conditions reveals foundation for their evolution as protein cofactors

Iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) were both foundational to early metabolism, yet their biological trajectories diverged as Earth’s surface redox state changed. Here, we integrate mineral chemistry network analysis, protein metal-site coordination-sphere analysis, and curated redox comparisons to test how geochemistry and metalloprotein architecture co-evolved. Mineral network analyses show broader electronegativity variation and network diversity for Fe-bearing minerals through time relative to Ni-bearing minerals. In structural analyses of protein metal centers in a combined Fe/Ni protein structure set, it is shown that Fe- and Ni-associated environments differ in amino-acid composition, hydropathy structure, and cysteine representation. The greater chemical diversity and electronegativity variation in Fe minerals mirror the higher redox and structural versatility of Fe-binding proteins. The presence of Fe in a broader range of mineral and protein environments demonstrates the chemical adaptability of the metal, from the anoxic Archean to oxidative Earth surface conditions following the Great Oxidation Event. Iron, with its broad redox potential range in Fe-oxidoreductases, has a central role in both anaerobic and aerobic metabolisms. Nickel, by contrast, is less widespread in biology. Today, Ni is predominantly employed in deeply branching anaerobic pathways and by proteins with narrower redox potential ranges. Our results show that evolutionary processes, constrained by metal chemistry, habitually utilize Fe as a redox generalist while retaining Ni in specialized roles. The divergent paths of Ni and Fe, from rocks to proteins, demonstrate the intimate relationship between planetary geochemistry and metabolic origins on Earth and suggest that Fe/Ni geochemistry may inform habitability assessments in extraterrestrial environments when interpreted within specific planetary environmental contexts.

Life↗
USGS2025

Review: The hydrogeology of critical mineral resources relevant to the energy transition

Attaining the goals of the international treaty on climate change (the Paris Agreement) will greatly increase the demand for the critical minerals required to implement clean-energy technologies. This poses both challenges and opportunities to the hydrogeologic community from several perspectives. Here, important insights that the hydrogeological sciences have to offer for mineral exploration, mineral production, and addressing environmental issues related to mining and mine decommissioning are summarized. This study focuses on copper, cobalt, lithium, and rare earths to represent the broad spectrum of critical minerals and illustrate their relevance by referring to projected demands and production rates. The current understanding of the hydrogeologic processes that form major deposits of these minerals are then summarized. Ore is defined as the naturally occurring material from which minerals of economic value can be extracted, where most ore deposits are the products of complex hydrogeologic couplings between fluid flow, heat transport, solute transport, chemical reactions, and mechanical deformation. Exploration models for the discovery of deeper, hidden deposits are potentially informed by hydrogeologic theory and hydrogeochemical processes. Hydrogeologic understanding and methods are also essential to production and recovery. Longstanding challenges are mine dewatering and (conversely) mine water supply, as well as mineral-extraction practices such as spoil heap leaching and in situ mining. New challenges arise from element extraction from subsurface brines. Finally, the quantity of water use and potential environmental impacts of mining on water quality are at the core of ‘social license’: the approval and acceptance of society to mining activities.

Hydrogeology Journal↗