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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
USGS2007

Analysis of the Interstate 10 Twin Bridge’s collapse during Hurricane Katrina: Chapter 3D in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

The Interstate 10 Twin Span Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans, La., was rendered completely unusable by Hurricane Katrina. The cause of the collapse of the bridges generated great interest among hydrologists and structural engineers as well as among the general public. What made this case study even more important was the fact that two nearby bridges sustained the effects of the same storm surge and suffered only light damage. Lessons learned from this investigation are invaluable to maintaining the safety of many of the Nation's coastal and river-crossing bridges.

Louisiana↗
USGS2009

Coldwater fish in large standing waters

Large coldwater lakes are defined here as standing freshwater bodies with surface area greater than 200 ha that support coldwater fishes such as trouts and salmons throughout the year. These large water bodies can be exposed to extensive wind fetch, which will affect the timing, mobility, and safety of personnel and gear. These considerations become important constraints for deploying, locating, and retrieving sampling gear. Wind and wave energy affect the timing, duration, and stability of thermal stratification, and they can create transient upwellings, thermal fronts, seiches, and other internal waves that affect vertical and horizontal thermal structure and dissolved oxygen availability. Thermal stratification affects seasonal distribution and productivity patterns for most aquatic organisms. When waters are destratified, movements and distributions of fishes can vary considerably, particularly during thermocline formation in spring and destratification during autumn. During thermal stratification, species with similar thermal responses tend to concentrate more predictably within certain depth-temperature strata, and segregate from species with different thermal responses. In mesotrophic and eutrophic lakes, hypoxia below the thermocline (sometimes encroaching into the thermocline) forces coldwater fishes into shallower, warmer depths than they would otherwise inhabit. Seasonal and diel changes in light and turbidity conditions affect the activity levels, behaviors, and distributions of fishes (e.g., schooling, diel vertical or horizontal migrations, refuge-seeking) and influence their ability to detect and evade certain types of sampling gear, such as gill nets and trawls. Major tributaries and outlets can form habitat conditions that differ considerably from the rest of the littoral zone. Tributary mouths form shallow sand-silt deltas with perceptible flow-through channels and groundwater inflows. Localized thermal pockets can develop if the temperature from incoming surface plumes or groundwater differs substantially from the lake water. Inlets are also point sources for recruitment and for delivering turbidity or prey generated from stream, riparian, or terrestrial sources. Because these habitat features tend to attract fishes, inlets and outlets should generally be considered distinct strata in a lake sampling program.

Book chapter↗
USGS2024

Framework for mapping liquefaction hazard–Targeted design ground motions

Liquefaction-induced ground failure poses substantial challenges to geotechnical earthquake engineering design. Current approaches for designing against liquefaction hazards, as specified in most seismic provisions, focus on estimating a liquefaction factor of safety ( 𝐹⁢𝑆𝐿 ) and typically characterize earthquake loading using design parameters based on probabilistic or deterministic ground motion levels. Because 𝐹⁢𝑆𝐿 is estimated deterministically, this basis of design neglects considerable uncertainties for estimating liquefaction triggering and its consequences and results in a lack of liquefaction-specific design criteria, particularly as structural design has advanced toward risk-targeted performance objectives. This study presents a framework for developing liquefaction-targeted design criteria based on a minimum acceptable return period of liquefaction, informed by probabilistic liquefaction hazard analysis (PLHA). PLHA quantifies annualized rates of liquefaction by considering contributions from (1) the full ground-motion probability space, and (2) uncertainties in liquefaction triggering using probabilistic models. PLHA is used in this study to characterize the current, effective return periods of 𝐹⁢𝑆𝐿 ( 𝑇𝑅,𝐹⁢𝑆 ) obtained from conventional liquefaction hazard analysis (CLHA) using uniform-hazard ground motions. 𝑇𝑅,𝐹⁢𝑆 is evaluated in a parametric study of nearly 100 sites throughout the conterminous United States. The results indicate large geographic variations in acceptable liquefaction hazard levels, with implied 𝑇𝑅,𝐹⁢𝑆 ranging between approximately 1,000 to 3,000 years. To address these inconsistencies without the computational demands of full PLHA, a framework is proposed for developing a liquefaction-targeted design peak ground acceleration, 𝑃⁢𝐺⁢𝐴𝐿 , for use in liquefaction models that result in consistent liquefaction design levels across all geographic locations. The mapped 𝑃⁢𝐺⁢𝐴𝐿 is shown to be somewhat sensitive to site-specific properties, and adjustment factors are developed and presented. The proposed 𝑃⁢𝐺⁢𝐴𝐿 mapping procedure produces 𝐹⁢𝑆𝐿 estimates that are consistent with those obtained from full PLHA at a target 𝑇𝑅,𝐹⁢𝑆 , providing a promising roadmap to incorporating PLHA concepts into current liquefaction design methods.

Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engin↗
USGS1984

Types of damage that could result from a great earthquake in the New Madrid, Missouri, seismic zone

In the winter of 1811–1812 a series of three great earthquakes occurred in the New Madrid seismic zone. In addition to the three principal shocks, at least 15 other earthquakes, I o ≥ VIII, occurred within a year of the first large earthquake on December 16, 1811. The three main shocks were felt over the entire eastern United States. They were strong enough to cause minor damage as far away as Indiana and Ohio on the north, the Carolinas on the east, and southern Mississippi on the south. They were strong enough to cause severe or structural damage in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. The section of this poster titled "Seismic history of the New Madrid region" describes what happened in the epicentral region. Fortunately, few people lived in the severely shaken area in 1811; that is not the case today. What would happen if a series of earthquakes as large and numerous as the "New Madrid" earthquakes were to occur in the New Madrid seismic zone today? Photographs 1-10 show typical damage to structures that occurred during various earthquakes in the United States. Structural damage to buildings in the Modified Mercalli intensity scale, a scale used for assigning numbers to earthquake effects, begins at intensity VIII. Minor or architectural damage (cracked plaster, windows, and chimneys) occurs at intensities VI and VII, and effects on people and small objects predominate at intensities below VI (earthquake felt, direction and duration noted, dishes broken). Photographs 1-10 illustrate damage caused by intensity VIII and above. None of the damage shown in these photographs occurred in earthquakes larger than the 1811–1812 New Madrid shocks, and most of the examples are from considerably smaller shocks. Photographs 1-4 and 7 show damage to masonry buildings, mostly old and unreinforced, none designed to be earthquake resistant. How many such buildings are in use in your community? Photographs 5 and 6 show damage to modern structures close to the epicenter of a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, a small shock compared to the magnitudes (8.4–8.7) of the New Madrid earthquakes. Photographs 8–10 are typical of damage that can occur at large distances from great earthquakes. Tall buildings are particularly susceptible to ground motions with relatively long periods (greater than 1 second), while short, rigid buildings are generally more likely to be damaged by ground motions with periods of less than 1 second. Shorter period ground motions attenuate more rapidly with distance from the epicenter than do the longer period motions. The 1811-1812 earthquakes produced extensive ground effects. Earthquakes can cause many different kinds of ground effects, ranging from minor fissures, slumps, and rockslides to major landslides and disturbances of the ground surface. Photographs 1117 show typical earthquake ground effects and the kinds of damage they can cause to manmade structures. Is another earthquake as large as the 1811-1812 shocks really likely to occur in New Madrid seismic zone? Great earthquakes such as the 1811-1812 series are estimated to occur in the zone on the average every 500 years. However, earthquakes strong enough to cause structural damage (VIII in the Modified Mercalli intensity scale) are estimated to occur in the seismic zone on the average every 50 years. The last such shock occurred in 1843. How do you prepare for a possible earthquake and what do you do if one occurs? The section on "Earthquake safety tips" explains what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Want to know more? See "Sources of additional information." Other reports of interest are listed in "References cited."

New Madrid seismic zone↗
USGS1997

Options for the Future of the US National Strong-Motion Program

This report constitutes the requested 'Options Document'. This report considers three options. Option I assumes a constant level of financial support for Operating Expenses (OE) with not additional personnel support. Option II assumes a slight increase in OE support of $150K for FY 99 and beyond. Option III considers the role that a NSMP must play if the nation's urgent need to record the main earthquake at locations of significance for society is to be met. Two parts of Option III are considered. The first part of this option, termed Option III A, considers the role that strong-motion recording in and near man-made structures must play if a near-real time hazard initiative is to be implemented in the United States; The second part of Option III; termed Option III B, considers the scope of a NSMP needed to address society's needs to record the main earthquake in locations of significance for future public earthquake safety.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2012

New "Risk-Targeted" Seismic Maps Introduced into Building Codes

Throughout most municipalities of the United States, structural engineers design new buildings using the U.S.-focused International Building Code (IBC). Updated editions of the IBC are published every 3 years. The latest edition (2012) contains new "risk-targeted maximum considered earthquake" (MCER) ground motion maps, which are enabling engineers to incorporate a more consistent and better defined level of seismic safety into their building designs.

Report↗
USGS2025

Adapting visitor use management under a changing climate across the U.S. National Park System

Research shows that climate change is already affecting both resources and visitors in U.S. National Parks. We sought to better understand if and how park staff across the National Park Service are adapting to climatic changes that affect visitor use, as well as barriers and challenges to adaptation and information needs. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 63 staff from 31 representative national park units across the United States. We qualitatively coded interviews for themes using deductive and inductive coding approaches. Results indicate that park staff are already taking action to adapt to changes that are affecting visitor use, including efforts to increase resiliency of infrastructure and to support the health and safety of visitors (e.g., increased communication, preventative search and rescue, changes to programming). Common barriers and challenges include institutional factors (such as funding, staffing capacity, and shifting priorities), uncertainty about future conditions, and difficulties with prioritizing climate adaptation. Data, tool, and information needs varied, but commonly included social science data such as visitor surveys, and tools to help synthesize and standardize information and help translate science into action. These results provide insights into current actions park staff are taking to adapt to climate change and what resources may be helpful in the future to lower the challenges and barriers to adaptation.

Journal of Environmental Management↗
USGS1980

Seismic-reflection data on the eastern U.S. continental shelf acquired by M. V. L'OLONNOIS as part of the Atlantic Margin Coring Project (AMCOR) of the U.S. Geological Survey, July-September 1976

In 1976 the U.S. Geological Survey undertook a program to sample the eastern United States Shelf for stratigraphic information by drilling a set of core holes. Results of this Atlantic Margin Coring Program (AMCOR) have been reported by Hathaway and others. Sites were chosen from seismic-reflection data and were reviewed by a safety panel to minimize the risk of penetrating any hydrocarbon accumulation which might lead to environmental contamination. The M-V-L'OLONNOIS, the service ship for the drilling operation, was fitted with seismic-reflection profiling equipment (listed below), to run seismic-reflection profiles before drilling began on each hole. This provided additional assurance that no closed structures would be penetrated and allowed minor adjustment with the site selection. A total of 491 km of high-resolution seismic profiles was collected on 22 sites. Equipment used (specifics for each site noted on records): Bolt Air Guns 1-40 cubic inch chambers EPC Recorder Teledyne Minisparker (last two sites) Navigation used two Internav 101 Loran-C receivers.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2021

Fire and forests in the 21st century: Managing resilience under changing climates and fire regimes in USA forests

Higher temperatures, lower snowpacks, drought, and extended dry periods have contributed to increased wildfire activity in recent decades. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of large fires, the cumulative area burned, and fire suppression costs and risks in many areas of the USA. Fire regimes are likely to change due to interactions among climate, fire, and other stressors and disturbances; resulting in persistent changes in forest structure and function. The remainder of the twenty-first century will present substantial challenges, as natural resource managers are faced with higher fire risk and the difficult task of maintaining ecological function in a rapidly changing biophysical and social landscape. Fuel treatments will continue to be important for minimizing the undesirable ecological effects of fire, and for enhancing firefighter safety; however, treatments must be implemented strategically across large areas. Collaboration among agencies, private landowners, and other organizations will be critical for ensuring resilience and sustainable forest management.

Book chapter↗
USGS2004

Annual Report for 2003 Wild Horse Research and Field Activities

As stated in the Wild Horse Fertility Control Field Trial Plan, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has an immediate need for a safe, effective contraceptive agent to assist in the management of the large number of wild horses on western rangelands. The BLM and the U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources Discipline (USGS/BRD) are testing the immunocontraceptive agent Porcine Zonae Pellucida (PZP) in field trials with three free-roaming herds of western wild horses. Extensive research has already been conducted on the safety, efficacy, and duration of PZP applications in both domestic and feral horses on eastern barrier islands and in some select trials I with wild horses in Nevada managed by the BLM. However, significant questions remain concerning the effects of I PZP application at the population level in the wild, as well as effects at the individual level on behavior, social structure, and harem dynamics of free-ranging animals. These questions are best answered with field trials on wild horse herds under a tight research protocol. The ultimate goal is to provide the BLM with the protocols and information necessary to begin using fertility control to regulate population growth rates in wild horse herds on a broader scale. Fertility control is intended to assist the conventional capture, removal, and adoption process as a I means of controlling excess numbers of wild horses and burros, and to greatly reduce the adoption costs and numbers of animals handled. Fertility control is not intended to totally replace the removal and adoption process. The USGSIBRD began assisting the BLM with field trials of immunocontraceptive fertility control of wild horses in early 2001. The first PZP treatments were applied during gathers at the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range in September 2001, and the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range, Colorado, in July 2002. At those gathers, 5 horses were treated in the Pryor Mountain WHR, and 23 were treated in the Little Book Cliffs WHR with PZP. These initial treatments were followed by booster injections in 2002. The second injection is required in order to raise, and I maintain, the titer levels of mares high enough to be considered contracepted. By the end of 2002, 13 horses on the Pryor Mountain WHR had received both injections, as had 11 horses in the Little Book Cliffs WHR. In 2003, intensive research efforts were carried out by the USGSIBRD at three field locations; Pryor Mountain WHR, Little I Book Cliffs WHR, and McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management Area. The work at these sites during this I calendar year included treatment of wild horse mares with PZP in the Pryor herd and Little Book Cliffs herd, development and implementation of behavioral research to investigate potential affects of PZP treatment, continued tracking of demography and foal production in all three herds, and early phases of investigating aerial population estimation survey techniques. Detailed descriptions of these research topics can be found in the Wild Horse and Burro Management Strategic Research Plan and the Wild Horse Fertility Control Field Trial Plan. Field work in 2003 was conducted by USGSIBRD and BLM staff with the assistance of many dedicated individuals. See I Acknowledgments for more details. This report is meant to highlight the activities of the 2003 field season, as well as to provide a general overview of the data collected. More in-depth data analysis will be conducted following the conclusion of each I phase of the research project, and in many cases will not be possible until several seasons of data are collected.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2010

Using GIS and Google Earth for the creation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road Avalanche Atlas, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

Snow avalanche paths are key geomorphologic features in Glacier National Park, Montana, and an important component of mountain ecosystems: they are isolated within a larger ecosystem, they are continuously disturbed, and they contain unique physical characteristics (Malanson and Butler, 1984). Avalanches impact subalpine forest structure and function, as well as overall biodiversity (Bebi et al., 2009). Because avalanches are dynamic phenomena, avalanche path geometry and spatial extent depend upon climatic regimes. The USGS/GNP Avalanche Program formally began in 2003 as an avalanche forecasting program for the spring opening of the ever-popular Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR), which crosses through 37 identified avalanche paths. Avalanche safety and forecasting is a necessary part of the GTSR spring opening procedures. An avalanche atlas detailing topographic parameters and oblique photographs was completed for the GTSR corridor in response to a request from GNP personnel for planning and resource management. Using ArcMap 9.2 GIS software, polygons were created for every avalanche path affecting the GTSR using aerial imagery, field-based observations, and GPS measurements of sub-meter accuracy. Spatial attributes for each path were derived within the GIS. Resulting products include an avalanche atlas book for operational use, a geoPDF of the atlas, and a Google Earth flyover illustrating each path and associated photographs. The avalanche atlas aids park management in worker safety, infrastructure planning, and natural resource protection by identifying avalanche path patterns and location. The atlas was created for operational and planning purposes and is also used as a foundation for research such as avalanche ecology projects and avalanche path runout modeling.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2017

Development of the next generation of seismic design value maps for the 2020 NEHRP Provisions

During the period January 2015 through August 2018, a joint committee of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) representatives and National Institute of Building Sciences Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) volunteers and staff formed a committee to conduct Project 17. The purpose of Project 17 was to formulate recommendations for the rules by which next-generation seismic design value maps, derived from USGS national seismic hazard models, will be developed for adoption by the 2020 National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations of New Buildings and Other Structures (NEHRP Provisions), ASCE 7-22 and the 2024 International Building Code. Two similar projects, Project 97 and Project 07, had been conducted in the past. Each of these projects established, for a period of approximately ten years, the rules by which design ground motion values referenced by the building codes would be developed both by USGS and by private consultants engaged in site-specific studies. Project 17 was originally commissioned in response to issues identified in adopting the 2014 edition of the USGS national seismic hazard model and the design procedures that reference them for use, including the NEHRP Provisions, building codes and referenced standards. Specific issues included: the engineering profession’s discontent with the fluctuating design values portrayed by successive map editions; discovery that the standard spectral shape referenced by the design provisions did not adequately represent ground motion amplitude and spectral character on some sites; and a change in seismologic characterization of the possible size of earthquakes originating on various faults and source zones. Project 17 was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and supported by the USGS with some collaborating experts. An initial planning committee met throughout calendar year 2015 to identify key issues to be considered and to develop a work plan for addressing these as part of the 2020 NEHRP Provisions update cycle. The planning committee recommended an effort of approximately 30-months duration during which the USGS would develop draft design maps based on the rules proposed, to allow evaluation and refinement of the recommendations. A Project 17 Committee (P17C) was empaneled and four task subcommittees were formed, each charged with evaluating one of the key issues identified in the planning effort: Stabilizing mapped values; Definition of Acceptable Risk; Development of multi-period spectral parameter data; and, Definition of procedures for computing deterministic caps, should it be necessary to continue use of such caps in development of the maps. A fifth task subcommittee was formed in 2017 to look at ways to stabilize the seismic design category as an extended effort to stabilize mapped values. The P17C met three times per year throughout 2016, 2017 and 2018 to resolve these issues and develop recommendations for an updated technical basis and procedures to be followed in preparing next-generation seismic design value maps for inclusion in the NEHRP Provisions. The P17C documented these in the form of draft proposals for revision of the NEHRP Provisions. In August 2018, the P17C passed these recommendations to the Provisions Update Committee (PUC) for completion, development of consensus and adoption as appropriate.

Report↗
USGS2009

Comparing a quasi-3D to a full 3D nearshore circulation model: SHORECIRC and ROMS

Predictions of nearshore and surf zone processes are important for determining coastal circulation, impacts of storms, navigation, and recreational safety. Numerical modeling of these systems facilitates advancements in our understanding of coastal changes and can provide predictive capabilities for resource managers. There exists many nearshore coastal circulation models, however they are mostly limited or typically only applied as depth integrated models. SHORECIRC is an established surf zone circulation model that is quasi-3D to allow the effect of the variability in the vertical structure of the currents while maintaining the computational advantage of a 2DH model. Here we compare SHORECIRC to ROMS, a fully 3D ocean circulation model which now includes a three dimensional formulation for the wave-driven flows. We compare the models with three different test applications for: (i) spectral waves approaching a plane beach with an oblique angle of incidence; (ii) monochromatic waves driving longshore currents in a laboratory basin; and (iii) monochromatic waves on a barred beach with rip channels in a laboratory basin. Results identify that the models are very similar for the depth integrated flows and qualitatively consistent for the vertically varying components. The differences are primarily the result of the vertically varying radiation stress utilized by ROMS and the utilization of long wave theory for the radiation stress formulation in vertical varying momentum balance by SHORECIRC. The quasi-3D model is faster, however the applicability of the fully 3D model allows it to extend over a broader range of processes, temporal, and spatial scales.

Ocean Modelling↗
USGS2019

Safety in numbers: Cost-effective endangered species management for viable populations

We develop a bioeconomic model to identify the cost-effective control of an invasive species (rain-bow trout) to achieve a population viability goal for an endangered species (humpback chub) in the Grand Canyon of the U.S. southwest. The population viability optimization problem is no-toriously difficult to solve due to a probabilistic restriction on joint outcomes (survival) over many periods. We develop a novel dynamic programming solution approach that is fast and forgoes the simulation method requirement of imposing structure on the policy function. We also investigate an adaptive management model that incorporates learning about uncertain bi-ological dynamics.

Grand Canyon↗
USGS2000

Aeromagnetic Survey of the Amargosa Desert, Nevada and California: A Tool for Understanding Near-Surface Geology and Hydrology

A high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Amargosa Desert and surrounding areas provides insights into the buried geology of this structurally complex region. The survey covers an area of approximately 7,700 km2 (2,970 mi2), extending from Beatty, Nevada, to south of Shoshone, California, and includes parts of the Nevada Test Site and Death Valley National Park. Aeromagnetic flight lines were oriented east-west, spaced 400 m (0.25 mi) apart, and flown at an altitude of 150 m (500 ft) above terrain, or as low as permitted by safety considerations. Characteristic magnetic anomalies occur over volcanic terranes, such as Yucca Mountain and the Greenwater Range, and over Proterozoic basement rocks, such as Bare Mountain and the Black Mountains. Linear magnetic anomalies caused by offsets of volcanic rocks permit detailed mapping of shallow faults in volcanic terranes. Of particular interest are subtle anomalies that overlie alluvial deposits at Devils Hole and Pahrump Valley. Alignments of springs along magnetic anomalies at these locales suggest that these anomalies are caused by faults that cut the alluvium, displace magnetic rocks at depth, and eventually influence ground-water flow. Linear magnetic anomalies over the Funeral Mountains appear to coincide with a prominent set of north-northeast-striking faults that cut the Precambrian Stirling Quartzite, rocks that are typically nonmagnetic. The position and orientation of these anomalies with respect to springs north of Furnace Creek suggest that the faults may act as conduits for the flow of water from the north into Death Valley, but the mineralogical cause of the anomalies is unknown.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2019

A draft decision framework for the National Park Service Interior Region 5 bison stewardship strategy

The Department of the Interior Bison Conservation Initiative calls for its bureaus to plan and implement collaborative American bison conservation and to ensure involvement by tribal, state, and local governments and the public in that conservation. Four independently managed and geographically separated National Park Service (NPS) units in Interior Region 5 (IR5) preserve bison and other components of a formerly contiguous Great Plains landscape. Management of bison in IR5 parks has historically been specific to each park, and livestock and range management science informed much of the decision making. In the past two decades, NPS has shifted away from managing bison from this livestock-based perspective towards a wildlife stewardship approach, including ensuring their long-term adaptive potential and considering them as just one part of a complex ecosystem. This shift requires a more holistic and cooperative approach to stewardship that is challenging not only because of limitations in funding and fluctuations in leadership priorities, but also because of the constraints imposed by the parks’ relatively small, fenced areas. The IR5 NPS Bison Stewardship Strategy (“Strategy”) will help the NPS to meet its responsibilities in cooperative stewardship of bison. The Strategy will serve to organize and consolidate the NPS’s legal and policy responsibilities within a framework of collectively defined values and objectives to support the careful and transparent decision-making processes that both guide and transcend park-specific planning. This report describes a preliminary decision framework for the Strategy, including the context, the fundamental objectives, and a range of alternative strategies developed and considered through two workshops and a series of conference calls with NPS personnel, stakeholders, and outside experts with an interest in IR5 NPS bison stewardship. Although not the Strategy itself, this framework serves as the Strategy’s starting point and identifies 14 fundamental objectives, falling in four major themes: Persistence of Wild and Healthy Bison 1. Maximize the long-term persistence of bison in IR5 parks 2. Maximize the long-term adaptive capacity of bison in North America 3. Maximize the wildness of the bison herds 4. Maximize humane treatment of bison, while allowing natural processes to occur Supporting Tribal Buffalo Culture 5. Improve relationships, trust, and communication with Tribes to enhance shared stewardship of bison within and beyond IR5 6. Maximize the number of live, healthy bison that can be transferred to tribal herds Persistence of Native Ecological Communities and Processes 7. Maximize structural and compositional heterogeneity of native prairie plant communities across space and time within each park 8. Maximize the abundance and diversity of animal species of special concern 9. Minimize the loss of native grassland within each park 10. Minimize the abundance of exotic plants in the park landscape 11. Maximize riparian area and wetland integrity Public Outreach 12. Maximize the number of healthy, wild bison that are visible to the public 13. Maximize the safety of visitors 14. Maximize public understanding of the past, present, and future of bison and Native Americans in the Great Plains The terms “minimize” and “maximize” in these objectives describe the desired direction for each individual objective. Finding the right balance among these objectives and any others identified in further work is one of the central challenges in developing the Strategy. To that end, this report also demonstrates and describes potential methods for evaluating how well alternative strategies would achieve each of the fundamental objectives.

Natural Resource Report↗
USGS2025

Responding to ecological transformation in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah—Employee perspectives from pilot interviews from the Cross-Park Resist-Assist-Direct Project

Executive Summary Climate change is causing a range of changes that can affect the natural, cultural, and built resources of the Nation’s protected areas and affect opportunities to visit and recreate in these spaces. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns also affect species and habitats, leading to ecological transformation. This report describes findings from pilot research conducted in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah (hereinafter referred to as “Capitol Reef” or “the Park”) as part of a larger interagency study of how National Park Service (NPS) staff are considering management of transforming ecosystems. Semi-structured interviews were used to assess how Capitol Reef employees (n=9) understand the challenge of ecological transformation, including their perceptions of how climate change is affecting the Park’s natural and cultural resources, the multiple timeframes over which employees respond to climate change impacts, and their awareness and understanding of ecological transformation and the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework, which was developed to address ecological transformation, that is, ecosystems changing in response to changes in climate conditions (Schuurman and others, 2020, 2022). The interviews also solicited employee perceptions about constraints and enabling factors that allow Capitol Reef to effectively respond to ecological transformation. The report uses a conceptual framework that has been used by the National Park Service Climate Change Response Program (Clifford and others, 2022) to structure the reporting of the data about constraints and enabling factors, with sections describing the role of factors internal to an individual employee (culture, worldviews, and understanding of an ecological system) and contextual factors external to an individual (institutional context, social feasibility and scientific uncertainty as influenced by available scientific information). Participating Capitol Reef staff perceived the most pressing climate impacts in the Park as increasing air temperatures, aridity, and flash floods, which are impacting natural and cultural resources, public safety, and infrastructure. Staff mostly agreed on what the future landscape (approximately 50 years into the future) may look like at Capitol Reef in terms of changes in vegetation and future temperature and precipitation conditions. However, staff had more divergent views or were uncertain about how specific species will adapt to future conditions (for example, how endemic plants might shift their ranges) and are grappling with which management strategies to take at which times. Staff also had differing opinions about how much data is needed to prompt action. Interviewees agreed that leadership in the Park had made climate change a priority and created a climate-attuned culture among staff. Participating employees described the park culture at Capitol Reef as collaborative, with frequent communication and work across divisions, which, as an example, shapes responses to flash floods and other events (for example, working across divisions on search and rescue, or repairing fencing that is washed out by storms). This collaborative, climate-attuned culture may help Capitol Reef in future problem-solving as it grapples with how to respond to climate change and ecological transformation in the Park.

Utah↗
USGS2007

Protecting Your Family From Earthquakes-The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety (in Spanish and English)

This book is provided here to share an important message on emergency preparedness. Historically, we have suffered earthquakes here in the San Francisco Bay Area that have caused severe hardship for residents and incredible damage to our cities. It is likely we will experience a severe earthquake within the next 30 years. Many of us come from other countries where we have experienced earth- quakes, so we believe that we understand them. However, the way we prepare for earthquakes in our home country may be different from the way it is necessary to prepare for earthquakes here. Very f w people die from collapsing buildings in the Bay Area because most structures are built to stand up to the shaking. But it is quite possible that your family will be without medical care or grocery stores and separated from one another for several days to weeks. It will ultimately be up to you to keep your family safe until help arrives, so we are asking you to join us in learning to take care of your family before, during, and after an earthquake. The first step is to read this book. Everyone in your family, children and adults, can learn how to prepare for an earthquake. Then take advantage of the American Red Cross Earthquake Preparedness training courses offered in your community. These preparedness courses are free, and also offered in Spanish and available to everyone in the community regardless of family history, leg al status, gender, or age. We encourage you to take one of these free training workshops. Look on the back cover for more information. Remember that an earthquake can occur without warning, and the only way that we can reduce the harm caused by earthquakes is to be prepared. Get Prepared!

General Information Product↗