A hidden threat is emerging in the world’s glaciers: while most are shrinking, a rare group known as “surging glaciers” can suddenly accelerate, unleashing powerful and sometimes destructive events. Scientists have identified over 3,100 of these glaciers worldwide, with many...Read more

RESTON, Va. — A new collaborative study led by the U.S. Geological Survey provides strong evidence that the Grand Canyon was carved out by spillover flooding from ancient Lake Bidahochi, a large lake fed by the ancestral Colorado River.  The lake’s...Read more

Invasive quagga mussels were recently found in the greater Columbia River basin. Our scientists are working with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine which of their fish hatcheries are at greatest risk of invasion and what...Read more

For years, water managers have been puzzled as the Colorado River kept delivering less water than expected—even when snowpack levels looked promising. New research reveals the missing piece: spring rain, or rather, the lack of it. Warmer, drier springs mean...Read more

We all need clean, safe water for our families — no matter where we live or what we look like. Much of our water comes from rivers, which also provide crucial habitat for fish and wildlife. Our economy, farms, and...Read more

Oyster reefs aren’t random piles—they’re carefully shaped survival systems. Researchers discovered that certain geometric patterns, not just bigger or more complex structures, give young oysters the best chance to thrive. By mimicking these natural designs, artificial reefs can dramatically boost...Read more

A sweeping global report finds that migratory freshwater fish are in steep decline, with populations down roughly 81% since 1970. These species depend on long, connected rivers, but dams and human pressures are cutting off their routes. Hundreds of species...Read more

Migratory freshwater fish populations have declined by 81 percent worldwide since 1970, a collapse that underscores the urgent need for coordinated river and lake management across national borders, the United Nations warns.  A report published today — the first global...Read more

What an amazing year for river restoration in California–from the Oregon border to the U.S.-Mexico border to the south. We saw salmon return to the upper watershed of the Klamath River for the first time in over a century. We broke...Read more

If you’ve ever stood beside a rushing river and felt a particular kind of peace — the sound of water moving the way it was always meant to move — you might appreciate just how significant our new report on...Read more

A new digital archive released by the USGS Pacific and St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Centers gives scientists an unprecedented look inside reef-building corals, layer by layer, using advanced imaging technology. Read more

From sustaining Native communities to supplying the caviar trade, sturgeons have shaped the Hudson River’s history.Read more

A new CASC supported framework aims to help land managers prioritize sites for restoration by evaluating biodiversity benefits, species' historical and future habitats, climate projections, and habitat preferences to optimize limited conservation resources while supporting ecosystem resilience.Read more

On a cold and overcast day in November 2025, a small team stood at the edge of a degraded wetland in Seattle, Washington, and excitedly discussed construction plans for a wetland restoration project that had been decades in the making.  ...Read more

Earlier this year, President Trump signed H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included Interior and Environment, Energy and Water, Commerce, Justice, and Science bills. With this package, Congress has now completed work on 11 out of 12 annual appropriations...Read more