Southwest Region | U.S. Geological Survey Official websites use .gov .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS lock ( or means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. San Francisco Bay-Delta The Bay-Delta is a nexus for challenging issues about water, ecosystems, and human use. USGS science helps address key problems and uncertainties. Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center How does Glen Canyon Dam affect downstream Colorado River resources? Lake Tahoe An underwater view of periphyton growing on rocks near the shore of Lake Tahoe with a reflection of the rocks on the water surface Explore the Lake Tahoe Hydro Mapper Salton Sea The Salton Sea is facing many challenges as inflows and water levels decline. USGS science helps identify problems and evaluate possible solutions. New Technologies for Mapping Surface Soil Moisture Stinson Beach Flood map from Our Coast, Our Future Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) Coastal Dwellers Read more about sea otter research Southwest Region Data Multimedia Publications Web Tools News Connect Partners Southwest Region The Southwest Region covers Arizona, California, Nevada, and a portion of southern Oregon. Our scientists do a broad array of research and technical assistance throughout the U.S. and across the globe. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight & support, facilitates internal & external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science direction. New research shows prehistoric lake contributed to the birth of the Grand Canyon April 16, 2026 New research shows prehistoric lake contributed to the birth of the Grand Canyon 2025 in Review: The Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment January 22, 2026 2025 in Review: The Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment AquaDePTH: Merging Aquatic Disease Surveillance Data into One Useful Tool December 2, 2025 AquaDePTH: Merging Aquatic Disease Surveillance Data into One Useful Tool View All December 13, 2024 Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation Terminal lakes are declining globally because of human water demands, drought, and climate change. Through literature synthesis and feedback from the resource and conservation community, we review the state of research for terminal lakes in the Great Basin of the United States, which support millions of waterbirds annually, to prioritize ecological and hydrologic information needs. From... Authors Garth Herring, Ashley L. Whipple, Cameron L. Aldridge, Bryce Alan Pulver, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Rich D. Inman, Elliott Matchett, Adrian P. Monroe, Elizabeth Kari Orning, Benjamin Seward Robb, Jessica E. Shyvers, Bryan C. Tarbox, Nathan D. Van Schmidt, Cassandra Smith, Matthew J. Holloran, Cory T. Overton, David O’Leary, Michael L. Casazza, Rebecca J. Frus By Ecosystems Mission Area Water Resources Mission Area Species Management Research Program Water Availability and Use Science Program Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Fort Collins Science Center Nevada Water Science Center Oregon Water Science Center Utah Water Science Center Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment June 13, 2024 Bees of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge—A preliminary report on a bee survey in a vulnerable semi-desert grassland of the Sonoran Desert Bees of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge—A preliminary report on a bee survey in a vulnerable semi-desert grassland of the Sonoran Desert Pollinators are vital to the continued existence and seed production of about 87.5 percent of all flowering plants (Ollerton and others, 2011). In the semi-desert grasslands of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, in the Sonoran Desert of the United States, flowering forbs provide seed vital to the food base of wildlife, including the 136 species of resident and migratory birds using... Authors Kathryn A. Thomas, Angela M. Hoover, M. Kathryn Busby By Ecosystems Mission Area Southwest Biological Science Center October 7, 2023 Analyzing spatial distributions and alignments of pitted cone features in Utopia Planitia on Mars Analyzing spatial distributions and alignments of pitted cone features in Utopia Planitia on Mars Martian geomorphology and surface features provide links to understanding past geologic processes such as fluid movement, local and regional tectonics, and feature formation mechanisms. Pitted cones are common features in the northern plains basins of Mars. They have been proposed to have formed from upwelling volatile-rich fluids, such as magma or water-sediment slurries. In this study... Authors Mackenzie M. Mills, Alfred S. McEwen, Amanda N. Hughes, Ji-Eun Kim, Chris Okubo By Natural Hazards Mission Area Astrogeology Science Center View All April 16, 2026 Copper mining, critical minerals, and long-term drought in the Southwest United States Long-term drought in the Southwest U.S. affects water use across many sectors as well as the natural environment. The Southwest U.S. is an important area for mining porphyry copper deposits, which consist of copper minerals disseminated in breccia, a type of rock composed of coarse rock fragments held together by cement or a fine-grained matrix, that are the World's largest source of copper... By Ecosystems Mission Area Arizona Water Science Center Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado River Basin: Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Drought Copper mining, critical minerals, and long-term drought in the Southwest United States April 16, 2026 Copper mining, critical minerals, and long-term drought in the Southwest United States Long-term drought in the Southwest U.S. affects water use across many sectors as well as the natural environment. The Southwest U.S. is an important area for mining porphyry copper deposits, which consist of copper minerals disseminated in breccia, a type of rock composed of coarse rock fragments held together by cement or a fine-grained matrix, that are the World's largest source of copper... February 6, 2026 USGS Sagebrush Science: Supporting Public Safety and Economic Decision Making Across the West The sagebrush biome is one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Encompassing nearly one-third of the continental U.S., it provides critical resources for millions of Americans and a home for hundreds of plants and animal species in the West. Natural resource management in sagebrush ecosystems can be complex, and science can support management decisions by providing knowledge and tools to... By Core Science Systems Mission Area Ecosystems Mission Area Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program Climate Adaptation Science Centers Cooperative Research Units Land Management Research Program Species Management Research Program Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Fort Collins Science Center Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Southwest Biological Science Center Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) Wildland Fire Science USGS Sagebrush Science: Supporting Public Safety and Economic Decision Making Across the West February 6, 2026 USGS Sagebrush Science: Supporting Public Safety and Economic Decision Making Across the West The sagebrush biome is one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Encompassing nearly one-third of the continental U.S., it provides critical resources for millions of Americans and a home for hundreds of plants and animal species in the West. Natural resource management in sagebrush ecosystems can be complex, and science can support management decisions by providing knowledge and tools to... January 28, 2026 Tackling avian influenza with automated detection for an early warning system The USGS is collaborating with agricultural and wildlife management partners to address the threat of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to wildlife, domestic poultry, and livestock. Partners include federal (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture) and non-federal agencies as well as State government, private organizations, and academic institutions. Our... By Ecosystems Mission Area Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program Eastern Ecological Science Center Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) Tackling avian influenza with automated detection for an early warning system January 28, 2026 Tackling avian influenza with automated detection for an early warning system The USGS is collaborating with agricultural and wildlife management partners to address the threat of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to wildlife, domestic poultry, and livestock. Partners include federal (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture) and non-federal agencies as well as State government, private organizations, and academic institutions. Our... View All Was this page helpful?