House committee holds hearing on California water supply

The House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans held a hearing to discuss the state of California’s water supply.

EARTH: Revealing Potential Tsunami Inundation on California Coast

Tsunami hazard maps exist for California coastlines, but recent geological studies indicated some faults may be capable of unleashing more powerful quakes than previously thought. Given this new information, researchers at the University of California Riverside wondered if the current tsunami hazard maps adequately predict inundation zones, or if they need to be updated.

Interactive map of the United States' geology and natural resources

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Mineral Resources Program's interactive Geologic Map of U.S. States provides a large amount of information on geology, natural resources, and environmental data for every U.S. state, including:

Surface and bedrock geology
Mineral resources
Geochemical and geophysical data
Water monitoring sites
Partial soil and land use data

All of the maps are also available as Google Earth files that can be downloaded and used on personal computers and mobile devices.

Making Produced Water More Productive

Friday, December 11, 2015

Overarching questions addressed in this webinar include:

What is produced water and how is it commonly disposed?
What environmental concerns does produced water pose?
What factors are influencing the demand for alternate applications of produced water?
What alternate uses for produced waters exist? What challenges do these alternatives face?

Our speakers include:

Kyle E. Murray, Ph.D., Oklahoma Geological Survey & University of Oklahoma | Slides Video
Jeri Sullivan Graham, Los Alamos National Laboratory | Slides Video
Holly Pearen, Environmental Defense Fund | Slides Video

Webinar Co-Sponsors:
Association of American State Geologists, American Association of Petroleum Geologists

CEU Credits

To earn CEU credits, please complete the associated on-demand GOLI course that was developed from this webinar with a grade of 70% or higher and then submit your application for CEUs. CEUs are awarded from the American Institute of Professional Geologists. To view the full list of on-demand GOLI courses, please browse the GOLI course catalog.

Resources to learn more:

View this webinar's Question & Answer session
Water Resources Research from the Oklahoma Geological Survey
U.S. EPA's Study of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas and Its Potential Impact on Drinking Water Resources (www.epa.gov/hfstudy)
National Research Council, 2010, Management and Effects of Coalbed Methane Produced Water in the Western United States
National Academies, 2017, Flowback and Produced Waters: Opportunities and Challenges for Innovation - Proceedings of a Workshop
U.S. Geological Survey, National Produced Waters Geochemical Database
National Energy Technology Laboratory, Produced Water Management Technology Descriptions

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about produced water.

Making Produced Waters More Productive: Perspectives on produced water and saltwater disposal

Communicating Cascadia's Earthquake Risk

Friday, October 16, 2015

Overarching questions addressed in this webinar include:

What does geoscience tell us about the risk posed by the Cascadia subduction zone?
How is earthquake science used in the decision-making process?
What challenges do state and local decision makers face responding to the threat of large-scale earthquakes in their area?
How can information about earthquake risk be communicated effectively to decision makers and the public?
What actions are state and local decision makers taking to prepare for the risks posed by Cascadia and other similar faults? What other actions could be taken?

Our speakers include:

Chris Goldfinger, Oregon State University | Slides Video
Jeff Rubin, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue | Slides Video
Tom Brocher, Earthquake Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey | Slides Video

Webinar Co-Sponsors:
U.S. Geological Survey, Western States Seismic Policy Council, Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission

CEU Credits

To earn CEU credits, please complete the associated on-demand GOLI course that was developed from this webinar with a grade of 70% or higher and then submit your application for CEUs. CEUs are awarded from the American Institute of Professional Geologists. To view the full list of on-demand GOLI courses, please browse the GOLI course catalog.

Resources to learn more:

View this webinar's Question & Answer session
U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014-3083: ShakeAlert: an earthquake early warning system for the United States West Coast
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014-1097: Technical implementation plan for the ShakeAlert production system: an Earthquake Early Warning system for the West Coast of the United States
Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup: Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquakes: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake scenario
(also available at: Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: Open-File Report 13-22 and Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources: Information Circular 116)
California Geological Survey Special Report 115: Planning Scenario in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, California for a Great Earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone
Oregon Resilience Plan

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about earthquakes in the Cascadia region.

Communicating Cascadia's Earthquake Risk: The Science Behind the Cascadia Subduction Zone Risk

EARTH: Vital Seconds - The Journey Toward Earthquake Early Warning for All

Earthquake early warning (EEW) is exactly what it says: It is an early warning that shaking is coming and it can typically give a few seconds to a few minutes, at most, of warning. The warnings can be sent off just after an earthquake occurs on a fault, but before the damaging secondary waves are felt. In the October cover story, EARTH Magazine explores the development of EEW systems in California, Oregon and Washington. Learn about how EEW systems work, who gets to beta test them, and how the scientists and engineers are navigating the waters of the public policy-science interface.

2014 Critical Issues Forum: America's Increasing Reliance on Natural Gas: Benefits and Risks of a Methane Economy

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

The development of unconventional natural gas resources in the last decade has reshaped the energy mix in the U.S. Decisions that are being made now – often in sectors that may not have an obvious connection to gas production – will determine the energy mix over the coming decades. The 2014 Critical Issues Forum, entitled America’s Increasing Reliance on Natural Gas: Benefits and Risks of a Methane Economy, reflected the strong interest and concerns associated with the development of natural gas resources. The two-day event was held at the Forth Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 19-20, 2014.

The Forum examined the 5- to 30-year outlook for the development of a natural gas-dominant energy sector in North America and discussed the associated benefits and risks. Presentations highlighted our current understanding of the interrelated geological, environmental, and economic aspects of natural gas development and stimulated discussion on two overarching questions:

Is a natural gas-dominant economy achievable in North America?
Would a natural gas-dominant economy be desirable?

Forum Sponsorship support was provided by the Geological Society of America, the Society for Sedimentary Geology, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and The Geological Society

For more information about the Forum, please visit the 2014 Critical Issues Forum home page.

2014 Forum: Selected Clips

Visualization of average per person energy use for each state

The U.S. Department of Energy's visualization of per person energy use allows you to explore what the average energy usage for your state looks like in the form of burritos, dynamite, and other more relatable metrics. Because most people can't visualize what it means to use 148,600,000 BTU, this visualization is particularly useful for putting personal energy usage into perspective.

The data for this visualization come from the EIA State Energy Data System and represent 2012 energy use.

Visualization of drought in California

The U.S. Geological Survey provides a website of visualizations that show how California's extreme drought in the early-mid 2010s progressed through the early-mid part of the decade and then was relieved with significant rain and snowfall in 2016-2017. Visualizations of the extent and severity of drought, change in reservoir volumes, and streamflow compared to historic rates are all available on the website, which you scroll through to see different features.

Click here to see the visualization of California's drought

Interactive map of fault activity in California

The California Geological Survey's interactive map allows users to identify the location and classification of faults throughout California. Information available includes the age of the most recent activity on each fault segment, surface rupture areas, and whether or not the faults are visible at the surface.

Click here to use the California fault activity map.

Source: California Geological Survey

American Geosciences Institute

california