U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2007–3110

December 2007

FACING TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES: USGS SCIENCE IN THE DECADE 2007–2017

A National Program to Assess Hazards, Risk, and Resiliency

Printed on recycled paper

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a science strategy outlining 

the major natural science issues facing the Nation in the next decade. The science 

strategy consists of six science directions of critical importance, focusing on areas 

where natural science can make a substantial contribution to the well-being of the 

Nation and the world. This fact sheet focuses on a program to assess natural hazards 

and how USGS research can strengthen the Nation with information needed to meet 

the challenges of the 21st century

Importance of Hazard and Risk 

Assessment to the Nation

Recent natural hazards—Hurricane 

Katrina, Mt. St. Helens, the Northridge 

earthquake, and western wildfires—are 

examples of catastrophic events that 

threaten the Nation’s safety, security, economic well-being, and natural resources. 

Equally threatening are the effects of 

slower, more chronic hazards related 

to climate change, such as drought or 

ecosystem collapse. Increased monitoring 

and communication is needed to improve 

real-time forecasting and is needed to 

work to prevent natural hazards from 

becoming natural disasters.

Why Action is Needed Now

Current trends point to increasing 

numbers of hurricanes making landfall, 

increasing drought, more destructive 

wildfires, and an increasing number of 

people moving into coastal and other 

high-risk areas. Until recently, the number of lives lost to natural hazards in the 

United States has declined each year; 

however, the economic cost of major 

disasters continues to rise. Each decade, 

the cost in constant dollars of property 

damage from natural hazards doubles or 

triples. The Nation’s aging infrastructure 

and building stock make the potential 

effects from natural hazards even more 

serious and imminent.

With risk and vulnerability to natural 

hazards and disaster-relief costs rising, 

the Nation needs a clear understanding of 

the potential threats, the vulnerability of 

society to these threats, and strategies for 

responding to and recovering from these 

threats. How government and community 

leaders deal with these issues will determine the Nation’s standard of living and 

ability to compete in a global economy.

★ Ecosystems Climate Energy and Minerals ★ ★ ★ Natural Hazards ★ Environment and Human Health Water ★ ★

Real-Time Information for Safer Communities

A ShakeMap shows the intensity of shaking for a magnitude 6.7 

earthquake near Northridge, California, 1994. Simplified versions 

are quickly available for the news media.

Dry Normal Wet

Choose a data retrieval option and select a location on the map

List of all stations in state, State map, or Nearest stations

Explanation - Percentile classes

New low < 10 10 - 24 25-74 75 - 89 ≥90 New high

Water Watch is the official USGS website for real-time streamflow 

conditions nationwide in relation to historical conditions 

(http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch)
How the USGS Can Help

The USGS is uniquely qualified to 

implement this science strategy because 

of its broad range of expertise, experience in interdisciplinary thinking and 

action, and proven skills in building 

customer relationships. The USGS has 

statutory and mission responsibilities for 

using the best science available to help 

decisionmakers and citizens respond to 

natural hazards and plan for a safer, more 

resilient society. The agency has the lead 

Federal responsibility to issue alerts for 

earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides 

to enhance public safety and to reduce 

losses through effective forecasts and 

warnings. Other agencies, such as the 

National Weather Service and the Federal 

Aviation Administration, rely on USGS 

information to help them fulfill their 

responsibilities for such tasks as issuing 

flood or tsunami watches and warnings, 

developing building codes in earthquakeprone areas, monitoring seasonal wildfire 

danger conditions, or helping pilots avoid 

dangerous volcanic ash clouds. Interdisciplinary research about earth processes 

will lead to systems and models that 

allow communities at risk to make better decisions and safeguard people and 

property.

Major investments in robust monitoring networks—such as the Advanced 

National Seismic System, the National 

Volcano Early Warning System, and 

the National Streamflow Information 

Program—are needed for accurate predictions and assessments of hazards, as well 

as information critical to response and 

recovery efforts. Forecasts that are based 

on understanding physical processes will 

yield a new generation of risk-focused 

products so that USGS and its partners 

can help communities better understand 

their vulnerability to the forces of nature.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Plaquemines Parish, La., on August 

29, 2005, and altered the physical, ecological, social, and economic structure of New Orleans 

and the entire Gulf of Mexico coastal zone in ways that will have enormous long-term effects.

USGS Science Can Meet the Challenge

The USGS is ready to take action by: 

•	 Expanding and modernizing USGS monitoring and communications capabilities to take full advantage of technological advances and deliver reliable 

products. A network of monitoring stations across the country will provide 

timely and reliable information on stream levels, volcanic and earthquake 

activity, wildlife diseases that may affect human health, and other potential 

hazards.

•	 Increasing research into the causes and consequences of natural hazards 

and enhancing the understanding of the linkages among natural hazards, the 

environment, climate, and society.

•	 Developing models with robust predictive capability to support land and 

emergency managers in short- and long-term hazard mitigation.

•	 Developing a core group of USGS and partner researchers, including governmental, private-sector, and academic groups, to focus on understanding 

and communicating society’s vulnerability to natural hazards. 

•	 Developing communications strategies that focus on understanding the risk 

and resilience of society to natural hazards and looking for new ways of 

communicating hazard assessments to local audiences.

A Vision For the Future

The Nation is safer from natural 

disasters, thanks to a seamless, 

integrated disaster reduction/

monitoring/warning system 

maintained and operated by the 

USGS and its partners. Improved 

communication ensures that communities have enough warning 

to respond to the natural hazards 

they face.

For Additional Information

U.S. Geological Survey, 2007, Facing 

Tomorrow’s Challenges—U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 

2007–2017: Available online at http://

pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/cir/cir1309

Also, visit the USGS home page at

http://www.usgs.gov/