The Center for Science Policy was established in January 1999 to help develop the vision of the USGS as a world leader in the natural sciences through our scientific excellence and responsiveness to society’s needs. USGS emphasis has always been, and should always be, on contributing world-class science. But it is also essential that the USGS specifically focus on society’s needs and how we can ensure that we conduct, integrate, and translate the science necessary to be responsive. What we have long needed is to build a solid bridge between science and society. This is the goal of the USGS Center for Science Policy (USGS-CSP). To accomplish this, we conduct work on three research agendas. Research on how policy is set, how policy can be improved with better scientific information, and how intangible community values can be incorporated into quality of life decisions (INCLUDE – Integrated-science and Community-based values in Land Use Decisionmaking). Research on translating science into policy-relevant forms and metrics (READII – Risk and Environmental Analysis for Decision Information and Implementation). Research on using geographic analysis to integrate multidisciplinary science parts (Geographic Analysis, Western Region GIS Laboratory). Please join us in exploring current science-policy issues. For more information, please contact Herman Karl at (650) 329-5280 or by e-mail at hkarl@usgs.gov.

Water-Quality, Phytoplankton, and Trophic Status Characteristics of Big Base and Little Base Lakes, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 2003-2004
B.G. Justus, April 2005

Snowmelt Discharge Characteristics Sierra Nevada, California
David Peterson, Richard Smith, Iris Stewart, et al., March 2005

Mecury Accumulation by Lower Trophic-level Organisms in Lentic Systems within the Guadalupe River Watershed, California
James S. Kuwabara, Brent R. Topping, Gerald E. Moon, et al., February 2005

Evaluating Regional Trends in Ground-Water Nitrate Concentrations of the Columbia Basin Ground Water Management Area, Washington
L.M. Frans, D.R. Helsel, August 2004

Hydrology and Trichloroethene Contamination in the Sea-Level Aquifer Beneath the Logistics Center, Fort Lewis, Washington
R.S. Dinicola, August 2004

Subsurface Controls on Historical Subsidence Rates and Associated Wetland Loss in Southcentral Louisiana
Robert A. Morton, Noreen A. Buster, M. Dennis Krohn, October 2002

Ground Water
January 2001

Sustainability of Ground-Water Resources: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1186
William M. Alley, Thomas E. Reilly, O. Lehn Franke, January 2000