United States Geographical Survey
Seal of the United States Geological Survey
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Official identifier of the U.S. Geological Survey
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 Flag of the United States Geological Survey |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | March 3, 1879 (as Geological Survey) |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Headquarters |
John W. Powell National Center Reston, Virginia, U.S. 38°56′49″N 77°22′03″W / 38.9470°N 77.3675°WCoordinates: 38°56′49″N 77°22′03″W / 38.9470°N 77.3675°W |
| Employees | 8,670 (2009) |
| Annual budget | $1.1 billion (FY2010) |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | United States Department of the Interior |
| Website | USGS.gov |
The United States Geological Survey (USGS, formerly simply Geological Survey) is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility.
The USGS is a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior; it is that department's sole scientific agency. The USGS employs approximately 8,670 people and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. The USGS also has major offices near Lakewood, Colorado, at the Denver Federal Center, and Menlo Park, California.
The current motto of the USGS, in use since August 1997, is "science for a changing world." The agency's previous slogan, adopted on the occasion of its hundredth anniversary, was "Earth Science in the Public Service."
Since 2012, the USGS science focus is directed at six topical "Mission Areas", namely (1) Climate and Land Use Change, (2) Core Science Systems, (3) Ecosystems, (4) Energy and Minerals and Environmental Health, (5) Natural Hazards, and (6) Water. In December 2012, the USGS split the Energy and Minerals and Environmental Health Mission Area resulting in seven topical Mission Areas, with the two new areas being: Energy and Minerals and Environmental Health. Administratively, it is divided into a Headquarters unit and six Regional Units. Other specific programs include:
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