WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service issued the following article: * * * U.S. Obesity Rate Changes Differ for Rural and Urban Areas, as Well as Across Regions By Mariah Ehmke and Brandon J. Restrepo Highlights * Despite a slight decline in the U.S. overall obesity rate from March 2022-2023 to March 2023-2024, rural obesity rates rose 0.5 percentage points during the same time. * The U.S. obesity rates in rural areas were higher than urban rat  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- A report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency details the hydrogeology of glacial deposits across a multicounty area of southeastern Michigan, northeastern Indiana, and northwestern Ohio. The report, 'Hydrogeologic Mapping and Three-Dimensional Geologic Modeling of Glacial Deposits in a Multicounty Area of Southeastern Michigan, Northeastern Indiana, and Northwestern Ohio' (Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5008), w  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a new report, "Nonstationary Flood Frequency Analysis Using Regression in the North-Central United States," which introduces an extension of a method for flood frequency analysis (FFA). The report, authored by Sara B. Levin, is designated as Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5034 and was prepared in cooperation with the departments of transportation and natural resources of nine states: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, M  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey have released 'Hydroclimatic and Land-Use Factors Affecting Peak Streamflow in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin,' a report issued in 2025. This publication, Circular 1557, was authored by Karen R. Ryberg, Mackenzie K. Marti, Nancy A. Barth, Thomas M. Over, Sara B. Levin, Hannah L. Podzorski, Steven K. Sando, Tara Williams-Sether, Padr  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- A new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study, "The Feasibility of Using Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Models for Gravity Data Reduction," explores a more cost-effective and efficient way to process gravity data. Traditionally, gravity data reduction relies on expensive, submeter-accurate differential global navigation satellite system (dGNSS) equipment to acquire elevation measurements. This report, however, investigates whether publicly available lidar-derived dig  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a document titled 'The 3D Elevation Program--Supporting Vermont's Economy,' authored by Dan Walters. The report, issued as Fact Sheet 2025-3033 in July 2025, outlines how high-resolution elevation data from the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) provides economic benefits to Vermont by supporting various key sectors. Vermont achieved statewide coverage of quality level 2 lidar data in 2019, a level of accuracy far superior   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has released a document titled 'Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program--2023 Year-in-Review,' which highlights a productive year for the program. The report, Circular 1545, was authored by Elise R. Irwin, Caroline E. Murphy, Dawn E. Childs, Donald E. Dennerline, and Jonathan R. Mawdsley. It details the program's successes in conducting research, training conservation pr  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- A report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and coauthored by Hannah L. Podzorski and Karen R. Ryberg explores how subsurface agricultural drainage systems affect water flow in downstream waterways. Titled 'A Framework for Understanding the Effects of Subsurface Agricultural Drainage on Downstream Flows,' the document, identified as Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5023, was prepared in cooperation with the transportation departments of Illinois, Iowa, Mi  more