The United States Geological Survey (USGS) celebrated the 50th dedication anniversary of its headquarters in Reston on July 12. USGS is the sole scientific agency of the United States government and a fact-finding research organization under its parent agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior. 

Currently, the agency studies the sediment load in Springfield’s man-made Lake Accotink, tells sources how much lithium the U.S. imported last year, and operates the world’s Earth-observing satellite program, Landsat.

In a one-on-one interview with The Connection, Sarah J. Ryker, Ph.D. of the U.S. Geological Survey, described the Reston campus of its headquarters as “a lovely spot."

The 105-acre parcel is home to native insects and mammals of many varieties and diverse native Virginia vegetation. Ryker said that the offices on the lower floors of the building offer tranquil views of deciduous trees that change seasonally, and from the upper floors, staff and visitors can watch flybys by the local bird population.

It may not be common knowledge what programs USGS operates within the United States, including Fairfax County, and globally. A hint is that USGS’s motto is “Science for a changing world.” Fairfax County's Lake Accotink is changing.

Within days of the USGS celebration, at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, held on Tuesday, July 16, Supervisor James Walkinshaw (D-Braddock) moved that the Board concur with the staff recommendation and authorize a four-year Joint Funding Agreement between the County and the USGS for $1,140,200 for fiscal years (FY) 2025 through FY 2028.

“This partnership with USGS will install gauges, so we will actually know how much sediment is entering the lake and how much sediment is leaving,” Walkinshaw said. USGS would generate data to inform future management strategies for Lake Accotink.

Substantial sediment load delivered from Accotink Creek into the 55- acre Lake Accotink, a reservoir built by the U.S. Army Corp., has caused an increase in sediment deposition in the lake over numerous decades. The Connection reported that the lake was only two feet deep. Walkinshaw’s motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Ryker said that USGS’ streamgages have operated for over 100 years. They provide USGS with valuable data for trend analysis, flood and drought prediction, as well as information on water supply, climate change, and land-use changes.

The USGS is known globally for its long-term commitments. According to Ryker, USGS has flagship datasets and operates the world’s longest-running Earth-observing satellite program, Landsat. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and its science agency, the USGS, NASA launched the first Landsat satellite on July 23, 1972.

Additionally, USGS has committed to using its energy and mineral resources to create long-term public data sets. USGS collects data on the flow, a changing phenomenon in geology at great depths.

“We look at the origin of energy and mineral resources over time, geologic time, but also, actually, we have a component to us that collects the nation's official statistics on the supply and the trade of mineral commodities,” Ryker said. She explained that the USGS provides official statistics quoted by Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal.

“Anytime you see a quote that says how much the nation's economy came from construction materials last year or how much lithium the US imported last year, those statistics come from the USGS energy and mineral resources mission area,” Ryker said.

Fairfax County Park Authority’s Lake Accotink is in skilled hands with USGS. Hopefully, the family-friendly fun at the 60th-anniversary celebration at Lake Accotink Park, held on Saturday, Aug. 24, with boat rentals and more, will continue for generations to come.