The National Volcano Early Warning System

The National Volcano Early Warning System

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Updated June 13, 2022
The National Volcano Early Warning System
In 2019, Congress authorized a National Volcano Early
ranked as the highest threat is Kilauea, the Hawaiian
Warning and Monitoring System (NVEWS; Section 5001
volcano whose 2018 intense eruptions were accompanied
of P.L. 116-9; 43 U.S.C. 31k). The law directs the Secretary
by destructive lava flows and earthquakes.
of the Interior to establish NVEWS to monitor volcanoes,
warn U.S. citizens of volcanic activity, and protect citizens
The USGS asserted that many of the very-high- and high-
from “undue and avoidable harm” resulting from volcanic
threat volcanoes are not monitored well enough to provide
activity. In FY2022, Congress provided funds to begin
adequate warnings. Congress authorized the USGS to
implementation of NVEWS.
remedy these monitoring gaps and enhance warnings by
establishing NVEWS. NVEWS is to be organized within
Many in Congress are interested in a volcano early warning
the USGS Volcano Hazards Program (VHP). VHP studies,
and monitoring system because the nation faces threats
monitors, assesses, and warns the public about threatening
from many active volcanoes. The U.S. Geological Survey
volcanoes in the United States. VHP operates five volcano
(USGS, a bureau within the Department of the Interior)
observatories (Alaska, California, Cascades, Hawaiian, and
published an assessment in 2018 of the volcanic threat and
Yellowstone; see Figure 1), a Volcano Science Center, and
indicated that better monitoring is necessary for effective
a Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (to assist with
warnings. The USGS volcanic threat assessment assigned
volcano threats in other countries).
five threat levels (very high, high, moderate, low, and very
low) to 161 volcanoes in 14 states and U.S. territories (see
NVEWS Authorization
Figure 1).The threat assessment ranked 18 volcanoes as
The 2019 law authorizes NVEWS and specifies that the
very high and 39 as high. Eleven of the 18 very-high-threat
system’s objective is to monitor U.S. volcanoes at a level
volcanoes are in Washington, Oregon, or California; 5 are
commensurate with the volcanic threats. NVEWS is to have
in Alaska; and 2 are in Hawaii. The assessment notes that
two purposes: (1) organize, modernize, standardize, and
the high- and moderate-threat volcanoes are mostly in
stabilize the monitoring systems of the five U.S. volcano
Alaska and that the more explosive Alaskan volcanoes can
observatories and (2) unify the monitoring systems of these
affect national and international aviation. The volcano
observatories into a single inter-operative system.
Figure 1. USGS Volcano Observatories and U.S. Volcanoes Posing Moderate or Higher Threat

Source: CRS adapted from Peter F. Cervelli, et al., USGS, Five-Year Management Plan for Establishing and Operating NVEWS: The National Volcano
Early Warning System, Open-File Report 2021-1092, at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20211092.
Notes: The two high and seven moderate threat volcanoes in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are not shown here. The
AVO is responsible for these volcanoes. The light tan shaded areas with black line borders mark the areal coverage of each observatory and
show the locations of threatening volcanoes that these observatories are responsible for monitoring. The CVO and YVO labels mark the area
of coverage for these observatories, meaning CVO monitors volcanoes in Washington, Oregon and Idaho and YVO monitors volcanoes in
Yellowstone National Park, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.
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The National Volcano Early Warning System
Section 5001 of P.L. 116-9 authorizes three system
development of NVEWS, establish an NVEWS advisory
components for NVEWS: (1) a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week
committee (anticipated by FY2023), plan for a NVDC, and
operational national volcano watch office; (2) a national
prepare performance metrics for volcano monitoring.
volcano data center (NVDC); and (3) an external grants
Congress appropriated $33.3 million for VHP in FY2022
program to support volcano research. The law establishes
(according to the explanatory statement accompanying
an advisory committee composed of representatives of
Division G of P.L. 117-103), which included $2.2 million
relevant agencies and members of the scientific community
to begin NVEWS implementation and $1.8 million for an
to assist the Secretary of the Interior in implementing the
Early Warning System. The USGS aims to use the $2.2
system. The law authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to
million to establish the NVDC and the $1.8 million to
enter into cooperative agreements with academic
further develop and install the next-generation lahar
institutions and state agencies as volcano observatory
detection system at Mount Rainier.
partners. In addition, the law requires a five-year
management plan for the system and an annual report
In addition to annual appropriations for VHP, Congress has
describing the activities carried out under authorities
previously provided the USGS with supplemental
provided in the law.
appropriations to repair volcano monitoring networks
damaged in natural disasters. For example, Congress
The law authorizes the USGS to modernize monitoring
provided supplemental appropriations in FY2019 (P.L. 116-
systems at existing volcano observatories to incorporate
20) for VHP, including $73.4 million for repairing the
emerging technologies, such as digital broadband
volcano monitoring network and establishing and building
seismometers, real-time Global Navigation Satellite
new HVO facilities after HVO facilities and monitoring
Systems (GNSS) receivers, radar interferometry, and
were damaged by intense eruptions at Kilauea Volcano in
spectrometry to measure gas emissions from volcanoes.
Hawaii in 2018. Congress provided $4.3 million for
These technologies are intended to provide accurate and
improving the Alaska Volcano Observatory facilities and
real-time measurements of volcanic activity, enabling better
monitoring network after the damaging magnitude 7.1
assessments of the timing and location of volcanic
earthquake near Anchorage, AK, in 2018.
eruptions.
Issues for Congress
Status of Implementation
P.L. 116-9 authorized appropriations of $55 million for
The USGS submitted a five-year plan for establishing and
FY2019 through FY2023 for NVEWS. Congress
managing NVEWS to Congress in 2020. The plan
appropriated $2.2 million for NVEWS implementation and
identified 34 very high or high threat volcanoes from the
$1.8 million for the Mount Rainier lahar detection system in
2018 volcanic threat assessment that have the greatest
FY2022. The magnitude and sufficiency of appropriations
monitoring gaps and calls for improved monitoring for
to support volcano early warning systems is an area of
these volcanoes. In addition, the plan called for establishing
congressional interest. Appropriations for the VHP support
a NVDC with watch capabilities, launching an external
a variety of efforts, of which early warning is one
grants competition, standing up an NVEWS advisory
component. Congress has both authorized and appropriated
committee, and implementing cooperative agreements with
funding for volcano early warning, though at different
states and universities.
levels, raising the issue of what constitutes sufficient
investment and the extent to which such funding should be
In May 2022, the USGS submitted its second annual
targeted specifically to early warning. The USGS five-year
NVEWS report to Congress describing activities to
plan provided a cost estimate for the establishment plus
implement NVEWS from March 2020 to September 2021
operations and maintenance of NVEWS of $55 million over
(the first annual report covering activities from March 2019
five years. According to the USGS, without sufficient
to March 2020 was brief and highlighted the completion
funds, some or all of the 34 threatening volcanoes may
and submission of the five-year plan). The USGS indicated
remain under monitored and the USGS may not be able to
that about $13.5 million of $30.3 million in FY2021 VHP
provide sufficient warning of volcanic activity at under-
appropriations were spent on NVEWS-related activities.
monitored locations.
The USGS considers these activities to be “foundational” to
the NVEWS volcano monitoring system. During the
The Administration did not request FY2023 funding for
reporting period, the USGS continued the development and
NVEWS at the level authorized by Congress. The FY2023
installation of the next-generation lahar detection system on
President’s Budget requested $34.5 million for VHP, which
Mount Rainier (a lahar is a mix of water and rock that flows
included $1.5 million for NVEWS to further NVDC
down a volcanic slope and can cause damage). Other
improvements. In addition, the President requested $29
activities included upgrading the telemetry for 27 stations at
million under the USGS Facilities line item to provide
Alaska volcanoes; improving the monitoring networks at
additional funds toward the new HVO facilities and a new
Cascades volcanoes in Oregon and Washington; upgrading
field station at the volcano summit.
the monitoring network on Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii; and
establishing a cooperative agreement regarding GNSS

stations for monitoring California volcanoes.
Linda R. Rowan, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
The NVEWS report noted that the NVEWS implementation
committee continues to guide the management and
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The National Volcano Early Warning System

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