Federal government plans to close metro Atlanta office monitoring flooding and pollution

A river gage on the Chattahoochee River. A rectangular, gray metal box with small tubes surrounded by trees.
A U.S. Geological Survey river gage on the Chattahoochee River near Paces Ferry Road in Vinings. (Marisa Mecke/WABE)

The federal government plans to cancel the lease of the U.S. Geological Survey’s office in Norcross potentially by the end of 2025. Still, it’s unclear what the fate of the office’s programs will be, causing major confusion for organizations working on water management in the metro Atlanta area.

The office, located at 1770 Corporate Drive, was listed on the Department of Government Efficiency’s “Wall of Savings,” a site showing leases, properties, contracts and other listings that DOGE said it would save the government money by canceling.

The USGS and the General Services Administration, which oversees the office lease, wouldn’t confirm whether the lease will be canceled as the DOGE website says. The building owner, CIP Real Estate, couldn’t say either.