Current Research
Idaho's Water Quality
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/idaho-water-science-center/science/water-quality
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/idaho-water-science-center/science/water-quality
Idaho National Laboratory Project Office
Idaho Water Science Center
Water is critical to Idaho's quality of life and economic vitality. We provide reliable, unbiased hydrologic data and scientific studies to help our local, state, tribal, and federal partners effectively manage Idaho's water resources.
Idaho Water Dashboard
Idaho Water Dashboard
Explore real-time streamflow, groundwater, water-quality, and weather conditions and access data via our interactive map.
News
Idaho Hydrologic Update, September 2024
Idaho Hydrologic Update, September 2024
Idaho Hydrologic Update, August 2024
Idaho Hydrologic Update, August 2024
Wildfires are increasing concentrations of mercury in Pacific Northwest headwater streams
Wildfires are increasing concentrations of mercury in Pacific Northwest headwater streams
Publications
Seasonally varying contributions of contemporaneous and lagged sources of instream total nitrogen and phosphorus load across the Illinois River basin
Quantifying nutrient sources in streams, their temporal and spatial variability, and drivers of that variability can support effective water resources management. Yet a lack of data and modeling capabilities has previously prevented comprehensive quantification across both space and time. Here a dynamic SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes) model that accounts for a la
Substrate Enhancement Pilot Project—Monitoring summary and evaluation, Kootenai River, Idaho, 2012–22
To assess changes in substrate conditions and the efficacy of artificially placed substrates at select sites on the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, completed repeat bathymetric, velocimetric, and underwater videography surveys. Collectively, three project sites throughout the Kootenai River make up the Substrate
Lake water storage
No abstract available.
Science
Characterizing the Water Resources of the Camas Prairie, Southern Idaho
Southern Idaho's Camas Prairie is a 730-square-mile basin nestled between the Mount Bennett Hills and the Soldier Mountains and drained by Camas Creek. The area is culturally significant to native peoples who have gathered the bulbs of the common camas for food. Since the late 19th century, the basin has also been an important agricultural area. Camas Creek contributes water to Magic Reservoir, a...
Characterizing the Water Resources of the Mountain Home Plateau, Southern Idaho
Residents, businesses, agricultural producers, and Mountain Home Air Force Base all rely on the Mountain Home Plateau's groundwater resources. Declining groundwater levels raise concerns about the sustainability of the regional aquifer. The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) needs updated information about the groundwater resources of the Mountain Home Plateau to help administer water...
Monitoring Mining Effects in the Kootenai River Watershed
The Kootenai River (Kootenay in Canada) rises from the Canadian Rockies and flows south in an arc through Montana and Idaho before swinging back into British Columbia and the Columbia River. The uplifted sedimentary rocks forming the southern Canadian Rockies have rich coal deposits that have been mined for many decades. The coal beds and associated rock layers are enriched with other minerals as...