Contents

• Message from Our Director
• New Water Data Web Pages
• Picture This
• The Volcano in Our Backyard: 45 Years of Mt. St. Helens Water Research
• Expanding Our Data Network
• Will it Flow? USGS Streamflow Permanence Research Makes Splashes
• Deep Dive: Recent Reports and Research

Message from Our Director

Welcome to Washington Waters, a newly launched newsletter for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Washington Water Science Center. The purpose of the newsletter is to keep our partners, collaborators, and data users updated with current research projects, changes to our data network, and other water news.

Though our motto is “Science for a Changing World”, we are guided and grounded by the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey: to provide objective and impartial science to decision makers, resource managers, and the public.

At the Washington Water Science Center, we advance the USGS mission by maintaining a network of streamgages that provide reliable real-time information from Washington’s rivers and streams. USGS water data supports flood prediction and response, reservoir management and hydropower generation, water security, and the recreation economy. We also undertake scientific investigations to provide unbiased information in support of water resource management and decision making.

In this first edition of Washington Waters, we showcase a couple examples of the work we do across Washington State. These include our growing data network and new webpages for data delivery as well as advances in streamflow permanence research.

Collaboration is at the heart of our efforts, and we value our partnerships with entities across Washington. Together with our partners, we ensure that our science is relevant, timely, and impactful to the communities we serve. Thank you to our partners and data users for your continued support and engagement as we work together to fulfill our mission.

- Scott VanderKooi, Director, USGS Washington Water Science Center

New Water Data Web Pages

Media

Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

You may have noticed recent changes to the USGS water data web pages. Over the past several years, the USGS has been updating our pages to meet modern web standards, security needs, and the ever-increasing demand for USGS water data. Now we are ready to make the switch to the new pages and turn off the old ones. The decommissioning will take place over three campaigns between now and February 2027. Learn more about the changes by reading the Water Data for the Nation Blog and subscribing to their newsletter.

The modernized pages contain new features including:

• My Favorites is a centralized place to keep track of the monitoring locations you are interested in.
• State Pages allow users to see current water conditions from all monitoring locations in a state that collect continuous data.
• Explore USGS Water Data is a map tool with multiple filters available to help you refine a list of locations and find water data that meet your needs.
• Data Collection Categories make all kinds of water data (continuous, daily, discrete samples, field measurements) accessible from the same place.

We acknowledge that this will require a period of transition and learning. The Washington Water Science Center is here to support you through the transition; please use the “Questions or Comments” button at the bottom of the data pages.

Picture This

You know the saying “A photo is worth a thousand words”. We’re excited to show off our stellar science and staff with a photo.

Media

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This photo of a streamflow measurement on the Pend Oreille River captures a juxtaposition inherent to our work: we use cutting-edge technology to capture high-quality data while working in rugged, beautiful places. In the photo, a hydrologic technician riding a cableway guides an ADCP (streamflow measurement device) across the channel. On the snowy shore, a laptop displays the channel cross-section, allowing technicians to visualize the flow and validate the data. Field visits by hydrologic technicians provide critical information about changes to the channel which are used to calibrate continuous monitoring data.

The Volcano in Our Backyard: 45 Years of Mt. St. Helens Water Research

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45 years ago, Mt. St. Helens began to rumble. The May 18, 1980 eruption drew global attention and sticks in the minds of those who were alive to experience it. USGS volcanologists and seismologists closely monitored the mountain throughout the eruption cycle. USGS water scientists were at the scene too.

The eruption and lahars forever changed the mountain’s slopes, valleys, and rivers, none more so than the North Fork Toutle River which was immediately loaded with billions of tons of sediment. Scientists and technicians from the USGS Washington Water Science Center quickly responded and led the water quality monitoring and surveyed the dramatically changed river corridor. Even today, sediment loads remain elevated, creating challenges for the downstream communities that rely on the Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers for drinking water and navigation. The Washington Water Science Center continues to monitor sediment loads to provide communities with critical information needed to protect their water resources.

May 18th marks the 45th anniversary of this historic eruption. Retired USGS scientists from the Washington Water Science Center and the Cascade Volcano Observatory have compiled their personal stories and photos.

Read Stories from the Smoking Mountain

Media

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Expanding Our Data Network

In 2025, the Washington Water Science Center expanded our water monitoring network, with the support of our cooperators. The new streamgages, wells, and data types will help address specific scientific questions such as supporting aquatic species health, flood warning, understanding groundwater movement, and quantifying precipitation in areas burned by wildfire. We’re excited to bring more water data to our partners and the public!

View Washington Water Conditions

New Water Monitoring Sites in 2025

Did you know that not all streams flow year-round? It can be challenging to determine whether a stream has year-round flow, yet this information is critical for managing land use, water quality, and water availability on landscapes. USGS is leading efforts to characterize streamflow permanence across the Pacific Northwest and the Nation, through data collection, modeling, and information delivery.

The USGS Streamflow Permanence webpage serves as a hub for USGS and partner research so that you can quickly find information to assist with land management and decision-making.