Welcome to the Washington Water Science Center
Washington Water Science Center
This is your direct link to all kinds of water resource information. Here you'll find information on Washington's rivers and streams. You'll also find information about groundwater, water quality, and many other topics. The USGS operates the most extensive satellite network of streamgaging stations in the state, many of which form the backbone of flood-warning systems.
Current Washington Water Conditions
Current Washington Water Conditions
Explore real-time Washington streamflow, groundwater, and water-quality conditions and access data with our new interactive map application.
Uncrewed Aviation Systems Program
Uncrewed Aviation Systems Program
Data collection provided by uncrewed aviation systems (UAS) enhances the Washington Water Science Center’s (WAWSC) ability to monitor dynamic environmental systems, respond to natural hazards, analyze the impacts of climate change, and assess landscape change.
News
Uncrewed Aviation Systems (UAS) Training Interest Survey
Uncrewed Aviation Systems (UAS) Training Interest Survey
USGS Unveils Mobile Flood Tool for the Nation
USGS Unveils Mobile Flood Tool for the Nation
Publications
River channel response to the removal of the Pilchuck River Diversion Dam, Washington State
In August 2020, the 3-m tall Pilchuck River Diversion Dam was removed from the Pilchuck River, allowing free fish passage to the upper third of the watershed for the first time in over a century. The narrow, 300-m long impoundment behind the dam was estimated to hold 4,000–7,500 m3 of sand and gravel, representing less than one year's typical bedload flux. Repeat cross section surveys, stage senso
Taking heat (downstream): Simulating groundwater and thermal equilibrium controls on annual paired air–water temperature signal transport in headwater streams
Headwater stream temperature often exhibits spatial variation at the kilometer-scale, but the relative importance of the underlying hydrogeological processes and riverine perturbations remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the relative importance of groundwater (GW) and other processes on downstream annual stream temperature signal characteristics using deterministic heat budge
A conceptual site model of contaminant transport pathways from the Bremerton Naval Complex to Sinclair Inlet, Washington, 2011–21
Historical activities on the Bremerton Naval Complex (BNC) in Puget Sound, Washington, have resulted in Sinclair Inlet sediments with elevated concentrations of contaminants, including organic contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls and trace elements including mercury. Six U.S. Geological Survey–U.S. Navy datasets have been collected since the last major assessment, in 2013, of soil and gr
Science
Post-Fire Hazards Impacts to Resources and Ecosystems (PHIRE): Support for Response, Recovery, and Mitigation
The Post-Fire Hazards Impacts to Resources and Ecosystems (PHIRE) project provides science to characterize climate-amplified, uncharacteristic patterns of wildfire disturbance and post-fire ecosystem recovery and enhance prediction of environmental impacts and post-fire hazards.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center, California Water Science Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Fort Collins Science Center, Washington Water Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire Science
Hoh geomorphology
The Issue: Glaciers in the Hoh River watershed are expected to largely disappear by 2050, while flooding is expected to become more intense. Understanding if or how this will impact sediment transport and channel change in the watershed is relevant for salmon habitat, restoration efforts, and flood hazard management. However, there is relatively little information about historical channel...
Nooksack geomorphology
The Issue: Changes in channel geometry in the Nooksack River can reduce flood conveyance capacity, and so increase local flood hazards. Near Everson, WA, sand and gravel accumulations have increased the likelihood that major floods will spill overbank, sending water north over a low drainage divide where it may cause substantial damage to communities in both Washington and British Columbia. Major...