Lakes and Rivers

The USGS has been documenting the geomorphic response to the annual Fall Creek Lake drawdown since 2011.

Assessing channel change, habitat health, and flood hazards across Oregon rivers and streams.

Harmful algal blooms are a major environmental problem in all 50 states.

With the ever-increasing rate of utilization of and competition for water (particularly during periods of drought) accurate, current water-use information is of considerable value. This is particularly so in determining future water availability in hydrologically critical areas and for making sound resource-management decisions. For the Oregon Water Science Center, a viable water-use data...

"The goal of this project is to characterize the vertical hydraulic gradient at the sediment-water interface in Upper Klamath Lake."

SPARROW can be used to relate water-quality data to landscape characteristics, such as natural properties and human activities

Proposed new coal export terminals in Washington and Oregon could increase rail traffic through the Northwest and potentially increase unintended release of coal dust to the environment.

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for a variety of highly valued ecosystem services, including shorebirds, waterfowl, and a diversity of other wildlife species.

USGS research directly helps local public agencies that are responsible for the design and maintenance of the levees that surround the northern Portland metropolitan area with the goal of protecting life and property in the event of flooding from the Columbia and Willamette Rivers that surround the city.

"Determining water availability in the Upper Klamath Basin has always had a degree of uncertainty as a result of the complex hydrology and geology in the region and limited streamflow data."

USGS total dissolved gas (TDG) data help guide spill and discharge management from dams operated along tributaries of the Willamette River.

Sediment fingerprinting has been used successfully to identify land uses that are the major sources of sediment. This study will apply these techniques in a predominantly rural, volcanic landscape.