Images

The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and San Francisco Bay collectively make up the "Bay-Delta." Much of the fresh water used for agriculture, municipal and industrial use in central and southern California passes through the Delta, where it is subjected to tidal forcing and other inputs that impact its quality. 

Map of dams being removed on the Klamath River. The world's largest dam removal is underway along the mainstem Klamath River. Dam removal aims to restore threatened and endangered salmon fisheries, the economy, and the way of life of local communities and Indigenous Tribes, especially the Yurok and Karuk, who depend on those fisheries.  

The Arroyo Chub (Gila orcuttii) is a species of freshwater fish native to the western United States, particularly California. It belongs to the Cyprinidae family, which includes other minnows and carps. Here's a description of the Arroyo Chub:

Physical Characteristics:

The Santa Ana Sucker (Catostomus santaanae) is a species of freshwater fish native to Southern California, particularly the Santa Ana River watershed. Here's a description of the Santa Ana Sucker:

Physical Characteristics:

Anthony Smith photo cred. Redwood Cr at Orick, 11482500. Under 101 bridge and is also the measuring section. Provisional peak was 42,700 cfs. Looks to be the highest peak since 1975. NWS had concerns of levee capacity that night. At the gage, highwater mark which exceeded CSG's, looked to be roughly 8 ft from top of levee.

Travis Apo photo cred. Redwood Cr at Orick. Staffs and CSG's in water with debris on staff. Highwater mark in rocks. 

Travis Apo photo cred. Mad River near Arcata, 11481000. Highwater mark, shot in with levels this day. One of the low water staffs broken off and, in the bushes, center of photo. CSG's exceeded. Provisional discharge is 53,900 cfs. Highest discharge since 1997. Gage height recorded was 27.31 ft., highest since 1964.

Photo of a delta smelt being measured during a fish survey. The delta smelt is a federally endangered fish species found only in turbid waters of the San Francisco Estuary. 

Aerial photo of Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which covers 1,100 square miles and provides water to the San Francisco Bay Area and coastal and southern California and supports dozens of legally protected fish, plant and animal species.

Illustration showing written physics equations blended with a photograph of Delta smelt.

The pipes suspended from the bridge house monitoring equipment that records real-time water-quality data in the Klamath River (11511990) during the Klamath dam removal.

USGS streamgage 11516530 on the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam in Siskiyou County, California, monitors real-time river discharge and water temperature for a 4,630-square-mile basin.

USGS technician collects water samples from a dock to analyze for phytoplankton and phycotoxins (Bay Point, CA; January 10, 2024).

A field crew member stops to smile for a photo during sediment sampling on the Klamath River. The sediment sampler is lowered from a truck-mounted crane across the channel to collect measurements at multiple locations.

Figure 3: Maura Uebner (USGS) collecting radiance measurements using an SVC 512i on Pardee Reservoir, CA. Photo: Tommy Ly (USGS)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) California Water Science Center is employing specific types of soil moisture probes to monitor watersheds, creeks, and streams as part of their hydrological studies and environmental monitoring efforts.

Tommy Ly (foreground; USGS) and Jake Brinkman (background; USGS) preparing to collect discrete water quality samples on Folsom Lake. Photo: Maura Uebner (USGS).

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) often employs specific types of soil moisture probes to monitor watersheds, creeks, and streams as part of their hydrological studies and environmental monitoring efforts.

Figure 1: A structure (water treatment intake?) on southern Lake Almanor, with area burned by the Dixie Fire (2021) in the background. Photo: Maura Uebner (USGS)

Figure 2: An area burned at high intensity by the North Complex (2020) on the Middle Fork arm of Lake Oroville, CA. Photo: Maura Uebner (USGS)