Columbia Environmental Research Center

A fisheries technician prepares to release a tagged pallid sturgeon into the Yellowstone River, Montana

In 2018, USGS and partners completed an incredible feat against a harmful aquatic invasive species when over 240,000 pounds of invasive Silver Carp and Bighead Carp were removed from Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

A USGS scientist inventories his equipment at the Columbia Environmental Research Center before embarking on the trip to Montana for fieldwork.

A biological science technician collects pallid sturgeon free embryos from the sampling nets in the experimental streams at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

A biological science technician prepares the swim chambers to assess the swimming abilities of young pallid sturgeon.

Logs and debris are a common occurrence during recent high flows in the Yellowstone River.

Student Services contractor, Tanner, Cox releasing a pallid sturgeon on the Yellowstone River. 

Biological science aid, Marlee Malmborg, examines and records the viability of pallid sturgeon eggs at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

USGS Biologist prepares to artificially spawn a female lake sturgeon in the laboratory at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

USGS Biologist Sabrina Davenport prepares to release a reproductive female pallid sturgeon.

Video of ARIS Sonar imagery showing a female and two male shovelnose sturgeon over an egg deposition location recorded during controlled experiments to study spawning behavior.