Willamette River Basin thermalscapes: Visualizing stream temperatures in western Oregon

The thermalscape takes the idea of a ‘riverscape’ – the landscapes found in and around a river or stream – and provides a complete and continuous view of a river basin’s water temperature across multiple scales. 

Stream temperatures are influenced by many factors including hydrogeologic processes, land use, and dams. Resource managers and engineers collectively consider these influences in their decisions affecting the WRB. The USGS and partners survey and model water temperature data within the WRB for a variety of purposes including:

• mapping of cold-water habitats
• identifying thermally stressful warm-water areas for sensitive aquatic organisms
• describing and modeling spatial patterns of water temperature
• identifying areas of groundwater discharge
• assessing potential influences of channel morphology and riparian vegetation on riverine thermal regimes

This project incorporates emerging and innovative technologies, including remote sensing, in-situ observations, and modeling techniques, to create a comprehensive view of the integrated thermalscape at watershed, reach, and microhabitat scales. 

How are we visualizing the WRB thermalscape? 

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1. We are collecting and preserving high-resolution airborne thermal infrared (TIR) surveys spanning 1999 to 2024 conducted by local, state, and federal partners to track historical stream temperature patterns and provide baseline information for further monitoring. These data are being made publicly available and placed in permanent archives.
2. We have added 788 in-stream temperature data loggers including the U.S. Forest Service NorWeST dataset and newly acquired data loggers collected by various organizations and agencies across Oregon. These data are now accessible in the National Water Information System (NWIS) mapper and continuously track temperatures at strategic locations throughout the WRB.
3. We are developing a basin-wide model that allows us to understand daily, seasonal, and yearly water temperature beyond the extent of data we have on hand. The quality and quantity of the data collected by our partners allows us to develop predictive and hindcast models that integrate the many variables that drive river water temperature in the WRB.
4. Our team continues to build on and develop technologies for more cost-effective ways to deliver high-resolution and broad-scale data by developing remote sensing techniques and creating web-based, geospatial tools for quickly and accurately evaluating temperature patterns across the basin. 

These methods and products can be adapted for use in basins similar to the WRB and for science across disciplines to provide managers with the tools they need. 

Program information 

The WRB Thermalscape Project is funded by the USGS Water Mission Area’s Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) and leverages resources and data provided by the Willamette River Basin Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs). 

NGWOS examines basins that represent major U.S. hydrologic regions and develops and applies cutting-edge sensor technologies and remote sensing methods to effectively monitor critical environmental factors. The WRB Thermalscape project supports NGWOS by producing high-resolution, real-time data on river temperature variations that inform our understanding of thermal variability in this region.