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Idaho's Water Quality

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/idaho-water-science-center/science/water-quality

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Idaho Water Science Center

Water is the lifeblood of Idaho. Our mission is to provide our local, state, tribal, and federal partners with reliable, unbiased science information to help them effectively manage the state's water resources.

 

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Idaho Water Dashboard

Explore real-time streamflow, groundwater, water-quality, and weather conditions and access data via our interactive map.

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Featured Study

Getting into position to collect samples in Hells Canyon Reservoir

Mercury Cycling in the Hells Canyon Complex of Reservoirs

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News

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Idaho Hydrologic Update, July 2022

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Idaho Hydrologic Update, June 2022

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Idaho Hydrologic Update, April 2022

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Publications

Trends in groundwater levels, and orthophosphate and nitrate concentrations in the Middle Snake River Region, south-central Idaho

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) evaluated nitrate and orthophosphate concentrations in groundwater for temporal trends (monotonic and step trends) for the middle Snake River region (Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls Counties) in south-central Idaho using the Regional Kendall test (monotonic trends) and the Wilcoxon signed rank test (step trends). The study evaluated two
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Water Resources, Idaho Water Science Center

Spectral mixture analysis for surveillance of harmful algal blooms (SMASH): A field-, laboratory-, and satellite-based approach to identifying cyanobacteria genera from remotely sensed data

Algal blooms around the world are increasing in frequency and severity, often with the possibility of adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. The health and economic impacts associated with harmful algal blooms, or HABs, provide compelling rationale for developing new methods for monitoring these events via remote sensing. Although concentrations of chlorophyll-a and key pigments like phyco
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Water Resources, Idaho Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Selenium in the Kootenai River Basin, Montana and Idaho, United States, and British Columbia, Canada

Selenium entering the 90-mile long transboundary Koocanusa Reservoir (also called Lake Koocanusa) in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, and northwestern Montana, United States, has been measured at concentrations above State and Federal water-quality and aquatic life standards. The reservoir is within the international Kootenai (or “Kootenay” in Canada) drainage basin, which contains critical
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Water Resources, Idaho Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Science

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USGS bathymetric survey vessel on Lucky Peak Lake, southwestern Idaho

Bathymetric Survey of the Mores Creek Arm of Lucky Peak Lake

In 2004, about 90 migrating elk and 25 mule deer broke through thin ice and drowned as they attempted to cross the Mores Creek arm of Lucky Peak Lake upstream of the Highway 21 bridge. To prevent any similar incidents, reservoir managers and wildlife biologists needed a better understanding of water depths over a range of reservoir pool elevations.
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Idaho Water Science Center
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Bathymetric Survey of the Mores Creek Arm of Lucky Peak Lake

In 2004, about 90 migrating elk and 25 mule deer broke through thin ice and drowned as they attempted to cross the Mores Creek arm of Lucky Peak Lake upstream of the Highway 21 bridge. To prevent any similar incidents, reservoir managers and wildlife biologists needed a better understanding of water depths over a range of reservoir pool elevations.
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Computer screen showing bathymetry data from American Falls Reservoir, Idaho

American Falls Reservoir Bathymetry

In cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, we surveyed the bathymetry within an area of about 500 acres of American Falls Reservoir between River Miles 713 and 714 August 6-8, 2019. The bathymetric survey provided high-resolution detail of a proposed treatment area for an aeration system that is being developed to support water quality during the American Falls spillway concrete repair project...
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Idaho Water Science Center
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American Falls Reservoir Bathymetry

In cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, we surveyed the bathymetry within an area of about 500 acres of American Falls Reservoir between River Miles 713 and 714 August 6-8, 2019. The bathymetric survey provided high-resolution detail of a proposed treatment area for an aeration system that is being developed to support water quality during the American Falls spillway concrete repair project...
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Niagara Springs near Buhl, Idaho

Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring of Middle Snake River Springs in Support of Threatened and Endangered Snail Species

Two species of aquatic snails, the Banbury Springs limpet (Idaholanx fresti) and the Bliss Rapids snail (Taylorconcha serpenticola) live in springs along the middle Snake River in south-central Idaho. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed these species as Endangered (Banbury Springs limpet) and Threatened (Bliss Rapids snail). Both species need clean, cold spring water to survive.
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Idaho Water Science Center
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Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring of Middle Snake River Springs in Support of Threatened and Endangered Snail Species

Two species of aquatic snails, the Banbury Springs limpet (Idaholanx fresti) and the Bliss Rapids snail (Taylorconcha serpenticola) live in springs along the middle Snake River in south-central Idaho. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed these species as Endangered (Banbury Springs limpet) and Threatened (Bliss Rapids snail). Both species need clean, cold spring water to survive.
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