Surface Water

The Kootenai River (Kootenay in Canada) rises from the Canadian Rockies and flows south in an arc through Montana and Idaho before swinging back into British Columbia and the Columbia River. The uplifted sedimentary rocks forming the southern Canadian Rockies have rich coal deposits that have been mined for many decades. The coal beds and associated rock layers are enriched with other minerals as...

Groundwater discharges to the Snake River from numerous volcanic rock springs along the northern canyon wall between Milner Dam and King Hill. Water-resource managers need to be able to quantify the amount of this water to understand the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer's recharge, storage, and discharge. When completed, this study will provide the Idaho Department of Water Resources with an...

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.

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...

Remote headwater streams are important sources of water that are not well understood. Working with other USGS science centers across the country, we are developing methods for estimating streamflow in these environments. Data from these efforts will contribute to improving our understanding of water availability and how drought may be affecting these stream ecosystems.

From 1989 to 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, monitored trends in water quality and biological integrity at more than 50 USGS streamgage stations on rivers throughout Idaho. In 2018, multiple State and Federal partners restarted a portion of the Large River Ambient Monitoring (LRAM) network.

The spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels poses threats to water resources and water-resource infrastructure. Water-resource agencies such as the Bureau of Reclamation need cost-effective monitoring methods to provide early detection for immediate response.

The Kootenai River white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus ) and other native fish species are culturally important to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, but their habitat and recruitment have been affected by anthropogenic changes to the river. The Tribe has undertaken a large-scale restoration project and needs objective information on which to base restoration decisions.

The Yankee Fork of the Salmon River is one of the larger watersheds in the upper Salmon River subbasin of central Idaho. Mining activities since the late 19th century, specifically placer mining and associated dredging from 1940 to 1953, have left the fluvial system in a highly altered and unnatural state. To improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the Yankee Fork, the Bureau of Reclamation and...

In cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources, we are working to improve the scientific understanding of the Big Lost River basin's water resources. This improved understanding will support effective resource management.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published a plan for recovering the endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon. This study supports the objectives of that plan by quantifying white sturgeon habitat preference within a recently restored reach of the Kootenai River. Fine-scale acoustic telemetry positioning data will be integrated with quasi-three-dimensional hydraulic model simulations for the...

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are an increasing concern in Idaho. Within the past few years, Idaho agencies have issued at least 57 HAB notices on 29 waterbodies throughout the state. Toxins produced by HABs pose risks to human and animal health. Local economies may also be adversely affected when algal blooms discourage outdoor recreation. Routinely monitoring the state's many waterbodies is too...