Oregon Water Science Center

Few would believe the importance of freshwater mussels to scientists here in the Pacific Northwest. These little-known and often-ignored organisms may live for over a century on the bottoms of lakes, rivers, and streams. Freshwater mussels have a story to tell, and researchers have developed a way of ‘reading’ this story. USGS Aquatic Biologist Jason Dunham discusses his

The Johnson Creek watershed is an important resource in Portland, Oregon. It forms a wildlife and recreational corridor through densely populated areas of the Portland metropolitan area, as well as rural and agricultural land in Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. However, because of its location within an urban environment, there are often concerns, including worries about

Tsunamis are devastating. Usually associated with earthquakes in the Pacific, these giant surges of oceanic water can kill thousands and do billions of dollars of damage in minutes. Surprisingly, most people in Oregon are not aware of the tsunami history and hazard along our very own coast. Listen in as we examine the science of tsunamis and sit down for a special

Better late than never, here's a proper introduction to the USGS Oregon Science Podcast. Learn about who we are, what we do, and what you can expect from us in the future. Plus, as an added bonus, get a teaser for what's coming next month.

Coinciding with the release of the USGS report ‘Reconnaissance of Pharmaceutical Chemicals in Urban Streams of the Tualatin River Basin, Oregon, 2002,’ we sit down and discuss recent findings with USGS hydrologist Stewart Rounds. Find out how everyday drugs, such as caffeine, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and codeine, have made it into our streams, how well they are removed

USGS scientists sampled sediment transport during (and after) the breaching of the Marmot Dam on the Sandy River, OR.

The USGS put together time-lapse video of the breach of the Marmot Dam, on the Sandy River in Oregon. Hydrology experts from the USGS Oregon Water Science Center and the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory are studying this removal, the largest planned removal in the Pacific Northwest thus far.

Real-time USGS streamgages and other high-tech instruments are monitoring

Crooked River of the Deschutes River Basin, Oregon, flows through Smith Rocks 

Stargrass in the Yakima River, Oregon

Anabena algal bloom in Timothy Lake, Oregon, 2004

Roaring Spring on the McKenzie River, Oregon