Watershed/Basin Studies
Watershed/Basin Studies
Filter Total Items: 43
Tualatin River Basin Water Quality Assessment
In 1990, the USGS began assessing water-quality in the Tualatin River. Almost 30 years later, we are still monitoring conditions in the basin.
Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
The U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Watercourse Engineering, Inc. are collaborating to develop knowledge and tools to better manage water quality in the Link-Keno reach of the Klamath River and the Lost River.
City Beavers: Tualatin River Basin Beaver Study
Beavers and their dams are common sights along creeks in the Tualatin River basin. Beaver help create diverse habitats for many other animals, including birds, fish, and amphibians. The USGS studying the affect beaver activity has on the amount and quality of water in local streams, so that agencies in the basin can make strategic management and habitat restoration decisions based on science.
A Thermal Mosaic for the Willamette River
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates 12 dams in the Willamette River Basin. The dams alter natural temperature and hydrologic regimes. Unnatural water temperatures can negatively impact all life stages of salmonid fish species. Water temperature in the mainstem Willamette River regularly exceeds the standard of 18.0 °C (64.4 °F) designated for salmon and trout rearing and migration for mid...
Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization Study
Fish, wildlife, and human populations along the lower Columbia River are exposed to an ever-growing variety of contaminants as a result of increasing urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural development.
Future Water Clarity and Dissolved Oxygen in Crater Lake
Warming air temperature may change water temperature and water column mixing in Oregon’s Crater Lake over the next several decades, potentially impacting the clarity and health of the iconic lake.
Geomorphology of the Sprague River Basin
The USGS documents historical and current channel and floodplain processes and conditions to assist management and regulatory agencies in evaluating restoration proposals and designing effective restoration and monitoring strategies for the Sprague River and its principle tributaries. The study involves multiple analyses, including assessments of historical channel change, riparian and floodplain...
North Santiam River Basin Study
The streamflow and water-quality conditions monitored by the USGS in the North Santiam River basin provide valuable information to water resource managers
Nutrient and Sediment Loading to Upper Klamath Lake
The USGS employs state-of-the-science techniques to estimate nutrient and suspended-sediment loads to Upper Klamath Lake.
Nutrient Loading to Lost River and Klamath River Subbasins
The USGS has characterized nutrient concentrations in the Klamath River and Lost River drainages over multiple years, identified spatial and temporal patterns in nutrient and organic carbon concentrations, and quantified surface water nutrient loads entering and exiting the Klamath Project.
Umpqua River Basin Studies
The Wild and Scenic North Umpqua River is one of the highest-quality waters in the State of Oregon, supporting runs of wild salmon, steelhead, and trout. The USGS has been studying water-quality in the Umpqua River Basin since 1998.
Fall Creek Drawdown
Each autumn Fall Creek Lake is drawn down to allow endangered juvenile salmonids to pass freely through the dam. The drawdowns involve lowering the lake water level to the lake bed, creating a fluvial environment characterized by large amounts of sediment being transported through the dam and into Fall Creek and the Middle Fork Willamette River.