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Part of USGS's story in Oregon

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Oregon Water Science Center

Welcome to the USGS in Oregon. Our mission is to explore the natural world around us and provide reliable scientific information to help Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribes, and the public make well-informed decisions. Our research is widely used to manage Oregon's water resources for the benefit and safety of people and the environment. 

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muddy Willamette River

See what is happening in streams near you. View real-time stream data for streams around Oregon.

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New or Relevant Information

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News

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Three historic USGS streamgages recognized by new World Meteorological Organization designation

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New project webpage: Modeling the water-quality effects to the Klamath River from drain recirculation

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New Publication - Assessing the Effects of Chloride Deicer Applications on Groundwater near the Siskiyou Pass, Southwestern Oregon

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Publications

Target and suspect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in fish from an AFFF-impacted waterway

A major source of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used in firefighting and training at airports and military installations, however, PFAS have many additional sources in consumer products and industrial processes. A field study was conducted on fish tissues from three reaches of the Columbia Slough, located near Portland International Airport,
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Derek J. Muensterman, Lya Carini, Ian R. Waite, Sean E. Payne, Jennifer Field, Jennifer L Peterson, Daniel Hafley, David Farrer, Gerrad D Jones
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Science to support conservation action in a large river system: The Willamette River, Oregon, USA

Management and conservation efforts that support the recovery and protection of large rivers are daunting, reflecting the complexity of the challenge and extent of effort (in terms of policy, economic investment, and spatial extent) needed to afford measurable change. These large systems have generally experienced intensive development and regulation, compromising their capacity to respond to dist
Authors
Rebecca L. Flitcroft, Luke Whitman, James White, J. Rose Wallick, Laurel E. Stratton Garvin, Cassandra Smith, Robert Plotnikoff, Michael Mulvey, Tobias Kock, Krista Jones, Peter Gruendike, Carolyn Gombert, Guillermo Giannico, Andrew Dutterer, Daniel G. Brown, Hannah Barrett, Robert M. Hughes
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Assessing the effects of chloride deicer applications on groundwater near the Siskiyou Pass, southwestern Oregon, July 2018–February 2021

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), evaluated the effects of cold-weather chloride deicers (road deicing chemicals) on groundwater quality, with a focus on chloride, near the Siskiyou Pass in southwestern Oregon. The study covered the period during July 2018 through February 2021. Between the years 2016 and 2020 ODOT applied up to 16,000
Authors
Stephen B. Gingerich, Daniel R. Wise, Adam J. Stonewall
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center
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Science

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Grey icy waters of the narrow channel are lines with snow and yellow grasses.

Modeling the water-quality effects to the Klamath River from drain recirculation

What could happen to nutrient loads in the Klamath River if water from the Klamath Straits Drain is recirculated into the Ady Canal? USGS scientists investigate.
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Oregon Water Science Center
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Modeling the water-quality effects to the Klamath River from drain recirculation

What could happen to nutrient loads in the Klamath River if water from the Klamath Straits Drain is recirculated into the Ady Canal? USGS scientists investigate.
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Upstream view of the North Santiam river. River channel is lined with trees, shrubs and rocks. Clear blue sky.

Multiscale comparison of hyperspectral reflectance from periphyton in three Oregon rivers used for municipal supply

In this study, USGS scientists from multiple centers used advanced hyperspectral imaging techniques to advance monitoring of attached benthic algae (periphyton) in Cascade Range rivers used for municipal water supply. Periphyton are naturally occurring, but excess growth can harm ecosystems and degrade raw and treated drinking water quality. In these rivers, periphyton contain cyanobacteria that...
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Oregon Water Science Center
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Multiscale comparison of hyperspectral reflectance from periphyton in three Oregon rivers used for municipal supply

In this study, USGS scientists from multiple centers used advanced hyperspectral imaging techniques to advance monitoring of attached benthic algae (periphyton) in Cascade Range rivers used for municipal water supply. Periphyton are naturally occurring, but excess growth can harm ecosystems and degrade raw and treated drinking water quality. In these rivers, periphyton contain cyanobacteria that...
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landscape image of a dessert grassland with rain storms in the distance

Estimating Groundwater Budgets for Oregon

Scientists Stephen Gingerich and Adel Haj, Jr. are leading efforts to estimate groundwater budgets across the state. Water hidden beneath the earth’s surface is a vital resource and quantifying its availability is crucial for long-term management. USGS scientists are collaborating with scientists at the Oregon Water Resources Department to gain a better understanding of this valuable resource.
By
Oregon Water Science Center
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Estimating Groundwater Budgets for Oregon

Scientists Stephen Gingerich and Adel Haj, Jr. are leading efforts to estimate groundwater budgets across the state. Water hidden beneath the earth’s surface is a vital resource and quantifying its availability is crucial for long-term management. USGS scientists are collaborating with scientists at the Oregon Water Resources Department to gain a better understanding of this valuable resource.
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