Images

USGS staff member collects sediment samples at the upstream Chicken Creek water-quality monitoring location in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.

Chicken Creek in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge has over 200 species of birds and a variety of other wildlife.

USGS hydrologist, Erin Leahy, collects sediment samples at the upstream gage on Chicken Creek in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.

USGS hydrologic technician, Heather Bragg, uses a 2-wheel crane to lower a sediment sampler into Chicken Creek below.

USGS hydrologist, Erin Leahy, collecting data in Chicken Creek in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. The USGS operates two water-quality monitors along Chicken Creek.

In March 2025 the streamgage on the Williamson River Near Klamath Agency, Oregon (11493500) recorded significant flow for the first time since March 2020. The aluminum cylinder on the right houses the gage equipment.

Hydrologic technicians captured the powerful high flow of the Umpqua River near Elkton, measuring an impressive 128,000 cubic feet per second on March 17th, 2025. This marks the third-highest flow measured since monitoring began in 1905.

The sonar equipment monitors streambed elevation near the bridge footing to measure scour depth. Accurately measuring scour depth is essential for evaluating bridge safety. During short storm events, crews may not arrive in time to monitor in real-time. Without continuous monitoring, the deepest scour could be missed if the hole refills before inspection.

Field crew installs sonar equipment on the highway 99W bridge over the Luckiamute River near Parker Oregon. 

The Tualatin River in Oregon flows approximately 83 miles from the Northern Oregon Coast Range to the Willamette River, providing vital water resources and habitat across the Tualatin Valley.

When Fern Ridge Lake levels are low the Long Tom River can be seen meandering through the reservoir. Check out the USGS water elevation gage at Fern Ridge Lake Near Elmira, OR - 14168000.

USGS Hydrologist is looking at a headcut/headward erosion/knickpoint in thr center-right of photo during field effort to verify geomorphic mapping.

Morgan, an Oregon Water Science Center hydrologic technician stands under a rainbow during field work at the South Santiam River near Foster, OR streamflow gage (14187200).

Hydrologist, Rod Owre, uses an acoustic doppler current profiler to measure the speed and direction of water currents using sound waves.

An acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) is attached to a bank mounted cable way so it can be pulled across the channel to measure the river flow. White Salmon River Near Underwood, Washington (14123500).

White Salmon River near Underwood, Washington (14123500). Photo taken by Adam Ostman, hydrologic technician, during a routine site visit. The streamgage is the small square building on the right river bank.

Benthic cyanobacteria are a type of photosynthetic bacteria that live on the bottom of aquatic environments, such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and wetlands. The term "benthic" refers to their habitat in the sediment or substrate of these water bodies, as opposed to being free-floating in the water column (planktonic).

A piezometer is a device used to measure the pressure of a liquid, particularly water, within a specific point of a system, such as soil, rock, or a pipe. It is widely used in geotechnical, hydrogeological, and civil engineering applications to monitor water levels, pore water pressure, and hydraulic head in the ground or other systems.

Water quality readings, like temperature and dissolved oxygen, are taken during field visits at Bethany Lake.

Rock Creek flows north to south in Washington County, Oregon and is a tributary of the Tualatin River.

The concrete weir that impounds Bethany Lake was constructed in the 1950's  to provide irrigation for Rock Creek Golf Course.