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Images

Check out photos of some of the awesome work USGS scientists and field technicians have done over the years.

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Heavily vegetated dunes with yellow flowering plants and patches of sand, with the sea in the background on a clear blue day.
Inter-dune coastal scrub and grass barrier island habitat
Inter-dune coastal scrub and grass barrier island habitat
Inter-dune coastal scrub and grass barrier island habitat

Inter-dune habitat with a mix of coastal scrub, bare ground, and grass vegetation, on Santa Rosa Island, Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL. The foredune (in background) separates the inter-dune habitat from beach habitat (not visible) behind the foredune.

Inter-dune habitat with a mix of coastal scrub, bare ground, and grass vegetation, on Santa Rosa Island, Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL. The foredune (in background) separates the inter-dune habitat from beach habitat (not visible) behind the foredune.

glittering waters of the Willamette on a cloudy day
Willamette River in Portland, Oregon
Willamette River in Portland, Oregon
Willamette River in Portland, Oregon

Photo taken from Tilikum Crossing Bridge looking downstream towards Ross Island Bridge and Ross Island in Portland Oregon.

Photo taken from Tilikum Crossing Bridge looking downstream towards Ross Island Bridge and Ross Island in Portland Oregon.

Cobble lined river channel and a couple dead salmon are visible through clear water. Tree lined bank with autumn colors
South Fork McKenzie river
South Fork McKenzie river
South Fork McKenzie river

A dead salmon in the South Fork McKenzie River. Salmon die after spawning. The cold waters of South Fork McKenzie River contribute to low pre-spawn mortality in this salmon habitat.

A dead salmon in the South Fork McKenzie River. Salmon die after spawning. The cold waters of South Fork McKenzie River contribute to low pre-spawn mortality in this salmon habitat.

Pole mounted metal gage box next to a river flowing under bridge
Klamath River below JC Boyle Powerplant
Klamath River below JC Boyle Powerplant
Klamath River below JC Boyle Powerplant

One of many stream gages in the Klamath Basin. Solar charged batteries keep the data coming in through the satellite network. View the data.

One of many stream gages in the Klamath Basin. Solar charged batteries keep the data coming in through the satellite network. View the data.

a wide, rocky riverbed with shallow, clear water in the foreground. Rolling forested hills and blue sky in background
Main Umpqua River near Tyee, Oregon
Main Umpqua River near Tyee, Oregon
Main Umpqua River near Tyee, Oregon

Photo taken during field work along the Umpqua River.

a silhouette of a goose standing on the shore of a lake at sunrise
Lone goose at sunrise at Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Lone goose at sunrise at Summer Lake Wildlife Area
Low water flows over loose cobbles and gravel with grasses on the riverbank. Far bank is tree lined.
Umpqua River near Coles Valley
Umpqua River near Coles Valley
Umpqua River near Coles Valley

The main Umpqua River near Coles Valley. This section of river channel is composed of unconsolidated sediments called alluvium, which make up alluvial valleys.

The main Umpqua River near Coles Valley. This section of river channel is composed of unconsolidated sediments called alluvium, which make up alluvial valleys.

A grey sky day, tree lined banks of Fall Creek
View from the cableway at Fall Creek, OR
View from the cableway at Fall Creek, OR
View from the cableway at Fall Creek, OR

Photo taken by Lisa Hoaks while she measured the streamflow of Fall Creek from the cableway. Looking downstream towards Unity Covered Bridge.

Photo taken by Lisa Hoaks while she measured the streamflow of Fall Creek from the cableway. Looking downstream towards Unity Covered Bridge.

Male standing on metal platform holds cylindrical nitrate sensor. Green lit water shines from river beneath platform.
Inspecting Willamette River nitrate sensor
Inspecting Willamette River nitrate sensor
Inspecting Willamette River nitrate sensor

This nitrate sensor detects the unique way nitrate absorbs ultraviolet light and then calculates how much is present. During site visits, technicians clean the optics, check anti-fouling systems, and verify accuracy to keep it running reliably.

This nitrate sensor detects the unique way nitrate absorbs ultraviolet light and then calculates how much is present. During site visits, technicians clean the optics, check anti-fouling systems, and verify accuracy to keep it running reliably.

Seven periphyton samples float in water in glass vials. Periphyton are bright green, moss green and to brown in color.
Periphyton samples
Periphyton samples
Periphyton samples

Seven Periphyton samples from the North Santiam River, submitted for hyperspectral microscopic evaluation.

Seven Periphyton samples from the North Santiam River, submitted for hyperspectral microscopic evaluation.

Field crew wades in the shallow edge of the north Santiam River. Backdrop is a rough ridge with burnt trees from recent fires
USGS Scientists gather hyperspectral and GPS data
USGS Scientists gather hyperspectral and GPS data
USGS Scientists gather hyperspectral and GPS data

USGS scientists gather field survey data for the periphyton hyperspectral imagery study.

underwater photo of brown algae coating a rock.
Underwater view of periphyton
Underwater view of periphyton
Underwater view of periphyton

Underwater photo taken during field survey with a handheld hyperspectral senor. There is a blend of periphyton here: golden blobs of cyanobacteria (Nostoc), filaments of green algae, and small white tufts of stalked diatoms. 

Underwater photo taken during field survey with a handheld hyperspectral senor. There is a blend of periphyton here: golden blobs of cyanobacteria (Nostoc), filaments of green algae, and small white tufts of stalked diatoms. 

Black handheld hyperspectral sensor seen from the side as it plunges underwater to get data from the river bed.
Handheld hyperspectral sensor plunges underwater
Handheld hyperspectral sensor plunges underwater
Handheld hyperspectral sensor plunges underwater

A handheld hyperspectral sensor plunges underwater to get hyperspectral signature data from periphyton on the river bed.

One scientist holds a river rock, another uses a handheld camera-like spectrometer to get color spectrum data from the rock.
Scientists use handheld spectrometer
Scientists use handheld spectrometer
Scientists use handheld spectrometer

Scientists use an ASD handheld spectrometer to gather color spectrum data from algae coating a river cobble.

Scientists use an ASD handheld spectrometer to gather color spectrum data from algae coating a river cobble.

dry patch of dirt in a field full of vegetation, rain gage and piezometer, blue sky in the distance
Rain gage and piezometer at the Klamath Marsh, Oregon
Rain gage and piezometer at the Klamath Marsh, Oregon
Rain gage and piezometer at the Klamath Marsh, Oregon

Looking south in the northern area of the Klamath Marsh. A white cylindrical rain gage that tracks rainfall and a white tube-shaped piezometer that measures changes in water level beneath the surface. These sensors are operated by the Klamath Tribes. 

Looking south in the northern area of the Klamath Marsh. A white cylindrical rain gage that tracks rainfall and a white tube-shaped piezometer that measures changes in water level beneath the surface. These sensors are operated by the Klamath Tribes. 

a metal irrigation pipe sticks out of the river bank. The river is lower than the pipe in this photo.
Irrigation pipe
Irrigation pipe
Irrigation pipe

Irrigation pipe on the North Santiam river supplies water to local agriculture. 

Irrigation pipe on the North Santiam river supplies water to local agriculture. 

Four scientist looking out over the Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island. There are mountains behind them and clouds
Scientist looking out onto the GSL from Antelope Island
Scientist looking out onto the GSL from Antelope Island
Scientist looking out onto the GSL from Antelope Island

These scientists are working on The Great Salt Lake to determine the amount of water and qualities of it. This will help them in developing better management techniques that will work to support the migratory birds that frequent the area. 

See caption.
Crystal Creek Near Rocky Point, OR
Crystal Creek Near Rocky Point, OR
Crystal Creek Near Rocky Point, OR

An acoustic doppler current profiler or ADCP is pulled across the channel by a hydrologic technician using the yellow tagline. An ADCP uses sound waves to measure the speed of currents throughout the water column.

An acoustic doppler current profiler or ADCP is pulled across the channel by a hydrologic technician using the yellow tagline. An ADCP uses sound waves to measure the speed of currents throughout the water column.

field computer sits on a rusty well cover, yellow electric measuring tape is down the uncovered well.
Groundwater level measurement
Groundwater level measurement
Groundwater level measurement

Scientists collect a routine water level depth measurement in the Klamath Falls basin-wide monitoring network.

Scientists collect a routine water level depth measurement in the Klamath Falls basin-wide monitoring network.

Birds eye view photo of river with rapids and a cobble island separating two river channels. Taken from drone.
Drone footage above Clackamas River, Lazy Bend campground
Drone footage above Clackamas River, Lazy Bend campground
Drone footage above Clackamas River, Lazy Bend campground

Drone footage taken above the Clackamas River for the periphyton hyperspectral imagery study.

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