Images

Wildlife sightings are the best job perks! Fish swim around in the Willamette River beneath the Morrison Bridge dolphin.

A routine field visit at the Bull Run River at Lower Flume near Brightwood, Oregon (14138720). The U.S. Geological Survey operates several streamgages and monitoring stations throughout the Bull Run watershed.

This floating platform in Upper Klamath Lake is home to two seasonal water-quality instruments. The instruments are positioned to capture data one meter below the lake surface and one meter above the lake bottom.

A photo from inside the boat during a field visit to inspect water‑quality instruments in Upper Klamath Lake. To ensure data quality, sensors are regularly exchanged for freshly calibrated and cleaned replacements.

A gravelometer is a field tool used to measure and classify the size of sediment particles, like gravel, cobbles, and boulders, in streams and rivers. It’s a rectangular metal plate with different sized holes corresponding to standard grain-size classes.

Rain or shine our scientists get out in the field to collect eDNA data that could indicate mussel presence. Immediately after a rain event the eDNA in a river may be more dilute than a sample taken after several dry sunny days.

USGS hydrologic technician, Cara, collects an eDNA sample in triplicate using an eDNA Sampler.

Freshwater mussels can be hard to find because they nestle into riverbeds. With new tools, we can find mussels by looking for their DNA in water samples in the lab.

USGS hydrologic technician uses a ruler called a gravelometer to classify streambed particles into size classes. These data can be used to calibrate models of streambed sediment. 

Fragilaria crotonensis is a well-known species of planktonic diatom within the genus Fragilaria, commonly found in freshwater lakes across North America and other temperate regions.

Two technicians deployed the water-quality monitor for the 2025 season on the dock at OMSI. See the data live: Willamette River Below the Holgate Channel, Portland, OR

A USGS research boat cruises through Shoalwater Bay on the west side of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Cow Creek near Riddle, Oregon (1431000): On March 17, 2025, hydrologic technicians captured 14,000 and 13,900 cubic feet per second! These are the 2nd and 3rd highest flow measurements since the period of record began in 1954.

This aerial image was captured during a drone flight for drone-based surface velocimetry, which is a method for measuring the speed of water at the surface of a river or stream using video footage and computer software.

A USGS hydrologic technician captured this photo of the Umpqua River near Elkton, Oregon, during a high-flow measurement—the third-highest flow recorded at this gage since it began operation in 1905. View gage data.