Images

Summer Lake, Oregon is one of the 20 terminal lakes identified by USGS partners as priority ecosystems for study by the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA.

The Umatilla River basin in northeastern Oregon is characterized by warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Photo taken during groundwater recharge research field work.

Scientist collects well water sample to test for isotopic age tracers. Well locations represent different flow paths in the aquifer system. 

Looking downstream at McKay Creek above its confluence with the Crooked River, Oregon. McKay Creek originates in the Ochoco National Forest and flows for 37 miles, passing through private agricultural lands before merging with the Crooked River northwest of Prineville in Crook County.

Looking upstream of the Crooked River below Osborne Canyon near Opal City, OR. Photo taken during field work.

Scientists take reference check readings from freshly calibrated sensors to ensure accuracy of deployed instruments.

USGS Oregon Water Science Center instructors prep Malheur National Wildlife Refuge & High Desert Partnership staff to collect streamflow measurements with an acoustic instrument (ADCP). This training will empower them to collect important data for decision-making for years to come. Photo by Brandon McMullen.

Hydro tech Josh Price guides training participants as they set up the software that interfaces with the acoustic measurement equipment. Photo by Brandon McMullen.

The Donner und Blitzen River flows north through the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge into Malheur Lake. Photo by Brandon McMullen.

Participants from the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and High Desert Partnership gathered for a USGS lead streamflow measurement training using acoustic technology. Photo by Jeremiah Drewel. 

Training participant holds the rope that is tethered to an acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP). The ADCP is ferried back and forth the channel while it collects streamflow data. 

Sometimes climbing up on top of a gage house is necessary to check on the condition of the solar panel and satellite antenna.

Esteemed Hydrologic Technician, Katie Baker, measures streamflow with an acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP). The ADCP tracks the velocity of particles in the water and maps the channel bottom, combine that data with channel width and you can calculate stream flow!

Measuring streamflow from a human powered cable car takes a lot of skill and quick thinking. A flow meter is lowered into the water using a reel.

The pipes suspended from the bridge house monitoring equipment that records real-time water-quality data in the Klamath River (11511990) during the Klamath dam removal.

USGS field crew pauses for a photo while performing emergency repairs on water-quality pipes suspended from Daggett Bridge. Once hanging in the calm reservoir, the pipes were exposed to swift currents after dam removal and had to be stabilized to ensure the instruments continued collecting reliable data.

USGS streamgage 11516530 on the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam in Siskiyou County, California, monitors real-time streamflow and water temperature for a 4,630-square-mile basin.

The drained Iron Gate Reservoir is a free flowing section of the Klamath River after reservoir drawdowns and damn removal.

Sediment samples collected during reservoir drawdown on the Klamath River below where John C. Boyle Powerplant used to be near Keno, Oregon. 

Starting January 2024, water levels behind the dams were gradually lowered over several weeks to prevent flooding and minimize downstream sediment impacts.

One of our incredible hydrologic technicians is in full safety gear, including fall protection and life vest, as she surveys elevation levels. In this photo the white level marker rod has fallen onto the pile of floating logs. It was safely retrieved!