Images

An American coot nest in Malheur Lake was built with bulrush and floated on the surface even as waves passed by. 

Diatom, Synedra, from the Greek word synedria meaning "a sitting together". The genus Synedra has long, needle like cells that can exist singly or radiate in colonies.  

Photo taken of the Willamette River near Harrisburg, Oregon during the "heat dome" of 2021. This historic heatwave occurred in Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest in late June of 2021 breaking high temperature records, some by several degrees.

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

The Saline Lake Ecosystems IWAA Waterbird Movement Project began tagging American Avocets in March 2023 to track their movements across the landscape. Tracking data from these birds will help scientists better understand why these birds choose to use the terminal lake and wetland habitats they do in the Great Basin.

American Avocet are a bird that relies heavily on the Saline Lakes ecosystem during their spring migration periods. Over 50% of these birds exist here. Part of their use includes using the terminal lakes there to breed. 

An outside gage set-up at Quartzville Creek near Cascadia Oregon. Graduated staff plates installed at various heights to capture the range in water levels. Staffs are used to get river level readings hydrologic technicians need to calibrate electronic sensors.  The vertical grey metal pipe is a crest stage gage (CSG).

Photo taken by hydrotech Josh Price while he scouts for potential spots to install the new monitoring equipment.

This large basalt boulder is the perfect stable foundation for the metal gage box keeping our equipment safe on the shores of Lake Abert. 

The star-shaped Asterionella is a genus of freshwater diatoms often found in star-shaped colonies of individuals. The thread like shape is Fragilaria a genus of fresh and saltwater diatom.

USGS hydrologic technicians pose during their fastening the grey enclosure to the dock. The grey enclosure protects the monitoring station equipment from the elements.

USGS data technicians are skilled in both field hydrology and construction to build and maintain USGS monitoring stations. Here they attach the equipment shelter to the dock at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  

Scientific studies in Malheur Lake require strong partnerships and collaboration among USGS, USFWS, and High Desert Partnership. Photo by Brandon McMullen.

Local sand was applied to some mesocosms to test whether hardening the lakebed would reduce suspension of bottom sediments. 

Eared grebes in a courtship behavior in the Great Salt Lake. They are one of many migratory birds in the Great Basin that rely on terminal lakes and wetlands in the area to stop rest and feed. 

Collecting sediment samples on the Wood River near Klamath Agency, Oregon (11504115).

Wave reduction barriers were installed around some mesocosms to test whether reducing wind-wave action would reduce suspended sediment in the water column. 

An automated cable system pulls measuring equipment across the Klamath River near Keno Oregon (11510700).

Williamson River below Sprague River near Chiloquin, OR in the spring during low-flow conditions. View data.

Umatilla River near Brich Creek from Rieth Road. The confluence of these two rivers is at a wide alluvial valley bounded by low hills. Birch Creek flows through the straightened ditch lined by bushes in the midground.

Researcher using an advanced acoustic instrument to collect river velocity data. The river velocity data is used to calibrate and validate hydraulic models.