Mapping river channels and floodplains important to spring Chinook Salmon
USGS collects data in support of the Willamette River Integrated Water Science Basin.
During 2023-2024, over 125 miles of topographic-bathymetric lidar will be collected on rivers important to spring Chinook Salmon. The lidar surveys include reaches above and below high-head dams in the Santiam, McKenzie, Clackamas, and Middle Fork Willamette River basins. Deeper channel areas will be mapped using boat-based sonar methods. USGS scientists will use this new lidar information to create detailed maps of shallow under-water areas of rivers as well as floodplains. These data are critical to simulate flood hazards, evaluate water availability for human uses (such as public water supply and irrigation), and characterize fish habitat. This data collection effort is a collaboration between the USGS and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
