Publications
All of our publications are accessible through the USGS Publication Warehouse. Publications by scientists of the Oregon Water Science Center are listed below.
Filter Total Items: 770
Autumn as an overlooked opportunity for limnology Autumn as an overlooked opportunity for limnology
Ecological disciplines, from forestry to soil sciences and ornithology, recognize the critical role of autumn in an array of physical and biological processes. Terrestrial studies categorize autumn as the end of the growing season. Autumn weather conditions can disrupt plant-soil interactions, affecting nutrient cycling and soil fertility [1]; determine dormancy and freezing tolerance of...
Authors
Faith R Ferrato, Sapna Sharma, Joshua A Culpepper, Ceara J Talbot, Michael Frederick Meyer, Stephanie E. Hampton
Evaluation of passive samplers for cyanotoxin detection by immunoassay and chromatographic-mass spectrometry Evaluation of passive samplers for cyanotoxin detection by immunoassay and chromatographic-mass spectrometry
Harmful algal blooms, particularly cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, threaten aquatic ecosystems, drinking water supplies, and recreational resources. In 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, deployed solid phase adsorption toxin tracking (SPATT) samplers in Seneca Lake, Owasco Lake, and Skaneateles Lake to...
Authors
Brett D. Johnston, Michael D.W. Stouder, Rebecca M. Gorney, Joshua J. Rosen, Kurt D. Carpenter, Bofan Wei, Gregory L. Boyer
Managing water for birds—A tool for the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, southeastern Oregon Managing water for birds—A tool for the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, southeastern Oregon
The “Water for Birds Tool” is a spreadsheet-based tool (using Microsoft Excel) designed to help resource managers assess the spatial extent and types of bird habitats in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, southeastern Oregon. The tool quantifies the areas of open water, partial water, and water depths on a monthly timescale during the irrigation season (April–July) from 2021 to 2024...
Authors
Cassandra D. Smith
Inferring snowpack contributions and the mean elevation of source water to streamflow in the Willamette River, Oregon using water stable isotopes Inferring snowpack contributions and the mean elevation of source water to streamflow in the Willamette River, Oregon using water stable isotopes
Snowpacks are an important water source for mountainous rivers, worldwide. The timing and volume of streamflow in systems reliant on snowmelt can be affected by changes in snow accumulation and melt time. In the Cascade Range (western USA), seasonal snowpacks are predicted to decrease by over 50% within the next century. During the last decade, Cascade Range snowpacks have varied between...
Authors
J. Renée Brooks, Henry M. Johnson, Keira R. Johnson, Steven P. Cline, Randy Comeleo, WIlliam Rugh, Lisandra Trine
Reservoir and riverine sources of cyanotoxins in Oregon’s Cascade Range rivers tapped for municipal drinking water supply Reservoir and riverine sources of cyanotoxins in Oregon’s Cascade Range rivers tapped for municipal drinking water supply
Reservoirs and downstream rivers draining Oregon’s Cascade Range provide critical water supplies for over 1.5 million residents in dozens of communities. These waters also support planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria that produce cyanotoxins that may degrade water quality for drinking, recreation, aquatic life, and other beneficial uses. This 2016–2020 survey examined the sources and...
Authors
Kurt D. Carpenter, Barry H. Rosen, David Donahue, Kari Duncan, Brandin Hilbrandt, Christopher Lewis, Kim Swan, Tracy Triplett, Elijah Welch
Evaluating the potential to quantify salmon habitat via UAS-based particle image velocimetry Evaluating the potential to quantify salmon habitat via UAS-based particle image velocimetry
Continuous, high-resolution data for characterizing freshwater habitat conditions can support successful management of endangered salmonids. Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) make acquiring such fine-scale data along river channels more feasible, but workflows for quantifying reach-scale salmon habitats are lacking. We evaluated the potential for UAS-based mapping of hydraulic habitats...
Authors
Lee R. Harrison, Carl J. Legleiter, Brandon Overstreet, James White
Dominant Dolichospermum and microcystin production in Detroit Lake (Oregon, USA) Dominant Dolichospermum and microcystin production in Detroit Lake (Oregon, USA)
The excessive growth of harmful cyanobacteria, including Dolichospermum (formerly known as Anabaena), in freshwater bodies has become a pressing global concern. However, detailed information about the role of Dolichospermum in shaping bloom dynamics and producing cyanotoxins is limited. In this study, a bloom event dominated by Dolichospermum spp. at Detroit Lake (Oregon, USA) was...
Authors
Youchul Jeon, Ian Struewing, Kale Clausen, Nathan Reetz, Ned Fairchild, Lacey Goeres-Priest, Theo Dreher, Rochelle Labiosa, Kurt D. Carpenter, Barry Rosen, Eric Villegas, Jingrang Lu
Review of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Ballard Locks model, Seattle, Washington, 2014–20 Review of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Ballard Locks model, Seattle, Washington, 2014–20
Executive SummaryThe Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks and Lake Washington Ship Canal connect freshwater Lake Washington and saline Shilshole Bay of Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington. The locks and canal allow for ships to traverse this reach. Anadromous salmonids also migrate through, transitioning between saline and freshwater environments, and making use of a fish ladder at the...
Authors
Annett B. Sullivan, Anya C. Leach
Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation Imperiled Great Basin terminal lakes: Synthesizing ecological and hydrological science gaps and research needs for waterbird conservation
Terminal lakes are declining globally because of human water demands, drought, and climate change. Through literature synthesis and feedback from the resource and conservation community, we review the state of research for terminal lakes in the Great Basin of the United States, which support millions of waterbirds annually, to prioritize ecological and hydrologic information needs. From...
Authors
Garth Herring, Ashley L. Whipple, Cameron L. Aldridge, Bryce Alan Pulver, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Rich D. Inman, Elliott Matchett, Adrian P. Monroe, Elizabeth Kari Orning, Benjamin Seward Robb, Jessica E. Shyvers, Bryan C. Tarbox, Nathan D. Van Schmidt, Cassandra Smith, Matthew J. Holloran, Cory T. Overton, David O'Leary, Michael L. Casazza, Rebecca J. Frus
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment
Advancing sustainable groundwater management with a hydro-economic system model: Investigations in the Harney Basin, Oregon Advancing sustainable groundwater management with a hydro-economic system model: Investigations in the Harney Basin, Oregon
Groundwater resources frequently trend toward unsustainable levels because, absent effective institutions, individual water users generally act independently without considering the impacts on other users. Hydro-economic models (HEMs) of human-natural systems can play a positive role toward successful groundwater management by yielding valuable knowledge and insight. The current study...
Authors
William K. Jaeger, John M. Antle, Stephen B. Gingerich, Daniel Bigelow
Managing water for birds— A tool for the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Managing water for birds— A tool for the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
The “Water for Birds Tool” is an Excel-based model designed for resource managers to assess the spatial extent and types of bird habitats in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The model quantifies the area of open water, partial water, and water depths on a monthly timescale during the irrigation season (April–July) from 2021–2024. This model combines previously published datasets and...
Authors
Cassandra Smith
Evaluating hydrologic model performance for characterizing streamflow drought in the conterminous United States Evaluating hydrologic model performance for characterizing streamflow drought in the conterminous United States
Hydrologic models are the primary tools that are used to simulate streamflow drought and assess impacts. However, there is little consensus about how to evaluate the performance of these models, especially as hydrologic modeling moves toward larger spatial domains. This paper presents a comprehensive multi-objective approach to systematically evaluating the critical features in...
Authors
Caelan Simeone, Sydney Foks, Erin Towler, Timothy O. Hodson, Thomas M. Over