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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: 785

Storm runoff as related to urbanization in the Portland, Oregon-Vancouver, Washington Area Storm runoff as related to urbanization in the Portland, Oregon-Vancouver, Washington Area

A series of equations was developed to provide a better method of determining flood frequencies in the Portland-Vancouver urban area than is now available. The resulting regression equations can be used to compute peak discharge and storm runoff with a standard error of estimate of approximately 30 percent. Basins used to define the regression equations ranged in size from 0.2 to 26...
Authors
Antonius Laenen

Evaluation of water resources in the Reedsport area, Oregon Evaluation of water resources in the Reedsport area, Oregon

The water supply for the Reedsport area is obtained from Clear Lake, a 310-acre coastal lake that contains 16, 600 acre-feet of water at full-pool. The lake receives about 6,000 acre-feet of water annually from runoff and direct precipitation, and it loses about 600 acre-feet by evaporation. The 2,100 acre-feet diverted annually for public supply is about two-thirds of the ' usable...
Authors
Joseph F. Rinella, F. J. Frank, A.R. Leonard

Ground-water data for the Riley and Andrews Resource Areas, southeastern Oregon Ground-water data for the Riley and Andrews Resource Areas, southeastern Oregon

Appraisals of the resources of selected management areas in eastern Oregon are being made by the U.S. Bureau of Land Mangement. To provide needed hydrologic information, the Bureau of Land Management requested the U.S. Geological Survey to inventory ground-water data for the Riley and Andrews Resource Areas. The inventory included field location of selected wells and springs; measurement...
Authors
Paul J. Townley, Constance M. Soja, W.C. Sidle

Mount St. Helens ash fall in the Bull Run watershed, Oregon, May-June 1980 Mount St. Helens ash fall in the Bull Run watershed, Oregon, May-June 1980

On May 25-26, May 30-June 2, and June 12-13, 1980, strong, high-altitude winds from the north occurred during periods of volcanic-ash eruption at Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington. As a result, ash fell in the Bull Run watershed, Oregon, some 50 miles to the south, the principal water-supply source for the Portland area. Samples from precipitation collectors and from stream...
Authors
Michael V. Shulters, Daphne G. Clifton

Evaluation of planning alternatives for maintaining desirable dissolved-oxygen concentrations in the Willamette River, Oregon Evaluation of planning alternatives for maintaining desirable dissolved-oxygen concentrations in the Willamette River, Oregon

For nearly half a century the Willamette River in Oregon experienced severe dissolved-oxygen problems related to large loads of organically rich waste waters from industries and municipalities. Since the mid-1950 's dissolved oxygen quality has gradually improved owing to low-flow augmentation, the achievement of basinwide secondary treatment, and the use of other waste-management...
Authors
David A. Rickert, F. A. Rinella, W. G. Hines, S. W. McKenzie

Water quality of Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon Water quality of Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon

Water-quality data identify surface-water-quality problems in Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oreg., where possible, their causes or sources. Irrigation and return-flow data show pastures are sources of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci bacteria and sinks for suspended sediment and nitrite-plus-nitrate nitrogen. Bear Creek and its tributaries have dissolved oxygen and pH values...
Authors
Loren A. Wittenberg, Stuart W. McKenzie

Mount St. Helens volcanic-ash fall in the Bull Run watershed, Oregon, March-June 1980 Mount St. Helens volcanic-ash fall in the Bull Run watershed, Oregon, March-June 1980

During several periods of volcanic-ash eruption at Mount St. Helens, Wash., (March 30, May 25-26, May 30-June 2, and June 12-13, 1980) strong winds from the north occurred at high altitudes. As a result, the volcanic ash fell some 50 miles to the south in the Bull Run watershed, the principal water-supply source for the metropolitan area of Portland, Oreg. Water samples collected from...
Authors
M.V. Shulters, Daphne G. Clifton

Magnitude and frequency of floods in western Oregon Magnitude and frequency of floods in western Oregon

A method for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods is presented for unregulated streams in western Oregon. Equations relating flood magnitude to basin characteristics were developed for exceedance probabilities of 0.5 to 0.01 (2- to 100-year recurrence intervals). Separate equations are presented for four regions: Coast, Willamette, Rogue-Umpqua, and High Cascades. Also...
Authors
David Dell Harris, Larry L. Hubbard, Lawrence E. Hubbard

A synoptic approach for analyzing erosion as a guide to land-use planning A synoptic approach for analyzing erosion as a guide to land-use planning

A synoptic approach has been devised to delineate the relationships that exist' between physiographic factors, land-use activities, and resultant erosional problems. The approach involves the development of an erosional-depositional province map and a numerical impact matrix for rating the potential for erosional problems. The province map is prepared by collating data on the natural...
Authors
William M. Brown, Walter G. Hines, David A. Rickert, Gary L. Beach

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Pacific Northwest region Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Pacific Northwest region

The Pacific Northwest Region's ground-water reservoirs are capable of providing large additional fresh-water supplies; these reservoirs become more important as undeveloped surface-storage sites and unapportioned surface-water supplies dwindle. Withdrawals of fresh water from all surface and underground sources are increasing; they may rise from the rate of 30 billion gallons per day in...
Authors
Bruce L. Foxworthy
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