Drinking water for the city of Eugene, Oregon, is drawn from the McKenzie River, a high-quality source that is nonetheless threatened by urban, agricultural, and forestry land uses upstream as well as by changes in water management in the watershed. In 2002, the USGS began monitoring dissolved pesticides in the McKenzie River and its tributaries.
The primary objective of this study is to study threats to drinking water quality and watershed health in the McKenzie River Basin in order to provide the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) with information necessary to manage and protect its drinking water sources. Objectives include:
- Collect semiannual storm runoff pesticide data
- Investigate sources of natural organic matter and disinfection by-product precursors
- Sample for pesticides and organic wastewater compounds using passive samplers
- Sample for pharmaceuticals and sewage/septics in well water in shallow aquifer systems
- Provide model support and development to help EWEB address a variety of management alternatives for McKenzie River water quality
- Investigate harmful algal blooms in the McKenzie River that become problematic for those relying on the river
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
McKenzie River Basin Water-Quality Sites
McKenzie River Water Quality and Streamflow Monitors
National Water Information System (NWIS) - Oregon
National Water Information System: Mapper (Oregon)
Oregon Streamflow Data by Basin
View real-time streamflow data in Oregon river basins.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Time-integrated passive sampling as a complement to conventional point-in-time sampling for investigating drinking-water quality, McKenzie River Basin, Oregon, 2007 and 2010-11
The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) supplies drinking water to approximately 200,000 people in Eugene, Oregon. The sole source of this water is the McKenzie River, which has consistently excellent water quality relative to established drinking-water standards. To ensure that this quality is maintained as land use in the source basin changes and water demands increase, EWEB has developed a pro
Authors
Kathleen A. McCarthy, David A. Alvarez
Water-quality data from semipermeable-membrane devices and polar organic chemical integrative samplers deployed in the McKenzie River basin, Oregon
Two types of passive samplers—the semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) and the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS)—are being used to collect data from the McKenzie River, Oregon. The McKenzie River is the source of drinking water for the City of Eugene, Oregon, and passive-sampler data are part of an ongoing monitoring effort designed to help understand and protect the drinking wate
Authors
Kathleen A. McCarthy, David A. Alvarez
Reconnaissance of land-use sources of pesticides in drinking water, McKenzie River, Oregon
The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to the City of Eugene, Oregon, from the McKenzie River. In the spring of 2002, EWEB initiated a pesticide monitoring program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey as part of their Drinking Water Source Protection Plan. Approximately twice yearly pesticide samples were collected from 2002 to 2010 at a suite of sampli
Authors
Valerie J. Kelly, Chauncey W. Anderson, Karl Morgenstern
Development of an Environmental Flow Framework for the McKenzie River Basin, Oregon
The McKenzie River is a tributary to the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon. The McKenzie River is approximately 90 miles in length and has a drainage area of approximately 1,300 square miles. Two major flood control dams, a hydropower dam complex, and two hydropower canals significantly alter streamflows in the river. The structures reduce the magnitude and frequency of large and small flood
Authors
John Risley, J. Rose Wallick, Ian Waite, Adam J. Stonewall
Determining sources of dissolved organic carbon and disinfection byproduct precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon
This study was conducted to determine the main sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon (USA). Water samples collected from the mainstem, tributaries, and reservoir outflows were analyzed for DOC concentration and DBP formation potentials (trihalomethanes [THMFPs] and haloacetic acids [HAAFPs]). In addition, optical propert
Authors
Tamara E.C. Kraus, Chauncey W. Anderson, Karl Morgenstern, Bryan D. Downing, Brian A. Pellerin, Brian A. Bergamaschi
Evaluation of passive samplers for long-term monitoring of organic compounds in the untreated drinking water supply for the city of Eugene, Oregon, September–October 2007
Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were deployed at three sites in the McKenzie River basin during September-October 2007. The McKenzie River is the source of drinking water for the city of Eugene, Oregon, and the work presented here was designed to evaluate the use of POCIS and SMPDs as part of a long-term
Authors
Kathleen A. McCarthy, David A. Alvarez, Chauncey W. Anderson, Walter L. Cranor, Stephanie D. Perkins, Vickie Schroeder
Influence of Cougar Reservoir Drawdown on Sediment and DDT Transport and Deposition in the McKenzie River Basin, Oregon, Water Years 2002-04
Construction of a selective withdrawal tower at Cougar Reservoir in the South Fork McKenzie River, Oregon, during 2002-05 resulted in a prolonged release of sediment and high-turbidity water to downstream reaches throughout the summer of 2002, with additional episodic releases during storms in the following winters. Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads at five continuously monitored turbidi
Authors
Chauncey W. Anderson
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Drinking water for the city of Eugene, Oregon, is drawn from the McKenzie River, a high-quality source that is nonetheless threatened by urban, agricultural, and forestry land uses upstream as well as by changes in water management in the watershed. In 2002, the USGS began monitoring dissolved pesticides in the McKenzie River and its tributaries.
The primary objective of this study is to study threats to drinking water quality and watershed health in the McKenzie River Basin in order to provide the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) with information necessary to manage and protect its drinking water sources. Objectives include:
- Collect semiannual storm runoff pesticide data
- Investigate sources of natural organic matter and disinfection by-product precursors
- Sample for pesticides and organic wastewater compounds using passive samplers
- Sample for pharmaceuticals and sewage/septics in well water in shallow aquifer systems
- Provide model support and development to help EWEB address a variety of management alternatives for McKenzie River water quality
- Investigate harmful algal blooms in the McKenzie River that become problematic for those relying on the river
- Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
McKenzie River Basin Water-Quality Sites
McKenzie River Water Quality and Streamflow Monitors
National Water Information System (NWIS) - Oregon
National Water Information System: Mapper (Oregon)
Oregon Streamflow Data by Basin
View real-time streamflow data in Oregon river basins.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Time-integrated passive sampling as a complement to conventional point-in-time sampling for investigating drinking-water quality, McKenzie River Basin, Oregon, 2007 and 2010-11
The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) supplies drinking water to approximately 200,000 people in Eugene, Oregon. The sole source of this water is the McKenzie River, which has consistently excellent water quality relative to established drinking-water standards. To ensure that this quality is maintained as land use in the source basin changes and water demands increase, EWEB has developed a proAuthorsKathleen A. McCarthy, David A. AlvarezWater-quality data from semipermeable-membrane devices and polar organic chemical integrative samplers deployed in the McKenzie River basin, Oregon
Two types of passive samplers—the semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) and the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS)—are being used to collect data from the McKenzie River, Oregon. The McKenzie River is the source of drinking water for the City of Eugene, Oregon, and passive-sampler data are part of an ongoing monitoring effort designed to help understand and protect the drinking wateAuthorsKathleen A. McCarthy, David A. AlvarezReconnaissance of land-use sources of pesticides in drinking water, McKenzie River, Oregon
The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to the City of Eugene, Oregon, from the McKenzie River. In the spring of 2002, EWEB initiated a pesticide monitoring program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey as part of their Drinking Water Source Protection Plan. Approximately twice yearly pesticide samples were collected from 2002 to 2010 at a suite of sampliAuthorsValerie J. Kelly, Chauncey W. Anderson, Karl MorgensternDevelopment of an Environmental Flow Framework for the McKenzie River Basin, Oregon
The McKenzie River is a tributary to the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon. The McKenzie River is approximately 90 miles in length and has a drainage area of approximately 1,300 square miles. Two major flood control dams, a hydropower dam complex, and two hydropower canals significantly alter streamflows in the river. The structures reduce the magnitude and frequency of large and small floodAuthorsJohn Risley, J. Rose Wallick, Ian Waite, Adam J. StonewallDetermining sources of dissolved organic carbon and disinfection byproduct precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon
This study was conducted to determine the main sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon (USA). Water samples collected from the mainstem, tributaries, and reservoir outflows were analyzed for DOC concentration and DBP formation potentials (trihalomethanes [THMFPs] and haloacetic acids [HAAFPs]). In addition, optical propertAuthorsTamara E.C. Kraus, Chauncey W. Anderson, Karl Morgenstern, Bryan D. Downing, Brian A. Pellerin, Brian A. BergamaschiEvaluation of passive samplers for long-term monitoring of organic compounds in the untreated drinking water supply for the city of Eugene, Oregon, September–October 2007
Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were deployed at three sites in the McKenzie River basin during September-October 2007. The McKenzie River is the source of drinking water for the city of Eugene, Oregon, and the work presented here was designed to evaluate the use of POCIS and SMPDs as part of a long-termAuthorsKathleen A. McCarthy, David A. Alvarez, Chauncey W. Anderson, Walter L. Cranor, Stephanie D. Perkins, Vickie SchroederInfluence of Cougar Reservoir Drawdown on Sediment and DDT Transport and Deposition in the McKenzie River Basin, Oregon, Water Years 2002-04
Construction of a selective withdrawal tower at Cougar Reservoir in the South Fork McKenzie River, Oregon, during 2002-05 resulted in a prolonged release of sediment and high-turbidity water to downstream reaches throughout the summer of 2002, with additional episodic releases during storms in the following winters. Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads at five continuously monitored turbidiAuthorsChauncey W. Anderson - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.