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Water Availability and Use

We research water availability so that the public knows how much water is available now and into the future. Our research focuses on determining the quantity, quality, and timing of water. In addition to conducting extensive monitoring, we develop detailed models to aid in addressing these complex topics.

Filter Total Items: 63

Osoyoos Ice Jam

The Issue: Ice jams can occur at the outlet of Osoyoos Lake on the border of Canada and the United States, resulting in a decrease or complete interruption in streamflow on the Okanogan River. These ice jams appear to be occurring at a greater frequency than they have in the past and interruptions in streamflow can hinder the passage of anadromous fish and impact downstream water rights and water...
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Osoyoos Ice Jam

The Issue: Ice jams can occur at the outlet of Osoyoos Lake on the border of Canada and the United States, resulting in a decrease or complete interruption in streamflow on the Okanogan River. These ice jams appear to be occurring at a greater frequency than they have in the past and interruptions in streamflow can hinder the passage of anadromous fish and impact downstream water rights and water...
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Evaluation of Groundwater Resources in the White River Watershed

The Issue: The White River/Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park currently uses surface water for supplying water to local visitor and operational facilities. The Park is considering instead to use groundwater supplies that would likely be more resilient and less prone to contamination, but they need a better understanding of groundwater in the upper White River watershed to assure that park...
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Evaluation of Groundwater Resources in the White River Watershed

The Issue: The White River/Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park currently uses surface water for supplying water to local visitor and operational facilities. The Park is considering instead to use groundwater supplies that would likely be more resilient and less prone to contamination, but they need a better understanding of groundwater in the upper White River watershed to assure that park...
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Water Availability for Tribal Treaty Rights in Western Washington

The Issue: Native American treaty rights depend on the availability of adequate and high-quality streamflow across the Western Washington, which can be degraded by water and land use, reservoir operations, and climate change among other factors. Streamflow during critical low-flow periods depend on groundwater discharge from aquifers, which also is vulnerable to human activities in the Western...
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Water Availability for Tribal Treaty Rights in Western Washington

The Issue: Native American treaty rights depend on the availability of adequate and high-quality streamflow across the Western Washington, which can be degraded by water and land use, reservoir operations, and climate change among other factors. Streamflow during critical low-flow periods depend on groundwater discharge from aquifers, which also is vulnerable to human activities in the Western...
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A cell-by-cell water budget output from USGS Kitsap Peninsula groundwater model for VELMA

The Issue: The Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) model is a spatially explicit, eco-hydrological watershed model that was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The VELMA model can be used to examine a wide variety of environmental systems; however, an area where the model could be improved is in its accounting of the interaction of groundwater and...
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A cell-by-cell water budget output from USGS Kitsap Peninsula groundwater model for VELMA

The Issue: The Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) model is a spatially explicit, eco-hydrological watershed model that was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The VELMA model can be used to examine a wide variety of environmental systems; however, an area where the model could be improved is in its accounting of the interaction of groundwater and...
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Simulated groundwater flow paths and travel times near Joint Base Lewis–McChord, Washington

The Issue: Past activities at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM)—located in west-central Washington—resulted in releases of hazardous waste and contaminants to the environment, and the most recent chemical of concern is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS can enter groundwater and travel through the subsurface. Water-resource managers need to understand where groundwater flows in order...
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Simulated groundwater flow paths and travel times near Joint Base Lewis–McChord, Washington

The Issue: Past activities at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM)—located in west-central Washington—resulted in releases of hazardous waste and contaminants to the environment, and the most recent chemical of concern is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS can enter groundwater and travel through the subsurface. Water-resource managers need to understand where groundwater flows in order...
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Hydrogeologic framework near the Yakima Training Center, Washington

The Issue: The Yakima Training Center (YTC)—spanning Yakima and Kittitas counties in south-central Washington—is a satellite installation of Joint Base Lewis-McChord and is used for military training (fig. 1). Past activities at the YTC have resulted in releases of hazardous waste and contaminants to the environment, and the most recent chemical of concern is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...
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Hydrogeologic framework near the Yakima Training Center, Washington

The Issue: The Yakima Training Center (YTC)—spanning Yakima and Kittitas counties in south-central Washington—is a satellite installation of Joint Base Lewis-McChord and is used for military training (fig. 1). Past activities at the YTC have resulted in releases of hazardous waste and contaminants to the environment, and the most recent chemical of concern is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...
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Groundwater Model Support for Underground Injection Control Analysis, Clover Creek Watershed

The Issue: In Pierce County, Washington, much of the stormwater runoff is managed by underground injection control (UIC) structures, such as dry wells, infiltration trenches, and catch basins. Stormwater is directed into UIC structures to prevent poor-quality water from entering streams. This is good for stream health because stormwater is directed away from streams and into the ground, but there...
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Groundwater Model Support for Underground Injection Control Analysis, Clover Creek Watershed

The Issue: In Pierce County, Washington, much of the stormwater runoff is managed by underground injection control (UIC) structures, such as dry wells, infiltration trenches, and catch basins. Stormwater is directed into UIC structures to prevent poor-quality water from entering streams. This is good for stream health because stormwater is directed away from streams and into the ground, but there...
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Updated classifications of flow permanence on streams in the Colville National Forest

The Issue: Streamflow permanence refers to the probability that a stream will lose surface flow (become a dry channel), as well as the timing, duration, and frequency of drying. Patterns of streamflow permanence drive important decisions regarding forest management and other land uses. The Colville National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (2019), for example, specifies riparian management...
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Updated classifications of flow permanence on streams in the Colville National Forest

The Issue: Streamflow permanence refers to the probability that a stream will lose surface flow (become a dry channel), as well as the timing, duration, and frequency of drying. Patterns of streamflow permanence drive important decisions regarding forest management and other land uses. The Colville National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (2019), for example, specifies riparian management...
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Analysis of USGS Surface Water Monitoring Networks

The issue: National interests in water information are important but challenging to incorporate into planning and operation of a monitoring network driven by local information needs. These interests include an understanding of the spatial variability in water availability across the United States, anthro-physical factors including climate and land use that affect water availability, and federal...
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Analysis of USGS Surface Water Monitoring Networks

The issue: National interests in water information are important but challenging to incorporate into planning and operation of a monitoring network driven by local information needs. These interests include an understanding of the spatial variability in water availability across the United States, anthro-physical factors including climate and land use that affect water availability, and federal...
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Aquifer Recharge Study and Water-Budget Components of San Juan County, Washington

The Issue: San Juan County encompasses an archipelago within the Salish Sea between the southeastern end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia and Skagit and Whatcom Counties on mainland western Washington. Although the year-round population is generally small (approximately 16,000 in 2010), there is an ever-growing influx of visitors to the scenic islands especially during the summer months. An...
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Aquifer Recharge Study and Water-Budget Components of San Juan County, Washington

The Issue: San Juan County encompasses an archipelago within the Salish Sea between the southeastern end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia and Skagit and Whatcom Counties on mainland western Washington. Although the year-round population is generally small (approximately 16,000 in 2010), there is an ever-growing influx of visitors to the scenic islands especially during the summer months. An...
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Aquifer Recharge Area Study of Guemes Island

The Issue: Guemes Island is an 8.2-square-mile island in the northern part of Puget Sound in western Washington State. The population of the island is increasing, as is the demand for groundwater, which is the island's sole source of freshwater. Continued growth and development of the island, particularly in nearshore areas, has led to the increasing failure of nearshore wells due to seawater...
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Aquifer Recharge Area Study of Guemes Island

The Issue: Guemes Island is an 8.2-square-mile island in the northern part of Puget Sound in western Washington State. The population of the island is increasing, as is the demand for groundwater, which is the island's sole source of freshwater. Continued growth and development of the island, particularly in nearshore areas, has led to the increasing failure of nearshore wells due to seawater...
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Drought preparedness in Mt. Rainier National Park

The Issue: Water supply for park operations and backcountry users is determined by the spatial extent of perennial streams in Mount Rainier National Park (MORA). In addition, the presence or absence of streamflow (flow permanence) is related to water temperature, which influences the occurrence and distribution of aquatic species including cold-water fishes and insects. Information about the...
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Drought preparedness in Mt. Rainier National Park

The Issue: Water supply for park operations and backcountry users is determined by the spatial extent of perennial streams in Mount Rainier National Park (MORA). In addition, the presence or absence of streamflow (flow permanence) is related to water temperature, which influences the occurrence and distribution of aquatic species including cold-water fishes and insects. Information about the...
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