Images

The USGS and local partners hosted a meeting at the War Branch monitoring station to share water-quality and conservation work happening in the watershed with farmers, environmental and agricultural agencies, nonprofit groups, and local universities.

USGS scientists Jimmy Webber and Dan Burns explain how water quality equipment is used to take measurements at War Branch and other monitoring stations.

Community partners tour the bioreactor at War Branch. 

The War Branch bioreactor was installed below a natural spring in the War Branch watershed. The USGS had previously measured elevated nitrate concentrations from this spring. 

A groundwater sample taken from a shallow piezometer near USGS surface water monitoring station 01634000 near Strausburg.

Two USGS scientists collecting groundwater samples from a piezometer along the bank of the North Fork Shenandoah River near Strausburg

This photo was taken as a part of the Shenandoah River HABs Project.

The South Fork of the Shenandoah River near Rileyville shortly after Hurricane Debby. Storms often lead to flooding, high water levels, and increased water velocities that lead to increased sediment transport downstream. 

The South Fork of the Shenandoah River near Rileyville shortly after Hurricane Debby. Storms often lead to flooding, high water levels, and increased water velocities that lead to increased sediment transport downstream. 

The South Fork of the Shenandoah River near Rileyville shortly after Hurricane Debby. Storms often lead to flooding, high water levels, and increased water velocities that lead to increased sediment transport downstream. Floods can also carry large amounts of debris, which collect in backwaters or get caught in trees along the riverbank.

A representation of the various methods used by the USGS to measure subsidence. 

Algae growing in a backwater section along the streambank of the south fork of the Shenandoah River near Lynnwood, Virginia.

This photo was taken as a part of the Shenandoah River HABs Project.

Algae growing over the rocky streambank of the south fork of the Shenandoah River near Lynnwood, Virginia.

This photo was taken as a part of the Shenandoah River HABs Project.

A USGS scientist servicing a rail system along the banks of the North Fork Shenandoah River near Strausburg. Rail systems are used to deploy continuous water chemistry monitoring equipment in large rivers such as the Shenandoah.

A harmful algal bloom (HAB) event along the south fork of the Shenandoah River during the summer of 2024. This algal mat was forming along a backwater section of the riverbank near the water quality monitoring site near Lynnwood, Virginia.

Algae growing along a backwater section along the streambank of the south fork of the Shenandoah River near Lynnwood, Virginia.

This photo was taken as a part of the Shenandoah River HABs Project.

North Fork Shenandoah River during a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) event. 

This photo was taken near Town Park in Strausburg, and is a part of the Shenandoah River HABs Project.

Deer Rapids, on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River in Virginia, after a harmful algal bloom (HAB) event. Note how the dark greenish-brown, dead or dying filamentous algae still coats the riverbed.

Data for this monitoring site can be found at USGS Water Data for the Nation.

USGS scientist Carly Maas observing a harmful algal bloom (HAB) event along the Shenandoah River North Fork.

This photo was taken as a part of the Shenandoah River HABs Project.

USGS scientists Hillary Dozier and Jimmy Webber work on installing a monitoring station at War Branch. NWIS data for this site can be found here.

Water quality monitoring sensors attached to a rail system along the banks of the North Fork Shenandoah River near Strausburg. Rail systems are used to deploy continuous water chemistry monitoring equipment in large rivers such as the Shenandoah.

Aaron Porter, Project Chief and Principal Investigator of the Fairfax County Water Resources Monitoring Network, standing in front of the gage house at the Long Branch Monitoring Station.

USGS hydrologic technician Erik Kaseloo logging data in the field. Instruments deployed at water quality monitoring sites collect a variety of data that has to be downloaded so scientists can analyze the results.