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December 18, 2024

A new dataset for the Santiam River in Oregon, published by the U.S. Geological Survey, provides a highly detailed underwater 3D elevation map that will help support fish habitat restoration and flood modeling work. 

The work was done as part of the USGS 3D Elevation Program, known as 3DEP, which uses a next-generation mapping technology to obtain highly detailed three-dimensional elevation information about the natural and constructed landscapes of the Nation, including surfaces under rivers and other inland waterbodies. Known as topobathymetric lidar, the technology uses laser pulses that penetrate water to provide accurate measurements of both the riverbed and the surrounding topography. 

 

The data are essential for understanding river dynamics, aquatic habitat conditions and flood risk. It will also be used to develop models of habitat availability for salmon and steelhead and other fish species in relation to river flow below Willamette Valley system dams. 

Digital elevation model of the Santiam River in the Willamette Valley southeast of Salem, Oregon.
Topobathymetric digital elevation model of the Santiam River in the Willamette Valley southeast of Salem, Oregon. The trees and dry land are shown as a lidar point cloud colored based on aerial imagery. 

“Models developed by the USGS using the lidar data help U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its partners evaluate the effects of flow management and set targets for water releases from dams to improve the survival of endangered fish species.” said Richard Piaskowski, fish biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Portland District.

  

The USACE is also using river bathymetry data to update flood models in the Willamette Valley to better inform communities about flood risks and manage dams and reservoir levels. 

 

Paul Sclafani, USACE Portland District Floodplain Manager, said “The data are fundamental to the creation of these models and support state and federal partnerships to provide flood information to communities.” 

  

At the USGS, recent topobathymetric lidar surveys in Oregon are supporting the USGS Integrated Water Science Program in the Willamette River Basin to study factors that affect water availability for cities, agriculture and ecologically important species such as salmon.   

Digital elevation model of the Santiam River in the Willamette Valley southeast of Salem, Oregon.
Topobathymetric digital elevation model of the Santiam River in the Willamette Valley southeast of Salem, Oregon.

James White, a hydrologist at the USGS Oregon Water Science Center, said “The bathymetric lidar collected in the Santiam River Basin is helping revolutionize the way we model riverbed sediment distributions, which helps inform river management questions related to hazards and ecosystem health. The data also provide critical baseline information which helps us monitor future change from factors such as wildfires, river management and climate change.

 

The USGS is piloting topobathymetric data acquisition as the technology and methods mature for capturing elevation data under water for inland water bodies. The goal is to make the data more commonly accessible across the nation. The lidar point clouds and topobathymetric digital elevation models for the Santiam River, the Klamath River, the Potomac River, the Upper Colorado River and several other rivers in the United States can be visualized or downloaded through the 3DEP Lidar Explorer here.   

 

The lidar survey was made possible in part by Inflation Reduction Act investments, which are advancing the 3D National Topography Model initiative to better map and integrate the Nation’s elevation and hydrography. This lidar project was co-funded by the USGS and the USACE. The project supports the USGS role, designated by the Office of Management and Budget in 2002, as the lead federal agency for terrestrial elevation data. 

 

To learn more, please visit the USGS 3D Elevation Program website.

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