Oregon Water Science Center
Welcome to the USGS in Oregon. Our mission is to explore the natural world around us and provide reliable scientific information to help Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribes, and the public make well-informed decisions. Our research is widely used to manage Oregon's water resources for the benefit and safety of people and the environment.
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Live Stream Conditions
Live Stream Conditions
See what is happening in streams near you. View real-time stream data for streams around Oregon.
Relevant Information
Relevant Information
See what the USGS is doing locally.
News
Water data delivery changes and new features: real-time data, APIs, interactive maps, charts, and tables
Water data delivery changes and new features: real-time data, APIs, interactive maps, charts, and tables
2025 in Review: The Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment
2025 in Review: The Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment
The USGS Oregon Water Science Center measures high flows near you
The USGS Oregon Water Science Center measures high flows near you
Publications
Evaluating effectiveness of flocculation and wave-reduction barriers for restoration of a turbid, terminal lake Evaluating effectiveness of flocculation and wave-reduction barriers for restoration of a turbid, terminal lake
Malheur Lake is a freshwater, shallow lake that provides key habitat for birds along the Pacific Flyway in North America. The lake shifted to a turbid state in the 1990s with suspended-sediment concentrations sometimes exceeding 1000 mg/L and minimal light available in the water column for submerged aquatic vegetation. Resource managers intend to enhance bird habitat quality by restoring...
Beaver dams and their effects on urban streams in the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon Beaver dams and their effects on urban streams in the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon
Introduction In response to growing interest in beaver-assisted restoration in the Tualatin River Basin of northwestern Oregon, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with Clean Water Services, collected data from 2016–17 and completed a series of studies to: (1) inventory known locations of beaver dams and activity in the Tualatin River Basin, (2) estimate the number of...
Science
Alluvial reach identification and hydrogeomorphic characterization of Oregon rivers
The USGS, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is developing an objective mapping framework to systematically identify alluvial reaches in 13 river basins across Oregon to support EPA and Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in their implementation of the Clean Water Act’s water temperature Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), as well as to support the...
Willamette Focused Investment Partnership Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring Program
The USGS, in collaboration with several Willamette River Basin partners, led a multi-phase program to assess the effectiveness of restoration efforts aimed at improving native fish habitat in the Willamette River. The Willamette Focused Investment Partnership Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring Program evaluates whether restoration projects achieved their targets to improve physical floodplain...
Modeling Tire-Derived Chemicals in Stormwater: Protecting Salmon and Streams
The USGS and the Environmental Protection Agency are working together using advanced modeling tools to understand how 6PPD-quinone moves through watersheds and how green infrastructure can reduce its impact.