Columbia River at Vancouver

A highly skilled hydrologic technician maintains monitoring equipment in the Columbia River at Vancouver, WA. They are climbing a structure called a "dolphin". In maritime terms, a dolphin is a cluster of pilings driven into the riverbed, often used for mooring or as a base for a light or sign. This dolphin also secures USGS equipment critical for flow monitoring. On this day, December 10th, 2025, the flow measurement was 174,000 cubic feet per second. This station (# 14144700) is operated in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers and is a USGS Federal Priority Streamgage.