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Water temperature profiles for reaches of the Raging River during summer baseflow, King County, western Washington, July 2015

March 22, 2016

Re-introducing wood into rivers where it was historically removed is one approach to improving habitat conditions in rivers of the Pacific Northwest. The Raging River drainage basin, which flows into the Snoqualmie River at Fall City, western Washington, was largely logged during the 20th century and wood was removed from its channel. To improve habitat conditions for several species of anadromous salmonids that spawn and rear in the Raging River, King County Department of Transportation placed untethered log jams in a 250-meter reach where wood was historically removed. The U.S. Geological Survey measured longitudinal profiles of near-streambed temperature during summer baseflow along 1,026 meters of channel upstream, downstream, and within the area of wood placements. These measurements were part of an effort by King County to monitor the geomorphic and biological responses to these wood placements. Near-streambed temperatures averaged over about 1-meter intervals were measured with a fiber‑optic distributed temperature sensor every 30 minutes for 7 days between July 7 and 13, 2015. Vertical temperature profiles were measured coincident with the longitudinal temperature profile at four locations at 0 centimeters (cm) (at the streambed), and 35 and 70 cm beneath the streambed to document thermal dynamics of the hyporheic zone and surface water in the study reach.

Publication Year 2016
Title Water temperature profiles for reaches of the Raging River during summer baseflow, King County, western Washington, July 2015
DOI 10.3133/ds983
Authors Andrew S. Gendaszek, Chad C. Opatz
Publication Type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Series Title Data Series
Series Number 983
Index ID ds983
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Washington Water Science Center