Researcher collecting depth, velocity, water surface elevation, and 360 degree imagery on the North Santiam River.
James White
James White is a hydrologist at the USGS Oregon Water Science Center.
Science and Products
Monitoring sediment transport and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in the Willamette River basin
The U.S. Geological Survey is listening to rivers to understand how flows transport bedload sediment, which is fundamental to ecosystem structure and health.
Filter Total Items: 14
One- and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Siletz River, Oregon One- and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Siletz River, Oregon
Hydraulic models of the Siletz River, Oregon, were developed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydraulic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS; version 6.5). A one-dimensional (1D) steady-flow model was developed from Moonshine Park to the City of Siletz, Oregon (river kilometer [Rkm] 87.2 to 68.5). Results from the 1D model provided insights into longitudinal patterns...
Estimated Median Riverbed Grain Size (D50) throughout the Willamette River Basin, Oregon Estimated Median Riverbed Grain Size (D50) throughout the Willamette River Basin, Oregon
Riverbed grain-size is an important indicator of geomorphic and ecological processes and conditions, as it provides a key building block for channel form and benthic aquatic habitats. Understanding the distribution of riverbed sediment throughout a basin can help inform a variety of river and ecosystem management questions. This dataset provides estimates of median riverbed grain-sizes...
Stream Network Capacity to Support Beaver Dams, Tualatin River Basin, Northwest Oregon Stream Network Capacity to Support Beaver Dams, Tualatin River Basin, Northwest Oregon
Beaver dams can help streams connect to their floodplains. These floodplain connections can expand the range of available aquatic habitats and aid in the restoration of stream and floodplain processes. North American beavers (Castor canadensis) occupy a wide variety of aquatic habitats; however, their ability to build dams, the agent of stream and floodplain change, is constrained in...
Hydraulic models of two beaver affected reaches in the Tualatin Basin, Oregon Hydraulic models of two beaver affected reaches in the Tualatin Basin, Oregon
Beaver dams affect stream hydraulics by temporarily impounding water in stream channels. Beaver dams and their associated impoundments can potentially influence streamflow hydrographs and stream hydraulics in multiple ways including altering the magnitude and duration of high flows, temporary storage of storm water, and the range and spatial distribution of water depths and velocities in...
Submerged Grain Size Maps in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon Submerged Grain Size Maps in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon
The size and distribution of riverbed grain size plays a foundational role in river morphology and ecology. This study (White and others, 2025) quantifies submerged riverbed grain size at high resolution (1 square meter) across 260 kilometers of geomorphically diverse river corridors in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon, by pairing bathymetric lidar point-clouds collected in 2023 with...
Passive acoustic data collected using stationary hydrophones on rivers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon Passive acoustic data collected using stationary hydrophones on rivers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon
Underwater passive acoustic monitoring was conducted at multiple sites on rivers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon. Hydrophones were used to record the sound associated with coarse river-bed sediment (bedload) movement. Bedload supply and transport are key factors determining channel morphology in gravel-bed rivers and can affect reach-scale conditions such as aggradation and...
Water Surface Elevation Data from the Siletz River, 2017-18 Water Surface Elevation Data from the Siletz River, 2017-18
Water-surface elevations were recorded by 12 submerged pressure transducers deployed from fall 2017 to summer 2018 along an approximately 25-km reach of the Siletz River, Oregon. All pressure transducers were deployed in the main channel of the Siletz River. The water-surface elevations were surveyed by using a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) at each pressure...
Thalweg determination for three rivers in the Pacific Northwest, USA, 2023 Thalweg determination for three rivers in the Pacific Northwest, USA, 2023
In May 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey provided training for bathymetric data acquisition and processing for the Iraq Ministry of Water Resources. The training included multibeam sonar theory, survey planning, data collection and processing, and dissemination. This data release presents the raw survey data, a digital elevation model (DEM), and a thalweg shapefile for three survey areas...
2021 McKenzie River Topobathymetric Lidar Validation - USGS Field Survey Data 2021 McKenzie River Topobathymetric Lidar Validation - USGS Field Survey Data
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts between July 19th and 31st, 2021 over a large stretch of the McKenzie River in Oregon using high accuracy surveying technologies. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data that was collected coincidentally between July 26th...
Comparison of environmental flow recommendations for the Willamette Basin Sustainable Rivers Program, water years 2008-2022 Comparison of environmental flow recommendations for the Willamette Basin Sustainable Rivers Program, water years 2008-2022
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Nature Conservancy developed the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP) as a collaborative environmental flows program to identify, refine, and implement environmental strategies at select USACE dams. The SRP was introduced to the Willamette Basin, Oregon, in 2007 through a series of environmental flow workshops, which led to stakeholder...
Digital elevation model and single beam sonar data from the McKenzie River, Oregon, 2021 Digital elevation model and single beam sonar data from the McKenzie River, Oregon, 2021
In 2021, the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) funded the collection of topo-bathymetric lidar (sometimes referred to as "green lidar") on the McKenzie River, Oregon. As part of this acquisition, lidar data were collected starting on the McKenzie River below Trail Bridge Reservoir and extending downstream roughly 125 km to its confluence with the Willamette River. Bathymetric lidar...
Two-dimensional HEC-RAS models and topo-bathymetric datasets for the Willamette River, Oregon Two-dimensional HEC-RAS models and topo-bathymetric datasets for the Willamette River, Oregon
This dataset contains two-dimensional hydraulic models throughout the Willamette River, extending from the McKenzie River confluence, near Eugene, to the city of Newberg. The study reach is separated into five individual models to simplify tributary inflow boundary conditions and for run-time efficiency. These models were developed to assess juvenile salmonid habitat at streamflows...
Survey on the North Santiam River
Researcher collecting depth, velocity, water surface elevation, and 360 degree imagery on the North Santiam River.
Filter Total Items: 14
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...
Authors
Krista Jones, Cassandra Smith, James White, Stewart Rounds, Micelis Doyle, Erin Leahy
Effects of beaver dams and ponds on hydrologic and hydraulic responses of storm flows in urban streams of the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon Effects of beaver dams and ponds on hydrologic and hydraulic responses of storm flows in urban streams of the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon
Significant Findings American beaver (Castor canadensis) dams fundamentally alter stream hydraulics and hydrology by temporarily impounding water in stream channels. Water managers are interested in how this impoundment translates to changes in hydrograph dynamics, particularly regarding the magnitude and duration of high flows, the temporary storage of storm water, and the range and...
Authors
James White, Krista Jones, Stewart Rounds
Stream network capacity to support beaver dams in the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon Stream network capacity to support beaver dams in the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon
Significant Findings Beaver dams can help streams connect to their floodplains. These floodplain connections can expand the range of available aquatic habitats and aid in the restoration of stream and floodplain function and processes. American beavers (Castor canadensis) occupy a wide variety of aquatic habitats; however, their ability to build dams, the agent of stream and floodplain...
Authors
James White, Cassandra Smith, Krista Jones, Stewart Rounds
Assessment of channel morphology, hydraulics, and bedload transport along the Siletz River, western Oregon Assessment of channel morphology, hydraulics, and bedload transport along the Siletz River, western Oregon
Significant FindingsChinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) are native, anadromous fish species in the Siletz River Basin, western Oregon, that face many threats to their survival in freshwater and the ocean. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon seek to mitigate freshwater threats to Chinook salmon and Pacific lamprey, where...
Authors
Krista Jones, Mackenzie Keith, Tessa Harden, James White, Stan van de Wetering, Jason Dunham
High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon
The distribution of river-bed grain sizes plays a foundational role in river morphology and ecology. River-bed grain size is a key driver of channel form and process, and has first order effects on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish nesting, and biogeochemical processes. Despite this importance, tools to spatially quantify grain-size distributions, particularly submerged grain...
Authors
James White, Karen Michelle Bartelt, Brandon Overstreet, Jacob Kelley
Evaluating the potential to quantify salmon habitat via UAS-based particle image velocimetry Evaluating the potential to quantify salmon habitat via UAS-based particle image velocimetry
Continuous, high-resolution data for characterizing freshwater habitat conditions can support successful management of endangered salmonids. Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) make acquiring such fine-scale data along river channels more feasible, but workflows for quantifying reach-scale salmon habitats are lacking. We evaluated the potential for UAS-based mapping of hydraulic habitats...
Authors
Lee Harrison, Carl Legleiter, Brandon Overstreet, James White
Expansion of smallmouth bass distribution and habitat overlap with juvenile Chinook salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon Expansion of smallmouth bass distribution and habitat overlap with juvenile Chinook salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon
Smallmouth bass populations have expanded far beyond their native range and these predatory fish present a pervasive threat to native aquatic species throughout North America. In the western United States, smallmouth bass are now present in river and reservoir habitats where Pacific salmon are found and are considered a potential threat to salmon recovery in many locations. We conducted...
Authors
James White, Tobias Kock, Brooke Penaluna, Stanley V. Gregory, Joshua Williams, Randy Wildman
Science to support conservation action in a large river system: The Willamette River, Oregon, USA Science to support conservation action in a large river system: The Willamette River, Oregon, USA
Management and conservation efforts that support the recovery and protection of large rivers are daunting, reflecting the complexity of the challenge and extent of effort (in terms of policy, economic investment, and spatial extent) needed to afford measurable change. These large systems have generally experienced intensive development and regulation, compromising their capacity to...
Authors
Rebecca Flitcroft, Luke Whitman, James White, J. Rose Wallick, Laurel Stratton Garvin, Cassandra Smith, Robert Plotnikoff, Michael Mulvey, Tobias Kock, Krista Jones, Peter Gruendike, Carolyn Gombert, Guillermo Giannico, Andrew Dutterer, Daniel Brown, Hannah Barrett, Robert Hughes
Assessment of habitat use by juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Willamette River Basin, 2020–21 Assessment of habitat use by juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Willamette River Basin, 2020–21
We conducted a field study during 2020–21 to describe habitat use patterns of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the mainstem Willamette, McKenzie, and Santiam Rivers and to evaluate how habitat suitability criteria affected the predictive accuracy of a hydraulic habitat model. Two approaches were used to collect habitat use data: a stratified sampling design was used...
Authors
Gabriel Hansen, Russell Perry, Tobias Kock, James White, Philip Haner, John Plumb, J. Rose Wallick
Assessment of habitat availability for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) in the Willamette River, Oregon Assessment of habitat availability for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) in the Willamette River, Oregon
The Willamette River, Oregon, is home to two salmonid species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, Upper WIllamette River spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Upper Willamette River winter steelhead (O. mykiss). Streamflow in the Willamette River is regulated by upstream dams, 13 of which are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as part...
Authors
James White, James Peterson, Laurel Stratton Garvin, Tobias Kock, J. Rose Wallick
Development of continuous bathymetry and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Willamette River, Oregon Development of continuous bathymetry and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Willamette River, Oregon
The Willamette River is home to at least 69 species of fish, 33 of which are native, including Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). These fish need suitable hydraulic conditions, such as water depth and velocity, to fulfill various stages of their life. Hydraulic conditions are driven by interactions between channel morphology and streamflow...
Authors
James White, J. Rose Wallick
Synthesis of habitat availability and carrying capacity research to support water management decisions and enhance conditions for Pacific salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon Synthesis of habitat availability and carrying capacity research to support water management decisions and enhance conditions for Pacific salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon
Flow management is complex in the Willamette River Basin where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates a system of 13 dams and reservoirs (hereinafter Willamette Project), which are spread throughout three large tributaries including the Middle Fork Willamette, McKenzie, and Santiam Rivers. The primary purpose of the Willamette Project is flood-risk management, which provides...
Authors
Tobias Kock, Russell Perry, Gabriel Hansen, James White, Laurel Stratton Garvin, J. Rose Wallick
Science and Products
Monitoring sediment transport and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in the Willamette River basin
The U.S. Geological Survey is listening to rivers to understand how flows transport bedload sediment, which is fundamental to ecosystem structure and health.
Filter Total Items: 14
One- and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Siletz River, Oregon One- and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Siletz River, Oregon
Hydraulic models of the Siletz River, Oregon, were developed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydraulic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS; version 6.5). A one-dimensional (1D) steady-flow model was developed from Moonshine Park to the City of Siletz, Oregon (river kilometer [Rkm] 87.2 to 68.5). Results from the 1D model provided insights into longitudinal patterns...
Estimated Median Riverbed Grain Size (D50) throughout the Willamette River Basin, Oregon Estimated Median Riverbed Grain Size (D50) throughout the Willamette River Basin, Oregon
Riverbed grain-size is an important indicator of geomorphic and ecological processes and conditions, as it provides a key building block for channel form and benthic aquatic habitats. Understanding the distribution of riverbed sediment throughout a basin can help inform a variety of river and ecosystem management questions. This dataset provides estimates of median riverbed grain-sizes...
Stream Network Capacity to Support Beaver Dams, Tualatin River Basin, Northwest Oregon Stream Network Capacity to Support Beaver Dams, Tualatin River Basin, Northwest Oregon
Beaver dams can help streams connect to their floodplains. These floodplain connections can expand the range of available aquatic habitats and aid in the restoration of stream and floodplain processes. North American beavers (Castor canadensis) occupy a wide variety of aquatic habitats; however, their ability to build dams, the agent of stream and floodplain change, is constrained in...
Hydraulic models of two beaver affected reaches in the Tualatin Basin, Oregon Hydraulic models of two beaver affected reaches in the Tualatin Basin, Oregon
Beaver dams affect stream hydraulics by temporarily impounding water in stream channels. Beaver dams and their associated impoundments can potentially influence streamflow hydrographs and stream hydraulics in multiple ways including altering the magnitude and duration of high flows, temporary storage of storm water, and the range and spatial distribution of water depths and velocities in...
Submerged Grain Size Maps in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon Submerged Grain Size Maps in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon
The size and distribution of riverbed grain size plays a foundational role in river morphology and ecology. This study (White and others, 2025) quantifies submerged riverbed grain size at high resolution (1 square meter) across 260 kilometers of geomorphically diverse river corridors in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon, by pairing bathymetric lidar point-clouds collected in 2023 with...
Passive acoustic data collected using stationary hydrophones on rivers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon Passive acoustic data collected using stationary hydrophones on rivers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon
Underwater passive acoustic monitoring was conducted at multiple sites on rivers in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon. Hydrophones were used to record the sound associated with coarse river-bed sediment (bedload) movement. Bedload supply and transport are key factors determining channel morphology in gravel-bed rivers and can affect reach-scale conditions such as aggradation and...
Water Surface Elevation Data from the Siletz River, 2017-18 Water Surface Elevation Data from the Siletz River, 2017-18
Water-surface elevations were recorded by 12 submerged pressure transducers deployed from fall 2017 to summer 2018 along an approximately 25-km reach of the Siletz River, Oregon. All pressure transducers were deployed in the main channel of the Siletz River. The water-surface elevations were surveyed by using a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) at each pressure...
Thalweg determination for three rivers in the Pacific Northwest, USA, 2023 Thalweg determination for three rivers in the Pacific Northwest, USA, 2023
In May 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey provided training for bathymetric data acquisition and processing for the Iraq Ministry of Water Resources. The training included multibeam sonar theory, survey planning, data collection and processing, and dissemination. This data release presents the raw survey data, a digital elevation model (DEM), and a thalweg shapefile for three survey areas...
2021 McKenzie River Topobathymetric Lidar Validation - USGS Field Survey Data 2021 McKenzie River Topobathymetric Lidar Validation - USGS Field Survey Data
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts between July 19th and 31st, 2021 over a large stretch of the McKenzie River in Oregon using high accuracy surveying technologies. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data that was collected coincidentally between July 26th...
Comparison of environmental flow recommendations for the Willamette Basin Sustainable Rivers Program, water years 2008-2022 Comparison of environmental flow recommendations for the Willamette Basin Sustainable Rivers Program, water years 2008-2022
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Nature Conservancy developed the Sustainable Rivers Program (SRP) as a collaborative environmental flows program to identify, refine, and implement environmental strategies at select USACE dams. The SRP was introduced to the Willamette Basin, Oregon, in 2007 through a series of environmental flow workshops, which led to stakeholder...
Digital elevation model and single beam sonar data from the McKenzie River, Oregon, 2021 Digital elevation model and single beam sonar data from the McKenzie River, Oregon, 2021
In 2021, the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) funded the collection of topo-bathymetric lidar (sometimes referred to as "green lidar") on the McKenzie River, Oregon. As part of this acquisition, lidar data were collected starting on the McKenzie River below Trail Bridge Reservoir and extending downstream roughly 125 km to its confluence with the Willamette River. Bathymetric lidar...
Two-dimensional HEC-RAS models and topo-bathymetric datasets for the Willamette River, Oregon Two-dimensional HEC-RAS models and topo-bathymetric datasets for the Willamette River, Oregon
This dataset contains two-dimensional hydraulic models throughout the Willamette River, extending from the McKenzie River confluence, near Eugene, to the city of Newberg. The study reach is separated into five individual models to simplify tributary inflow boundary conditions and for run-time efficiency. These models were developed to assess juvenile salmonid habitat at streamflows...
Survey on the North Santiam River
Researcher collecting depth, velocity, water surface elevation, and 360 degree imagery on the North Santiam River.
Researcher collecting depth, velocity, water surface elevation, and 360 degree imagery on the North Santiam River.
Filter Total Items: 14
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...
Authors
Krista Jones, Cassandra Smith, James White, Stewart Rounds, Micelis Doyle, Erin Leahy
Effects of beaver dams and ponds on hydrologic and hydraulic responses of storm flows in urban streams of the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon Effects of beaver dams and ponds on hydrologic and hydraulic responses of storm flows in urban streams of the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon
Significant Findings American beaver (Castor canadensis) dams fundamentally alter stream hydraulics and hydrology by temporarily impounding water in stream channels. Water managers are interested in how this impoundment translates to changes in hydrograph dynamics, particularly regarding the magnitude and duration of high flows, the temporary storage of storm water, and the range and...
Authors
James White, Krista Jones, Stewart Rounds
Stream network capacity to support beaver dams in the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon Stream network capacity to support beaver dams in the Tualatin River Basin, northwestern Oregon
Significant Findings Beaver dams can help streams connect to their floodplains. These floodplain connections can expand the range of available aquatic habitats and aid in the restoration of stream and floodplain function and processes. American beavers (Castor canadensis) occupy a wide variety of aquatic habitats; however, their ability to build dams, the agent of stream and floodplain...
Authors
James White, Cassandra Smith, Krista Jones, Stewart Rounds
Assessment of channel morphology, hydraulics, and bedload transport along the Siletz River, western Oregon Assessment of channel morphology, hydraulics, and bedload transport along the Siletz River, western Oregon
Significant FindingsChinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) are native, anadromous fish species in the Siletz River Basin, western Oregon, that face many threats to their survival in freshwater and the ocean. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon seek to mitigate freshwater threats to Chinook salmon and Pacific lamprey, where...
Authors
Krista Jones, Mackenzie Keith, Tessa Harden, James White, Stan van de Wetering, Jason Dunham
High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon
The distribution of river-bed grain sizes plays a foundational role in river morphology and ecology. River-bed grain size is a key driver of channel form and process, and has first order effects on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish nesting, and biogeochemical processes. Despite this importance, tools to spatially quantify grain-size distributions, particularly submerged grain...
Authors
James White, Karen Michelle Bartelt, Brandon Overstreet, Jacob Kelley
Evaluating the potential to quantify salmon habitat via UAS-based particle image velocimetry Evaluating the potential to quantify salmon habitat via UAS-based particle image velocimetry
Continuous, high-resolution data for characterizing freshwater habitat conditions can support successful management of endangered salmonids. Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) make acquiring such fine-scale data along river channels more feasible, but workflows for quantifying reach-scale salmon habitats are lacking. We evaluated the potential for UAS-based mapping of hydraulic habitats...
Authors
Lee Harrison, Carl Legleiter, Brandon Overstreet, James White
Expansion of smallmouth bass distribution and habitat overlap with juvenile Chinook salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon Expansion of smallmouth bass distribution and habitat overlap with juvenile Chinook salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon
Smallmouth bass populations have expanded far beyond their native range and these predatory fish present a pervasive threat to native aquatic species throughout North America. In the western United States, smallmouth bass are now present in river and reservoir habitats where Pacific salmon are found and are considered a potential threat to salmon recovery in many locations. We conducted...
Authors
James White, Tobias Kock, Brooke Penaluna, Stanley V. Gregory, Joshua Williams, Randy Wildman
Science to support conservation action in a large river system: The Willamette River, Oregon, USA Science to support conservation action in a large river system: The Willamette River, Oregon, USA
Management and conservation efforts that support the recovery and protection of large rivers are daunting, reflecting the complexity of the challenge and extent of effort (in terms of policy, economic investment, and spatial extent) needed to afford measurable change. These large systems have generally experienced intensive development and regulation, compromising their capacity to...
Authors
Rebecca Flitcroft, Luke Whitman, James White, J. Rose Wallick, Laurel Stratton Garvin, Cassandra Smith, Robert Plotnikoff, Michael Mulvey, Tobias Kock, Krista Jones, Peter Gruendike, Carolyn Gombert, Guillermo Giannico, Andrew Dutterer, Daniel Brown, Hannah Barrett, Robert Hughes
Assessment of habitat use by juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Willamette River Basin, 2020–21 Assessment of habitat use by juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Willamette River Basin, 2020–21
We conducted a field study during 2020–21 to describe habitat use patterns of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the mainstem Willamette, McKenzie, and Santiam Rivers and to evaluate how habitat suitability criteria affected the predictive accuracy of a hydraulic habitat model. Two approaches were used to collect habitat use data: a stratified sampling design was used...
Authors
Gabriel Hansen, Russell Perry, Tobias Kock, James White, Philip Haner, John Plumb, J. Rose Wallick
Assessment of habitat availability for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) in the Willamette River, Oregon Assessment of habitat availability for juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) in the Willamette River, Oregon
The Willamette River, Oregon, is home to two salmonid species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, Upper WIllamette River spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Upper Willamette River winter steelhead (O. mykiss). Streamflow in the Willamette River is regulated by upstream dams, 13 of which are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as part...
Authors
James White, James Peterson, Laurel Stratton Garvin, Tobias Kock, J. Rose Wallick
Development of continuous bathymetry and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Willamette River, Oregon Development of continuous bathymetry and two-dimensional hydraulic models for the Willamette River, Oregon
The Willamette River is home to at least 69 species of fish, 33 of which are native, including Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). These fish need suitable hydraulic conditions, such as water depth and velocity, to fulfill various stages of their life. Hydraulic conditions are driven by interactions between channel morphology and streamflow...
Authors
James White, J. Rose Wallick
Synthesis of habitat availability and carrying capacity research to support water management decisions and enhance conditions for Pacific salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon Synthesis of habitat availability and carrying capacity research to support water management decisions and enhance conditions for Pacific salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon
Flow management is complex in the Willamette River Basin where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates a system of 13 dams and reservoirs (hereinafter Willamette Project), which are spread throughout three large tributaries including the Middle Fork Willamette, McKenzie, and Santiam Rivers. The primary purpose of the Willamette Project is flood-risk management, which provides...
Authors
Tobias Kock, Russell Perry, Gabriel Hansen, James White, Laurel Stratton Garvin, J. Rose Wallick