Unified Interior Regions
Washington
Washington's Puget Sound is a complex ecosystem directly adjacent to a robust metropolitan area that scientists from the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center study. Recent surveys have looked at juvenile surf smelt, a key link in the food web that are consumed by predators such as salmon, orca, and many marine birds.
Western Fisheries Research Center
Research at the WFRC focuses on the environmental factors responsible for the creation, maintenance, and regulation of fish populations including their interactions in aquatic communities and ecosystems.
Go to CenterWashington Water Science Center
The Water Science Center's mission is to collect, analyze and disseminate the impartial hydrologic data and information needed to wisely manage water resources for the people of the United States and the State of Washington.
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Washington's Puget Sound is a complex ecosystem directly adjacent to a robust metropolitan area that scientists from the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center study. Recent surveys have looked at juvenile surf smelt, a key link in the food web that are consumed by predators such as salmon, orca, and many marine birds.
Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound
A Pacific Northwest icon, Puget Sound is the second-largest estuary in the United States. Its unique geology, climate, and nutrient-rich waters produce and sustain biologically productive coastal habitats. These same natural characteristics also contribute to a high quality of life that has led to growth in human population and urbanization. This growth has played a role in degrading the Sound...
Remote Sensing Coastal Change
We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
PS-CoSMoS: Puget Sound Coastal Storm Modeling System
The CoSMoS model is currently available for most of the California coast and is now being expanded to support the 4.5 million coastal residents of the Puget Sound region, with emphasis on the communities bordering the sound.
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
The west coast of the United States is extremely complex and changeable because of tectonic activity, mountain building, and land subsidence. These active environments pose a major challenge for accurately assessing climate change impacts, since models were historically developed for more passive sandy coasts.
U.S. West Coast and Alaska Marine Geohazards
Marine geohazards are sudden and extreme events beneath the ocean that threaten coastal populations. Such underwater hazards include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and tsunamis.
Devastating earthquakes in Japan (2011) and Chile (2010) that spawned pan-oceanic tsunamis sent a sobering reminder that U.S. coastlines are also vulnerable to natural disasters that originate in...
Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
Societal Issue: Uncertainty related to rupture extent, slip distribution, and recurrence of past subduction megathrust earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC) leads to ambiguity in earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments and hinders our ability to prepare for future events.
Channel change monitoring following the Pilchuck Dam removal
The issue:
In the summer of 2020, the Pilchuck Dam will be removed, allowing salmon access to the upper third of the Pilchuck River watershed for the first time in over a century. This removal will be associated with a short period increased sediment delivery, as the river re-works material trapped behind the dam. While the volume of impounded sediment is small and...
Seattle, Washington Landslide Monitoring Site
Recent monitoring data.
Partners - FHP
For more than five decades the WFRC Fish Health Program has worked with partners to provide research findings to managers of aquatic resources. Those partners form a network of colleagues, co-investigators, and customers. Our partners include Department of the Interior bureaus, tribal and state fisheries agencies, other federal partners and the private sector.
Fish Health Program Lead Scientists and Areas of Expertise
Lead Scientists - Expertise
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS)
The Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) makes detailed predictions of storm-induced coastal flooding, erosion, and cliff failures over large geographic scales. CoSMoS was developed for hindcast studies, operational applications and future climate scenarios to provide emergency responders and coastal planners with critical storm-hazards information that can be used to increase public safety...
Estuaries and large river deltas in the Pacific Northwest
Essential habitat for wild salmon and other wildlife borders river deltas and estuaries in the Pacific Northwest. These estuaries also support industry, agriculture, and a large human population that’s expected to double by the year 2060, but each could suffer from more severe river floods, higher sea level, and storm surges caused by climate change.
Aerial imagery and structure-from-motion data products from UAS survey of the intertidal zone at Puget Creek and Dickman Mill Park, Ruston Way, Tacoma, WA, June 2019
An unmanned aerial system (UAS) was used to acquire high-resolution imagery of the intertidal zone at Puget Creek and Dickman Mill Park in Tacoma, Washington on June 3, 2019. This imagery was processed using structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric techniques to derive high-resolution digital surface models (DSM), orthomosaic imagery, and topographic point clouds.
Aerial imagery and structure-from-motion data products from UAS survey of the intertidal zone at Post Point, Bellingham Bay, WA, June 2019
An unmanned aerial system (UAS) was used to acquire high-resolution imagery of the intertidal zone at Post Point in Bellingham Bay, Washington on June 6, 2019. This imagery was processed using structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric techniques to derive high-resolution digital surface models (DSM), orthomosaic imagery, and topographic point clouds.
Multichannel minisparker, multichannel boomer, and chirp seismic-reflection data of USGS field activity 2017-612-FA collected in Puget Sound and Lake Washington in February of 2017
High-resolution multichannel minisparker, multichannel boomer and chirp seismic-reflection data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Washington in February of 2017 west of Seattle in Puget Sound and in Lake Washington, Washington. Data were collected aboard University of Washington's R/V Clifford A. Barnes during USGS field activity 2017-612-FA.
Chirp sub-bottom data of USGS field activity K0211PS collected in Puget Sound, Washington in April of 2011
High-resolution chirp sub-bottom data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in April 2011 south of Bainbridge Island and west of Seattle in Puget Sound, Washington. Data were collected aboard R/V Karluk during field activity K0211PS using an Edgetech SB-512i sub-bottom profiler. Sub-bottom acoustic penetration spans several tens of meters and is variable by location.
Bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data collected in 2016 offshore the Elwha River mouth, Washington, during USGS Field Activity 2016-605-FA
This data release provides bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data collected during a 2016 SWATHPlus-M survey offshore the Elwha River mouth, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington. Data were collected and processed by the USGS during field activity 2016-605-FA. This survey, along with two other surveys, was conducted to map changes that have occurred following sediment input from dam removals...
Data collected in 2010 to evaluate habitat availability for surf smelt and eelgrass in response to sea level rise on Bainbridge Island, Puget Sound, Washington, USA
This dataset includes biological variables showing surf smelt spawning presence, geological variables describing beach composition, and sample locations using RTK-GPS. This field data was also used to run the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM; Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc., Warren, Vt)) to predict the changes to beaches over time, and under different sea level rise
Eelgrass distributions and bathymetry of the Nisqually River delta, Washington
This data release presents eelgrass distributions and bathymetric data from repeated surveys performed on the Nisqually River delta to document interannual changes in eelgrass abundance and coastal morphology following the removal of dikes in 2009 that restored tidal processes to over 300 ha of former freshwater wetlands. Includes data collected in 2012, 2014, and 2017, with more to be added...
Global Geochemical Database for Critical Minerals in Archived Mine Samples
The Critical Minerals in Archived Mine Samples Database (CMDB) contains chemistry and geologic information for historic ore and ore-related rock samples from mineral deposits in the United States. In addition, the database contains samples from archetypal deposits from 27 other countries in North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Samples were obtained from archived ore
Maternal transfer of PCBs in Pacific sand lance in Puget Sound, Washington
Data included in this release are from Pacific sand lance and water, sediment and suspended particulate matter collected at two sites in Puget Sound, Washington, which were evaluated for PCB concentration. PCB congener data are stored in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Environmental Contaminant Data Management System (ECDMS), accessible through the Wildlife & Environmen
Oceanographic measurements collected in the Stillaguamish River Delta, Port Susan, Washington, USA from March 2014 to July 2015
This data release includes time-series and discrete measurements made within two breaches constructed in a former flood-control levee of a restored agricultural area in Port Susan, Washington. An area of approximately 61 ha near the mouth of the Stillaguamish River was reconnected to tidal flow via levee breaches as part of a larger restoration effort that took place in 2012. These...
Discharge measurements collected in the Stillaguamish River Delta, Port Susan, Washington, USA in March, April, and May 2014
Tidal water discharge within two breaches constructed in a former flood-control levee of a restored agricultural area in Port Susan, Washington, was measured repeatedly during several tidal cycles. Measurements were made on March 27, 2014, April 16, 2014, May 18, 2014, and May 29, 2014 at breach PSB1, and on May 29, 2014 at breach PSB2. These data were collected using a boat
Oceanographic time-series measurements collected in the Stillaguamish River Delta, Port Susan, Washington, USA from March 2014 to July 2015
Water level, flow velocity, temperature, salinity, and turbidity were measured in a breach constructed in a flood-protection levee surrounding a restored former agricultural area in Port Susan, Washington, USA, near the mouth of the Stillaguamish River. Data were collected in a breach known as PSB1 at 15-minute intervals from March 21, 2014 to July 1, 2015 using a SonTek Argonau
Uranium is a radioactive element (radionuclide) that occurs naturally in rock, soil, and water – usually in low concentrations. Radionuclides are unstable atoms with excess energy and as radionuclides decay, they emit radiation. The uranium decay sequence also includes other radionuclides of concern such as radium and radon (DeSimone and others, 2014).
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
This map shows the provinces assessed by the USGS for undiscovered oil and gas resources.
Scientists at WERC's Dixon Field station have fitted Cinnamon Teal with GPS backpacks. Using R, the telemetry locations are displayed on an image every two weeks.
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
Neither microcystin, nor nodularin, nor cylindrospermopsin directly interact with human toll-like receptors
Various stressors including temperature, environmental chemicals, and toxins can have profound impacts on immunity to pathogens. Increased eutrophication near rivers and lakes coupled with climate change are predicted to lead to increased algal blooms. Currently, the effects of cyanobacterial toxins on disease resistance in mammals is a largely...
Hansen, John; Loftin, Keith; Laughrey, Zachary; Adamovsky, OndreiToward an integrative geological and geophysical view of Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes
The Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) is an exceptional geologic environment for recording evidence of land level changes, tsunamis, and ground motion that reveals at least 19 great megathrust earthquakes over the past 10 kyr. Such earthquakes are among the most impactful natural hazards on Earth, transcend national boundaries, and can have global...
Walton, Maureen A. L.; Staisch, Lydia M.; Dura, Tina; Pearl, Jessie Kathleen; Sherrod, Brian; Gomberg, Joan S.; Engelhart, Simon E.; Trehu, Anne; Watt, Janet; Perkins, Jonathan P; Witter, Robert C.; Bartlow, Noel; Goldfinger, Chris; Kelsey, Harvey; Morey, Ann; Sahakian, Valerie J.; Tobin, Harold; Wang, Kelin; Wells, Ray; Wirth, ErinNovel diagnostic tests for the putative agent of bacterial gill disease in Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula)
Nuclear inclusion X (NIX) is a gamma proteobacteria that infects the nuclei of gill epithelial cells in Pacific razor clams. NIX has been associated with clam die-offs in coastal Washington. A quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was developed to detect NIX in Pacific razor clams, and assay specificity was confirmed by chromogenic in situ...
Travis, Brooke A; Batts, William N.; Groner, Maya; Hershberger, Paul; Fradkin, Steven C.; Conway, Carla M.; Park, Linda; Purcell, Maureen K.Review of trap-and-haul for managing Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in impounded river systems
High-head dams are migration barriers for Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. in many river systems and recovery measures for impacted stocks are limited. Trap-and-haul has been widely used in attempts to facilitate recovery but information from existing programs has not been synthesized to inform improvements to aid recovery of salmonids...
Kock, Tobias; Ferguson, John W.; Keefer, Matthew L.; Schreck , Carl B.Maternal transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls in Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes personatus), Puget Sound, Washington
We measured polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in multiple age and size classes of Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes personatus), including eggs, young-of-the year, and adults to evaluate maternal transfer as a pathway for contaminant uptake and to add to the limited information on the occurrence of PCBs in sand lance in Puget Sound. Sampling was...
Liedtke, Theresa L.; Conn, Kathleen E.Characterizing strain between rigid crustal blocks in the southern Cascadia forearc: Quaternary faults and folds of the northern Sacramento Valley, California
Topographic profiles across late Quaternary surfaces in the northern Sacramento Valley (California, USA) show offset and progressive folding on series of active east- and northeast—trending faults and folds. Optically stimulated luminescence ages on deposits draping a warped late Pleistocene river terrace yielded differential incision rates along...
Angster, Stephen J.; Wesnousky, Steven G.; Figueiredo, Paula; Owen, Lewis A.; Sawyer, ThomasEnsemble ShakeMaps for magnitude 9 earthquakes on the Cascadia Subduction Zone
We develop ensemble ShakeMaps for various magnitude 9 (M">MM 9) earthquakes on the Cascadia megathrust. Ground‐shaking estimates are based on 30 M">MM 9 Cascadia earthquake scenarios, which were selected using a logic‐tree approach that varied the hypocenter location, down‐dip rupture limit, slip distribution, and location of...
Wirth, Erin; Grant, Alex R. R. ; Marafi, Nasser A.; Frankel, ArthurWind River Subbasin Restoration annual report of U.S. Geological Survey activities January 2019 through December 2019
No abstract available.
Jezorek, IanFish assemblages in eelgrass beds of Bellingham Bay, Washington, Northern Puget Sound, 2019
Puget Sound is a critical part of the Pacific Northwest, both culturally and economically. Eelgrass beds are an important feature of Puget Sound and are known to influence fish assemblages. As part of a larger site-characterization effort, and to gain a better understanding of the fish assemblages in Bellingham Bay, Washington, four eelgrass beds...
Andrews, Morgan I.; Liedtke, Theresa L.Developing post-alert messaging for ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning system for the West Coast of the United States of America
As ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning system for the West Coast of the U.S., begins its transition to operational public alerting, we explore how post-alert messaging might represent system performance. Planned post-alert messaging can provide timely, crucial information to both emergency managers and ShakeAlert operators as well as...
McBride, Sara; Bostrom, Ann; Sutton, Jeannette; deGroot, Robert Michael; Baltay, Annemarie S.; Terbush, Brian; Bodin, Paul; Dixon, Maximilian; Holland, Emily; Arba, Ryan; Laustsen, Paul C.; Liu, Sophia; Vinci, MargaretImpact of smallmouth bass predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon over a broad river continuum
Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was examined in the Snake River (USA) to identify seasonal and habitat-related changes in bass diets, and associated subyearling consumption and loss in various riverine and impounded reaches. Smallmouth bass diets reflected opportunistic...
Tiffan, Kenneth; Erhardt, John M; Hemingway, Rulon J.; Bickford, Brad; Rhodes, TobynResearch, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon ESU: January 2019 - December 2019
The portion of the Snake River fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha evolutionary significant unit (ESU) that spawns upstream of Lower Granite Dam transitioned from low to high abundance during 19922019 in association with U.S. Endangered Species Act recovery efforts and other federally mandated actions. This annual report focuses on (1)...
Tiffan, Kenneth; Perry, RussellThe Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst is an ArcGIS extension that estimates how long it would take for someone to travel on foot out of a hazardous area that was threatened by a sudden event such as a tsunami, flash flood, or volcanic lahar. It takes into account the elevation changes and the different types of landcover that a person would encounter along the way.
Geophysicist checks data output at Mount Rainier station
A seismologist with the Cascades Volcano Observatory checks the data output on a newly installed monitoring station at Mount Rainier.
Mount Rainier's seismic and infrasound station PARA
Seismic and infrasound station PARA, installed October 6-8, 2020 at Mount Rainier.
A geophysicist notes location of new seismometer at Mount Rainier
A geophysicist from the Cascades Volcano Observatory notes the location of a newly buried seismometer at station PARA, on Mount Rainier.
NAGT intern installs infrasound sensors at Mount Rainier
NAGT intern Emily Bryant installs one of three infrasound sensors at volcano monitoring station PARA, at Mount Rainier.
30 days fumarole temperature, SNIF monitoring station Mount St. Helens
Past 30 days fumarole temperature data at SNIF monitoring station, Mount St. Helens Washington.
Bathymetric map of offshore Washington
Bathymetric map of offshore Washington reveals seafloor features and submarine canyons.
Cascadia megathrust fault map
Topo-bathymetric map of the Cascadia subduction zone. Cascadia megathrust fault (white line); approximate shelf break along 200-m isobath (yellow line); MTJ, Mendocino triple junction.
Cascadia fieldwork map
Index map of U.S. Cascadia margin showing where data have been collected since 2018 as part of the Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards Project. Details of each survey effort are provided on the Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards project web site.
Elwha River delta
View looks southwest along the eastern flank of the Elwha River delta and back towards the mouth of the river. USGS conducts regular surveys along this stretch of coastline, to monitor the evolving coastline following removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams, completed in 2014.
Taking PPE to a whole new level
You have to be able to have a little fun when in the field. A colleague from the Washington State Department of Ecology hams it up while prepping for a beach survey with scientists from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center. The multi-agency surveys define sediment transport pathways and record coastal changes at the mouth of the Columbia River, where dams,
...Setting up a bat acoustic monitoring station
White-nose syndrome has been detected in Washington. USGS scientist are helping the NPS design and evaluate bat sampling protocols for their Pacific Northwest parks.
Lahar Detection System Developments at Mount Rainier
The video describes USGS efforts to improve lahar (mudflow) monitoring at Mount Rainier, an ice-clad volcano in Washington State with potential for dangerous volcanic mudflows. The presentation was given to colleagues in the US and in Ecuador by Andy Lockhart. Andy is a geophysicist with the the USGS/USAID Volcano Disaster Assistance Program, and he has worked to reduce
The U.S. Geological Survey is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Jon Major to serve as the new Scientist-in-Charge of the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.

"Notes from the Field” are contributed articles that highlight current banding projects and the continued importance of bird banding 100 years after the establishment of the Bird Banding Lab. This article focuses on a long-term raptor monitoring project in Washington state.
TACOMA, Wash. — Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katharine MacGregor, U.S. Geological Survey Director Jim Reilly, and Counselor to the Secretary Margaret Everson, Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director of the National Park Service, today visited Mount Rainier National Park to announce the successful permitting and ongoing installation of five new lahar monitoring stations.
TACOMA, Wash. — What is a lahar and why are they a threat to those who live below Mount Rainier? Journalists are invited to learn about the threat potential posed by lahars from Mount Rainier to local communities and how new USGS lahar monitoring stations will integrate into emergency preparedness and response.

New station expands scientists' capabilities to detect unrest and provide rapid notification of hazards to emergency officials and the public.
Public input will be accepted from October 5-30, 2020 on a proposal to expand the lahar detection system inside Mount Rainier National Park.
Originally Published by: The Daily News
By: U.S. Geological Survey Director James Reilly
This article has been reprinted or reproduced with the permission of the The Daily News in Longview WA.

SPARROW mappers are interactive tools that allow users to evaluate streamflow and nutrient and sediment conditions as well as the importance of different sources of contaminants in a selected river basin. Data can be visualized at different scales using maps and interactive graphs and tables.

This AtlasObscura article features USGS scientist Brian Atwater and University of Washington colleague, David Yamaguchi and their research on the Cascadia subduction zone.
View A Massive Earthquake Is Coming to Cascadia—And It Can’t Be Stopped.
A team of federal, academic, and NGO researchers conducted a national-scale assessment of mercury bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems using dragonfly larvae as biosentinels.

The geologic research and mapping in the offshore areas is foundational to understanding how to manage resources and improve public safety in subduction zone areas.

As state and national interest in offshore renewable energy development and substantial commercial and recreational fishing activities grows, managing offshore habitats becomes increasingly challenging. In response, USGS and BOEM have joined NOAA and several non-Federal partners to initiate EXpanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS), a multiyear campaign.
Western Fisheries Research Center
Research at the WFRC focuses on the environmental factors responsible for the creation, maintenance, and regulation of fish populations including their interactions in aquatic communities and ecosystems.
Go to CenterWashington Water Science Center
The Water Science Center's mission is to collect, analyze and disseminate the impartial hydrologic data and information needed to wisely manage water resources for the people of the United States and the State of Washington.
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