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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2019 Geophysical surveys and instrumented tripod deployment in and around Astoria Canyon
Geophysical data collected and instrumented tripods deployed in and around Astoria Canyon offshore of the Washington/Oregon border in 2019, a USGS-University of Washington partnership
2019 Regional geophysical surveys of northern and central Cascadia (offshore Washington and Oregon)
Geophysical data collected offshore of Washington and Oregon in 2019, a USGS-University of Washington partnership
2018 USGS-NOAA multibeam bathymetry surveys
Multibeam bathymetric surveys conducted offshore of Oregon and northern California in 2018, a USGS-NOAA partnership
Ecosystems: EXPRESS
The continental shelf and slope offshore California, Oregon, and Washington are home to deep-sea corals, chemosynthetic communities, and other sensitive habitats that could be impacted by the development of energy and mineral resources. The EXPRESS campaign will map and...
Hazards: EXPRESS
Marine geohazards including earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis lie offshore of densely populated areas of California, Oregon, and Washington. One goal of EXPRESS is to improve assessments of these hazards.
Resources: EXPRESS
Along the U.S. west coast, the Pacific Ocean, ocean floor, and winds above contain potentially vast energy and mineral resources. Developing these resources safely and wisely requires detailed information for each area of interest. One goal of EXPRESS is to inform ocean...
Recreational Birdwatching and Habitat
Thousands of visitors flock to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge every year to look for birds both rare and common. Birdwatching activities contribute to economic activity for the Nisqually area and play a role in the broader outdoor-loving culture of the Pacific Northwest.
Fisheries and Fish Habitat
The estuarine habitat of the Delta is critical to the production of salmon, which supports recreational, commercial, and subsistence fishing. The combination of shaded pools, shallow reaches, and a rich prey population provide excellent feeding grounds for juvenile fish. Fishing also holds great importance in the cultural practices of the Nisqually Tribe.
Marsh Elevation Change and Carbon Sequestration
Tidal marsh vegetation grows in a narrow elevation zone between sea level and the upland behind it. These plant communities have evolved to accumulate sediment over time and maintain their relative elevation with gradual rates of change in sea level. It is uncertain which marsh vegetation communities will be able to accumulate sediment at a rate that keeps pace with accelerated sea level rise...
An Ecosystem Services Assessment of the Nisqually River Delta, South Puget Sound, Washington
Overview of Nisqually River Delta ecosystem services modeling
The Blind Zone of Earthquake Early Warning
Residents in California, Oregon, and Washington have been told that earthquake early warning (EEW) is at their doorstep and will alert them to the shaking from an earthquake before it arrives. Some media reports have said there will be “up to a minute of warning”. The problem is, for onshore earthquakes these claims are exaggerated, and under some conditions a warning is not scientifically or...
LCMAP Change Stories: Where the Ocean Eats the Land
The unincorporated hamlet of North Cove, WA is the owner of a rather unfortunate superlative: fastest-eroding place in the West Coast.
National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper
The NWIS mapper provides access to over 1.5 million sites contained in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), including sites where current and historical surface-water, groundwater, springs, and atmospheric data has been collected. Users can search by site type, data type, site number, or place.
Surface-sediment grain-size distributions of the Elwha River delta, Washington, July 2017
This portion of the data release presents sediment grain-size data from samples collected on the Elwha River delta, Washington, in July 2017 (USGS Field Activity 2017-638-FA). Surface sediment was collected from 80 locations using a small ponar, or 'grab', sampler from the R/V Frontier in water depths between about 1 and 17 m around the delta. An additional 31 samples were colle
Wave observations from bottom-mounted pressure sensors in Skagit Bay, Washington from Dec 2017 to Feb 2018
RBRduo pressure and temperature sensors (early 2015 generation), mounted on aluminum frames, were moored in shallow (< 6 m) water depths in Skagit Bay to capture wave heights and periods. Continuous pressure fluctuations are transformed into surface-wave observations of wave heights, periods, and frequency spectra at 30-minute intervals.
Nearshore bathymetry data from the Elwha River delta, Washington, July 2017, collected from kayak
This part of the data release presents bathymetry data from the Elwha River delta collected in July 2017 using a kayak. The kayak was equipped with a single-beam echosounder and a survey-grade global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver.
Beach topography of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2018
This portion of the USGS data release presents topography data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, in 2018 (USGS Field Activity Number 2018-652-FA). Topographic profiles were collected by walking along survey lines with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks. Prior to data collection, vertic
Beach topography of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2017
This portion of the USGS data release presents topography data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, in 2017 (USGS Field Activity Number 2017-666-FA). Topographic profiles were collected by walking along survey lines with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks. Prior to data collection, vertic
Beach topography of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2015
This portion of the USGS data release presents topography data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, in 2015 (USGS Field Activity Number 2015-647-FA). Topographic profiles were collected by walking along survey lines with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks. Prior to data collection, vertic
Beach topography of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2016
This portion of the USGS data release presents topography data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, in 2016 (USGS Field Activity Number 2016-663-FA). Topographic profiles were collected by walking along survey lines with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks. Prior to data collection, vertic
Nearshore bathymetry of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2015
This portion of the USGS data release presents bathymetry data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon in 2015 (USGS Field Activity Number 2015-647-FA). Bathymetry data were collected using four personal watercraft (PWCs) equipped with single-beam sonar systems and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers. The sonar sy
Nearshore bathymetry of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2014
This portion of the USGS data release presents bathymetry data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon in 2014 (USGS Field Activity Number 2014-631-FA). Bathymetry data were collected using four personal watercraft (PWCs) equipped with single-beam sonar systems and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers. The sonar sy
Beach topography of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2019
This portion of the USGS data release presents topography data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, in 2019 (USGS Field Activity Number 2019-632-FA). Topographic profiles were collected by walking along survey lines with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks. Prior to data collection, vertic
Beach topography of the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, 2014
This portion of the USGS data release presents topography data collected during surveys performed in the Columbia River littoral cell, Washington and Oregon, in 2014 (USGS Field Activity Number 2014-631-FA). Topographic profiles were collected by walking along survey lines with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks. Prior to data collection, vertic
A spatial model of streaked horned lark breeding habitat in the Columbia River, USA
The streaked horned lark (hereafter “lark”; Eremophila alpestris strigata) is a federally listed bird subspecies of the Pacific Northwest that occupies open landscapes with short vegetation and abundant bare ground. Across its breeding range, which has contracted dramatically, the lark relies primarily on human-modified habitats maintained in...
Hatten, James; Slater, Gary L.; Treadwell, Jerrmaine L.; Stevenson, Matthew R. Extreme coastal water level in Washington state: Guidance to support sea level rise planning
This document provides guidelines for assessing exposure to future coastal flooding during extreme coastal water level events – whether these are due to tides, surge, wave run-up, or, more likely, a combination of the three. These guidelines provide information about the current and future magnitude of extreme coastal water levels across...
Yang, Z.; Mauger, G.S.; Morgan, H.F.; Miller, I.M.; vanArendonk, Nathan R.; Grossman, Eric E.
Effects of experimental removal of Barred Owls on population Demography of Northern Spotted Owls in Washington and Oregon—2018 Progress Report
Populations of Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina; herineafter referred to as Spotted Owl) have declined throughout the subspecies’ geographic range. Evidence indicates that competition with invading Barred Owls (S. varia) has contributed significantly to those declines. A pilot study in California showed that removal of Barred Owls...
Wiens, J. David; Dugger, Katie M.; Lesmeister, Damon B.; Dilione, Krista E.; Simon, David C. A 4000-year history of debris flows in north-central Washington State, U.S.A.: Preliminary results from trenching and surficial geologic mapping at the Pope Creek fan
Long-term records of the magnitude and frequency of debris flows on fans are rare, but such records provide critical information needed for debris-flow hazard and risk assessments. This study explores the history of debris flows on a fan with seasonally inhabited cabins at Pope Creek along the Entiat River about 48 km upstream from the town of...
Coe, Jeffrey A.; Bessette-Kirton, Erin; Slaughter, Stephen; Rengers, Francis K.; Contreras, Trevor A.; Michelson, Katherin A; Taylor, Emily; Kean, Jason W.; Jacobacci, Kara; Hanson, Molly A
Distribution of adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in relation to water temperatures, Lake Scanewa, Cowlitz River, Washington, 2012
A trap-and-haul program is operated to move anadromous Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) around dams and reservoirs in the Cowlitz River basin, Washington. The primary release site for adult fish is in Lake Scanewa, a small reservoir created by Cowlitz Falls Dam, the uppermost dam in the basin. Releases in the reservoir are terminated when...
Kock, Tobias J.; Ekstrom, Brian K.; Liedtke, Theresa L.
Movements of juvenile Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Yakima and Columbia Rivers, Washington, 2018—A pilot study using acoustic telemetry
Telemetry has been an invaluable tool to improve our understanding of adult Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) movements and to guide management approaches to protect and restore this species of concern. Juvenile and larval lamprey, however, are much smaller than adults, and have not been monitored with telemetry because available...
Liedtke, Theresa L.; Lampman, Ralph T. ; Deng, Z. Daniel; Beals, Tyler E.; Porter, Michael S.; Hansen, Amy C.; Kock, Tobias J.; Tomka, Ryan G.; Monk, Patrick
Adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) behavior and movement from Roza Dam to Cle Elum Dam, Washington, 2018
An evaluation was conducted to describe adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) upstream movement patterns from Roza Dam to Cle Elum Dam in the Yakima Basin, Washington. Sockeye salmon adults that arrive at Roza Dam are currently trapped and transported upstream of Cle Elum Dam because upstream fish-passage facilities are not currently in place...
Kock, Tobias J.; Evans, Scott D.; Ekstrom, Brian K.; Hansen, Amy C.
Effectiveness of fish screens in protecting lamprey (Entosphenus and Lampetra spp.) ammocoetes—Pilot testing of variable screen angle
Thousands of screened water diversions throughout the Columbia River Basin of the Pacific Northwest are sources of entrainment (unintended diversion into an unsafe passage route), injury, and mortality for a range of fish species and screening criteria have been developed to reduce and mitigate these effects. Large knowledge gaps exist concerning...
Liedtke, Theresa L.; Didricksen, Daniel J.; Weiland, Lisa K.; Ragala, Joshua A.; Lampman, Ralph Snake River fall chinook salmon life history investigations, 2018 annual report
The following report is divided into three sections each of which describes work conducted by different project cooperators. Chapter One describes smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Lower Granite Reservoir in 2018. Smallmouth bass abundance increased seasonally in...
Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Chittaro, Paul M.; Kennedy, Brian P. Research, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon ESU
The portion of the Snake River fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ESU that spawns upstream of Lower Granite Dam transitioned from low to high abundance during 1992–2018 in association with U.S. Endangered Species Act recovery efforts and other federally mandated actions. This annual report focuses on (1) numeric and habitat use responses...
Tiffan, Kenneth; Perry, Russell; Plumb, John; Hance, Dalton; Bickford, Brad; Rhodes, Tobyn Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Pacific sand lance, Puget Sound, Washington
Forage fish are small, abundant, schooling planktivores that form a critical link in marine food webs by transferring energy from plankton up to birds, fishes, and marine mammals. Forage fishes in Puget Sound include the iconic Pacific herring as well as lesser known species such as surf smelt and the Pacific sand lance. There are significant...
Liedtke, Theresa; Conn, Kathleen; Dinicola, Richard; Takesue, Renee Fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), sand roller (Percopsis transmontana), and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) interactions in a Snake River reservoir: A tale of three species
We studied some of the relationships between federally listed fall Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, endemic Sand Roller, Percopsis transmontana, and non-native Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu, in Lower Granite Reservoir on the Snake River. Because of its recent reappearance and population increase, the Sand Rollers...
Hemingway, Rulon J.; Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Erhardt, John M.; Rhodes, Tobyn N.; Bickford, Brad K.
GOMEX box corer
USGS marine engineering technician Dan Powers from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center retrieves the GOMEX box corer from Bellingham Bay, Washington.
Evolution of shoreline around Elwha River mouth
Evolution of the shoreline around the Elwha River mouth, Washington, before, during and after dam removal, 2011–2017. Two large dams were removed from the Elwha River between 2011 and 2014 in the largest dam removal worldwide thus far, releasing more than 20 million tons of sediment downstream. These images show the effects of new sediment depositing around the river mouth
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Retrieving a core sampler
USGS scientists Dan Powers (left) and Andy Ritchie retrieving a core sample from beneath Lake Ozette aboard research vessel Hadai.
Lake Ozette bathymetry
Bathymetric map of Lake Ozette, showing locations of core samples (red circles).
Astoria Canyon multibeam bathymetry
Multibeam bathymetry shown in the spectrum from red (shallower) to blue (deeper) for depths greater than 200 m across the head of Astoria Canyon. The land and continental shelf are shown in grayscale slope shading where darker colors represent steeper slopes. The modern Columbia River is far right. In 2019, geophysical surveys using Chirp subbottom and Sparker
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Mount Rainier: Earthquakes in the Hydrothermal System
Earthquakes at Mount Rainier from 2010 to 2019. As shown in the graphic, fluids from the magmatic system beneath the volcano rise through existing cracks and weaknesses in the crust. Along with rainwater and ice/snow melt, these fluids combine to create a hydrothermal system within the volcano. When pressurized fluids move along faults in the shallow subsurface, they
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“Science is amazing”: GeoGirls explore Mount St. Helens
During Aug. 4-8, 2019, U.S. Geological Survey women scientists, university researchers and Mount St. Helens Institute staff led 25 middle-school girls from Washington and Oregon in the fifth annual “GeoGirls” outdoor volcano science program at Mount St. Helens, Washington.
Pyroclastic Flow Outcrop on the Pumice Plain at Mount St. Helens
This photo shows an outcrop of pyroclastic flow deposits near Willow Creek on the Pumice Plain at Mount St. Helens. The dramatic lines crossing the outcrop indicate contacts between different layers of pyroclastic flow deposits. Two participants of the 2019 GeoGirls program are shown studying the outcrop, using it to understand the eruptive history of the volcano. GeoGirls
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Columbia torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton kezeri)
Torrent salamanders are Northwest-U.S. endemic, headwater-stream-associated amphibian species that have a dearth of basic ecological information, but are thought to be highly vulnerable to habitat changes. This taxon currently has two candidates for listing by the Endangered Species Act: the Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) and the Columbia
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The GeoGirls Visit a Volcano Monitoring Station at Mount St. Helens
The GeoGirls visit a volcano monitoring station on the east side of Mount St. Helens, finding out how scientists use different monitoring methods (seismic, GPS, tiltmeter) to understand more about the volcano.
GeoGirls 2019 Group Photo
GeoGirls 2019 group photo, with Mount St. Helens in the background.
GeoGirls Hike the Pumice Plain at Mount St. Helens
The GeoGirls hike the Pumice Plain at Mount St. Helens, examining lava outcrops and volcanic sediment.
Exposures in valleys surrounding Mount St. Helens reveal records of diverse geologic processes including debris avalanche, lahar, huge water wave on a nearby lake, pyroclastic density currents (surge and flow), tephra fall, lava flow, growth of domes, and past glaciation.
Pacific martens remain common in montane regions of Pacific coast U.S. states, yet their distribution and status on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, is uncertain.
Keep up to speed with the latest USGS deep-sea research cruise with this seafloor syntax.
Keep up to speed with the latest USGS deep-sea research cruise with this seafloor syntax.
Keep up to speed with the latest USGS deep-sea research cruise with this seafloor syntax.
Keep up to speed with the latest USGS deep-sea research cruise with this seafloor syntax.
New sensor network will help safeguard lives and property, and because of the relatively small footprint, there will be very little disturbance to the environment and wildlife in the area.
Researchers evaluated tissues from barred owls collected in Washington and Oregon to assess potential exposure of the Northern spotted owl and other old-forest wildlife in the Pacific Northwest to anticoagulant rodenticides (AR). They used ecologically similar barred owls as a surrogate species for the northern spotted owl, as the two species compete for space, habitat, and small mammal prey.
Twenty-five middle school-age GeoGirls spent five days conducting hands-on research and interacting with female scientists, educators and older students, all while learning about active volcanoes, natural hazards and modern scientific monitoring technologies below the summit of Mount St. Helens.
Floodplain ponds and wetlands are productive and biodiverse ecosystems. Protecting and restoring floodplain ecosystems requires understanding how organisms use these habitats and respond to altered environmental conditions.
VANCOUVER, Wash. — Twenty-five middle school girls from Washington and Oregon are participating in the fifth annual GeoGirls outdoor volcano science program at Mount St. Helens, jointly organized by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Mount St. Helens Institute.
California Water Science Center Research Hydrologist Dr. Judith Drexler and others have published an article in the journal Restoration Ecology, observing the progress of a restored salt marsh in southern Puget Sound, Washington.
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Locations
Washington Water Science Center
Phone: (253) 552-1600
Fax: (253) 552-1581
Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC)
Phone: (206) 526-6282
Fax: (206) 526-6654
USGS Volcano Science Center
Phone: 360-993-8900
Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO)
vhpweb@usgs.gov
Phone: 360-993-8900
Fax: 360-993-8980
Columbia River Research Laboratory
Phone: (509) 538-2299
Fax: (509) 538-2843
WFRC - Fish Health Program
Phone: 206-526-6282
Fax: 206-526-6654
Marrowstone Marine Field Station
Phone: (360) 385-1007
Fax: (360) 385-7207
Northwest Washington Field Office
Phone: (360) 312-8155 x2001
Fax: (360) 312-8565
Mid-Columbia Field Office
Phone: (509) 735-3739
Fax: (509) 735-3723
Upper Columbia Field Office
Phone: (509) 353-2649
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC) Olympic Field Station
fresc_outreach@usgs.gov
Phone: 360-565-3041
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC) Cascadia Field Station
fresc_outreach@usgs.gov
Phone: 206-616-1874
Fax: 206-685-0790
Contacts
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.
Go to Center