Unified Interior Regions
Washington
States L2 Landing Page Tabs
Johns Creek Framework
Located in Mason County in western Washington State, Johns Creek is an important producer of coho and chum salmon. In 1984, the Washington State Department of Ecology established an Instream Resources Protection Program for Water Resource Inventory Area 14 (WAC 173-514) to retain sufficient in-stream flow to protect fish and wildlife, scenic, aesthetic and other environmental values. This...
Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park is known for its clear, near-pristine water. Because the water is very low in plant nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, the lake is extremely susceptible to even small increases in nutrient levels, which could cause algal blooms and impact the health of three species of fish in the lake. Currently, the growth of bottom-dwelling algae in developed...
Hood Canal
In September 2002, fish in Hood Canal near Hoodsport were under stress from low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, prompting the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to temporarily close parts of Hood Canal to some types of fishing during the month of October. In 2003, low dissolved oxygen conditions worsened, some fish kills were observed as early as June, and by October large...
Yakima River Basin
The Yakima River flows 215 miles from the outlet of Keechelus Lake in the central Washington Cascades southeasterly to the Columbia River, draining an area of 6,155 square miles. The Yakima River Basin is one of the most intensively irrigated areas in the United States. Population in the Yakima River Basin was about 238,000 in 1990.
Increasing demands for water for municipal, fisheries...
Columbia Plateau Groundwater Availability Study
The Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System (CPRAS) covers about 44,000 square miles of eastern Oregon and Washington and western Idaho. The primary aquifers are basalts of the Columbia River Basalt Group and overlying basin-fill sediments. Groundwater availability issues in the basin include: 1) widespread water-level declines caused by pumping, 2) reduction in base flow to rivers and...
Bainbridge Island
Ground water is the sole source of drinking water for the City of Bainbridge Island in Kitsap County, Washington. As the population grows, demand for ground water grows, too. However, because ground water is limited by area and by the potential for seawater intrusion, the City recognizes in the Water Resources Element of its comprehensive plan that water resources must be carefully managed and...
Quilcene Bay
In response to concerns that increased use of ground- and surface-water supplies in watersheds in Washington leaves insufficient in-stream flow for fish and other users, the Washington State legislature passed the Watershed Management Act of 1998, which encourages watershed planning at the local level. As part of this planning, stakeholders within a Water Resources Inventory Area (WRIA) need...
Chehalis River Basin
The Chehalis River flows approximately 125 miles in southwestern Washington north-northwesterly to Grays Harbor and the Pacific Ocean, draining an area of approximately 2,700 square miles. The Chehalis River Basin is the second largest basin in Washington State. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by the Deschutes River Basin, on the north by the Olympic Mountains, and...
Lake Roosevelt-Upper Columbia River
Lake Roosevelt was formed on the Columbia River by the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam, and extends a total of 217 km to within 24 km of Canada The lake is heavily contaminated with trace elements that were discharged as slag material from a smelter in Canada; approximately 360 metric tons were discharged per day from 1900 to 1998. A study by the USGS reported that Lake Roosevelt bed...
Skagit Ground Water Model
State and local water-resource managers in Lower Skagit/Samish Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA-3) face two water-availability issues that are common throughout Washington State. First, they must reserve water for domestic wells that are exempt from the water rights system without harming river and stream ecosystems in the lower Skagit River basin. Skagit County, which would be responsible...
Mount Rainier Fluvial Geomorphology and River Sedimentation
To provide information for management efforts to reduce flooding and improve aquatic habitat in the Lower Puyallup River Basin (Puyallup, Carbon and White Rivers), Pierce County and other stakeholders are looking for river-system management options that consider the system's flood-carrying capacity and trends in sedimentation. To assist, the USGS is building a computerized hydraulic model of...
FEMA High Water Marks - Western Washington Flood, January 2009
The Issue: Significant flooding occurred throughout western Washington on January 7 and 8, 2009. As part of its Hazard Mitigation effort, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region X needs documentation on the extent of flooding for verifying Preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) and corresponding Flood Insurance Studies (FIS) that have been...
3D crustal structure and long-period ground motions from a M9.0 megathrust earthquake in the Pacific Northwest region
We have developed a community velocity model for the Pacific Northwest region from northern California to southern Canada and carried out the first 3D simulation of a Mw 9.0 megathrust earthquake rupturing along the Cascadia subduction zone using a parallel supercomputer. A long-period (<0.5 Hz) source model was designed by mapping the...
Olsen, K.B.; Stephenson, W.J.; Geisselmeyer, A. A prototype system for forecasting landslides in the Seattle, Washington, area
Empirical rainfall thresholds and related information form the basis of a prototype system for forecasting landslides in the Seattle area. The forecasts are tied to four alert levels, and a decision tree guides the use of thresholds to determine the appropriate level. From analysis of historical landslide data, we developed a formula for a...
Chleborad, Alan F.; Baum, Rex L.; Godt, Jonathan W.; Powers, Philip S. Baseline studies in the Elwha River ecosystem prior to dam removal: Introduction to the special issue
The planned removal of two dams that have been in place for over 95 years on the Elwha River provides a unique opportunity to study dam removal effects. Among the largest dams ever considered for removal, this project is compelling because 83% of the watershed lies undisturbed in Olympic National Park. Eighteen million cubic meters of sediment...
Duda, Jeffrey J.; Freilich, Jerry; Schreiner, Edward G. Behavior and movement of adult chum salmon in the lower Cowlitz River, 2007: Final Report of Research
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Liedtke, T.L.; Kock, T.J.; Ekstrom, B.K.; Rondorf, D.W.; Henning, J. Benthic invertebrates and periphyton in the Elwha river basin: Current conditions and predicted response to dam removal
The impending removal of two dams on the Elwha River in Washington State offers a unique opportunity to study ecosystem restoration at a watershed scale. We examine how periphyton and benthic invertebrate assemblages vary across regulated and unregulated sections of the Elwha River and across different habitat types, and establish baseline data...
Morley, S.A.; Duda, J.J.; Coe, H.J.; Kloehn, K.K.; McHenry, M.L. Decreased mortality of lake michigan chinook salmon after bacterial kidney disease challenge: Evidence for pathogen-driven selection?
In the late 1960s, Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the Green River, Washington, were successfully introduced into Lake Michigan. During spring from1988 to 1992, large fish die-offs affecting Chinook salmon occurred in the lake. Multiple ecological factors probably contributed to the severity of the fish kills, but the only disease...
Purcell, M.K.; Murray, A.L.; Elz, A.; Park, L.K.; Marcquenski, S.V.; Winton, J.R.; Alcorn, S.W.; Pascho, R.J.; Elliott, D.G. Estimates of fish-, spill-, and sluiceway-passage efficiencies of radio-tagged juvenile Chinook salmon during spring and summer at The Dalles Dam in 2003: Draft final report of research
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Hansel, H.C.; Beeman, J.W.; Hausmann, B.J.; Juhnke, S.D.; Haner, P.V.; Phelps , J.L. Estimates of fish-, spill-, and sluiceway-passage efficiencies of radio-tagged juvenile Chinook salmon during spring and summer at The Dalles Dam in 2004: Draft final report of research
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Hansel, H.C.; Juhnke, S.D.; Haner, P.V.; Dingmon, L.; Beeman, J.W. Estimates of fish-, spill-, and sluiceway-passage efficiencies of radio-tagged juvenile Chinook salmon during spring and summer at The Dalles Dam in 2005: Final report of research during 2005
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Hansel, H.C.; Juhnke, S.D.; Haner, P.V.; Dingmon, L.; Beeman, J.W. Fish assemblage, density, and growth in lateral habitats within natural and regulated sections of Washington's Elwha River prior to dam removal
We characterized seasonal fish assemblage, relative density, and growth in river margins above and between two Elwha River dams scheduled for removal. Fish assemblage and relative density differed in the lateral habitats of the middle-regulated and upper-unregulated sections of the Elwha River. Rainbow trout was the numerically dominant salmonid...
Connolly, P.J.; Brenkman, S.J. Influence of dams on river-floodplain dynamics in the Elwha River, Washington
The Elwha dam removal project presents an ideal opportunity to study how historic reduction and subsequent restoration of sediment supply alter river-floodplain dynamics in a large, forested river floodplain. We used remote sensing and onsite data collection to establish a historical record of floodplain dynamics and a baseline of current...
Kloehn, K.K.; Beechie, T.J.; Morley, S.A.; Coe, H.J.; Duda, J.J.
Lower Methow tributaries intensive effectiveness monitoring study. Interim report
Actions have been taken to replace diversion dams in lower Beaver Creek with a series of rock vortex weirs. Some of these diversion dams have been in place for over 100 years, and they have impaired or completely blocked upstream migration of fish. Three diversion dams were replaced in 2003 (Lower Stokes, Thurlow Transfer, and Upper Stokes), and a...
Martens, Kyle D.; Connolly, Patrick J.
C2 West Transect – 2015
Permanent Site: C2 West Transect; Depth: 16.6 Meters (Feet 54.5); Distance from river mouth: 0.7 Kilometers (0.5 Miles); Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.147841,-123.57663268; Site Description: One of our deepest sites. Substrate is all muddy sand. Seaweed is absent. Lots of woody debris is present (0:42, 0:44, 0:53 seconds). Featherduster
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H1 East Transect – 2015
Permanent Site: H1 East Transect; Depth: 5.5 Meters (Feet 18.2); Distance from river mouth: 2.4 Kilometers (1.5 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.1479177,-123.53472865; Site Description: This is a shallow site and one of the farthest removed from the effects of the sediment plume outside of the control sites. Substrate is still
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C2 East Transect – 2015
Permanent Site: C2 East Transect; Depth: 16.3 Meters (Feet 53.4); Distance from river mouth: 0.7 Kilometers (0.4 Miles); Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.147841,-123.57596074; Site Description: One of our deepest sites. Substrate is all muddy sand. Seaweed is absent. Some woody debris is seen (0:39 seconds). Featherduster tubeworms, mainly
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H1 West Transect – 2015
Permanent Site: H1 West Transect; Depth: 5.7 Meters (Feet 18.6); Distance from river mouth: 2.4 Kilometers (1.5 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.14803012,-123.53535558; Site Description: This is a shallow site and one of the farthest removed from the effects of the sediment plume outside of the control sites. Substrate is still
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GP1 East Transect – 2015
Permanent Control Site: GP1 East Transect; Depth: 7.3 Meters (24 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 19.0 Kilometers (11.8 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.11852521,-123.31538047; Site Description: This site was established as the eastern control. Depth is medium-shallow. Substrate is mainly a gravel/sand/cobble mixture surrounding
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GP2 East Transect – 2015
Permanent Control Site: GP2 East Transect; Depth: 13.2 Meters (43.2 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 18.8 Kilometers (11.7 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.12781102,-123.31645664; Site Description: This site was established as the eastern control. Substrate is mainly a gravel sand mixture. A few large boulders are located off
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GP1 West Transect – 2015
Permanent Control Site: GP1 West Transect; Depth: 8.0 Meters (26.1 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 19.0 Kilometers (11.8 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.11852521,-123.31605203; Site Description: This site was established as the eastern control. Depth is medium-shallow. Substrate is mainly a gravel/sand/cobble mixture surrounding
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GP2 West Transect – 2016
Permanent Control Site: GP2 West Transect; Depth: 12.9 Meters (42.3 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 18.8 Kilometers (11.6 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.12781102,-123.31712832; Site Description: This site was established as the eastern control. Substrate is mainly a gravel/sand/cobble mixture surrounding boulders. Red and brown
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Juvenile wolf eel
Juvenile wolf eel - Scuba divers from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center, Washington Sea Grant, EPA and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe collected data and images from a long-term study of the Elwha River dam removals and the resulting effects on the nearshore ecosystem.
Location: Strait of Juan de Fuca,
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D2 West Transect – 2015
Permanent Site: D2 West Transect; Depth: 12.7 Meters (41.7 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 0.3 Kilometers (0.2 Miles); Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.15233001,-123.56896603; Site Description: This site is right off the mouth of the river. Substrate is mainly gravel and cobble. This year lots of dead clam shells (0:18, 0:32 seconds) are
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D2 East Transect – 2015
Permanent Site: D2 East Transect; Depth: 12.1 Meters (39.8 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 0.3 Kilometers (0.2 Miles); Pre/Post Dam Removal: 4 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.15233001,-123.56829403; Site Description: This site is right off the mouth of the river. Substrate is mainly gravel. This year lots of dead clam shells (0:40, 1:03 seconds) are scattered along
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Moon snails
Moon snails - Scuba divers from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center, Washington Sea Grant, EPA and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe collected data and images from a long-term study of the Elwha River dam removals and the resulting effects on the nearshore ecosystem.
Location: USGS, Western Fisheries Research
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Geologic barriers, the intermixing of water between aquifers through wells, and groundwater pumping contribute to the pattern of declines of groundwater levels of the Columbia Plateau, according to a report published by the U.S. Geological Survey.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The largest dam-removal project in history has increased river water cloudiness caused by suspended particles, known as turbidity, a process that could affect aquatic life. The dismantling of two large dams on the Elwha River in Washington began in September of last year and has increased river turbidity significantly, even though most of the sediment trapped behind the...
TACOMA, Wash. — Water management in the Chamokane Creek Basin can now be guided by a new computer model to run "what-if" simulations to evaluate the potential effects of groundwater withdrawals on streamflows in the basin, according to a report released today by the U. S. Geological Survey.
SEATTLE — The U.S. Geological Survey has named fish pathologist Dr. Jill Rolland the director of its Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC), headquartered in Seattle.
TACOMA, Wash. — Roughly enough sediment to fill a football field to the height of six Space Needles is delivered into the Puget Sound each year through a complex delivery network of rivers, according to a fact sheet published by the U.S. Geological Survey. The sediment delivery has both positive and negative effects on the environment, with some significant unknowns.
The location and depth of the the September 13, 2012 M 2.4 are entirely consistent with past Rainier earthquakes, and such events are considered by CVO and the PNSN be part of the background “normal” level of activity at Mount Rainier.
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — Scuba-diver scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, with support teams from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and Washington Sea Grant, are returning to the mouth of Washington’s Elwha River this week to explore and catalogue the effect of released sediment on marine life following the nation’s largest dam removal effort.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Starting Friday, scientists will be using sound waves to look down into the Earth, and the result will be a picture of the geology beneath Spokane, perhaps including faults that cause shallow earthquakes.
PORTLAND, Ore.–-Human activities, such as industrial production, transportation, and day-to-day living, are sources of many contaminants that flow into the Columbia River.
VANCOUVER, Wash. — May is Volcano Awareness Month in Washington State. While no volcanoes in Washington currently show indications of immediate reawakening, experience has taught us that volcanoes often give just a few days’ warning before an eruption begins.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have, for the first time, demonstrated how aquifer composition can affect how excessive levels of phosphorous (an essential nutrient contained in fertilizers) can be carried from fertilized agricultural fields via groundwater to streams and waterways.
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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
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