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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Investigation and Disease Prevention of Spring Viremia of Carp Virus (SVCV)
There has been long history of disease outbreaks and economic losses in wild and farmed carp species due to SVCV. Formerly thought to be restricted to Europe and Asia, SVCV was detected for the first time in North America from diseased koi at a North Carolina fish farm in 2002, and there were extensive eradication efforts with 135,000 fish euthanized in addition to the ~15,000 that died from...
Scientific Support of Salmon and Steelhead Reintroductions in Impounded River Basins of the Pacific Northwest
Salmon and steelhead populations in the Pacific Northwest were severely affected by hydropower development that occurred during the first half of the 20th century. Impassable dams were constructed on many rivers throughout the region which prevented returning adult salmonids from accessing important habitats where spawning and rearing historically occurred. In the past two decades...
Partnerships - Columbia River Research Laboratory
For more than five decades the WFRC has worked with partners to provide research findings to managers of aquatic resources.
An Annotated Bibliography for Lamprey Habitat in the White Salmon River, Washington - CRRL
Tribal Relations
An Annotated Bibliography for Lamprey Habitat in the White Salmon River, Washington
Steelhead Life History Study in White Creek on the Yakama Nation Reservation - CRRL
Tribal Relations
Steelhead Life History Study in White Creek on the Yakama Nation Reservation
Rock Creek Fish Population and Life History Assessment (Washington) - CRRL
Tribal Relations
Rock Creek Fish Population and Life History Assessment (Washington)
Steelhead and Spring Chinook Adult Spawning Migration Study in the Klickitat River (Washington) - CRRL
Tribal Relations
Steelhead and Spring Chinook Adult Spawning Migration Study in the Klickitat River (Washington)
Tribal Relations - Columbia River Research Laboratory
Tribal Relations
Columbia River Research Laboratory Native American Related Activities
Northern Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) - CRRL
Species Studied
Northern Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis)
New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) - CRRL
Species Studied
New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) - CRRL
Species Studied
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
Physical CPGs -- Probability of Streamflow Permanence (PROSPER) Continuous Parameter Grids (CPGs)
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed the PRObability of Streamflow PERmanence (PROSPER) model, a GIS raster-based empirical model that provides streamflow permanence probabilities (probabilistic predictions) of a stream channel having year-round flow for any unregulated and minimally-impaired stream channel in the Pacific Northwest region, U.S. The model provides annual
High-resolution bathymetry data collected in 2005 in Skagit Bay, Washington
These metadata describe the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) 2005 bathymetry data collected in Skagit Bay Washington that is provided as a 1-m resolution TIFF image, as well as a 1-m resolution shaded-relief TIFF image. In 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Merged 2005, 2007, and 2010 high-resolution bathymetry data collected in Skagit Bay, Washington
These metadata describe the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) merged bathymetry digital terrain model comprised of the 2005, 2007, and 2010 bathymetry data collected in Skagit Bay Washington that is provided as a 1-m resolution TIFF image, as well as a 1-m resolution shaded-relief TIFF image. In 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 the U.
High-resolution bathymetry data collected in 2010 in Skagit Bay, Washington
These metadata describe the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) 2010 bathymetry data collected in Skagit Bay Washington that is provided as a 1-m resolution TIFF image, as well as a 1-m resolution shaded-relief TIFF image. In 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
High-resolution bathymetry data collected in 2007 in Skagit Bay, Washington
These metadata describe the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) 2007 bathymetry data collected in Skagit Bay Washington that is provided as a 1-m resolution TIFF image, as well as a 1-m resolution shaded-relief TIFF image. In 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
USGS Dam Removal Science Database v2.0
This database is the result of an extensive literature search aimed at identifying documents relevant to the emerging field of dam removal science. In total the database contains 214 citations that contain empirical monitoring information associated with 181 different dam removals across the United States and abroad. Data includes publications through 2016 and supplemented with the U.S. Army...
High-resolution bathymetry data collected in 2004 in Skagit Bay, Washington
These metadata describe the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) 2004 bathymetry data collected in Skagit Bay Washington that is provided as a 1-m resolution TIFF image, as well as a 1-m resolution shaded-relief TIFF image. In 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 the USGS, PCMSC collected bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data in Skagit Bay%
Probability of Streamflow Permanence (PROSPER) Model Output Layers
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed the PRObability of Streamflow PERmanence (PROSPER) model, a GIS raster-based empirical model that provides streamflow permanence probabilities (probabilistic predictions) of a stream channel having year-round flow for any unregulated and minimally-impaired stream channel in the Pacific Northwest region, U.S. The model provides annual predictions...
Concentrations of environmental DNA (eDNA) during sockeye salmon spawning in 2016, Hansen Creek, Alaska, USA
This dataset contains environmental DNA (eDNA) concentrations and spawning adult abundances for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Hansen Creek, a small tributary in the Wood River watershed, southeast Alaska, USA. We took temporally- and spatially-replicated eDNA samples during the spawning period (mid-July through August), along with fish counts (live, naturally dead
Streamflow Observation Points in the Pacific Northwest, 1977-2016
This dataset includes spatial locations in the Pacific Northwest where streamflow observations were recorded. For the purpose of this investigation, all streamflow observations were converted into wet or dry indicator values.
Data collected in 2008-2014 to assess nearshore subtidal community responses to increased sediment load during removal of the Elwha River dams, Washington State, USA
Data are time series of substrate grain size, remotely sensed water column turbidity, and measures of abundance (e.g., density, percent cover) of the nearshore subtidal (3-17 m depth) benthic community (vegetation, invertebrates, and fish) collected before (2008-2011) and during dam removal (2012-2014).
Forest harvest patterns on private lands in the Cascade Mountains, Washington, USA
To investigate the rates, causes, and spatial and temporal patterns of forest harvest on private tracts throughout the Cascade Mountains, we relied on a new generation of annual land-use/land-cover (LULC) products created from the application of the Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) algorithm to Landsat satellite imagery collected from 1985 to 2014.
Helium as a tracer for fluids released from Juan de Fuca lithosphere beneath the Cascadia forearc
The ratio between helium isotopes (3He/4He) provides an excellent geochemical tracer for investigating the sources of fluids sampled at the Earth's surface. 3He/4He values observed in 25 mineral springs and wells above the Cascadia forearc document a significant component of mantle-derived helium above Juan de Fuca lithosphere, as well as...
McCrory, Patricia A.; Constantz, James E.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Blair, James Luke
Survival of juvenile chinook salmon and coho salmon in the Roza Dam fish bypass and in downstream reaches of the Yakima River, Washington, 2016
Estimates of juvenile salmon survival are important data for fishery managers in the Yakima River Basin. Radiotelemetry studies during 2012–14 showed that tagged juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) that passed through the fish bypass at Roza Dam had lower survival than fish that passed through other routes at the dam. That study...
Kock, Tobias J.; Perry, Russell W.; Hansen, Amy C. Recovery of sockeye salmon in the Elwha River, Washington, after dam removal: Dependence of smolt production on the resumption of anadromy by landlocked kokanee
Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. are adept at colonizing habitat that has been reopened to anadromous passage. Sockeye Salmon O. nerka are unique in that most populations require lakes to fulfill their life history. Thus, for Sockeye Salmon to colonize a system, projects like dam removals must provide access to lakes. However, if the lakes contain...
Hansen, Adam G.; Gardner, Jennifer R.; Beauchamp, David A.; Paradis, Rebecca; Quinn, Thomas P. Trophic feasibility of reintroducing anadromous salmonids in three reservoirs on the north fork Lewis River, Washington: Prey supply and consumption demand of resident fishes
The reintroduction of anadromous salmonids in reservoirs is being proposed with increasing frequency, requiring baseline studies to evaluate feasibility and estimate the capacity of reservoir food webs to support reintroduced populations. Using three reservoirs on the north fork Lewis River as a case study, we demonstrate a method to determine...
Sorel, Mark H.; Hansen, Adam G.; Connelly, Kristin A.; Beauchamp, David A. Seismic imaging beneath an InSAR anomaly in eastern Washington State: Shallow faulting associated with an earthquake swarm in a low-hazard area
In 2001, a rare swarm of small, shallow earthquakes beneath the city of Spokane, Washington, caused ground shaking as well as audible booms over a five‐month period. Subsequent Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data analysis revealed an area of surface uplift in the vicinity of the earthquake swarm. To investigate the potential...
Stephenson, William J.; Odum, Jackson K.; Wicks, Charles W.; Pratt, Thomas L.; Blakely, Richard J.
Behavior and movements of adult spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Chehalis River Basin, southwestern Washington, 2015
Recent interest in flood control and restoration strategies in the Chehalis River Basin has increased the need to understand the current status and ecology of spring Chinook salmon. Based on the extended period between freshwater entry and spawn timing, spring Chinook salmon have the longest exposure of all adult Chinook salmon life histories to...
Liedtke, Theresa L.; Zimmerman, Mara S.; Tomka, Ryan G.; Holt, Curt; Jennings, Lyle
Behavior patterns and fates of adult steelhead, Chinook salmon, and coho salmon released into the upper Cowlitz River Basin, 2005–09 and 2012, Washington
A multiyear radiotelemetry evaluation was conducted to monitor adult steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and coho salmon (O. kisutch) behavior and movement patterns in the upper Cowlitz River Basin. Volitional passage to this area was eliminated by dam construction in the mid-1960s, and a reintroduction program began...
Kock, Tobias J.; Ekstrom, Brian K.; Liedtke, Theresa L.; Serl, John D.; Kohn, Mike
Assessing landslide potential on coastal bluffs near Mukilteo, Washington—Geologic site characterization for hydrologic monitoring
During the summer 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey collected geologic and geotechnical data for two sites on coastal bluffs along the eastern shore of Puget Sound, Washington. The U.S. Geological Survey also installed hydrologic instrumentation at the sites and collected specimens for laboratory testing. The two sites are located on City of...
Mirus, Benjamin B.; Smith, Joel B.; Benjamin Stark; York Lewis; Abigail Michel; Baum, Rex L. Slab melting and magma formation beneath the southern Cascade arc
The processes that drive magma formation beneath the Cascade arc and other warm-slab subduction zones have been debated because young oceanic crust is predicted to largely dehydrate beneath the forearc during subduction. In addition, geochemical variability along strike in the Cascades has led to contrasting interpretations about the role of...
Walowski, Kristina J.; Wallace, Paul J.; Clynne, Michael A.; Rasmussen, D.J.; Weis, D. Pedestrian flow-path modeling to support tsunami evacuation and disaster relief planning in the U.S. Pacific Northwest
Successful evacuations are critical to saving lives from future tsunamis. Pedestrian-evacuation modeling related to tsunami hazards primarily has focused on identifying areas and the number of people in these areas where successful evacuations are unlikely. Less attention has been paid to identifying evacuation pathways and population demand at...
Wood, Nathan J.; Jones, Jeanne M.; Schmidtlein, Mathew; Schelling, John; Frazier, T.
Historical files from Federal Government mineral exploration-assistance programs, 1950 to 1974
The Defense Minerals Administration (DMA), Defense Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA), and Office of Minerals Exploration (OME) mineral exploration programs were active over the period 1950–1974. Under these programs, the Federal Government contributed financial assistance in the exploration for certain strategic and critical minerals. The...
Frank, David G. Angler harvest, hatchery return, and tributary stray rates of recycled adult summer steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss in the Cowlitz River, Washington
Hatchery ‘recycling’ programs have been used to increase angling opportunities by re-releasing fish into a river after they returned to a hatchery or fish trap. Recycling is intended to increase opportunities for fishermen, but this strategy could affect wild fish populations if some recycled fish remain in the river and interact with...
Kock, Tobias J.; Perry, Russell W.; Gleizes, Chris; Dammers, Wolf; Liedtke, Theresa L.
Whidbey Island video camera dark image
Dark image: the darkest pixel values throughout the video, useful for tracking sediment plumes, tracking floating debris, and filtering out breaking waves.
Whidbey Island video camera bright image
Bright image: the brightest pixel values throughout the video, useful for identifying the position of maximum wave run-up on the beach, position of all breaking waves, and sea-state.
Bald Eagle in Washington
I spy with my little (eagle-) eye . . .
After a successful beach survey and installation of remote-sensing cameras on a nearby island, scientists Shawn Harrison and Andrew Stevens spotted this bald eagle near the mouth of the Skagit River, Washington.
Mount St. Helens erupted 38 years ago, May 18, 1980
Mount St. Helens erupted 38 years ago, May 18, 1980
WFRC nPCR test for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum
Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) for the detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum. Agarose gel electrophoresis is used for size separation and visualization of amplified DNA sequences.
WFRC nPCR test for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum
Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) for the detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum. Following two rounds of PCR amplification, samples are pipetted into an agarose gel for electrophoresis.
Earthquake Alerts: Early and Often? Or Possibly Late?
The choice when issuing earthquake warnings is to: 1) issue alerts for weak shaking and potentially provide long warning times, but risk sending alerts for the many events that do not go on to produce damaging ground shaking, or 2) issue alerts only when ground shaking is expected to be damaging, with the tradeoff that the alert will be sent much later, reducing the
...
Elwha River mouth
Orthophoto of the mouth of the Elwha River in Washington. The orthophoto was compiled from images collected with a Ricoh GR camera operating at 2-second intervals and mounted on a Cessna 172 piloted by Rite Bros. Aviation. Images were processed by Andy Ritchie (USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center) using structure-from-motion techniques.
Former Elwha Dam and Lake Aldwell post dam removal
Orthophoto (GigaPan) of the former Elwha Dam and former Lake Aldwell, on the Elwha River, Washington, compiled from ultra high-resolution images collected with a Ricoh GR camera operating at 2-second intervals, mounted on a Cessna 172 piloted by Rite Bros. Aviation and processed using Structure-from-Motion techniques. The dam removal project was completed in 2012 as part
...
Glines Canyon Dam and Lake Mills post dam removal
Orthophoto (GigaPan) of the former Glines Canyon Dam and former Lake Mills, on the Elwha River, Washington, compiled from ultra high-resolution images collected with a Ricoh GR camera operating at 2-second intervals, mounted on a Cessna 172 piloted by Rite Bros. Aviation and processed using Structure-from-Motion techniques. The dam removal project was completed in 2014 as
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TACOMA, Wash. — The U.S. Geological Survey recently published the results of a new five-year suspended-sediment and water temperature study from the Sauk River. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the magnitude and timing of suspended sediment from the Sauk River and its tributaries to the Skagit River.
Conducting Risk Assessments for the Reintroduction of Salmon in the Upper Columbia River
Science to Support Salmon Recovery Efforts in the Puget Sound
A growing number of wildfire-burned areas throughout the western United States are expected to increase soil erosion rates within watersheds, causing more sediment to be present in downstream rivers and reservoirs, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.
A carbonatite here, a glacial moraine there, a zig-zagging fault or two, even a behemoth of a batholith. The geology of the 50 States is an enormous patchwork of varied forms, beautiful in their variance but challenging to present as a single map.
The U.S. Geological Survey awarded approximately $4.9 million this week to six universities and a university-governed non-profit, to support transitioning the west coast “ShakeAlert” earthquake early warning system into a production system.
MEDIA ADVISORY
Twenty-five middle-school girls from 11 cities in Washington and Oregon are participating in the third annual “GeoGirls” outdoor volcano science program at Mount St. Helens, jointly organized by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Mount St. Helens Institute.
In Memoriam - Dr. William "Dave" Woodson, 1956-2017
Dr. Diane Elliott Retires After Long Distinguished Career
Exploring the Role of Non-Native American Shad in the Columbia River Basin
For the Swinomish people of northwestern Washington, water is life. But this symbiotic relationship between man and nature has been disrupted, and increasingly threatened, by sea-level rise and changes in Northwestern storm and rainfall patterns.
Today, in 1980, Mount St. Helens unleashed the most devastating eruption in U.S. history. Two years later, USGS founded the Cascades Volcano Observatory to monitor Mount St. Helens and all the Cascades Volcanoes.
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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
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