Unified Interior Regions
Washington
States L2 Landing Page Tabs
Research - Columbia River Research Laboratory
Investigations cover both basic and applied research aimed at providing scientific information relevant to the needs of federal, tribal, state, and local natural resource managers.
Species Studied - Columbia River Research Laboratory
Fish Species Studied at the Columbia River Research Laboratory
Scientific and Taxonomic Emphases - Columbia River Research Laboratory
Scientific Areas and Taxonomic Groups by Section
About Us - Columbia River Research Laboratory
The CRRL, as part of the Western Fisheries Research Center, conducts research on fishery issues in the Columbia River Basin. Our mission is to:
“Serve the public by providing scientific information to support the stewardship of our Nation’s fish and aquatic resources…by conducting objective, relevant research.”
Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Research - Cooperator Publications
Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Research - Cooperator Publications
Directions - Marrowstone Marine Field Station
Directions from Seattle, WA and SeaTac Airport to the Marrowstone Marine Field Station
Staff Directory - Marrowstone Marine Field Station
Staff at the Marrowstone Marine Field Station, Nordland, WA
Partnerships - Marrowstone Marine Field Station
The disease ecology research program at the USGS - Marrowstone Marine Field Station leverages its unique strengths and capabilities through a robust network of collaborations with scientific partners. This collaborative approach enables us to consolidate the expertise of leading scientists from disparate backgrounds and organizational structures in addressing complex interdisciplinary...
Teaching Resources - Marrowstone Marine Field Station
Parasite collection and teaching slides
Ichthyophonus hoferi - MMFS
Fish Diseases
Ichthyophonus hoferi
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) - MMFS
Fish Diseases
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV)
Erythrocytic Necrosis Virus (ENV) - MMFS
Fish Diseases
Erythrocytic Necrosis Virus (ENV)
Chemical, physical, and biological properties of water, sediment, and tissue samples from Washington. Water-quality data are collected as either discrete field measurements or as continuous time-series data from automated recorders that continuously record physical and chemical characteristics including pH, specific conductance, temperature, and dissolved oxygen.
Water-use data is collected by area type (state, county, watershed, or aquifer) and source (such as rivers or groundwater), and category (such as public supply or irrigation). Water-use data has been reported every five years since 1985. The USGS works in cooperation with local, State, and Federal agencies as well as academic and private organizations to collect and report withdrawals.
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
This mapper provides access to over 1.5 million sites contained in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), including sites where surface-water, groundwater, springs, and atmospheric data has been collected.
StreamStats is a Web application that incorporates a Geographic Information System (GIS) to provide users with access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for a variety of water-resources planning and management purposes, and for engineering and design purposes.
experiment to investigate the hydrodynamics of the mouth of the Columbia River (MCR). The field experiment consisted of the collection of continuous oceanographic data at three moorings, shipboard surveys and Lagrangian drifter deployments to characterize spatial variability in hydrodynamics and water properties, and hydrographic surveys to characterize seafloor morphology in the MCR.
The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams were removed from the Elwha River in Washington State from 2011 to 2014. We collected data for a variety of metrics in the estuary and on the river delta before (2006-2011) and during (2012-2014) dam removal to assess how increased sediment transport and deposition affected habitats, vegetation, invertebrates, and fish.
Mineral groups identified through automated analysis of remote sensing data acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) were used to generate a map showing the type and spatial distribution of hydrothermal alteration, other exposed mineral groups, and green vegetation across the northwestern conterminous United States. Boolean algebra was used to
Monthly water level network map
Time-series data of velocity, pressure, turbidity, conductivity, and temperature were collected near the mouth of the Elwha River, Washington, USA, from December 2010 through October 2014, for the Department of Interior’s Elwha River Restoration project. As part of this project, the U.S. Geological Survey studied the effects of renewed sediment supplies on the
Physical and chemical changes affect the biota within urban streams at varying scales ranging from individual organisms to populations and communities creating complex interactions that present challenges for characterizing and monitoring the impact on species utilizing these freshwater habitats. Salmonids, specifically cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus
This part of the data release presents topography data from the Elwha River delta collected in April 2014. Topography data were collected on foot with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers mounted on backpacks.
In-reservoir behavior, dam passage, and downstream migration of juvenile Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead from Detroit Reservoir and Dam to Portland, Oregon, February 2013-February 2014
In the second year of 2 years of study, the movements of juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and juvenile summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) through Detroit Reservoir, passing Detroit Dam, and migrating downstream to Portland, Oregon, were studied during a 1-year-long period beginning in February 2013. The primary purpose...
Beeman, John W.; Adams, Noah S.
Salmon habitat assessment for conservation planning in the lower White Salmon River, Washington
In 2011, Condit Dam was removed from the White Salmon River, Washington. Since dam removal, there has been interest among scientists (State and Federal), Tribes, non-profit organizations, and the general public in assessing Pacific salmon habitat and use in the White Salmon River for conservation planning and potential fishery management actions....
Hardiman, Jill M.; Allen, M. Brady
Wind River subbasin restoration: Annual report of U.S. Geological Survey activities January 2014 through December 2014
Executive Summary The Wind River subbasin in southwest Washington State provides habitat for a population of wild Lower Columbia River steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. No hatchery steelhead have been planted in the Wind River subbasin since 1994, and hatchery adults are estimated to be...
Jezorek, Ian G.; Connolly, Patrick J.
Evaluation of two juvenile salmon collection devices at Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, 2014
Collection of juvenile salmon at Cowlitz Falls Dam is a critical part of the effort to restore salmon in the upper Cowlitz River, Washington. Many of the fish that are not collected pass downstream and enter Riffe Lake, become landlocked, and are lost to the anadromous population. In addition to this loss, the juvenile fish collection system at...
Kock, Tobias J.; Liedtke, Theresa L.; Ekstrom, Brian K.; Hurst, William
Estimated freshwater withdrawals in Washington, 2010
Every 5 years since 1950, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled data on the amount of water used in homes, businesses, industries, and farms throughout the State. This water-use data, combined with other related USGS information, has facilitated a unique understanding of the effects of human activity on the State’s water resources....
Lane, Ron C.; Welch, Wendy B. Hydroclimatic conditions preceding the March 2014 Oso landslide
The 22 March 2014 Oso landslide was one of the deadliest in U.S. history, resulting in 43 fatalities and the destruction of more than 40 structures. We examine synoptic conditions, precipitation records and soil moisture reconstructions in the days, months, and years preceding the landslide. Atmospheric reanalysis shows a period of enhanced...
Henn, Brian; Cao, Qian; Lettenmaier, Dennis P.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Mass, Clifford; Bower, J. Brent; St. Laurent, Michael; Mao, Yixin; Perica, Sanja Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: river channel and floodplain geomorphic change
A substantial increase in fluvial sediment supply relative to transport capacity causes complex, large-magnitude changes in river and floodplain morphology downstream. Although sedimentary and geomorphic responses to sediment pulses are a fundamental part of landscape evolution, few opportunities exist to quantify those processes over field scales...
East, Amy E.; Pess, George R.; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Logan, Joshua B.; Randle, Timothy J.; Mastin, Mark C.; Minear, Justin T.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Liermann, Martin C.; McHenry, Michael L.; Beechie, Timothy J.; Shafroth, Patrick B. Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: fluvial sediment load
The Elwha River restoration project, in Washington State, includes the largest dam-removal project in United States history to date. Starting September 2011, two nearly century-old dams that collectively contained 21 ± 3 million m3 of sediment were removed over the course of three years with a top-down...
Magirl, Christopher S.; Hilldale, Robert C.; Curran, Christopher A.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Straub, Timothy D.; Domanski, Marian M.; Foreman, James R. Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: source-to-sink sediment budget and synthesis
Understanding landscape responses to sediment supply changes constitutes a fundamental part of many problems in geomorphology, but opportunities to study such processes at field scales are rare. The phased removal of two large dams on the Elwha River, Washington, exposed 21 ± 3 million m3, or ~ 30 million ...
Warrick, Jonathan A.; Bountry, Jennifer A.; East, Amy E.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Randle, Timothy J.; Gelfenbaum, Guy R.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Pess, George R.; Leung, Vivian; Duda, Jeff J. Biotic and abiotic influences on abundance and distribution of nonnative Chinook salmon and native ESA-listed steelhead in the Wind River, Washington
Biotic and abiotic factors influence fish populations and distributions. Concerns have been raised about the influence of hatchery fish on wild populations. Carson National Fish Hatchery produces spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Wind River, Washington, and some spawn in the river. Managers were concerned that Chinook salmon...
Jezorek, Ian G.; Connolly, Patrick J. Kinematics of shallow backthrusts in the Seattle fault zone, Washington State
Near-surface thrust fault splays and antithetic backthrusts at the tips of major thrust fault systems can distribute slip across multiple shallow fault strands, complicating earthquake hazard analyses based on studies of surface faulting. The shallow expression of the fault strands forming the Seattle fault zone of Washington State shows the...
Pratt, Thomas L.; Troost, K.G.; Odum, Jackson K.; Stephenson, William J. Thin‐ or thick‐skinned faulting in the Yakima fold and thrust belt (WA)? Constraints from kinematic modeling of the saddle mountains anticline
The Yakima fold and thrust belt (YFTB) deforms the Columbia River Basalt Group flows of Washington State. The YFTB fault geometries and slip rates are crucial parameters for seismic‐hazard assessments of nearby dams and nuclear facilities, yet there are competing models for the subsurface fault geometry involving shallowly rooted versus deeply...
Casale, Gabriele; Pratt, Thomas L.
F1 West Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: F1 West Transect; Depth: 6.7 Meters (22.0 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 1.3 Kilometers (0.8 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.15292999, -123.55078602; Site Description: This is a shallow site. Substrate remains predominantly sand. Larger brown seaweeds were present. These species are usually attached to gravel-
...
F2 East Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: F2 East Transect; Depth: 11.2 Meters (36.9 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 1.5 Kilometers (0.9 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.15672004,-123.54969397; Site Description: Substrate is mainly a gravel/cobble mixture with an occasional boulder. Seven species of brown seaweed were present. Seaweed was abundant but not
...
Temporary seismometers deployed at Mount St. Helens.
Between August 19-22, 2017, 140 seismometers were deployed around Mount St. Helens. Instruments were placed on top of the 2004-2008 lava dome, the 1980-86 lava dome, the 1980 crater floor, and around the volcanic cone. The goal of the month-long deployment was to capture small magnitude volcanic earthquakes and learn more about the shallow plumbing system beneath the
...
J1 East Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: J1 East Transect; Depth: 9.1 Meters (29.8 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 6.7 Kilometers (4.1 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.13607725,-123.47935008; Site Description: This site is medium depth. Substrate is mainly a gravel/sand mixture. Visibility was poor this day. Both red (0:51 seconds) and brown seaweed
...
J1 West Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: J1 West Transect; Depth: 9.2 Meters (30.2 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 6.6 Kilometers (4.1 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.13607725,-123.48002186; Site Description: This site is medium depth. Substrate is mainly a gravel/sand mixture. Visibility was poor this day. Both red (0:48, 1:25 seconds) and brown seaweed
...
Mount St. Helens, as viewed from the Castle Lake Overlook.
Mount St. Helens, as viewed from the Castle Lake Overlook.
4SP1 East Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: 4SP1 - East Transect; Depth: 5.5 Meters (18.1 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 0.8 Kilometers (0.5 Miles) East; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.15257, -123.556704; Site Description: The site has converted from gravel/cobble substrate to all sand. Since 2013, seaweed has been completely absent. However, this year three species
...
4SP1 West Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: 4SP1 - West Transect; Depth: 6.2 Meters (20.2 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 0.8 Kilometers (0.5 Miles) East; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.15257, -123.557376; Site Description: This site has converted from gravel/cobble substrate to all sand. Since 2013, seaweed has been completely absent. However, this year six species of
...
C2 East Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: C2 East Transect; Depth: 15.1 Meters (49.7 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 0.7 Kilometers (0.4 Miles); Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 years post-dam removal; Lat/Long: 48.147841,-123.57596074; Site Description: One of our deepest sites. Substrate is all muddy sand. Both brown and red seaweeds are absent except for one acid kelp Desmarestia (0:38 seconds). Two
...
C2 West Transect – 2017
Permanent Site: C2 West Transect; Depth: 15.3 Meters (50.3 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 0.7 Kilometers (0.5 Miles); Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 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. Woody debris is present (1:18 seconds). The featherduster tubeworms that were
...
GP2 East Transect – 2017
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: 6 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
...
GP2 West Transect – 2017
Permanent Control Site: GP2 West Transect; Depth: 12.7 Meters (41.6 Feet); Distance from river mouth: 18.8 Kilometers (11.6 Miles) east; Pre/Post Dam Removal: 6 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. This year red
...
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.
Dr. Jim Winton Retires After Long Distinguished Career
May is Volcano Preparedness Month in Washington, providing residents an opportunity to become more familiar with volcano hazards in their communities and learn about steps they can take to reduce potential impacts.
Understanding the Effects of Temperature on Diseases in Fish
The U.S. Geological Survey along with university, state and private-sector partners will highlight the rollout of Version 1.2 of the USGS ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system on April 10, 2017.
Early Detection Monitoring May Not Be Sufficient for Invasive Mussels in the Columbia River Basin
In Memoriam — William Toshio Yasutake, 1922–2016
Atmospheric rivers are a global weather phenomenon that can bring large amounts of rain or snow to the U.S. West Coast each year. These rivers of wet air form over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaiʻi and pick up large amounts of moisture from the tropics and on their way to the West Coast. This moisture is carried in narrow bands across the Pacific Ocean to California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.
The U.S. Geological Survey published a new report highlighting a portable continuous-flow centrifuge which aims to save time and money on contaminant analysis of particles suspended in water samples.
Olfactory Cues Provide Insight into Lamprey Behavior and Physiology
The collaborative work of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to restore the Elwha River of Washington, USA, was recognized as a world-renowned restoration project during the awarding of the 2016 Thiess International Riverprize.
Social Media
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