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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New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) - CRRL
Species Studied
New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) - CRRL
Species Studied
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) - CRRL
Species Studied
Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Asian Carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) - CRRL
Species Studied
Asian Carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.)
American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) - CRRL
Species Studied
American Shad (Alosa sapidissima)
Amur Goby (Rhinogobius brunneus) - CRRL
Species Studied
Amur Goby (Rhinogobius brunneus)
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
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
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
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.
Groundwater data for Washington
Data from wells, springs, test holes, tunnels, drains, and excavations in Washington; well location data includes information such as latitude and longitude, well depth, and aquifer. Groundwater level data are collected and stored as either discrete field-water-level measurements or as continuous time-series data from automated recorders.
Water-quality data for Washington
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 for Washington
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.
National Water Information System web interface (NWISweb)
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.
NWIS Mapper
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.
Ecological parameters in the Elwha River estuary before and during dam removal
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.
USGS StreamStats for Washington
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.
Oceanographic measurements and hydrodynamic modeling of the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2013
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.
Multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data collected in 2016 for Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, Washington
In February 2016, the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, in cooperation with North Carolina State University and the National Park Service, collected multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data in Lake Crescent located in Olympic National Park. These data were collected to support geologic hazard studies within the lake including mapping submarine landslides and faulting...
Salmon and steelhead in the White Salmon River after the removal of Condit Dam–Planning efforts and recolonization results
Condit Dam, at river kilometer 5.3 on the White Salmon River, Washington, was breached in 2011 and completely removed in 2012. This action opened habitat to migratory fish for the first time in 100 years. The White Salmon Working Group was formed to create plans for fish salvage in preparation for fish recolonization and to prescribe the actions...
Allen, Brady; Engle, Rod O; Zendt, Joseph S; Shrier, Frank C; Wilson, Jeremy T; Connolly, Patrick J. Relationships between diatoms and tidal environments in Oregon and Washington, USA
A new regional dataset comprising 425 intertidal diatom taxa from 175 samples from 11 ecologically diverse Oregon and Washington estuaries illustrates the importance of compiling a large modern dataset from a range of sites. Cluster analyses and detrended correspondence analysis of the diatom assemblages identify distinct vertical zones within...
Sawai, Yuki; Horton, Benjamin P.; Kemp, Andrew C.; Hawkes, Andrea D.; Nagumo, Tamostsu; Nelson, Alan R.
Effects of experimental removal of barred owls on population demography of northern spotted owls in Washington and Oregon—2015 progress report
Evidence indicates that competition with newly established barred owls (Strix varia) is causing rapid declines in populations of northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina), and that the longterm persistence of spotted owls may be in question without additional management intervention. A pilot study in California showed that lethal removal...
Wiens, J. David; Dugger, Katie M.; Lewicki, Krista E.; Simon, David C.
Geologic map of the Sauvie Island quadrangle, Multnomah and Columbia Counties, Oregon, and Clark County, Washington
Introduction The Sauvie Island 7.5' quadrangle is situated in the Puget-Willamette Lowland northwest of downtown Portland, Oreg. This lowland, which extends from Puget Sound to west-central Oregon, is a complex structural and topographic trough between the Coast Range and the Cascade Range. Since late Eocene time, the Cascade Range has been the...
Evarts, Russell C.; O'Connor, Jim; Cannon, Charles M. High-resolution seismic reflection imaging of growth folding and shallow faults beneath the Southern Puget Lowland, Washington State
Marine seismic reflection data from southern Puget Sound, Washington, were collected to investigate the nature of shallow structures associated with the Tacoma fault zone and the Olympia structure. Growth folding and probable Holocene surface deformation were imaged within the Tacoma fault zone beneath Case and Carr Inlets. Shallow faults near...
Odum, Jackson K.; Stephenson, William J.; Pratt, Thomas L.; Blakely, Richard J. Feeding ecology of non-native Siberian prawns, Palaemon modestus (Heller, 1862) (Decapoda, Palaemonidae), in the lower Snake River, Washington, U.S.A.
We used both stomach content and stable isotope analyses to describe the feeding ecology of Siberian prawns Palaemon modestus (Heller, 1862), a non-native caridean shrimp that is a relatively recent invader of the lower Snake River. Based on identifiable prey in stomachs, the opossum shrimp Neomysis mercedis Holmes, 1896 comprised up to 34-55% (by...
Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Hurst, William Effects of dam removal on Tule Fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat in the White Salmon River, Washington
Condit Dam is one of the largest hydroelectric dams ever removed in the USA. Breached in a single explosive event in October 2011, hundreds-of-thousands of cubic metres of sediment washed down the White Salmon River onto spawning grounds of a threatened species, Columbia River tule fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. We investigated over...
Hatten, James R.; Batt, Thomas R.; Skalicky, Joseph J.; Engle, Rod; Barton, Gary J.; Fosness, Ryan L.; Warren, Joe Collapse risk of buildings in the Pacific Northwest region due to subduction earthquakes
Subduction earthquakes similar to the 2011 Japan and 2010 Chile events will occur in the future in the Cascadia subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest. In this paper, nonlinear dynamic analyses are carried out on 24 buildings designed according to outdated and modern building codes for the cities of Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The...
Raghunandan, Meera; Liel, Abbie B.; Luco, Nicolas Kelp, cobbles, and currents: Biologic reduction of coarse grain entrainment stress
Models quantifying the onset of sediment motion do not typically account for the effect of biotic processes because they are difficult to isolate and quantify in relation to physical processes. Here we investigate an example of the interaction of kelp (Order Laminariales) and coarse sediment transport in the coastal zone, where it is possible to...
Masteller, Claire C; Finnegan, Noah J; Warrick, Jonathan; Miller, Ian M. 2014 Update of the Pacific Northwest portion of the U.S. National Seismic Hazard Maps
Several aspects of the earthquake characterization were changed for the Pacific Northwest portion of the 2014 update of the national seismic hazard maps, reflecting recent scientific findings. New logic trees were developed for the recurrence parameters of M8-9 earthquakes on the Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) and for the eastern edge of their...
Frankel, Arthur; Chen, Rui; Petersen, Mark D.; Moschetti, Morgan P.; Sherrod, Brian Piscine reovirus: Genomic and molecular phylogenetic analysis from farmed and wild salmonids collected on the Canada/US Pacific Coast
Piscine reovirus (PRV) is a double stranded non-enveloped RNA virus detected in farmed and wild salmonids. This study examined the phylogenetic relationships among different PRV sequence types present in samples from salmonids in Western Canada and the US, including Alaska (US), British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State (US). Tissues testing...
Siah, Ahmed; Morrison, Diane B.; Fringuelli, Elena; Savage, Paul S.; Richmond, Zina; Purcell, Maureen K.; Johns, Robert; Johnson, Stewart C.; Sakasida, Sonja M.
Behavior, passage, and downstream migration of juvenile Chinook salmon from Detroit Reservoir to Portland, Oregon, 2014–15
An evaluation was conducted to estimate dam passage survival of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) at Detroit Dam during a period of spill. To estimate dam passage survival, we used a paired-release recapture study design and released groups of tagged fish upstream (997 fish) and downstream (625 fish) of Detroit Dam. A total of 43...
Kock, Tobias J.; Beeman, John W.; Hansen, Amy C.; Hansel, Hal C.; Hansen, Gabriel S.; Hatton, Tyson W.; Kofoot, Eric E.; Sholtis, Matthew D.; Sprando, Jamie M.
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
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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
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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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WFRC Quantitative Culture for Renibacterium salmoninarum Image 2
Spread plate procedure for quantitative culture Renibacterium salmoninarum from fish tissue or ovarian fluid.
Mean annual streamflow permanence probability
Mean Annual Streamflow Permanence Probability
Variability associated with streamflow permanence predictions
Variability associated with streamflow permanence predictions
Middle Elwha River digital elevation model and orthophotomosaic
Digital elevation model (left) and orthomosaic (right) of the middle Elwha River
Listen to Earthquakes
Seismometers record vibrations from a wide assortment of ground motion events. Each event type has a distinctive ground-motion signal with unique frequency and amplitude—its own seismic signature. Seismologists are trained to identify the source of seismic events seen on a webicorder based on its ‘seismic signature’. Although most ground vibrations have a frequency too low
Mount St. Helens as viewed from the ENE.
Mount St. Helens, as viewed from the East-Northeast. The inside of the crater rim is just visible in the upper right of the mountain.
Researcher works at microscope in Histology Lab
Tissue sections are mounted on glass slides, stained and examined with a microscope that magnifies cellular details up to 2,000 times with brightfield or fluorescence imaging. Microscopes are used in our research to understand the pathological changes caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Additionally, microscopic abnormalities due to
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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.
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.
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
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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