Many freshwater ecosystems are sustained by a continuous supply of clean groundwater. For example, groundwater may provide late season baseflow to rivers or a sustained high water table in wetlands. These ecosystems, termed GDEs, often are affected by management activities that reduce, interrupt, or contaminate their groundwater supply, including groundwater...
The City of Florence, local stakeholders, and partner agencies recently formed the Siuslaw Estuary Partnership (SEP) to address threats to drinking water quality and fish and wildlife habitat in the lower Siuslaw watershed. The Sole Source Dunal Aquifer within the lower Siuslaw watershed, which supplies the City ’s drinking water,...
The study area lies north-northeast of Crater Lake National Park and is covered by 2 to 3 m of pumice deposited during the climactic eruption of Mount Mazama approximately 7700 years before present. The pumice deposit hosts unconfined, seasonally connected, perched aquifers that support groundwater dependent ecosystems at points of...
The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) and the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) forged between Klamath River Basin stakeholder groups in California and Oregon, when successfully implemented, will lead to the largest dam removal project in history. After a decade of intense legal and social conflict among disparate interests in...
Over the last decade hydrologic monitoring efforts in the Upper Klamath Basin (UKB) of Oregon have increased in response to the continued strain on surface water and groundwater to meet competing biological and agricultural demands. The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) increased its stream gaging network from three to ten...
Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) aquifers are commonly thought to be relatively flat lying, laterally extensive, and mostly confined, and therefore not likely to be directly connected to surface water. However, many of the CRBG units in south-central Washington and north-central Oregon were deposited within evolving synclinal structures of the...
Climate change will continue to profoundly affect water supply and aquatic ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. Changes such as warmer air temperatures, increases in the proportion of winter rain versus snow, reduced spring snowpack, and earlier snowmelt all affect streamflow. The response to these climate impacts includes earlier runoff peaks,...
Spatial patterns of summer streamflow in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon vary dramatically between the geologically distinct High and Western Cascade regions. A key control is the partitioning of water input between a fast-draining shallow subsurface flow network (Western Cascades) versus a slow-draining deeper groundwater system (High Cascades). These differences...
Numerous sources of water resource data for Oregon can be found if one knows where to look. Traditional providers such as the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) have made great strides in recent years to make historical and...
The Klamath Basin is rich in history, culture, and biological diversity. Upper Klamath Lake is fed primarily by the Williamson and Sprague rivers. Below the lake’s outlet, the Klamath River begins a 263 mile journey, cutting through both the Cascade and Coast mountain ranges to the Pacific Ocean. The Basin...
Chiloquin Dam, located on the Sprague River in southern Oregon, was removed in August of 2008. The processing of the sediment stored behind the dam (composed primarily of sand and fines) and the resulting bedform changes have been examined using repeat cross section surveys, yearly bathymetric surveys, and surface sediment...
Oregon’s stream gaging network was last evaluated in 1970 by the U.S. Geological Survey. Water management and scientific-related needs have changed significantly since 1970, including the recognition of instream water rights and implications of climate change on water resources. The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) has recently undertaken an evaluation...
Climate change due to global warming could induce more frequent droughts in the Willamette River Basin because less snowfall in winter and earlier snowmelt due to temperature increase may lead to decreases in spring and summer streamflow. This study examines possible changes in drought risk using two drought indices, Standardized...
In an effort to reduce suspended solids and organic carbon loading and to increase long-term groundwater recharge rates at Orange County Water District’s spreading basins, a pilot project was conducted to evaluate riverbed filtration as a technology to treat river water prior to groundwater recharge. A shallow under-channel lateral drain...
The Joint Water Commission (JWC) in Forest Grove, Oregon completed a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory of all the direct and indirect emissions associated with the daily operations of its 75 MGD conventional water treatment plant. Currently, very few water and wastewater facilities have completed a greenhouse gas inventory to date....
In 2008 the U.S. Geological Survey began a Global Change study that evaluated the watershed scale response to climate change in selected basins across the United States. Fourteen basins for which the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) had been calibrated and evaluated were selected as study sites. PRMS is a...
Climate changes. That’s what climate does. It is a natural and dynamic process. The National Weather Service (NWS) recognizes on-going climate change by publishing new figures for average climate every ten years. Climate averages for precipitation, temperature, and other weather parameters are computed on a 30 year basis but only...
Drought events are usually characterized by their duration, severity, and intensity which are calculated based on different indices for drought recognition. Streamflow Drought Index (SDI) used in hydrological droughts is applied in this study to calculate drought variables of historical events in Upper Klamath River basin in Oregon. Historical extreme...
Effects of climate change in the Cascade Range will likely include more rain, less snow, and earlier snowmelt in the Cascade Range as compared to present conditions. These changes, in turn, will affect the timing of runoff, groundwater recharge, and groundwater discharge to spring-fed streams. This hydrologic response needs to...
As part of a larger study to examine the effect of climate change (CC) on estuarine resources, we simulated the effect of rising sea level, alterations in river discharge, and increasing atmospheric temperatures on water quality in the Yaquina Estuary. Due to uncertainty in the effects of climate change, initial...
The specter of climate change looms large over Oregon. Although hydroclimatologic models predict a warmer Oregon, the total volume of precipitation may not change significantly. However, the character (rain vs. snow) and spatial and temporal distributions of precipitation will likely change. The state is already witnessing earlier snowmelt in the...
During 2009, the 75th Legislative Assembly passed House Bill 3369, directing the Oregon Water Resources Department to develop a state-wide, Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) to help Oregon meet its future water quantity, water quality, and ecosystem needs, while taking into account coming pressures such as population growth, changing land...
In order to efficiently reduce toxic loading to the Columbia River basin, sources and pathways need to be identified. Little is known about the toxic loadings coming from wastewater-treatment facilities and stormwater runoff in the system. This study provides preliminary data on these sources and pathways throughout the basin. The...
A key challenge for resource and landscape managers is to predict the consequences of climate warming on streamflows and water resources. Different approaches are being developed to forecast the direction, magnitude, and timing of future streamflow changes in specific landscapes. One approach that is being utilized in the Pacific Northwest...
Water related ecosystem services (WES), such as flow regulation, drinking water supply, temperature regulation, and water recreational activities, are affected by anthropogenic climate change. Forecasting potential shifts in such WES is critical to identifying the form and magnitude of likely impacts. We quantified the levels and values of WES under...
Across Oregon and other PNW states thousands of miles of rivers, streams and adjacent wetlands are chronically de-watered as a result of over-appropriated water rights. In Montana alone, chronic or periodic de-watering occurs in over 4,000 miles of streams across 381 different river or stream systems. The ecological harm resulting...
The Wolf Creek Restoration and Monitoring project is a large-scale restoration project that treated over 10 miles of stream with 900 logs and 3700 boulders over a two year period. Wolf Creek is a tributary to the Umpqua River west of Roseburg, Oregon. This presentation, designed for those involved in...
With the convergence of several economic, social, and environmental factors, dam removal has emerged as a feasible river management option. The Rogue River, located in southwest Oregon, is one of the few river basins in the United States to remove a number of large dams in quick succession. This paper...
While the negative effects of urban development on freshwater systems are well documented, impacts of human disturbance on water quality vary depending on land cover, local climate, and temporal and spatial scales of analysis. To better understand this variation, we analyzed water quality data for a total of 15 sites...
The USGS SPARROW model (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) was used to predict the long-term, average loads, yields, and concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus for stream reaches located in the Pacific Northwest (the Columbia basin, Puget Sound basin, and Pacific drainages of Oregon and Washington), and to...
Peak discharge estimates are fundamental in the design of hydraulic structures, embankment protection, and stream restoration efforts, as well as flood risk analysis. Historic stream gage records are commonly used in the development of peak discharge estimates for a particular watershed. Use of an entire stream gage record assumes hydrologic...
WEST Consultants, Inc. (WEST) worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) to enhance the flood forecasting capability and management strategies for the Willamette Basin. Specifically, WEST was contracted by the HEC to modify the existing HEC-ResSim model of the Willamette Basin. Reservoir operation schemes...
After three decades of active research in hydrology and stream ecology, the connection between solute transport, stream metabolism and nutrient dynamics is still unresolved. This existing gap obscures the functionality of stream ecosystems and how they interact with other landscape processes. To date, determining rates of metabolism is accomplished with...
The western slope of the Oregon Cascades receives up to 3500 mm of precipitation annually, with a majority falling between the months of November-March. In this maritime climate, the partitioning of precipitation between rain and snow is highly sensitive to temperature. Climate models generally agree that winter temperatures in the...
The Metolius River basin is a sub-basin of the Deschutes Basin within central Oregon. Considered one of the crown jewels of the state, this historically undisturbed basin drew attention in 2009 because the Oregon legislature designated the basin as the first Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC) under the state’s...
Human adaptation to change is an essential determinant in the resilience of complex social-ecological systems. In the field of water policy and management it has become increasingly clear that traditional government actors cannot fully address emerging water problems at every scale given a demonstrated lack of resources, increasing variability in...
An interdisciplinary study, USGS Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization (ConHab) project, is underway to investigate transport pathways, chemical fate and effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in aquatic media and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River. Polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and...
The Columbia River Treaty has been in effect for over 45 years, but its future is uncertain. Starting in 2014, Canada and the United States will have the opportunity to announce ten years’ notice for termination of the current arrangement. As this artificial deadline approaches, stakeholders are working to determine...
Conventional monitoring to assess water quality of drinking water sources in streams and rivers is typically focused on identifying primary sources and conditions that are associated with mobilization of contaminants. This approach is often organized as a series of discrete samples collected in such a way as to capture the...
In 2008 the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) initiated a program to monitor Oregon’s surface waters and aquatic biota for the presence of pollutants that pose risks to human and/or environmental health. ODEQ’s Toxics Monitoring Program was first implemented in the Willamette River Basin (WRB) between 2008 and 2010....
The presentation discusses the economic value of Ensemble Streamflow Predictions (ESP) streamflow and energy price forecasts in the operation of the Jackson Hydropower Project in western Washington. A decision support system (DSS) was constructed for this multipurpose reservoir system for the evaluation of operational alternatives and improvement of operational procedures....
Oregon is perceived as a water rich state; however, as the 2001 Klamath Basin crisis demonstrated, Oregon is not immune to water conflict and problems. Due to its seasonal fluctuations in water availability and geographical variation, Oregon can be considered a water scarce state, with the majority of surface water...
The City of Damascus, Oregon has a current population of nearly 10,000 people and expects to grow to 50,000 residents by 2060. On the eastern edge of the Portland metropolitan area, the City is located in the Clackamas and Willamette basins with an area of almost 12,000 acres. Semi-rural in...
The elected County Commissioner-led Benton-Lane-Linn Water Resources Study Group evolved in early 2009 to help counties, their partners, and area residents understand, pursue projects and offer recommendations to governing bodies concerning the region’s water quality and quantity. The Study Group is building on 2009-2010 successes including community engagement to support...
River flooding is a recurrent threat and its control and management continues to be a challenge. It has been recognized that effective flooding control requires a real-time strategy that combines optimization with a physically-based simulation model. Current real-time frameworks that combine simulation and optimization have two main drawbacks. The first...
The McKenzie River serves as the sole source of drinking water for nearly 200,000 residents in Eugene, OR. The McKenzie River is also home to a number of threatened and endangered fish species. Whereas the majority of the upper watershed is forested, areas of rural development and agriculture occur along...
Oregon’s largest metropolitan region, Greater Portland, is home to a diverse array of water utilities though few have sufficiently robust water reuse and conservation goals. In determining the most beneficial way to allocate water-related public goods and natural resource management services, Oregonians are adapting to stronger legal standards among other...