Revised January 1996. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Poor quality water or an inadequate supply of water can take the pleasure from country living. Problems with quantity or quality of domestic water occur all over Oregon.
We describe concepts, rationale, and analytical procedures for characterizing physical habitat in wadeable streams based on raw data generated from methods similar or equal to those of Kaufmann and Robison (in PB99-139156). We provide guidance for calculating measures or indices of stream size and gradient, sinuosity, substrate size and stability,...
Published October 1992. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Contamination of drinking water occurs despite strict regulations, yet few studies
have been conducted to assess the public's perception of risk about drinking water.
The purpose of this study was to assess risk perception associated with drinking water
supplied by small water systems and to determine alternative measures that people...
This dissertation consists of three papers on land use economics and regulation. The first paper focuses on the environmental impacts of land use and their implications for the design on water quality trading policies. The second and third papers address local land use regulations and their impact on land values...
The Western Lake Survey (WLS) of 1985 documented the status of lake water chemistry across the western US and inferred population representations of various subregions and geomorphic units via statistically analyses. Results from this 1985 study indicated that lakes of the Oregon Cascades had the second most pristine and dilute...
Physical, chemical and bacterial water quality parameters of
the upper Wallowa River were sampled periodically between July 2,
1978 and June 9, 1979 at nine stream and lake sampling sites. Water
upstream from Wallowa Lake was typified by low nutrient concentrations
( generally below detectable limits except for nitrates), low....
A model was developed for analysis of the soil water balance of
individual reforestation sites in western Oregon. The numerical
procedure for this model was programmed in compiled BASIC language and
calculations for an entire season are made in about 180 seconds on an
IBM AT microcomputer.
The processes that...
The Tualatin River Basin in Washington County, Oregon has been identified by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as "Water Quality Limited." Algal blooms have become commonplace in the lower , reaches of. the river during summer months. Phosphorus has been identified as the nutrient upon which to base...
This program explains that urban water pollution comes from a number of common sources, such as automobiles, lawn and garden fertilizer, and pet waste, and explores ways in which citizens can minimize their contribution to such pollution.
Streamflow variability can provide valuable information for nonpoint source
pollution monitoring program planning. The research papers presented in this thesis
examine selected properties of streamflow variability in Oregon to advance its application
in regional planning of water quality monitoring programs. The products of this research
depict Oregon streams by their...
Agronomic research documents a strong correlation
between the level of irrigation water applied and the level
of farm chemicals leached into water bodies. Consequently,
policies that cause farmers to alter irrigation water
management practices are likely to influence water quality.
Water markets are a potentially attractive method of
addressing agriculturally...
The anthropogenic introduction of nutrients to water bodies has been shown to alter the structure and function of natural aquatic ecosystems, yet national EPA lake and reservoir nutrient criteria remain too broad for effective regional water quality management. This study uses a reference site approach to propose numeric nutrient criteria...
Many municipalities throughout western Oregon rely upon forested watersheds as a source for domestic water supply. These watersheds are commonly managed by state or
federal agencies or private corporations for timber production. Activities related to forest management within municipal watersheds have the potential to adversely affect water quality. Timber harvesting...
Runoff from agricultural lands into Upper Klamath Basin rivers and lakes can
cause water quality problems affecting fish and wildlife. Excessive eutrophication
in Upper Klamath Lake is linked to high nutrient input (particularly phosphorus)
stemming from both lake sediments and watershed tributaries.
On a unit area load basis the Wood...
The Safe Drinking Water Act ensures that public systems provide water that meets health standards. However, no such protection exists for millions of Americans who obtain water from private wells. Concern for safety is warranted as most wells draw from underground aquifers, and studies demonstrate that groundwater is affected by...
Few studies, and none in Oregon, have examined the presence and change of water quality parameters over time in popular natural swimming areas. This information is necessary to better understand water quality and risk of illness from either fecal contamination or cross-infection from other swimmers. The purpose of this study...
The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) site selection protocol was used to generate a random sample of streams throughout the state of Oregon. One hundred and forty-six selected streams were sampled during the summer, low-flow period of 1997. Traditional microbial public health indicators, including heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), total...
Traditional public health bacterial indicators of water quality and the Biolog® system were evaluated to compare their response to other indicators of stream condition with the state of Oregon and between ecoregions (Coast Range, Willamette Valley, Cascades, and Eastern Oregon). Forty-three randomly selected Oregon rivers were sampled during the summer...
The focus of this research was to develop bacterial community indicators of stream sanitary and ecological condition. The first study compared substrate utilization patterns between centrifuged and uncentrifuged split samples. We found a shift in the relative proportion of each group of bacteria following centrifugation, with a marked increased in...
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Bacterial indicators for public health waterquality ................................ 2
Whole
Declared out of print March 2010. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
With congressional passage of the BEACH Act in October of 2000, Coastal and Great Lakes states were mandated to assess coastal recreation waters for the application of ambient water quality standards. This research encompasses two components involved in applying the BEACH Act statues to Oregon. The first component was to...
Three research questions are addressed in this study: (1) To what degree do residents
support/oppose various aspects of water resources protection? (2) What factors explain
residents' attitudes? and, (3) How do attitudes vary between participants and nonparticipants
of place-based groups (watershed councils and neighborhood
associations)? The population of interest is...
The goal of this phase of the study was to develop a model of the Tualatin River incorporating Scoggins Creek and Hagg Lake. This tool will be used in conjunction with a hydrologic model, the EPA HSPF model (Johnson, Imhoff, and Kittle, 1984), to analyze management strategies to improve water...
Vernal pools are ephemeral surface water wetlands with unique hydrology, ecology and species composition. Rare and endemic species rely on vernal pool habitat due to specialization traits the species possess because they are adapted to the extreme conditions. Many vernal pool basins have been topographically and hydrologically altered and are...
Few studies have examined both long-term and fine-scale spatial variations in
water quality of small streams in the Pacific Northwest. As such, a case study was
conducted to determine if current physical and chemical properties of water in three
streams located in the Oregon Coast Range differed from historically measured...
A study of phosphorus loading and water quality implications was conducted for
the Oregon coastal lakes. The study was based on existing data for lake total phosphorus
concentrations and for watershed land uses. A phosphorus mass-balance model was
developed to predict lake total phosphorus concentrations from estimated phosphorus
loading from...
The pages which follow contain the authors responses to a series of comments that were received in response to "A Project to Collect Scientific Data and Provide Evaluation and Recommendations for Alternative Pollution Control Strategies for the Tualatin River Basin, 11 submitted to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)...
In response to Oregon House Bill 3338, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality requested proposals in 1991 to assemble available information on Tualatin River Basin conditions to provide a scientific basis for improving river water quality. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Oregon State University and Portland State University was...
The Tualatin River is a major water resource for Washington County. In its course, the river drains forest lands, farmlands, and urban areas receiving toxic materials from non-point source runoff: Wastewater treatment plant effluents from municipalities and industries also contribute toxic materials to the river. Many materials discharged into the...
This report summarizes the conclusions reached in "A Project to Collect Scientific Data and Provide Evaluation and Recommendations for Alternative Pollution Control Strategies for the Tualatin River Basin."
This study was funded by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality as a grant to the Oregon Water Resources Research Institute on...
The overall goal of this study was to determine if the Tillamook Bay tributaries'
water quality has improved as a result of the Best Management Practices (BMP) installed
at Tillamook County Dairies.
The Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) was a 10 to 15 year experiment designed to
control agricultural non-point...
The identification of sources of point and nonpoint fecal pollution is difficult to determine. Understanding the sources of fecal organisms in quality limited waters could greatly enhance our ability to restore and protect the water quality and habitat of these systems. Antibiotic resistance patterns of fecal streptococci bacteria were analyzed...
Three studies were conducted related to the measurement and impact of
stream sediment fecal coliform (FC) bacteria on stream water quality. In part one
an enumeration technique for sediment FC was defined and statistically
characterized. This characterization necessitated the development of a sample
splitting mechanism, which was found to split...
Recommendations are provided in this watershed analysis to identify actions and management decisions on the part of BLM that might improve watershed health in the Trask River watershed.
Reports on a 1989 outbreak of Hepatitis A believed to have been associated with consumption of oysters from Yaquina Bay. Discusses highly unusual dry-season water monitoring showing fecal contamination in the river.
"This report concerns one aspect of the marina permit evaluation process: water quality impacts related to marina circulation and flushing efficiency. These physical properties vary with the wind, tide range, water density and physical dimensions of a marina. Water quality is affected by the degree of flushing, and sediment redistribution...
Water quality problems related to excessive algal
growth, high nutrient loading, and low flows have been
occurring along Oregon's Tualatin River. The Tualatin River
is 86 miles long and has a drainage basin of 711 square
miles. The drainage basin incorporates forest,
agricultural, and urban areas. Located in the Portland...
This study was initiated to make some preliminary
evaluations of the effects of red alder (Alnus rubra,
Bong.) leaf fall on stream water quality, particularly
water color. Laboratory tests were also conducted
to better understand the effects of leaf loading, duration
of leaf leaching, and type of leaching on
changes...
Dairy Creek, located in Washington County, Oregon, has a drainage area of approximately 230 square miles, and includes West Fork, East Fork, and McKay Creek drainages. Dairy Creek is a major tributary of the Tualatin River which experiences algal problems during the late summer when stream flows decrease and water...
The purpose of this study was to develop a mass-balance model for total suspended solids in the Tualatin River in order to better understand the clarity-turbidity problem in the river. Major sources and sinks of suspended solids in the river were identified, and seasonal effects were explored. The study also...
Appendices include the report "Crisis in Oregon's Estuaries" from the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, ordinances of the Port of Toledo, and the petition for what would become the Oregon Beach Bill.
This analysis was performed for two reasons: 1) the KWG needed a way to focus and synthesize the results of applied research on the condition and trends of natural resources, and the factors affecting those resources; and 2) a detailed watershed analysis was needed to supplement watershed assessments planned for...
The Tualatin River Basin along the east side of the Coastal Mountains in Oregon is subject to a complex mixture of land uses. Approximately half the area is devoted to forestry production. The remainder is divided between agriculture and urban uses. In addition to this diversity in land use, there...
This study sought to better understand the voluntary adoption of water quality improving practices by agricultural producers in Northern Malheur County, Oregon. The Reasoned Action Approach/Theory of Planned Behavior was used as a theoretical framework to identify barriers and incentives to adoption. Study findings suggest that producers primarily consider practical...
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has worked cooperative with the Unified Sewerage Agency of Washington County (USA) since 1990 to assess water quality in the Tualatin River Basin. The objectives of this study were to: assess the occurrence and magnitude of trace element and selected organic contaminants in streams of...
The Tualatin River Basin in Washington County, Oregon, is a complex area with highly developed agricultural, forestry, industrial, commercial, and residential activities. Population has grown in the past thirty years from fifty to over 270 thousand. Accompanying this population growth have been the associated increases in transportation, construction, and recreational...
In- stream water temperature is one of the most important environmental
factors associated with the decline in salmonid populations and their habitats in the
Pacific Northwest. Most ecological restoration practices that attempt to reduce instream
temperatures center on replanting or reestablishing riparian vegetation and
increasing flows. However, in a large...
The increased demand for wood and fiber from a continually shrinking land base has resulted in the use of intensively managed forest plantations. The concentration of timber production on the most suitable sites allows the world's demand for forest products to be met on less land and enable native forests...
An 18-year record of nitrate (NO₃), orthophosphate, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in four streams of the Bull Run
watershed, Oregon, was examined to determine its precision and time resolution. Of these four species, only NO₃ was found to be known to a sufficient level of detail for modeling and...
The City of Woodburn, Oregon's Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) has been investigating several natural alternatives for improving effluent quality. Based on its current National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the WWTP will require additional reduction of temperature and ammonia levels in the summer, especially in the critical month of...
The Willamette Silt is a surficial geologic unit composed of successive Missoula Flood Deposits that underlies 3100 km2 (1200 mil) of arable land in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The Willamette Silt protects the underlying regionally important Willamette
Aquifer from agricultural contamination while acting as a semi-confining unit and a...
To better understand the impact of land use on stream nutrient export, a synoptic sampling of 57 sub-basins within the Willamette River basin was conducted during winter baseflow conditions (February 2009). I assessed whether stream dissolved organic carbon (DOC), NO₃⁻ and Cl⁻ and specific ultra-violet absorbance (SUVA) values were correlated...
This report presents results of an investigation of water and streambed-sediment quality in selected tributaries of the South Umpqua River. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in water (major and minor ions, nutrients, and trace elements) and streambed sediment (primarily trace elements), along with standard field parameters, are tabulated for samples collected...
Survey In 1995, the Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District interviewed 90 farmers in northwest Oregon's Tualatin River Basin, using a survey developed by the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service. Crop rotations, yields, tillage, fertilizer and irrigation practices were recorded....
This report presents estimates of land uses, concentrating on agricultural land in the Tualatin drainage basin. Acreage in different crop groups and agricultural water use and distribution in the watershed were estimated. The total amounts of nitrogen and phosphate applied to agricultural land and the average loading of nutrients per...
The purpose of this study was to; (1) determine the extent of well water contamination with nitrate and pesticides, and to understand the relationships among nitrate, pesticide, dissolved chloride, dissolved sulfate, well age, and well depth in the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon; and, (2) to investigate local residents' perceptions and...
Ocean observing groups are currently making efforts to work with well-defined end-user groups, like boaters and fishermen, to provide meaningful and effective real-time data (RTD) products and visualizations. However, providing meaningful data products for undefined groups such as the general public is not straightforward. In Oregon, several industry, science, and...
A relatively stable, persistent and historical problem with elevated NO₃⁻ concentrations in rural drinking wells in the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon is evident. What is the origin of NO₃⁻ in rural drinking water wells in this area? The answer to the question is not simple. Many non-point sources contribute to...
Published October 1988. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The Tualatin River Basin is located in the Washington County, Oregon. The river was detected having high chlorophyll a concentration and low dissolved oxygen concentration during summer time, which violated DEQ water quality standards. A mathematical model (HSPF) was used to simulate physical, chemical and biological processes in the basin...
During 1975 and 1976 a sedimentation study was conducted in the Bear Creek watershed, located in the southeastern corner of central Oregon's Crook County. A Rocky Mountain infiltrometer was used to simulate high intensity rainfall over 468 sedimentation plots. Rainfall and runoff were measured and a sample of the runoff...
Larvae of the Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas, at Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery (WCH) in Netarts Bay, Oregon, are negatively impacted by high-CO₂ water and exposure during the initial shell formation period appears to be particularly damaging. To investigate the mechanism of this early susceptibility, several cohorts of larvae at WCH...
About one-third of the land in the Tualatin Basin is used for agricultural production (Miner, Scott, and Wood, 1994). The variety of crops produced includes grains, specialty seeds, vegetables, fruits, berries, and nursery corps. Cattle and hog enterprises are the most prevalent livestock operations in the area (measured by number...
The Tualatin River in northwest Oregon has been designated as water quality limited by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Restoration and enhancement of riparian areas to improve water quality is one task to be pursued by management agencies. This paper examines some of the potential costs and benefits of...
The Clean Water Act imposes Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) limits on pollutant concentrations within wastewater effluent; in Oregon, thermal discharge is one of the pollutants subject to regulation. The City of Woodburn, Oregon, funded a series of pilot scale studies to investigate the utility of natural systems to reduce...
The complexity of human/riverine systems has led to an increasing focus on land
use patterns and policy. My goal is to understand the dynamics of a coupled human and
natural system. The central question is how people in the community of Scio, Oregon
perceive flooding, water quality, and riparian habitat....
The effect of anthropogenic disturbance on river systems is gaining attention, and concerns about the state of freshwater natural resources are increasing globally, as are efforts to restore habitat that has been degraded by disturbance. In rivers, non-point source pollution affects the physical characteristics of the habitat and the endemic...
Both policy makers and private landowners have come to recognize the importance of streamside areas in the maintenance of water quality and fish habitat. Because non-industrial landowners own 42% of the streamside area in the Coast Range, their management is a significant factor in the streamside health of Western Oregon....
Water quality and stream flow data for tliree representative land uses in the Tualatin River Basin were evaluated to determine the comparative levels of various pollutants. In addition, the data were used in an effort to identify the extent to which observed concentrations of total and ortho phosphorus could be...
By the early 1990s, the citizens of Tillamook County recognized that environmental problems facing Tillamook Bay threatened the very future of those residing here. Declining fish runs meant loss of income for commercial fishermen, tackle shops, hotel owners, and other fishing - dependent businesses. Decreasing water quality meant violations of...
Thesis summarizes interviews with growers residing within the Groundwater Management Area (GWMA) in the Southern Willamette Valley of Oregon. Informal and semi-structured interviews were used to identify perceived impediments and incentives perceived by local farmers in following best management practices related to water quality. Results from the interviews were coded...
Surface water quality is a growing concern in the Willamette River Basin and elsewhere. The region's growing population is dependent on the availability of clean water for drinking water, irrigation, wastewater dilution, and wildlife habitat. Watershed management to produce economic goods and environmental services requires an understanding of basic hydrologic...