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Oregon Water Science Center

Welcome to the USGS in Oregon. Our mission is to explore the natural world around us and provide reliable scientific information to help Federal, State, and local agencies, Tribes, and the public make well-informed decisions. Our research is widely used to manage Oregon's water resources for the benefit and safety of people and the environment. 

News

Low-flow periods and trends across the United States

Low-flow periods and trends across the United States

Surface-water extent in the Klamath Marsh

Surface-water extent in the Klamath Marsh

Mapping river channels and floodplains important to spring Chinook Salmon

Mapping river channels and floodplains important to spring Chinook Salmon

Publications

Low-flow period seasonality, trends, and climate linkages across the United States

Low-flow period properties, including timing, magnitude, and duration, influence many key processes for water resource managers and ecosystems. We computed annual low-flow period duration and timing metrics from 1951 to 2020 for 1032 conterminous United States (CONUS) streamgages and analyzed spatial patterns, trends through time, and relationships to climate. Results show northwestern and eastern
Authors
Caelan Simeone, Gregory J. McCabe, Jory Seth Hecht, John C. Hammond, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Carolyn G. Olson, Michael Wieczorek, David M. Wolock

Assessment of long-term changes in surface-water extent within Klamath Marsh, south-central Oregon, 1985–2021

The annual maximum extent of surface water in Klamath Marsh has naturally fluctuated in response to periods of wet and dry conditions in the surrounding basin. Field observations during the 2010s indicate that the annual maximum extent of surface water has been declining and the marsh is not responding to hydrologic inputs as it had historically. This report describes the results of a hydrologic e
Authors
Joseph J. Kennedy, Henry M. Johnson, Stephen B. Gingerich

Integrating depth measurements from gaging stations with image archives for spectrally based remote sensing of river bathymetry

Remote sensing can be an effective tool for mapping river bathymetry, but the need for direct measurements to calibrate image-derived depth estimates impedes broader application of this approach. One way to circumvent the need for field campaigns dedicated to calibration is to capitalize upon existing data. In this study, we introduce a framework for Bathymetric Mapping using Gage Records and Imag
Authors
Carl J. Legleiter, Brandon Overstreet, Paul J. Kinzel

Science

Surface-water extent in the Klamath Marsh

Satellite imagery and the interplay of climate and hydrologic data tell the story of surface-water decline in the Klamath Marsh.
link

Surface-water extent in the Klamath Marsh

Satellite imagery and the interplay of climate and hydrologic data tell the story of surface-water decline in the Klamath Marsh.
Learn More

Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River

The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
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Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River

The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Learn More

Upper Klamath Basin Studies and Data Collection

The USGS has been studying the Klamath Basin for decades. The USGS provides unbiased data to Tribal partners and resource managers to aid with complex management and conservation efforts.
link

Upper Klamath Basin Studies and Data Collection

The USGS has been studying the Klamath Basin for decades. The USGS provides unbiased data to Tribal partners and resource managers to aid with complex management and conservation efforts.
Learn More