Geology topics

Research about Lower Columbia River

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Lower Columbia River.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2021

Historical streamflow and stage data compilation for the Lower Columbia River, Pacific Northwest

The U.S. Geological Survey mined data from a variety of national and state agencies including USGS, Oregon Water Resources Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington Department of Ecology, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Portland State University, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A comprehensive dataset of streamflow, stage, and tidal elevations for the Lower Columbia River basin was compiled. Data were compiled from gaging stations in Oregon and Washington along the Columbia River from Astoria to The Dalles and along the Willamette River from Salem to Portland. Tidal gages along the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts were also compiled. Seasonal maximum values were calculated for both streamflow and stage for the winter (November–March) and spring (April–July) flow seasons, as well as for the full water year when underlying data were available. The aggregated datasets are available at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9R6RT0Z .

California, Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2016

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2015

Significant Findings An analysis of total-dissolved-gas (TDG) and water-temperature data collected at eight fixed monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in water year 2015 indicated the following: All but 1 of the 85 TDG sensor laboratory checks that were performed after field deployment were within ±0.5-percent saturation of a primary standard. After 3–4 weeks of deployment in the river, 79 of 89 TDG sensor field checks were within ±1.0-percent saturation of a secondary standard. Nine of the field checks greater than ±1.0-percent saturation occurred at the John Day Dam tailwater station and resulted in periods of deleted TDG data at the station. All 90 barometric pressure field checks were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a primary stand-ard, and all 90 water-temperature field checks were within ±0.2 degrees Celsius of a secondary standard. TDG data were considered complete if received in real time and within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements, and comparison to river conditions at adjacent stations. For the eight monitoring stations, data completeness ranged from 71.9 to 99.8 percent. All quality-assurance values exceed the criteria established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TDG monitoring plan. Criteria for data completeness (95-percent) were met at seven of the eight monitoring stations. Deleted data at the John Day tailwater station resulted in data completeness below criteria.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2015

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2014

Significant Findings An analysis of total-dissolved-gas (TDG) and water-temperature data collected at eight fixed monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in water year 2014 indicated the following: All 81 TDG sensor laboratory checks that were performed after field deployment were within plus or minus (±) 0.5-percent saturation of a primary standard. After 3-4 weeks of deployment in the river, 68 of 75 TDG sensor field checks were within ±1.0-percent saturation of a secondary standard. Six of the field checks greater than ±1.0-percent saturation occurred at the John Day tailwater station, and three of these six checks resulted in periods of deleted data at the station. All 77 barometric pressure field checks were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a primary standard, and all 74 water-temperature field checks were within ±0.2 degrees Celsius of a secondary standard. TDG data were considered complete if they were received in real time and were within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements, and comparison to river conditions at adjacent stations. For the eight monitoring stations, data completeness ranged from 78.2 to 100 percent. All quality-assurance values exceed the criteria established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TDG monitoring plan. Criteria for data completeness (95 percent) were met at six of the eight monitoring stations. Deleted data at the John Day tailwater station and missed transmissions at the Camas station resulted in data completeness below criteria.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2014

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2013: quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings An analysis of total-dissolved-gas (TDG) and water-temperature data collected at eight fixed monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in water year 2013 indicated the following: During the spill season of April–August 2013, the averages of the 12 highest hourly TDG values in a day were periodically greater than 115-percent saturation for the forebay stations (John Day navigation lock, The Dalles forebay, and Bonneville forebay) and the Camas station. The 12 highest average daily values of TDG were also periodically greater than 120-percent saturation at Cascade Island. TDG values at the other tailwater stations (John Day Dam tailwater, The Dalles tailwater, and Warrendale) did not exceed 120-percent saturation. During parts of July, August, and September 2013, hourly water temperatures were greater than 20 degrees Celsius at all eight monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River. All of the 98 TDG sensor laboratory checks that were performed after field deployment were within ±0.5-percent saturation of a primary standard. After 3–4 weeks of deployment in the river, all but 1 of 85 TDG sensor field checks were within ±1.0-percent saturation of a secondary standard. All but 1 of 87 barometric pressure field checks were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a primary standard, and all 86 water-temperature field checks were within ±0.2 degrees Celsius of a secondary standard. For the eight monitoring stations, a total of 99.2 percent of the TDG data were received in real time and were within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements, and comparison to river conditions at adjacent sites. Data completeness for the monitoring stations ranged from 97.7 to 100 percent. All quality-assurance and data completeness values exceed the criteria established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TDG monitoring plan.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2014

Post-release behavior and movement patterns of Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) after capture using alternative commercial fish gear, lower Columbia River, Washington and Oregon, 2013

Commercial salmon Oncorhynchus spp. fishers traditionally have used gill nets, and more recently tangle nets, to capture adult salmon in the lower Columbia River, Washington and Oregon, but these gear types are not selective and can result in unintentional injury or death to non-target species, which is a problem when wild or Endangered Species Act-listed salmon are present. Gill and tangle nets capture fish through physical retention. Gill nets have mesh sizes that are slightly larger than the diameter of the head of the target species so that a fish moving through the net becomes entangled behind its operculum. Tangle nets have mesh sizes that are smaller than the diameter of the head of the target species so that a fish becomes entangled by its teeth or jaw. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has been evaluating Merwin traps, beach seines, and purse seines during the past decade to determine if these are viable alternative commercial fishing gear types that would reduce negative effects to non-target fish, including wild salmon. As opposed to gill and tangle nets, these alternative gear types capture fish without physical restraint. The nets encircle the area where a fish or school of fish is located and eliminate the ability of those fish to escape. Because fish are not physically restrained by the gear, it is believed that the likelihood of injury and death would be reduced, allowing the safe release of non-target fish. In 2011 and 2012, WDFW conducted post-release mortality studies of steelhead ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) , and coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) that were captured using beach or purse seines. These studies were comprised of two groups of fish tagged with passive integrated transponder tags (PIT tags): (1) treatment fish that were captured by one of the gear types 9–25 river kilometers (rkm) downstream of Bonneville Dam (rkm 234); and (2) control fish that were captured at the Adult Fish Facility near the Washington shore fish ladder at Bonneville Dam, and then transported and released 8 rkm downstream of the Bonneville Dam. Fish were confirmed to have survived if they moved upstream and were detected on PIT-tag antennas at or upstream of Bonneville Dam, were recovered at hatcheries or at the dam, or were captured by commercial or sport fishers. Post-release survival estimates were higher for steelhead (89–98 percent) than for Chinook salmon and coho salmon (50–90 percent; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, unpub. data, 2014). However, some Chinook salmon and coho salmon return to hatcheries, or spawn in the mainstem Columbia River and in tributaries downstream of Bonneville Dam. The proportion of Chinook salmon and coho salmon in the treatment group that were destined for areas downstream of Bonneville Dam likely was higher than in the control group because the control fish were collected as they were attempting to pass the dam. If this assertion was true, mortality would have been overestimated in these studies, so WDFW developed a study plan to determine the post-release movements and intended location of Chinook salmon and coho salmon collected with beach and purse seines in the lower Columbia River.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2013

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2012: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings Air is entrained in water as it is flows through the spillways of dams, which causes an increase in the concentration of total dissolved gas in the water downstream from the dams. The elevated concentrations of total dissolved gas can adversely affect fish and other freshwater aquatic life. An analysis of total-dissolved-gas and water-temperature data collected at eight monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in 2012 indicated the following: During parts of the spill season of April–August 2012, hourly values of total dissolved gas (TDG) were larger than 115-percent saturation for the forebay stations (John Day navigation lock, The Dalles forebay, and Bonneville forebay) and the Camas station. Hourly values of total dissolved gas were larger than 120-percent saturation for the tailwater stations (John Day Dam tailwater, The Dalles tailwater, Cascade Island, and Warrendale). During parts of August and September 2012, hourly water temperatures were greater than 20°C (degrees Celsius) at the eight stations on the lower Columbia River. According to the State of Oregon water-temperature standard, the 7-day average of the daily maximum temperature of the lower Columbia River should not exceed 20°C; Washington regulations state that the 1-day maximum should not exceed 20°C as a result of human activities. Of the 98 laboratory TDG checks that were performed on instruments after field deployment, all were within ± 0.7-percent saturation. All but 1 of the 83 field checks of TDG sensors with a secondary standard were within ± 1.0-percent saturation after 3–4 weeks of deployment in the river. All 88 of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a primary standard, and all 85 water-temperature field checks were within ±0.2°C of a secondary standard. For the eight monitoring stations in water year 2012, a total of 97.0 percent of the TDG data were received in real time and were within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the ba-sis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent sites. Data received from the Cascade Island site were only 77.8 percent complete because the equipment was destroyed by high water. The other stations ranged from 98.9 to 100.0 percent complete.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2012

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2011: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings Air is entrained in water as it is flows through the spillways of dams, which causes an increase in the concentration of total dissolved gas in the water downstream from the dams. The elevated concentrations of total dissolved gas can adversely affect fish and other freshwater aquatic life. An analysis of total-dissolved-gas and water-temperature data collected at eight monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in 2011 indicated the following: During the spill season of April–August 2011, hourly values of total dissolved gas (TDG) were larger than 115-percent saturation for the forebay (John Day navigation lock, The Dalles forebay, and Bonneville forebay) and Camas stations. Hourly values of total dissolved gas were larger than 120-percent saturation for the tailwater stations (John Day Dam tailwater, The Dalles tailwater, Cascade Island, and Warrendale). During parts of August and September 2011, hourly water temperatures were greater than 20°C (degrees Celsius) at the eight stations on the lower Columbia River. According to the State of Oregon water-temperature standard, the 7-day average maximum temperature of the lower Columbia River should not exceed 20°C; Washington regulations state that the 1-day maximum should not exceed 20°C as a result of human activities. Of the 79 laboratory TDG checks that were performed on instruments after field deployment, all were within ± 0.5-percent saturation and only 2 checks were out of calibration by more than 2 mm of Hg. All but 4 of the 66 field checks of TDG sensors with a secondary standard were within ± 1.0-percent saturation after 3–4 weeks of deployment in the river. All 67 of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a primary standard, and all 66 water-temperature field checks were within ±0.2°C of a secondary standard. For the eight monitoring stations in water year 2011, a total of 93.5 percent of the TDG data were received in real time and were within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent sites. Data received from the Cascade Island site were only 34.9% complete because the equipment was destroyed by high water. The other stations ranged from 99.6 to 100 percent complete.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2011

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2010: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the downstream concentration of dissolved gases. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected dissolved-gas and water-temperature data at eight monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in 2010. Significant findings from the data include: During the spill season of April through August 2010, hourly values of total dissolved gas (TDG) were occasionally larger than 115-percent saturation for the forebay stations (John Day navigation lock, The Dalles forebay, Bonneville forebay, and Camas). Hourly values of total dissolved gas were occasionally larger than 120-percent saturation for four tailwater stations (John Day Dam tailwater, The Dalles tailwater, Cascade Island, and Warrendale). From late July to late August or early September 2010, hourly water temperatures were greater than 20°C (degrees Celsius) at the eight stations on the lower Columbia River. According to the State of Oregon temperature standard, the 7-day average maximum temperature of the lower Columbia River should not exceed 20°C Washington regulations state that the 1-day maximum should not exceed 20°C as a result of human activities. All 105 laboratory checks of the TDG sensors (without the membrane attached) with a certified pressure gage were within ± (plus or minus) 0.5 percent saturation after 3 to 4 weeks of deployment in the river. All but 1 of the 85 in situ field checks of TDG sensors with a secondary standard were within ± 2.0-percent saturation after 3-4 weeks of deployment in the river. All 88 of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ± 1 millimeter of mercury of a primary standard, and all 87 water-temperature field checks were within ± 0.2 ° C of a secondary standard. For the eight monitoring stations in water year 2010, a total of 99.7 percent of the TDG data were received in real time and were within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent stations. Data received from the individual stations ranged from 98.4 to 100.0 percent complete.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2011

Development of a bioenergetics model for age-0 American shad

Bioenergetics modeling can be used as a tool to investigate the impact of non-native age-0 American shad ( Alosa sapidissima ) on reservoir and estuary food webs. The model can increase our understanding of how these fish influence lower trophic levels as well as predatory fish populations that feed on juvenile salmonids. Bioenergetics modeling can be used to investigate ecological processes, evaluate alternative research hypotheses, provide decision support, and quantitative prediction. Bioenergetics modeling has proven to be extremely useful in fisheries research (Ney et al. 1993,Chips and Wahl 2008, Petersen et al. 2008). If growth and diet parameters are known, the bioenergetics model can be used to quantify the relative amount of zooplankton or insects consumed by age-0 American shad. When linked with spatial and temporal information on fish abundance, model output can guide inferential hypothesis development to demonstrate where the greatest impacts of age-0 American shad might occur. Bioenergetics modeling is particularly useful when research questions involve multiple species and trophic levels (e.g. plankton communities). Bioenergetics models are mass-balance equations where the energy acquired from food is partitioned between maintenance costs, waste products, and growth (Winberg 1956). Specifically, the Wisconsin bioenergetics model (Hanson et al. 1997) is widely used in fisheries science. Researchers have extensively tested, reviewed, and improved on this modeling approach for over 30 years (Petersen et al. 2008). Development of a bioenergetics model for any species requires three key components: 1) determine physiological parameters for the model through laboratory experiments or incorporate data from a closely related species, 2) corroboration of the model with growth and consumption estimates from independent research, and 3) error analysis of model parameters. Wisconsin bioenergetics models have been parameterized for many of the salmonids and predatory fishes encountered in the lower Columbia River (Petersen and Ward 1999). The Wisconsin bioenergetics model has not been developed for American shad, however Limburg (1996) parameterized a simplified bioenergetics growth model for this species. A common application for the Wisconsin bioenergetics model is to estimate the consumption or growth of a fish population under different temperature and feeding scenarios (Ney 1993). One advantage of the bioenergetics approach is that consumption can be estimated without direct field measurements of predation rate (prey·predator -1 · day -1 ; Petersen and Ward 1999). Field estimates of fish consumption are time consuming and costly to determine, and estimates may show wide variance due to environmental and sampling variability. However, the consumption parameters used in a newly developed bioenergetics model must be verified with field and laboratory estimates of consumption (Ney 1993). The objective of this research was to parameterize a Wisconsin bioenergetics model for age-0 American shad using published physiological data on American shad and closely related alosine species. The American shad bioenergetics model will be used as a tool to explore various hypotheses about how age-0 American shad directly and indirectly affect Columbia River salmon through ecological interactions in lower Columbia River food webs. One over-arching focus of the larger research project was to identify potential interactions between age-0 American shad and juvenile salmonids, addressing potential outcomes through bioenergetics modeling scenarios. This report contains two bioenergetics modeling applications to demonstrate how these models can be used to address management questions and direct research effort. The first modeling application uses the American shad bioenergetics model described in this report to explore prey consumption by age-0 American shad (Chapter 1, this report). Dietary data on age-0 American shad and previously published reports on the diet of juvenile fall Chinook salmon (Rondorf et al. 1990, USGS unpublished data) suggested there might be considerable dietary overlap between these species in the lower Columbia River. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was interested in using the American shad bioenergetics model to explore hypotheses concerning dietary overlap between age-0 American shad and emigrating fall Chinook salmon. The second modeling application uses the fall Chinook salmon bioenergetics model (Koehler et al. 2006) to explore the growth potential of juvenile fall Chinook salmon predating on age-0 American shad in the lower Columbia River. This modeling was based dietary information on a small number of age-0 fall Chinook salmon (n = 13) collected in John Day Reservoir in 1994 - 1996 (unpublished USGS data). Analysis of this dietary data found that these salmonids were feeding primarily on age-0 American shad (> 75% by weight).

Oregon↗

USGS2007

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2007: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Lower Columbia River↗

USGS2006

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2006: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the downstream concentration of dissolved gases. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have ad-verse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected dissolved-gas concentration and water-temperature data at eight stations on the lower Columbia River in 2006. Significant findings from the data include: Variances to the Oregon and Washington water-quality standards for total dissolved gas were exceeded at all of the monitoring stations: Cascade Island (67 days), Camas (60 days), Bonneville forebay (51 days), The Dalles forebay (36 days), John Day tailwater (35 days), John Day navigation lock (20 days), The Dalles tailwater (8 days), and Warrendale (4 days). From early July to the end of August 2006, water temperatures were above 20°C (degrees Celsius) at each of the eight lower Columbia River stations. According to the Oregon temperature standard, the 7-day average maximum temperature of the lower Columbia River should not exceed 20°C; Washington regulations state that the 1-day maximum should not exceed 20°C due to human activities. Most field checks of total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard were within ± (plus or minus) 1% saturation. All of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a secondary standard, and water temperature field checks were all within ±0.2°C. For the eight monitoring stations in water year 2006, an average of 99.1% of the total-dissolved-gas data were received in real time by the USGS satellite downlink and were within 1% saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent stations.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2005

Changes in productivity and contaminants in bald eagles nesting along the lower Columbia River, USA

Previous studies documented poor productivity of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the lower Columbia River (LCR), USA, and elevated p,p???-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans in eagle eggs. From 1994 to 1995, we collected partially incubated eggs at 19 of 43 occupied territories along the LCR and compared productivity and egg contaminants to values obtained in the mid-1980s. We found higher productivity at new nesting sites along the river, yet productivity at 23 older breeding territories remained low and was not different (p = 0.713) between studies. Eggshell thickness at older territories had not improved (p = 0.404), and eggshells averaged 11% thinner than shells measured before dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane use. Decreases in DDE (p = 0.022) and total PCBs (p = 0.0004) in eggs from older breeding areas occurred between study periods. Productivity was not correlated to contaminants, but DDE, PCBs, and dioxin-like chemicals exceeded estimated no-effect values. Some dioxin-like contaminants in eggs were correlated to nest location, with highest concentrations occurring toward the river's mouth where productivity was lowest. Although total productivity increased due to the success of new nesting pairs in the region, egg contaminants remain high enough to impair reproduction at older territories and, over time, may alter productivity of new pairs nesting near the river's mouth. ?? 2005 SETAC.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2005

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2005: quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the downstream concentration of dissolved gases. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected dissolved-gas and water-temperature data at eight sites on the lower Columbia River in 2005. Significant findings from the data include: Variances to the Oregon and Washington water-quality standards for total dissolved gas were exceeded at five of the monitoring sites: Camas (11 days), John Day tailwater (3 days), The Dalles forebay (3 days), Bonneville forebay (3 days), and John Day navigation lock (1 day). From mid-July to early September, water temperatures were above 20°C (degrees Celsius) at each of the eight lower Columbia River sites. According to the Oregon temperature standard, the 7-day average maximum temperature of the lower Columbia River should not exceed 20°C; Washington regulations state that the 1-day maximum should not exceed 20°C due to human activities. Most field checks of total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard were within ± (plus or minus) 1% saturation. Most of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ±1 millimeter of mercury of a secondary standard, and water temperature field checks were all within ±0.2°C. For the eight monitoring sites in water year 2005, an average of 98.2% of the total-dissolved-gas data were received in real time by the USGS satellite downlink and were within 1% saturation of the expected value, based on calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent sites.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2004

Evidence for liquefaction identified in peeled slices of Holocene deposits along the Lower Columbia River, Washington

Peels made from 10 geoslices beneath a riverbank at Washington's Hunting Island, 45 km inland from the Pacific coast, aid in identifying sand that liquefied during prehistoric earthquakes of estimated magnitude 8-9 at the Cascadia subduction zone. Each slice was obtained by driving sheetpile and a shutter plate to depths of 6-8 m. The resulting sample, as long as 8 m, had a trapezoidal cross section 42-55 cm by 8 cm. The slicing created few artifacts other than bending and smearing at slice edges. Each slice is dominated by well-stratified sand and mud deposited by the tidal Columbia River. Nearly 90% of the sand is distinctly laminated. The sand contains mud beds as thick as 0.5 m and at least 20 m long, and it is capped by a mud bed that contains a buried soil that marks the 1700 Cascadia earthquake of estimated magnitude 9. Every slice intersected sills and dikes of fluidized sand, and many slices show folds and faults as well. Sills, which outnumber dikes, mostly follow and locally invade the undersides of mud beds. The mud beds probably impeded diffuse upward flow of water expelled from liquefied sand. Trapped beneath mud beds, this water flowed laterally, destroyed bedding by entraining (fluidizing) sand, and locally scoured the overlying mud. Horizontal zones of folded sand extend at least 10 or 20 m, and some contain low-angle faults. Many of the folds probably formed while sand was weakened by liquefaction. The low-angle faults may mark the soles of river-bottom slumps or lateral spreads. As many as four great Cascadia earthquakes in the past 2000 yr contributed to the intrusions, folds, and faults. This subsurface evidence for fluid escape and deformation casts doubt on maximum accelerations that were previously inferred from local absence of liquefaction features at the ground surface along the Columbia River. The geosliced evidence for liquefaction abounds not only beneath banks riddled with dikes but also beneath banks in which dikes are absent. Such dike-free banks of the Columbia River, if interpreted without study of postdepositional structures in deposits beneath them, provide insufficient basis for setting upper bounds on the strength of shaking from great Cascadia earthquakes.

Washington↗

USGS2004

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia river, Oregon and Washington, 2004: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the downstream concentration of total dissolved gas. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), collected total-dissolved-gas (TDG) and water-temperature data at eight sites on the lower Columbia River in 2004. Significant findings from the data include: Variances to the Oregon and Washington water-quality standards for total dissolved gas were exceeded on a few days at three of the monitoring sites: Camas, The Dalles forebay, and Bonneville forebay. These exceedances may have been the result of the cumulative effects of supersaturated water moving downstream through the lower Columbia River. Apparently, the levels of TDG did not dissipate rapidly enough downstream from the dams before reaching the next site. TDG levels at an experimental monitoring site directly below Bonneville Dam at Cascade Island showed a larger response to spill than the site 5.5 miles farther downstream at Warrendale. From mid-July to mid-September, water temperatures were above 20°C (degrees Celsius) at each of the seven lower Columbia River sites. Both the Oregon and Washington water-quality standards contain a numerical standard of 20°C for the lower Columbia River. The new location of the forebay monitoring site at John Day navigation lock showed less daily temperature variation than the previous location. The probe at the new site was farther away from the dam and at a greater depth, so it apparently avoided the daily temperature excursions associated with the surface-layer heating at the previous site. Most field checks of total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard were within ±1% saturation. Most of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ±1 mm Hg (millimeter of mercury) of a secondary standard, and water temperature field checks were all within ±0.1°C. For the seven monitoring sites used to regulate spill in water year 2004, an average of 99.0% of the total- dissolved-gas data were received in real time by the USGS satellite downlink and were within 1% saturation of the expected value, based on calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent sites.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2003

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2003: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the concentration of total dissolved gas. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected total- dissolved-gas and water-temperature data at seven sites on the lower Columbia River in 2003. Significant findings from the data include: For the seven monitoring sites in water year 2003, an average of 98.9% of the total-dissolved-gas data were received in real time by the USGS satellite downlink and were within 1% saturation of the expected value, based on calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent sites. Most field checks of total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard were within plus or minus 1% saturation. Field checks of barometric pressure and water temperature were usually within plus or minus 1 millimeter of mercury and plus or minus 0.1 degree Celsius, respectively. The variances to the States of Oregon and Washington water-quality standards for total dissolved gas were exceeded at six of the seven monitoring sites. The sites at Camas and Bonneville forebay had the most days exceeding the variance of 115% saturation. The forebay exceedances may have been the result of the cumulative effects of supersaturated water moving downstream through the lower Columbia River. Apparently, the levels of total dissolved gas did not decrease rapidly enough downstream from the dams before reaching the next site. From mid-July to mid-September, water temperatures were usually above 20 degrees Celsius at each of the seven lower Columbia River sites. According to the Oregon water-quality standard, when the temperature of the lower Columbia River exceeds 20 degrees Celsius, no measurable temperature increase resulting from anthropogenic activities is allowed. Transient increases of about 1 degree Celsius were noted at the John Day forebay site, due to localized solar heating.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2002

Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2002: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards

Significant Findings The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected total-dissolved-gas and water-temperature data at eight sites near dams on the lower Columbia River in 2002. When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the concentration of total dissolved gas to levels that can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. Significant findings include: For the eight monitoring sites in water year 2002, an average of 99.6% of the total-dissolved gas data were received in real time by the USGS satellite downlink and were within 1% saturation of the expected value, based on calibration data and ambient river conditions at adjacent sites. Most field checks of total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard were within 1% saturation. Field checks of barometric pressure and water temperature were usually within 1 millimeter of mercury and 0.05 degrees Celsius, respectively. In June and July 2002, spills exceeded 140,000 cubic feet per second at the John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville Dams. These spills resulted in levels of total dissolved gas that exceeded 120% saturation downstream of the dams. The variance to the State of Oregon water-quality standard for total dissolved gas of 110% saturation was exceeded at seven of the eight monitoring sites. The sites at Camas and Bonneville are considered forebay sites and had the most days exceeding the variance of 115% saturation. The forebay exceedances may have been the result of the cumulative effects of significant spill throughout the lower Columbia River. Apparently, the levels of total dissolved gas did not dissipate rapidly enough downstream of the dams before reaching the next site. From mid-July to mid-September, water temperatures were usually above 20 degrees Celsius at each of the seven lower Columbia River sites in operation. According to the Oregon water-quality standard, when the temperature of the lower Columbia River exceeds 20 degrees Celsius, no measurable temperature increase resulting from anthropogenic activities is allowed.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2002

Quality-assurance data, comparison to water-quality standards, and site considerations for total dissolved gas and water temperature, lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2001

Significant Findings For eight monitoring sites, in water year 2001, an average of 99.3% of the total-dissolved-gas data were received in real time and passed quality-assurance checks. After 2 to 3 weeks of deployment in the river, most comparisons of field total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard (another calibrated total-dissolved-gas sensor) were within 1%. The only exceedances of Oregon water-quality standards for total dissolved gas occurred on May 23 and 24, 2001, at the Camas, Washington, station. At the forebay of the John Day Dam, temporary increases in water temperature and total dissolved gas occurred on hot afternoons during periods of low wind. These increases were not observed at the John Day tailwater station. At Camas, Washington, daily variations of total dissolved gas were probably due to the production of oxygen by aquatic plants and to water-temperature variations on warm, sunny days. During spill over Bonneville Dam in water year 2001, the site on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, Warrendale, measured larger total-dissolved-gas levels than the site directly across on the Washington side at Skamania. Apparently, streamflow through generating facilities on the north side of the dam forced supersaturated water from the spill bays over to the Oregon side of the river. At times in July and August 2001, the total-dissolved-gas probe at Warrendale could not be positioned below the minimum compensation depth because the river was too shallow at that location. Consequently, degassing at probe depth may have occurred, and total dissolved gas may have been larger in locations with greater depths.

Oregon, Washington↗