Biologists set a temperature-logging device that will periodically record river temperatures.

Project Title

Spatial and temporal variability of water temperature and flow patterns

Description

Natural patterns of variability in water temperature and flow are critical for many aquatic species, including listed salmonids. However, comparing natural and altered temperature patterns has proven difficult. The objective of this project is to explore methods, such as wavelet analysis, for quantifying water temperature and flow variability. The goal of this project is to understand and detect human impacts on natural water temperature and flow fluctuations. This research will also provide a better understanding of the dynamics within floodplain ecosystems and the impact of large-scale land use patterns on these floodplain ecosystems.

This research project involves several components:

1. We evaluated the impact of dams on downstream temperature patterns by examining longitudinal (downstream) and temporal variations in temperature. The manuscript, Alteration of water temperature regimes at multiple scales: Effects of multi-purpose dams in the Willamette River basin, resulting from these analyses is currently in review.
2. We are examining lateral and temporal temperature patterns in a forested river-floodplain ecosystem in order to help understand temperature variability in natural systems.
3. We are developing models that describe the impacts of landscape condition on water temperature and flow variability at multiple temporal scales. We are using existing water temperature and flow data from USGS gauges distributed across the Willamette River watershed. Our hypothesis is that increased anthropogenic modifications across the landscape will reduce complexity in water flow and temperature patterns at small temporal scales.

Investigators

Ashley Steel and Tim Beechie

Collaborators

Ian Lange and Marta Danielsdottir (University of Washington)

Support

NOAA Fisheries

Project Status

Data collection and analysis in progress

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