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

Open-File Report 2007-1408
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
By: , and 

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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 2007. Significant findings from the data include:

  • From early July to mid-September 2007, 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 in-situ field checks of total-dissolved-gas sensors with a secondary standard were within ± (plus or minus) 1% saturation after 3 to 4 weeks of deployment in the river. All of the field checks of barometric pressure were within ±2.5 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 2007, an average of 99.5% 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 sites. Data received from the sites ranged from 97.9% to 100.0% complete.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2007: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2007-1408
DOI 10.3133/ofr20071408
Edition -
Year Published 2007
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Oregon Water Science Center
Description vi, 23 p.
State Oregon, Washington
Other Geospatial Lower Columbia River
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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