Oregon Water Science Center
Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates several dams in the 259,000 square mile Columbia River Basin. These dams provide flood control, navigation, irrigation, recreation, and hydroelectric power to the Pacific Northwest. When water is released over the spillways at these dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the concentration of dissolved gas in the water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's dissolved gas criterion for the protection of freshwater aquatic life is 110% saturation. Saturation is calculated by dividing the pressure of gas dissolved in the water by the barometric pressure at the surface. Concentrations exceeding the criterion can be hazardous to fish.
The U.S. Geological Survey collects real-time data for total dissolved gas, temperature, and barometric pressure.
Eight monitoring stations have been installed from the forebay of the John Day dam near Rufus, Oregon (river mile 215.7) to Camas, Washington (river mile 121.7). Each station measures dissolved gas pressure, barometric pressure, and water temperature. These data are logged and transmitted hourly by satellite to the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. To assure the quality of the data, intersite comparisons of the data are made daily, and monitoring instruments are calibrated every 3 weeks.
Dissolved gas monitoring station at Camas/Washougal, Washington
OFR 96-662A. Total dissolved gas, barometric pressure, and water temperature data, lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 1996, by Dwight Q. Tanner, Howard E. Harrison, and Stuart W. McKenzie. (1/97) Abstract and link to online version
WRIR 01-4005. Data-Collection Methods, Quality-Assurance Data, and Site Considerations for Total Dissolved Gas Monitoring, Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2000,by Dwight Q. Tanner and Matthew W. Johnston. (1/01) Abstract and link to online version
WRIR 01-4273. 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, by Dwight Q. Tanner and Heather M. Bragg. (12/01) Abstract and link to online version
WRIR 02-4283. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2002: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Matthew W. Johnston, and Heather M. Bragg. (12/02) Abstract and link to online version
WRIR 03-4306. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2003: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Matthew W. Johnston, and Heather M. Bragg. (12/03) Abstract and link to online version
SIR 2004-5249. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2004: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Heather M. Bragg, and Matthew W. Johnston. (12/04) Abstract and link to online version
DS 148. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2005: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Heather M. Bragg, and Matthew W. Johnston. (12/05) ONLINE ONLY Abstract and link to report
DS 235. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2006: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Heather M. Bragg, and Matthew W. Johnston. (12/06) ONLINE ONLY Abstract and link to report
OFR 2007-1408. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2007: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Heather M. Bragg, and Matthew W. Johnston. (12/07) ONLINE ONLY Abstract and link to report
OFR 2008-1357. Total Dissolved Gas and Water Temperature in the Lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2008: Quality-Assurance Data and Comparison to Water-Quality Standards, By Dwight Q. Tanner, Heather M. Bragg, and Matthew W. Johnston. (12/08) ONLINE ONLY Abstract and link to report
Provisional real-time data are available for the stations listed below:
Dissolved gas monitoring station location map
| Location of Currently Operated Stations | Installation Period | ID | Graphs | Tables |
| 1. Columbia River at John Day Dam Nav. Lock, WA (454314120413701) | April 1 - Sep 15 | JDY | custom | 3 days |
| 2. Columbia River below John Day Dam near Cliffs, WA (454249120423500) | Year-round | JHAW | custom | 3 days |
| 3. Columbia River at The Dalles Dam forebay, WA (453712121071200) | April 1 - Sep 15 | TDA | custom | 3 days |
| 4. Columbia River below The Dalles Dam at The Dalles, OR (14105700) | Year-round | TDDO | custom | 3 days |
| 5. Columbia River at Bonneville Dam forebay, WA (453845121562000) | Mar 10 - Sep 15 | BON | custom | 3 days |
| 6. Columbia River at Cascade Island, WA (453845121564001) | Variable | CCIW | custom | 3 days |
| 7. Columbia River below Bonneville Dam near Warrendale, OR (453630122021400) | Variable | WRNO | custom | 3 days |
| 8. Columbia River at Camas/Washougal, WA (453439122223900) | Mar 10 - Sep 15 | CWMW | custom | 3 days |
| Location of Historical Stations | ID | Graphs |
| 1. Columbia River at John Day Dam forebay, WA (454257120413000) | JDA | custom |
| 2. Columbia River, left bank, near The Dalles, OR (453606121101000) | TDTO | custom |
| 3. Columbia River, right bank, near Skamania, WA (453651122022200) | SKAW | custom |
| 4. Columbia River, right bank, near Kalama, WA (455903122500000) | KLAW | custom |
| 5. Columbia River, left bank, near Wauna, OR (460923123235800) | WANO | custom |
Contact Dwight Tanner dqtanner@usgs.gov regarding this study.
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://or.water.usgs.gov/projs_dir/pn307.tdg/index.html
Page Contact Information: Oregon Webteam
Page Last Modified: Tuesday - May 5, 2009 at 20:03:59 EDT
