Water surface elevations within seven Willamette River off-channel features (OCF; alcoves and side channels) were measured using submerged pressure transducers. Transducers were installed from late May through mid-October, 2016, when discharge of the Willamette River was between approximately 5,500 and 45,000 cubic feet per second at Salem, Oregon (USGS gage 14191000) and 3,500 to 17,500 cubic feet per second at Harrisburg, Oregon (USGS gage 14166000). Pressure transducer sensor depth was measured at all seven sites. For five of the sites, pressure transducer sensor depths were converted to water surface elevations by surveying the water surface at each transducer with a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS). Additionally, three barometric sensors were installed for barometric compensation of the water levels. These pressure transducer data sets were collected to characterize relationships between Willamette River discharges and water surface elevations in off-channel features. The USGS reserves the right to place these data into the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database at some point in the future, at which point the NWIS copy of the data would become the definitive copy.

Water-surface elevations were recorded by 17 submerged water level loggers between March and October, 2016 along a 3 kilometer reach of the upper Deschutes River, Oregon. 15 water level loggers were installed along the channel margins and 2 loggers were placed in off-channel wetland ponds. Submerged depths recorded at each logger were converted to water surface elevations using real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) measurements of water surface elevation near each water level logger location. Water surface elevation recorded at the loggers captured discharges ranging from approximately 600 to over 2,000 cubic feet/second recorded at the Bureau of Reclamation gage at Benham Falls.

Water-surface elevations were recorded by 17 submerged water level loggers between March and October, 2016 along a 3 kilometer reach of the upper Deschutes River, Oregon. 15 water level loggers were installed along the channel margins and 2 loggers were placed in off-channel wetland ponds. Submerged depths recorded at each logger were converted to water surface elevations using real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) measurements of water surface elevation near each water level logger location. Water surface elevation recorded at the loggers captured discharges ranging from approximately 600 to over 2,000 cubic feet/second recorded at the Bureau of Reclamation gage at Benham Falls.

Temperature loggers were placed on the ground (n=4) and hung in the air (n=2) near the upstream connection point of four Willamette River off-channel features (side channels and alcoves) to assess timing and discharge conditions when these four off-channel features were inundated at the upstream end with flow from the main channel. Temperature readings indicate that the upstream end of an off-channel feature is inundated when the ground temperature sensor does not match nearby air temperature readings, indicating the ground sensor is submerged by river water. Temperature loggers were installed from late May through mid-November, 2016, when discharge of the Willamette River was between approximately 5,500 and 45,000 cubic feet per second at Salem, Oregon (3,500 to 17,500 cubic feet per second at Harrisburg, Oregon). The timing and persistence of surface water connections between off-channel features and the main channel are key variables in understanding changes in temperature and water quality conditions within off-channel features.

Temperature loggers were placed on the ground (n=4) and hung in the air (n=2) near the upstream connection point of four Willamette River off-channel features (side channels and alcoves) to assess timing and discharge conditions when these four off-channel features were inundated at the upstream end with flow from the main channel. Temperature readings indicate that the upstream end of an off-channel feature is inundated when the ground temperature sensor does not match nearby air temperature readings, indicating the ground sensor is submerged by river water. Temperature loggers were installed from late May through mid-November, 2016, when discharge of the Willamette River was between approximately 5,500 and 45,000 cubic feet per second at Salem, Oregon (3,500 to 17,500 cubic feet per second at Harrisburg, Oregon). The timing and persistence of surface water connections between off-channel features and the main channel are key variables in understanding changes in temperature and water quality conditions within off-channel features.

Water-surface elevations were recorded by submerged pressure transducers in Spring, 2015 along the upper Willamette River, Oregon, between Eugene and Corvallis. The water-surface elevations were surveyed by using a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) at each pressure sensor location. These water-surface elevations were logged over a small range of discharges, from 4,600 cubic feet per second to 10,800 cubic feet per second at Harrisburg, OR. These datasets were collected for equipment calibration and validation for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission. This is one of multiple datasets that will be released for this effort.

Water-surface elevations were recorded by submerged pressure transducers in Spring, 2015 along the upper Willamette River, Oregon, between Eugene and Corvallis. The water-surface elevations were surveyed by using a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) at each pressure sensor location. These water-surface elevations were logged over a small range of discharges, from 4,600 cubic feet per second to 10,800 cubic feet per second at Harrisburg, OR. These datasets were collected for equipment calibration and validation for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission. This is one of multiple datasets that will be released for this effort.

Water-surface elevation measurements were collected in Spring, 2015 along the upper Willamette River, Oregon, between Harrisburg and Corvallis. These surveys were collected over a small range of discharges, from 6,900 cubic feet per second to 8,300 cubic feet per second, using a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) on a motorboat at various cross sections along the river. These datasets were collected for equipment calibration and validation for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission. This is one of multiple survey datasets that will be released for this effort.

Water-surface elevation measurements were collected in Spring, 2015 along the upper Willamette River, Oregon, between Harrisburg and Corvallis. These surveys were collected over a small range of discharges, from 6,900 cubic feet per second to 8,300 cubic feet per second, using a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) on a motorboat at various cross sections along the river. These datasets were collected for equipment calibration and validation for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission. This is one of multiple survey datasets that will be released for this effort.

Continuous records of water level altitude at 15 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgaging stations (13 streams, 1 lake and 1 pond) were retrieved from the National Water Information System (NWIS) and averaged for the months of April and May, 2016. This shapefile consists of the locations of those sites and includes water level altitude data stored in the attribute table. The shapefile was created and intended for use with geographic information system (GIS) software. The site locations and water level data are also presented in Sheet 1 of Scientific Investigations Map 3398.