John Day Reservoir Geophysical and Sediment Data for Salmon Habitat Assessment

High-resolution geophysical mapping provides the first detailed view of the John Day Reservoir floor since its formation. The dataset integrates bottom video images, sediment samples, and historical pre-impoundment data within a GIS. This study was conducted by the USGS to assess sediment accumulation for potential salmon habitat restoration.

Use Cases

• Analyze sediment accumulation patterns from geophysical maps to estimate total trapped sediment volume.
• Correlate bottom video imagery with sediment sample data to classify substrate types across the reservoir floor.
• Use GIS layers to model changes in riverine morphology by comparing current geophysical data with historical pre-impoundment records.
• Assess potential habitat suitability for anadromous salmonids by integrating sedimentological and photographic data.

Strengths

• First detailed geophysical map of the entire reservoir floor since impoundment.
• Multimodal integration of geophysical, photographic, and sedimentological data within a GIS.

Limitations

• Sample size for sediment and video data is not specified, potentially limiting statistical analysis.
• Temporal coverage is a single snapshot after impoundment, lacking time-series data on sediment change.

Provenance

Source

USGS (United States Geological Survey) via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

High-resolution geophysical mapping, bottom video imaging, and sediment sampling, integrated into a GIS.

Time Range

Post-impoundment period of the John Day Reservoir.

Geography

John Day Reservoir on the Columbia River, spanning Washington and Oregon, USA.