A review of scientific information on issues related to the use and management of water resources in the Pacific Northwest.

Abstract

Fresh water is a valuable and essential commodity in the Pacific Northwest States, specifically Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and one provided abundantly by forested watersheds in the region. The maintenance and growth of industrial, municipal, agricultural, and recreational activities in the region are dependent on adequate and sustainable supplies of fresh water from surface and groundwater sources. Future development, especially in the semiarid intermountain area, depends on the conservation and expansion of the region's water resource. This synthesis reviews the state of our knowledge and condition of water resources in the Pacific Northwest.

Nutrients across Time: Relationships with Climate, Hydrology, and Land Use in Four Rivers of the Pacific Northwest

“…In the drier Spokane, however, irrigation during the summer and fall is more necessary than the Willamette (Everest et al. 2004). In the arid, heavily irrigated and developed Spokane (Everest et al.…”

“…The Spokane and Yakima watersheds are drier with predominantly agricultural land uses, the Willamette is the wettest watershed with both agricultural and urban development, and the Salmon is predominantly undeveloped (Everest et al. 2004). The Yakima possess snowmelt‐driven hydrology from its headwaters, as does the Salmon to a lesser degree (Everest et al.…”

“…The Yakima possess snowmelt‐driven hydrology from its headwaters, as does the Salmon to a lesser degree (Everest et al. 2004; Zheng et al. 2018).…”

Precocious Maturation in Spring‐Run Chinook Salmon Is Affected by Incubation Temperature, Feeding Regime, and Parentage

“…Anthropogenic activity in the western United States has caused the decline of water quantity and quality in regional rivers (Everest et al 2004;Katz et al 2013;Moyle et al 2017). Continued degradation and climate change pose particular threats to valuable coldwater anadromous species such as Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp., whose commercial fishery value surpassed US$21 million in annual production in 2019 (PFMC 2020).…”

“…Anthropogenic activity in the western United States has caused the decline of water quantity and quality in regional rivers (Everest et al. 2004; Katz et al. 2013; Moyle et al.…”