USGS Science in Idaho

This is Wickahoney Creek in the Owyhee Canyonlands, before and during a large runoff event in late February. Cool photos? Oh, yeah. But there's more to this story.

The problem: Estimating streamflow for remote streams in the Owyhee Canyonlands so Bureau of Land Management - Idaho can protect their unique values. It's a wilderness area far from , so traditional streamgaging isn't feasible. Now what?

We install cameras, like the one at Wickaoney Creek, to identify the timing of certain streamflow events, like high runoff. Then we apply models to improve our streamflow estimates.

The result: better information at lower cost and less impact to the wilderness. Win-win-win. That's the power of , science for .

We have good news and bad news.

The good news is that we have new newsletter news for you: https://usgs.gov/centers/idaho-water-science-center/news.

The bad news is that this is probably our last issue as our newsletter editor retires April 18. Thank you all for your interest in USGS Science in Idaho!

Gearing up for another day of collecting data in the Owyhee Canyonlands wilderness for Bureau of Land Management - Idaho: https://ow.ly/rqVx50VvZoe.

The annual meeting of the Chapter of the Society of and is coming up in . Hear presentations from three of our scientists: https://ow.ly/S7ZT50VtnBN.

is a big month for our staff at the Idaho National Laboratory. Foreground: collecting samples from one of more than 200 monitoring wells. Background: drilling the newest monitoring well. We conduct our research and monitoring at the INL in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Photo by Haley Dietz, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Public domain.

Good morning, ! The latest report from our Glenwood Bridge streamgage shows the flowing at precisely 4,800 cubic feet per second. Well done,
Bureau of Reclamation. Well done. https://ow.ly/cGYO50VsoQT.

No foolin'. April 1 marks 114 consecutive years of recorded at streamgage station 13185000, River near Twin Springs, : https://ow.ly/M1Pt50VrSVC.

As we close out , we honor all the women who have helped to advance the earth sciences through their work with the . But we aren't satisfied with living in the past. We're ready to make more history, today and every day to come!

Today we say goodbye and good luck to Idaho Falls Field Office Chief Darrin Miller as he retires after 40 years of service to America. A U.S. Army , Darrin's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) career has taken him to western , eastern , northwestern , and eastern .

Here's Darrin in his own words:

"I have been blessed throughout my career to work with great people and a great agency. My 40-year career with the Federal government includes service in the United States Army, Washington State Army National Guard, and with the U.S. Geological Survey. Over my USGS career I have been able to work in surface-water, water-quality, and groundwater studies throughout western Colorado, eastern Montana, northwestern Washington, and eastern Idaho, living in beautiful locations of our country during my career!

"My first year of retirement will include our family's move to South Carolina to be more with family and friends and to live the warm life away from the snows of the Pacific Northwest!

"Lastly, I would like to say I wouldn’t be in the place that I am today without the help of my family and my wife of over 33 years, Lisa. She has been my best friend, my confidant, my everything, so it’s now time for me to be Mrs. Miller’s, Mr. Miller!

"Be safe everyone and know you are all greatly appreciated in the work we do!"