Methodology for river-quality assessment with application to the Willamette River basin, Oregon

The American public has identified the enhancement and protection of river quality as an important national goal, and recent laws have given this commitment considerable force. As a consequence, a considerable investment has been made in the past few years to improve the quality of theN ation's rivers. Further improvements will require substantial expenditures and the consumption of large amounts of energy. For these reasons, it is important that alternative plans for river-quality management be scientifically assessed in terms of their relative ability to produce environmental benefits. To aid this endeavor, this circular series presents a case history of an intensive river-quality assessment in the Willamette River basin, Oregon.