USGS released 72 kg of red dye into Idaho river to track how water disperses
In 2017, the USGS conducted a scientific experiment on Idaho’s Kootenai River by releasing 72 kg of red dye to track water dispersion patterns. Researchers used aerial hyperspectral imaging and in-river sensors to analyze how the plume moved through the channel.
Why it matters
Demonstrates environmental monitoring techniques used to understand river hydrology and pollutant transport.
In September 2017, the US Geological Survey (USGS) carried out an unusual experiment on Idaho’s Kootenai River. Researchers released 72.57 kg (160 pounds) of Rhodamine WT dye into the river and then followed its movement through the water. The aim was to understand how a substance spreads as it travels through a flowing river.According to USGS, the dye was released from a single point at the Kootenai Tribal Fish Hatchery on September 26, 2017. The entire release took just 90 seconds. Researchers then had to track what happened to the dye as it moved downstream and spread across the river.They used two methods to follow the plume. Instruments placed in the river measured the dye directly, while an aircraft flew over the Kootenai River the following day, capturing images of the plume from above.
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