Tuesday January 20, 2026
Columbia Insight —
The state of Washington has embarked on a wide-ranging study to catalogue all native, freshwater aquatic species found in every river and major drainage in the state.
The Aquatic Biodiversity Study is the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, and possibly the nation, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Researchers with WDFW will use environmental DNA technology to detect and identify tiny bits of genetic material floating in sources of freshwater.