Cynthia Rachol
Cyndi is the National Map Liaison for Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 19
The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Michigan’s economy
High-quality elevation data are proving to be a resource of value in addressing many important economic issues in Michigan. The expanding statewide availability of current and accurate high-resolution elevation data can help support agriculture and precision farming, natural resource conservation, flood risk management, and geologic resource assessment and hazard mitigation. Water supply and quali
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol
Calibration of a field-scale Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model with field placement of best management practices in Alger Creek, Michigan
Subwatersheds within the Great Lakes “Priority Watersheds” were targeted by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to determine the effectiveness of the various best management practices (BMPs) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service National Conservation Planning (NCP) Database. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is created for Alger Creek,
Authors
Katherine R. Merriman, Amy M. Russell, Cynthia M. Rachol, Prasad Daggupati, Raghavan Srinivasan, Brett A. Hayhurst, Todd D. Stuntebeck
Estimation of groundwater use for a groundwater-flow model of the Lake Michigan Basin and adjacent areas, 1864-2005
The U.S. Geological Survey, at the request of Congress, is assessing the availability and use of the Nation's water resources to help characterize how much water is available now, how water availability is changing, and how much water can be expected to be available in the future. The Great Lakes Basin Pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey national assessment of water availability and use fo
Authors
Cheryl A. Buchwald, Carol L. Luukkonen, Cynthia M. Rachol
Water quality and hydrology of the Silver River Watershed, Baraga County, Michigan, 2005-08
The Silver River Watershed comprises about 69 square miles and drains part of northeastern Baraga County, Michigan. For generations, tribal members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community have hunted and fished in the watershed. Tribal government and members of Keweenaw Bay Indian Community are concerned about the effect of any development within the watershed, which is rural, isolated, and lightly p
Authors
Thomas L. Weaver, Daniel J. Sullivan, Cynthia M. Rachol, James M. Ellis
Estimated bankfull discharge for selected Michigan rivers and regional hydraulic geometry curves for estimating bankfull characteristics in southern Michigan rivers
Regional hydraulic geometry curves are power-function equations that relate riffle dimensions and bankfull discharge to drainage-basin size. They are defined by data collected through surveys conducted at stable stream reaches and can be used to aid watershed managers, design engineers, and others involved in determination of the best course of action for an unstable stream. Hydraulic geometry cur
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol, Kristine Boley-Morse
Water quality of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and their U.S. tributaries, 1946-2005
The St. Clair River/Lake St. Clair waterway forms an international boundary between the United States and Canada. The waters of the area are an important part of the cultural heritage of the area and serves as an important water-supply and power-generating resource; the waterway also supports an economy based largely on recreation, agriculture, and manufacturing. This report was undertaken as part
Authors
Denis F. Healy, Douglas B. Chambers, Cynthia M. Rachol, Richard S. Jodoin
Areal distribution and concentration of contaminants of concern in surficial streambed and lakebed sediments, Lake St. Clair and tributaries, Michigan, 1990-2003
As part of the Lake St. Clair Regional Monitoring Project, the U.S. Geological Survey evaluated data collected from surficial streambed and lakebed sediments in the Lake Erie-Lake St. Clair drainages. This study incorporates data collected from 1990 through 2003 and focuses primarily on the U.S. part of the Lake St. Clair Basin, including Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, and tributaries to Lak
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol, Daniel T. Button
Historical and simulated changes in channel characteristics of the Kalamazoo River, Plainwell to Otesgo, Michigan
In a study to understand the historical effects of the construction and decommissioning of dams on the Kalamazoo River, Plainwell to Otesgo, Michigan, and to simulate channel changes that may result if the dams were removed, early to mid-1800s General Land Office surveys and aerial photographs from 1938, 1981, and 1999 were compared in order to identify historical changes in the river’s planform.
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Tiffiny Rossi
A pre-dam-removal assessment of sediment transport for four dams on the Kalamazoo River between Plainwell and Allegan, Michigan
Four dams on the Kalamazoo River between the cities of Plainwell and Allegan, Mich., are in varying states of disrepair. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) are considering removing these dams to restore the river channels to pre-dam conditions. This study was initiated to identify sediment characteristics, monitor sediment trans
Authors
Atiq U. Syed, James P. Bennett, Cynthia M. Rachol
Sediment characteristics and configuration within the Otsego City Dam impoundment on the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, 2001-02
The removal of the Otsego City Dam on the Kalamazoo River at Otsego, Mich., is under consideration by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the city of Otsego. The historical discharge of papermill waste containing polychlorinated biphenyls from sources upstream from the dam has led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to designate the Kalamazoo River from Morrow Dam near Comsto
Authors
S. J. Rheaume, D. L. Hubbell, C. M. Rachol, A. Simard, L. M. Fuller
Sediment characteristics and configuration within three dam impoundments on the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, 2000
The removal of the remnants of three hydroelectric dams on the Kalamazoo River near Plainwell, Otsego, and Allegan, Michigan, has been proposed. The benefits of this removal include returning the Kalamazoo River to its pre-dam flow, increasing recreational use and safety on the river, and improving aquatic habitat. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has designated this reach of the Kalamazoo
Authors
S. J. Rheaume, C. M. Rachol, D. L. Hubbell, Andreanne Simard
Arsenic in ground water in Huron County, Michigan
Previous studies of ground-water resources in Michigan by the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicate that in several counties in the southeastern part of the State the concentrations of arsenic in ground water may exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contamina
Authors
Sheridan K. Haack, Cynthia M. Rachol
Edge-of-field monitoring: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative edge-of-field monitoring focuses on identifying and reducing agricultural sources of excess nutrients which threaten the health of the Great Lakes. The USGS supports these efforts by utilizing edge-of-field monitoring to assess the quantity and quality of agricultural runoff and evaluate conservation practices that aim to reduce sediment and nutrient loss.
Water Chemistry Monitoring Project - Rivers and Streams
In support of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Water Chemistry Monitoring Project, the USGS Michigan Water Science Center has been collecting long-term water quality data for Michigan's rivers and streams.
Nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, yields, and rainfall characteristics collected at a USGS subsurface-tile edge-of-field agricultural monitoring site in South Central Michigan within the Maumee River Basin, 2019-2023
This data release contains nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, and yields from a USGS subsurface-tile edge-of-field (EOF) agricultural monitoring site. Sampling and flow monitoring were performed at the outlet of a subsurface-tile that drains 14.7 acres of cultivated cropland. The site is located in South Central Michigan and discharges into a headwater stream of the Maumee watershed. Thr
Meteorological data from edge-of-field sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2015-18
These data describe daily mean air temperature, soil temperature, soil-water (moisture) content, and solar radiation at two edge-of-field sites monitored as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. These data were used to catalog the general range of conditions at each site in order to provide context for when sub-surface agricultural drainage (tile drains) is visible in remote-sensing imag
Nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, yields, and rainfall characteristics at USGS surface and subsurface-tile edge-of-field agricultural monitoring sites in Great Lakes States (ver. 2.1, September 2023)
This data release focuses on nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, and yields at USGS surface and subsurface-tile edge-of-field (EOF) agricultural monitoring sites in Great Lakes States. Water quality and rainfall metrics are summarized by individual flow events to evaluate the contribution of EOF losses to headwater stream networks in agricultural landscapes. USGS EOF sites are components
Daily loads of nutrients, sediment, and chloride at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative USGS edge-of-field and tile stations
As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have partnered to evaluate the impacts of implementing agricultural conservation practices focused on nutrient management. Monitoring methods have been designed to allow for rapid assessment of wat
Cross section survey of a selected reach of Plaster Creek and Little Plaster Creek, Kentwood, MI, 2018
The City of Kentwood (MI) has been faced with repetitive flooding from Plaster Creek near the intersection of Shaffer Avenue SE and 36th Street SE. Nearby businesses and public and private property are at risk for flood damage; as well as degradation of public infrastructure including bridges, exposure of subsurface sanitary sewer lines, and damage to storm water systems. The U.S. Army Corps of En
Photos of debris jams on Plaster Creek and Little Plaster Creek, Kentwood, MI, 2018
The City of Kentwood (MI) has been faced with repetitive flooding from Plaster Creek near the intersection of Shaffer Avenue SE and 36th Street SE. Nearby businesses and public and private property are at risk for flood damage; as well as degradation of public infrastructure including bridges, exposure of subsurface sanitary sewer lines, and damage to storm water systems. The U.S. Army Corps of En
Estimated daily loads of nutrients, sediment, and chloride at USGS edge-of-field stations, tributaries to Lum Drain, Genesee County, Michigan, water years 2012-17
As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have partnered to evaluate agricultural conservation practices focused on nutrient management. Monitoring methods allow for rapid assessment of water-quality changes in response to conservation eff
Flood-inundation maps for a 15-mile reach of the Kalamazoo River from Marshall to Battle Creek, Michigan
Digital flood-inundation maps for a 15-mile reach of the Kalamazoo River from Marshall to Battle Creek, Michigan, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help guide remediation efforts following a crude-oil spill on July 25, 2010. The spill happened on Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, during
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 19
The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Michigan’s economy
High-quality elevation data are proving to be a resource of value in addressing many important economic issues in Michigan. The expanding statewide availability of current and accurate high-resolution elevation data can help support agriculture and precision farming, natural resource conservation, flood risk management, and geologic resource assessment and hazard mitigation. Water supply and quali
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol
Calibration of a field-scale Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model with field placement of best management practices in Alger Creek, Michigan
Subwatersheds within the Great Lakes “Priority Watersheds” were targeted by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to determine the effectiveness of the various best management practices (BMPs) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service National Conservation Planning (NCP) Database. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is created for Alger Creek,
Authors
Katherine R. Merriman, Amy M. Russell, Cynthia M. Rachol, Prasad Daggupati, Raghavan Srinivasan, Brett A. Hayhurst, Todd D. Stuntebeck
Estimation of groundwater use for a groundwater-flow model of the Lake Michigan Basin and adjacent areas, 1864-2005
The U.S. Geological Survey, at the request of Congress, is assessing the availability and use of the Nation's water resources to help characterize how much water is available now, how water availability is changing, and how much water can be expected to be available in the future. The Great Lakes Basin Pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey national assessment of water availability and use fo
Authors
Cheryl A. Buchwald, Carol L. Luukkonen, Cynthia M. Rachol
Water quality and hydrology of the Silver River Watershed, Baraga County, Michigan, 2005-08
The Silver River Watershed comprises about 69 square miles and drains part of northeastern Baraga County, Michigan. For generations, tribal members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community have hunted and fished in the watershed. Tribal government and members of Keweenaw Bay Indian Community are concerned about the effect of any development within the watershed, which is rural, isolated, and lightly p
Authors
Thomas L. Weaver, Daniel J. Sullivan, Cynthia M. Rachol, James M. Ellis
Estimated bankfull discharge for selected Michigan rivers and regional hydraulic geometry curves for estimating bankfull characteristics in southern Michigan rivers
Regional hydraulic geometry curves are power-function equations that relate riffle dimensions and bankfull discharge to drainage-basin size. They are defined by data collected through surveys conducted at stable stream reaches and can be used to aid watershed managers, design engineers, and others involved in determination of the best course of action for an unstable stream. Hydraulic geometry cur
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol, Kristine Boley-Morse
Water quality of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and their U.S. tributaries, 1946-2005
The St. Clair River/Lake St. Clair waterway forms an international boundary between the United States and Canada. The waters of the area are an important part of the cultural heritage of the area and serves as an important water-supply and power-generating resource; the waterway also supports an economy based largely on recreation, agriculture, and manufacturing. This report was undertaken as part
Authors
Denis F. Healy, Douglas B. Chambers, Cynthia M. Rachol, Richard S. Jodoin
Areal distribution and concentration of contaminants of concern in surficial streambed and lakebed sediments, Lake St. Clair and tributaries, Michigan, 1990-2003
As part of the Lake St. Clair Regional Monitoring Project, the U.S. Geological Survey evaluated data collected from surficial streambed and lakebed sediments in the Lake Erie-Lake St. Clair drainages. This study incorporates data collected from 1990 through 2003 and focuses primarily on the U.S. part of the Lake St. Clair Basin, including Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, and tributaries to Lak
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol, Daniel T. Button
Historical and simulated changes in channel characteristics of the Kalamazoo River, Plainwell to Otesgo, Michigan
In a study to understand the historical effects of the construction and decommissioning of dams on the Kalamazoo River, Plainwell to Otesgo, Michigan, and to simulate channel changes that may result if the dams were removed, early to mid-1800s General Land Office surveys and aerial photographs from 1938, 1981, and 1999 were compared in order to identify historical changes in the river’s planform.
Authors
Cynthia M. Rachol, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Tiffiny Rossi
A pre-dam-removal assessment of sediment transport for four dams on the Kalamazoo River between Plainwell and Allegan, Michigan
Four dams on the Kalamazoo River between the cities of Plainwell and Allegan, Mich., are in varying states of disrepair. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) are considering removing these dams to restore the river channels to pre-dam conditions. This study was initiated to identify sediment characteristics, monitor sediment trans
Authors
Atiq U. Syed, James P. Bennett, Cynthia M. Rachol
Sediment characteristics and configuration within the Otsego City Dam impoundment on the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, 2001-02
The removal of the Otsego City Dam on the Kalamazoo River at Otsego, Mich., is under consideration by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the city of Otsego. The historical discharge of papermill waste containing polychlorinated biphenyls from sources upstream from the dam has led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to designate the Kalamazoo River from Morrow Dam near Comsto
Authors
S. J. Rheaume, D. L. Hubbell, C. M. Rachol, A. Simard, L. M. Fuller
Sediment characteristics and configuration within three dam impoundments on the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, 2000
The removal of the remnants of three hydroelectric dams on the Kalamazoo River near Plainwell, Otsego, and Allegan, Michigan, has been proposed. The benefits of this removal include returning the Kalamazoo River to its pre-dam flow, increasing recreational use and safety on the river, and improving aquatic habitat. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has designated this reach of the Kalamazoo
Authors
S. J. Rheaume, C. M. Rachol, D. L. Hubbell, Andreanne Simard
Arsenic in ground water in Huron County, Michigan
Previous studies of ground-water resources in Michigan by the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicate that in several counties in the southeastern part of the State the concentrations of arsenic in ground water may exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contamina
Authors
Sheridan K. Haack, Cynthia M. Rachol
Edge-of-field monitoring: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative edge-of-field monitoring focuses on identifying and reducing agricultural sources of excess nutrients which threaten the health of the Great Lakes. The USGS supports these efforts by utilizing edge-of-field monitoring to assess the quantity and quality of agricultural runoff and evaluate conservation practices that aim to reduce sediment and nutrient loss.
Water Chemistry Monitoring Project - Rivers and Streams
In support of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Water Chemistry Monitoring Project, the USGS Michigan Water Science Center has been collecting long-term water quality data for Michigan's rivers and streams.
Nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, yields, and rainfall characteristics collected at a USGS subsurface-tile edge-of-field agricultural monitoring site in South Central Michigan within the Maumee River Basin, 2019-2023
This data release contains nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, and yields from a USGS subsurface-tile edge-of-field (EOF) agricultural monitoring site. Sampling and flow monitoring were performed at the outlet of a subsurface-tile that drains 14.7 acres of cultivated cropland. The site is located in South Central Michigan and discharges into a headwater stream of the Maumee watershed. Thr
Meteorological data from edge-of-field sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2015-18
These data describe daily mean air temperature, soil temperature, soil-water (moisture) content, and solar radiation at two edge-of-field sites monitored as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. These data were used to catalog the general range of conditions at each site in order to provide context for when sub-surface agricultural drainage (tile drains) is visible in remote-sensing imag
Nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, yields, and rainfall characteristics at USGS surface and subsurface-tile edge-of-field agricultural monitoring sites in Great Lakes States (ver. 2.1, September 2023)
This data release focuses on nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, and yields at USGS surface and subsurface-tile edge-of-field (EOF) agricultural monitoring sites in Great Lakes States. Water quality and rainfall metrics are summarized by individual flow events to evaluate the contribution of EOF losses to headwater stream networks in agricultural landscapes. USGS EOF sites are components
Daily loads of nutrients, sediment, and chloride at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative USGS edge-of-field and tile stations
As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have partnered to evaluate the impacts of implementing agricultural conservation practices focused on nutrient management. Monitoring methods have been designed to allow for rapid assessment of wat
Cross section survey of a selected reach of Plaster Creek and Little Plaster Creek, Kentwood, MI, 2018
The City of Kentwood (MI) has been faced with repetitive flooding from Plaster Creek near the intersection of Shaffer Avenue SE and 36th Street SE. Nearby businesses and public and private property are at risk for flood damage; as well as degradation of public infrastructure including bridges, exposure of subsurface sanitary sewer lines, and damage to storm water systems. The U.S. Army Corps of En
Photos of debris jams on Plaster Creek and Little Plaster Creek, Kentwood, MI, 2018
The City of Kentwood (MI) has been faced with repetitive flooding from Plaster Creek near the intersection of Shaffer Avenue SE and 36th Street SE. Nearby businesses and public and private property are at risk for flood damage; as well as degradation of public infrastructure including bridges, exposure of subsurface sanitary sewer lines, and damage to storm water systems. The U.S. Army Corps of En
Estimated daily loads of nutrients, sediment, and chloride at USGS edge-of-field stations, tributaries to Lum Drain, Genesee County, Michigan, water years 2012-17
As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have partnered to evaluate agricultural conservation practices focused on nutrient management. Monitoring methods allow for rapid assessment of water-quality changes in response to conservation eff
Flood-inundation maps for a 15-mile reach of the Kalamazoo River from Marshall to Battle Creek, Michigan
Digital flood-inundation maps for a 15-mile reach of the Kalamazoo River from Marshall to Battle Creek, Michigan, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help guide remediation efforts following a crude-oil spill on July 25, 2010. The spill happened on Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, during