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Publications

This list of Upper Midwest Water Science Center publications spans from 1899 to present. It includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists. To access the full, searchable catalog of USGS publications, please visit the USGS Publications Warehouse.

Filter Total Items: 2244

Fate and behavior tools related to inland spill response—Workshop on the U.S. Geological Survey’s role in Federal science support

Executive SummaryThere is a growing body of tools available for science support for determining the fate and behavior of industrial and agricultural chemicals that are rapidly injected (“spilled”) into aquatic environments. A 2-day roundtable-style workshop was held by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Middleton, Wisconsin, in December 2017 to describe and explore existing Federal science suppo
Authors
Daniel J. Sullivan, Faith A. Fitzpatrick

Ecological forecasting—21st century science for 21st century management

Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending near-term changes in ecosystem conditions or dynamics. Managers may use the information in forecasts to minimize the adverse ef

Authors
John B. Bradford, Jake Weltzin, Molly L. McCormick, Jill Baron, Zack Bowen, Sky Bristol, Daren Carlisle, Theresa Crimmins, Paul C. Cross, Joe DeVivo, Mike Dietze, Mary Freeman, Jason Goldberg, Mevin Hooten, Leslie Hsu, Karen Jenni, Jennifer L. Keisman, Jonathan Kennen, Kathy Lee, David P. Lesmes, Keith Loftin, Brian W. Miller, Peter S. Murdoch, Jana Newman, Karen L. Prentice, Imtiaz Rangwala, Jordan Read, Jennifer Sieracki, Helen Sofaer, Steve Thur, Gordon Toevs, Francisco Werner, C. LeAnn White, Timothy White, Mark T. Wiltermuth

Assessing the influence of natural copper-nickel-bearing bedrocks of the Duluth Complex on water quality in Minnesota, 2013–15

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute, completed an assessment of regional water quality in areas of potential base-metal mining in Minnesota. Bedrock, soil, streambed sediment, and surface-water samples were collected in three watersheds that cross the basal part of the Duluth Complex with different mineral-deposit
Authors
Sarah M. Elliott, Perry M. Jones, Laurel G. Woodruff, Carrie E. Jennings, Aliesha L. Krall, Daniel L. Morel

Importance of accurately quantifying internal loading in developing phosphorus reduction strategies for a chain of shallow lakes

The Winnebago Pool is a chain of 4 shallow lakes in Wisconsin. Because of high external phosphorus (P) inputs to the lakes, the lakes became highly eutrophic, with much P contained in their sediments. In developing a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for these lakes, it is important to determine how their phosphorus concentrations should respond to changes in external P loading. In many TMDLs, inter
Authors
Dale M. Robertson, Matthew W. Diebel

Seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in mercury concentrations and loads through a three-reservoir complex

The Hells Canyon Complex (HCC) along the Snake River (Idaho-Oregon border, USA) encompasses three successive reservoirs that seasonally stratify, creating anoxic conditions in the hypolimnion that promote methylmercury (MeHg) production. This study quantified seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in mercury concentrations (inorganic divalent mercury (IHg) and MeHg) and loads at four reserv
Authors
Austin K. Baldwin, Brett Poulin, Jesse Naymik, Charles Hoovestol, Gregory M. Clark, David P. Krabbenhoft

A national-scale assessment of mercury bioaccumulation in United States National Parks using dragonfly larvae as biosentinels through a citizen-science framework

We conducted a national-scale assessment of mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems using dragonfly larvae as biosentinels, by developing a citizen science network to facilitate biological sampling. Implementing a carefully designed sampling methodology for citizen scientists, we developed an effective framework for landscape-level inquiry that might otherwise be resource limited. We as
Authors
Collin Eagles-Smith, James Willacker, Sarah J. Nelson, Collen M Flanagan Pritz, David P. Krabbenhoft, Celia Y. Chen, Joshua T. Ackerman, Evan H. Campbell Grant, David Pilliod

Insights into mercury source identification and bioaccumulation using stable isotope approaches in the Hannibal Pool of the Ohio River

Mercury contamination in river systems due to historic and current Hg releases is a persistent concern for both wildlife and human health. In larger rivers, like the Ohio River, USA, it is difficult to directly link Hg discharges to bioaccumulation due to the existence of multiple industrial Hg sources as well as the varied dietary and migratory habits of biota. To better understand how industrial
Authors
Sarah E. Janssen, Kathleen A. Patnode, Bruce R Pluta, David P. Krabbenhoft

Leachable phosphorus from senesced green ash and Norway mapleleaves in urban watersheds

In urban watersheds, street tree leaf litter is a critical biogenic source of phosphorus (P) in stormwater runoff. Stormwater extracts P from leaf litter and transports it, through the storm sewer network, to a receiving waterbody potentially causing downstream eutrophication. The goal of this study is to understand P leaching dynamics of two prevalent tree species (Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
Authors
Yi Wang, Anita Thompson, William R. Selbig

Primary sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to streambed sediment in Great Lakes tributaries using multiple lines of evidence

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most widespread and potentially toxic contaminants in Great Lakes (USA/Canada) tributaries. The sources of PAHs are numerous and diverse, and identifying the primary source(s) can be difficult. The present study used multiple lines of evidence to determine the likely sources of PAHs to surficial streambed sediments at 71 locations across 26 Gre
Authors
Austin K. Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Samantha K. Oliver, Peter L. Lenaker, Michelle A. Nott, Marc A. Mills, Gary A. Norris, Pentti Paatero

Tracing the uptake of Hg(II) in an iron-reducing bacterium using mercury stable isotopes

Anaerobic microorganisms play a key role in the biological mercury (Hg) cycle due to their ability to produce bioaccumulative neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg). However, despite recent advances, how bacteria accumulate inorganic Hg [Hg(II)] prior to methylation is largely unknown. In this study, we applied Hg stable isotopes to measure changes in cellular compartments of Geobacter sulfurreducens and
Authors
Yuwei Wang, Sarah E. Janssen, Jeffra K Schaefer, Nathan Yee, John R Reinfelder

Hydrodynamic modeling results showing the effects of the Luce Bayou interbasin transfer on salinity in Lake Houston, TX

An overreliance on groundwater resources in the Houston (Texas) metropolitan area led to aquifer drawdowns and land subsidence, so regional water suppliers have been turning to surface water resources to meet water demand. Lake Houston, an important water supply reservoir 24 kilometers (15 miles) northeast of downtown Houston, requires new water supply sources to continue to meet water supply dema
Authors
Erik A. Smith, Sachin D. Shah

Land use effects on sediment nutrient processes in a heavily modified watershed using structural equation models

Contemporary land use can affect sediment nutrient processes in rivers draining heavily modified watersheds; however, studies linking land use to sediment nutrient processes in large river networks are limited. In this study, we developed and evaluated structural equation models (SE models) for denitrification and phosphorus retention capacity to determine direct and indirect linkages between curr
Authors
Rebecca Kreiling, Martin C. Thoms, Lynn A. Bartsch, James H. Larson, Victoria Christensen