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Publications

Browse more than 150,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.

Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center Publications

Filter Total Items: 3223

County-level estimates of nutrient inputs to the land surface of the conterminous United States, 1982-2001

Nutrient input data for fertilizer use, livestock manure, and atmospheric deposition from various sources were estimated and allocated to counties in the conterminous United States for the years 1982 through 2001. These nationally consistent nutrient input data are needed by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program for investigations of stream- and ground-water quality. For nitrogen, the larg
Authors
Barbara C. Ruddy, David L. Lorenz, David K. Mueller

Wetland delineation with IKONOS high-resolution satellite imagery, Fort Custer Training Center, Battle Creek, Michigan, 2005

The Michigan Army National Guard’s Fort Custer Training Center (FCTC) in Battle Creek, Mich., has the responsibility to protect wetland resources on the training grounds while providing training opportunities, and for future development planning at the facility. The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data have been the primary wetland-boundary resource, but a check on scale and accuracy of the wetl
Authors
L. M. Fuller, T.R. Morgan, Stephen S. Aichele

Ground-water levels in Huron County, Michigan, 2004-05

In 1990, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a study of the hydrogeology of Huron County, Michigan (Sweat, 1991). In 1993, Huron County and the USGS entered into a continuing agreement to measure water levels at selected wells throughout Huron County. As part of the agreement, USGS has operated four continuous water-level recorders, installed from 1988 to 1991 on wells in Bingham, Fairhave
Authors
T. L. Weaver, S. L. Crowley, S. P. Blumer

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

Water Quality, Hydrology, and Response to Changes in Phosphorus Loading of Nagawicka Lake, a Calcareous Lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin

Nagawicka Lake is a 986-acre, usually mesotrophic, calcareous lake in southeastern Wisconsin. Because of concern over potential water-quality degradation of the lake associated with further development in its watershed, a study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey from 2002 to 2006 to describe the water quality and hydrology of the lake; quantify sources of phosphorus, including those assoc
Authors
Herbert S. Garn, Dale M. Robertson, William J. Rose, Gerald L. Goddard, Judy A. Horwatich

Estimates of Shear Stress and Measurements of Water Levels in the Lower Fox River near Green Bay, Wisconsin

Turbulent shear stress in the boundary layer of a natural river system largely controls the deposition and resuspension of sediment, as well as the longevity and effectiveness of granular-material caps used to cover and isolate contaminated sediments. This report documents measurements and calculations made in order to estimate shear stress and shear velocity on the Lower Fox River, Wisconsin.
Authors
Stephen M. Westenbroek

Hydrogeology and ground-water quality, Chippewa Township, Isabella County, Michigan, 2002-05

The ground-water resource potential of Chippewa Township, Isabella County, Mich. was characterized on the basis of existing hydrogeologic data, water-level records, analyses of water samples, and interpretation of geophysical survey data. Eight ground-water samples were collected and analyzed for major ions, nutrients, and trace-metal composition. In addition, 10 direct current-resistivity soundin
Authors
David B. Westjohn, Christopher J. Hoard

Variability and regulation of denitrification in an Upper Mississippi River backwater

Sediments in the backwaters of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) are highly organic and provide an optimal environment for N removal. We monitored an 8.6-ha UMR backwater site near La Crosse, Wisconsin, for nearly 3 y to assess temporal variability, seasonal trends, and the factors regulating denitrification. We measured rates of unamended denitrification (DEN) and denitrification enzyme activity
Authors
E.A. Strauss, W. B. Richardson, J.C. Cavanaugh, L.A. Bartsch, Rebecca M. Kreiling, A.J. Standorf

An assessment of bird habitat quality using population growth rates

Survival and reproduction directly affect population growth rate (lambda) making lambda a fundamental parameter for assessing habitat quality. We used field data, literature review, and a computer simulation to predict annual productivity and lambda for several species of landbirds breeding in floodplain and upland forests in the Midwestern United States. We monitored 1735 nests of 27 species; 760
Authors
M. G. Knutson, L.A. Powell, R. K. Hines, M. A. Friberg, G.J. Niemi

Polychlorinated biphenyl congener patterns in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting in the Housatonic River watershed, western Massachusetts, USA, using a novel statistical approach

A novel application of a commonly used statistical approach was used to examine differences in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener Patterns among locations and sample matrices in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting in the Housatonic River watershed in western Massachusetts. USA. The most prevalent PCB congeners in tree swallow tissue samples from the Housatonic River watershed were Bal
Authors
Christine M. Custer, L.B. Read

Response of fishes to floodplain connectivity during and following a 500-year flood event in the unimpounded upper Mississippi River

We examined data collected on fish assemblage structure among three differing floodplain types (broad, moderate, and narrow) during the 1993 flood in the unimpounded reach of the upper Mississippi River. This 500 year flood event provided a unique opportunity to investigate fish-floodplain function because the main river channel is otherwise typically disjunct from approximately 82% of its floodpl
Authors
V.A. Barko, D.P. Herzog, M. T. O'Connell

Nitrogen dynamics in sediment during water level manipulation on the Upper Mississippi River

Nitrogen (N) has been linked to increasing eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico and as a result there is increased interest in managing and improving water quality in the Mississippi River system. Water level reductions, or 'drawdowns', are being used more frequently in large river impoundments to improve vegetation growth and sediment compaction. We selected two areas of the Upper Mississippi Riv
Authors
Jennifer C. Cavanaugh, William B. Richardson, Eric A. Strauss, Lynn Bartsch