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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

Simulated mussel mortality thresholds as a function of mussel biomass and nutrient loading

A freshwater “mussel mortality threshold” was explored as a function of porewater ammonium (NH4+) concentration, mussel biomass, and total nitrogen (N) utilizing a numerical model calibrated with data from mesocosms with and without mussels. A mortality threshold of 2 mg-N L−1 porewater NH4+ was selected based on a study that estimated 100% mortality of juvenile Lampsilis mussels exposed to 1.9 mg
Authors
Jeremy S. Bril, Kathryn Langenfeld, Craig L. Just, Scott N. Spak, Teresa Newton

A refined electrofishing technique for collecting Silver Carp: Implications for management

Detecting nuisance species at low abundance or in newly established areas is critical to developing pest management strategies. Due to their sensitivity to disturbance and erratic jumping behavior, Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix can be difficult to collect with traditional sampling methods. We compared catch per unit effort (CPUE) of all species from a Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM)
Authors
Wesley W. Bouska, David C. Glover, Kristen L. Bouska, James E. Garvey

Quantifying the relative contribution of an ecological reserve to conservation objectives

Evaluating the role public lands play in meeting conservation goals is an essential step in good governance. We present a tool for comparing the regional contribution of each of a suite of wildlife management units to conservation goals. We use weighted summation (simple additive weighting) to compute a Unit Contribution Index (UCI) based on species richness, population abundance, and a conservati
Authors
Kevin Aagaard, James E. Lyons, Wayne E. Thogmartin

Pathogen transport in groundwater systems: Contrasts with traditional solute transport

Water quality affects many aspects of water availability, from precluding use to societal perceptions of fit-for-purpose. Pathogen source and transport processes are drivers of water quality because they have been responsible for numerous outbreaks resulting in large economic losses due to illness and, in some cases, loss of life. Outbreaks result from very small exposure (e.g., less than 20 virus
Authors
Randall J. Hunt, William P. Johnson

State of Great Lakes 2017 Technical Report: Indicators to assess the status and trends of the Great Lakes ecosystem

No abstract available.
Authors
Dale Van Stempvoort, George Zhang, Christopher J. Hoard, John Spoelstra, Norman Granneman, Scott MacRitchie, Stacey Cherwaty

Suspended-sediment concentrations, bedload, particle sizes, surrogate measurements, and annual sediment loads for selected sites in the lower Minnesota River Basin, water years 2011 through 2016

Accurate measurements of fluvial sediment are important for assessing stream ecological health, calculating flood levels, computing sediment budgets, and managing and protecting water resources. Sediment-enriched rivers in Minnesota are a concern among Federal, State, and local governments because turbidity and sediment-laden waters are the leading impairments and affect more than 6,000 miles of r
Authors
Joel T. Groten, Christopher A. Ellison, Jon S. Hendrickson

Organic contamination in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings at United States and binational great Lakes Areas of Concern

Contaminant exposure of tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, nesting in 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs) in the Great Lakes basin was assessed from 2010 to 2014 to assist managers and regulators in their assessments of Great Lakes AOCs. Contaminant concentrations in nestlings from AOCs were compared with those in nestlings from nearby non-AOC sites. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphe
Authors
Thomas W. Custer, Christine M. Custer, Paul Dummer, Diana R. Goldberg, J. Christian Franson, Richard A. Erickson

Identification of Marbon in the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal

Marbon is isomeric with Dechlorane Plus (DP). Both are produced by the Diels− Alder condensation of hexachlorocyclopentadiene with cyclic dienes, and both have elemental compositions of C18H12Cl12. Dechlorane Plus is commonly found in the environment throughout the world, but Marbon has, so far, only been detected at low levels in one sediment core collected near the mouth of the Niagara River in
Authors
Jiehong Guo, Marta Venier, Kevin Romanak, Stephen M. Westenbroek, Ronald A. Hites

Occurrence and effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the St. Croix River

The St. Croix River is one of the last undisturbed, large floodplain rivers in the upper Mississippi River System. The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway encompasses 255 river miles from the St. Croix Flowage and Namekagon River to the confluence of the St. Croix River with the Mississippi River at Prescott, Wisconsin. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 includes protection of the “outstandin
Authors
Sarah M. Elliott, Kathy Lee

The 2016 groundwater flow model for Dane County, Wisconsin

A new groundwater flow model for Dane County, Wisconsin, replaces an earlier model developed in the 1990s by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This modeling study was conducted cooperatively by the WGNHS and the USGS with funding from the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC). Although the overall conceptual model of the
Authors
Michael J. Parsen, Kenneth R. Bradbury, Randall J. Hunt, Daniel T. Feinstein

Shifting currents: Progress, setbacks, and shifts in policy and practice

The Wisconsin Academy’s initial Waters of Wisconsin project (WOW I) facilitated a statewide conversation between 2000 and 2003 around one main question: How can we ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems and clean, abundant water supplies for tomorrow’s Wisconsin? Robust participation in this conversation underscored the important role citizens have in the stewardship of our waters, and we found enthusi
Authors
Charles Dunning, Dale M. Robertson

Not all carp are created equal: Impacts of broadband sound on common carp swimming behavior

Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (H. molitrix) (hereafter: bigheaded carps), and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are invasive fish causing negative impacts throughout their North American range. To control their movements, non-physical barriers are being developed. Broadband sound (0.06 to 10 kHz) has shown potential as an acoustic deterrent for bigheaded carps, but the respons
Authors
Kelsie Murchy, Brooke J. Vetter, Marybeth K. Brey, Jon Amberg, Mark P. Gaikowski, Allen F. Mensinger