USGS Newsroom

USGS Measures Record Flooding in Illinois

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 8:37:32 EDT

Reporters: Do you want to accompany a USGS field crew as they measure flooding? Please contact Ayla Ault at 815-756-9207.

U.S. Geological Survey field crews are measuring record flooding on rivers and streams across most of Illinois.

At least ten USGS streamgages in Illinois that have more than 20 years of record, have measured the highest flood levels ever recorded. More record levels are expected as flooding moves downstream. USGS crews are expected to track the movement of the floodwaters down the Illinois River, the Rock Rivers, and major tributaries over the next few days. Many of the Illinois River floodwaters are expected to exceed records and may result in major flooding that overtop levees. There are 53 USGS streamgages currently at or above flood levels as a result of the rains that began on Tuesday, April 16.

USGS scientists are collecting critical streamflow data that are vital for protection of life, property and the environment. These data are used by the National Weather Service to develop flood forecasts, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage flood control, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and local agencies in their flood response activities. More information is available on the USGS Illinois Water Science Center website.

"These measurements are made using state-of-the-art equipment, including hydroacoustic meters, which gives the USGS the ability to make accurate and reliable streamflow measurements under extreme flow conditions," said USGS hydrologist Gary Johnson. "Accurate streamflow measurements are critical for emergency managers to make important decisions on how to protect life and property."

There are about 250 USGS-operated streamgages in Illinois that measure water levels, streamflow, and rainfall. When flooding occurs, USGS crews make numerous discharge measurements to verify the data USGS provides to federal, state, and local agencies, as well as to the public.

For more than 125 years, the USGS has monitored flow in selected streams and rivers across the U.S. The information is routinely used for water supply and management, monitoring floods and droughts, bridge and road design, determination of flood risk, and for many recreational activities.

Access current flood and high flow conditions across the country by visiting the USGS WaterWatch website. Receive instant, customized updates about water conditions in your area via text message or email by signing up for USGS WaterAlert.

USGS to Receive New Great Lakes Research Vessel

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EDT

Ann Arbor, Mich. – The U.S. Geological Survey awarded a contract last Friday for the construction of a large research vessel for Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior to Burger Boat Company of Manitowoc, Wis.

The vessel will replace the 38-year-old Grayling, bringing the USGS Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) large vessel fleet up-to-date. The new Grayling will be stationed at the USGS base in Cheboygan, Mich., and will incorporate modern marine standards and state-of-the-art technology to more safely and effectively conduct fisheries research.

"I am delighted to have achieved this important milestone that will benefit the Great Lakes region for many decades," said USGS GLSC Director Russell Strach. "This investment would not have been possible without the support from many key partners. The new research vessel will come fully equipped with 21^st century laboratories and scientific instrumentation to support fishery science for the Great Lakes."

The funding for this expenditure was accrued from two prior appropriations and held in an account that was not affected by the sequester.

The replacement vessel is expected to be a commercial grade 78-foot vessel, and will be designed and constructed for a 40 to 50-year service life. This vessel will be capable of performing critical scientific and mission-related tasks, including dragging nets along the lake bottom, catching fish, and using sound-waves to detect fish and assess their abundance.

"The entire Burger team is very excited to be awarded this significant contract," said Jim Ruffolo, President and CEO of Burger Boat Company. "The Grayling will further reinforce Burger’s commitment to designing and constructing quality vessels that meet each owner’s specific requirements, whether they are custom yachts or commercial vessels."

This new contract will create additional highly skilled shipbuilding jobs at the Manitowoc shipyard, and the project will help support numerous companies that supply raw materials and equipment for the project.

For over 50 years the USGS GLSC has operated a unique and valuable deepwater fish ecology and assessment program that is the foundation for fisheries management throughout the Great Lakes.

Burger, at 150 years old, is one of the world's oldest shipyards. From its facility in Manitowoc, Wis., Burger's craftsmen have built hundreds of high quality vessels as long as 260 feet (80 meters) that can be found in ports around the world. Today, Burger continues its legacy of designing and building vessels to the highest standard from its fully updated shipyard.

JMS Naval Architects of Mystic, Conn., developed the preliminary design of the new Grayling.

The USGS GLSC maintains a fleet of fishery research vessels on each of the Great Lakes to meet the scientific research needs of state, tribal, and federal resource managers for understanding and effectively managing the Great Lakes fishery.

For more information on the USGS GLSC, visit their website.

Florida and Illinois Make 48

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 8:00:00 EDT

With the release of US Topo maps for Florida and Illinois, the continental US is now covered with the new digital quadrangles

People who want access to digital topographic maps for any of the lower 48 states can now count on the US Topo. The ongoing map project, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's national map series, recently released new maps for Florida and Illinois – with Hawaii to soon follow. Adding more than 2,015 revised digital quadrangles has increased the collection to nearly 54,000 new US Topo maps, with plans for Alaska developing. The maps are available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Store website.

"USGS topo maps are one of our most recognizable agency products, full of useful, up-to-date information, free, and easily downloaded to your computer," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Don't leave home without US Topo."

Other new feature additions and improvements on the updated US Topo maps include:

Contours
Rivers, lakes steams and other hydrography
Woodland tint derived from the National Land Cover Dataset
Fire Stations
Hospitals
State and County boundaries
Forest service boundaries
Commercial roads in lieu of Census roads
Forest Service roads and road numbers

"We are pleased to fulfill our commitment to the public, and ahead of schedule", said Mark DeMulder, the Director of the USGS National Geospatial Program. "With the completion of the lower 48 states, we can retire the pilot 'Digital Map-Beta' maps and start on the second national revision cycle."

"During the past year, more than 3,000 US Topo were downloaded every day, and that number continues to increase", explained Mike Cooley, the US Topo Project Manager. "We believe the US Topo program has been a success and we would love to hear what our customers are thinking. Please consider visiting our US Topo contact page and let us know how we are doing."

US Topos are derived from key layers of geographic data found in The National Map which delivers visible content such as high resolution aerial photography, which was not available on older paper-based topographic maps. The new US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and on-screen geographic analysis tools for users.

Future enhancements to the US Topo are scheduled to include additional tools and map content such as a shaded relief layer, updated structures, enhanced transportation, additional federal boundaries, and Forest Service trails. Wyoming, which was added about three weeks ago, also featured Public Land Survey System (PLSS). The USGS expects to produce more than 18,500 revised quadrangles annually. US Topo maps are updated every three years.

The new digital electronic topographic maps for these new states– along with 46 other completed states - are delivered in GeoPDF image software format and may be viewed using Adobe Reader, also available as a no cost download.

For more information, visit A New Generation of Maps website.

Areas of Elevated Contaminants in Groundwater Determined from Regional Assessment in the Midwest

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT

Editor's note: This story is of particular interest to media outlets in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Michigan

At least one contaminant was found at levels of human-health concern in about one third of untreated groundwater samples collected from wells in the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, according to a recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey. When radon concentrations greater than 300 picocuries per liter are included, 64 percent of wells sampled contain a contaminant concentration above a human-health benchmark.

The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system is ranked ninth in the nation for public supply water withdrawals from principal aquifers. The aquifer supplies water to many parts of the northern Midwest, including areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, as well as the major cities of Minneapolis, Rockford and Chicago.

Many of the public and private wells sampled contain natural or manmade contaminants, including; radium, radon, boron, strontium, manganese, barium, nitrate, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. Radon and radium are naturally occurring radioactive elements and known carcinogens. The deeper parts of the aquifer system in Illinois, Iowa, and eastern Wisconsin are vulnerable to high concentrations of radium, boron, and strontium. The shallow areas of the aquifer system in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are vulnerable to radon and manganese. The study was conducted as part of an ongoing systematic assessment of some of the Nation’s most important aquifer systems by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Results are available online.

"The USGS puts scientific findings and trends on water quality into the public domain so that citizens, water managers, and public officials can decide on appropriate and effective actions to address current or emerging issues that may be cause for concern now or in the future," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Both the quality of our water and scientific understanding of what is useful to monitor evolve over time, hence the need for the USGS to constantly update our water quality reports."

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates public wells, and elevated concentrations of contaminants are reduced or removed from the water before people drink it," said John Wilson, USGS hydrologist and author of the study. "This study examined contaminants that pose human-health concerns, including some that are not regulated, and findings can help water utility managers make decisions about future monitoring and treatment needs."

Human-health benchmarks used to evaluate the significance of contaminant concentrations in raw water samples included EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and USGS Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs) for unregulated contaminants, developed by USGS in collaboration with the EPA. Concentrations were also compared to EPA Secondary Drinking Water Regulations established for aesthetic quality or other non-health reasons. In relating measured concentrations to health benchmarks, this study offers a preliminary assessment of potential health concerns and identifies conditions that may warrant further investigation. The research is not a substitute for comprehensive risk and toxicity assessments.

Radium and strontium levels in domestic and public-supply wells from the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system are higher and more frequently exceed the human-health benchmark than in any of the other 30 principal aquifers studied by NAWQA. Arsenic levels frequently exceed the human-health benchmark in domestic and public-supply wells of many of the other principal aquifers studied by NAWQA, but arsenic did not exceed the benchmark in any samples from the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system.

Major findings included:

Water quality of the aquifer system can vary greatly between areas where the aquifers are shallow and deep. Natural contaminants such as major ions, trace elements, and radium tend to occur at higher concentrations in deeper areas. Human caused contaminants, such as pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and nitrate, are detected more often in shallow areas.

Radon-222 and radium were most frequently measured at concentrations greater than human-health benchmarks, but geographic distributions were related to different depths of the aquifer system. Radon levels exceeded the proposed MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in 43 percent of 140 wells, of which 90 percent were in regionally shallow areas. Radium levels exceeded the MCL of 5 picocuries per liter in 40 percent of 88 wells, of which 89 percent were in regionally deeper areas.

The trace elements strontium, manganese, and barium exceeded a human-health benchmark in at least one sample. Strontium levels exceeded the HBSL in nine percent of 107 wells, and manganese levels exceeded the HBSL in four percent of 154 wells. Barium levels exceeded the MCL in one of 136 wells sampled by NAWQA. Concentrations of strontium were significantly higher in regionally deeper areas, and concentrations of manganese and barium were significantly higher in shallow areas.

Nitrate was detected at a concentration greater than one milligram per liter (mg/L) in 21 percent of the wells sampled by NAWQA. Concentrations of nitrate greater than 1 mg/L were assumed to be influenced by human activity. All but one of the wells were in regionally shallow areas, indicating that the shallower areas of the aquifer system are more susceptible to manmade contaminants. Nitrate levels exceeded the MCL of 10 mg/L in approximately four percent of 154 wells sampled by NAWQA.

Nine different pesticides were detected in wells sampled by NAWQA from 2002 through 2007, but usually at concentrations significantly below human-health benchmarks. No pesticide concentration exceeded a human-health benchmark. Water samples were analyzed for as many as 83 pesticides, but atrazine and its degradate deethylatrazine accounted for 67 percent of all pesticide detections. Eighty-six percent of wells with a pesticide detection were in shallow areas.

The USGS NAWQA program began in 1991 and is the only source of nationally consistent monitoring data and information on chemical contaminants in groundwater. The program also conducts regional and national studies of the susceptibility and vulnerability of the nation’s most important aquifers.

Low Streamflow Conditions Add to Midwest Drought Woes

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:09:42 EDT

Streamflow levels are below normal across much of the Midwest states of Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Many states are experiencing severe drought, such as Iowa, where flows are less than 25 percent of normal streamflow conditions for the majority of the state.

Drought is the nation's most costly natural disaster, far exceeding earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes and floods. Low streamflows contribute to higher than normal water temperatures, which have negatively impacted fish and have caused fish kills in some areas throughout the Midwest.

USGS crews are making extra streamflow and groundwater level measurements in a number of states so that cooperators will have sufficient data to make water management decisions. Areas of low stream flow can be viewed in real time on the USGS WaterWatch website. The map shows how current flows compare to what would be normal for a given time of year based on historical averages. For information specific to your local area, visit one of the USGS Water Science Center drought information websites in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, South Dakota or Wisconsin. To access water quality information, to include local stream temperatures, visit the USGS real-time WaterQualityWatch website.

"Of all of our Nation's natural disasters, drought is in many ways the most insidious, coming on slowly without major headlines or lead stories, and tending to continue to play out long after the life-giving rains have returned in terms of culled herds, unproductive orchards, and impaired ecosystems ripe for invasive species," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "USGS is bringing the best scientific information to bear in these tough times so that water managers will make a little water do a lot of good."

While the USGS WaterWatch website is an adequate real-time gauge for areas experiencing hydrologic drought, stream and river conditions are not the only drought indicator. The national Drought Monitor is the official report detailing drought conditions, and this map paints a fuller picture of drought than just stream flow information. In addition to relying heavily on USGS streamgage data, this map also incorporates soil moisture, agricultural information, satellite data, and precipitation.

Right now, almost 80 percent of the contiguous United States is facing abnormally dry conditions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has estimated that the annual average cost of drought in the United States ranges from $6 to $8 billion, while flooding estimates are in the $2 to $4 billion range. Unlike flooding, drought does not come and go in a single episode. Rather, it often takes a long time for drought to begin to impact an area, and it can fester for months or even years.

Asian Carp Pose Substantial Risk to the Great Lakes

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:11:12 EDT

Bi-National Risk Assessment Released

Asian carp pose substantial environmental risk to the Great Lakes if they become established there, according to a bi-national Canadian and United States risk assessment released today.

Bighead and silver carps -- two species of Asian carp -- pose an environmental risk to the Great Lakes within 20 years, with the risk increasing over time. Lakes Michigan, Huron and Erie face the highest risk relative to the other lakes.

The risk assessment report was led by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and included a team of scientists from Canada and the United States. Two U.S. Geological Survey scientists were among the co-authors of the report.

The report examined the likelihood of the survival and establishment of Asian carp in the lakes. It relied on prevention measures under way through November 2010, and did not take into account extensive preventive actions implemented since that time. The authors also assessed the probable ecological consequences should the fish invade the Great Lakes.

"Ever since these non-native fish first escaped and began to breed prolifically in the rivers of the Midwest, the questions everyone has been asking are: 'Can a breeding population survive in the Great Lakes and would it be a significant problem if they did?’" said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Now we know the answers and unfortunately they are ‘yes and yes.' This study will help scientists and resource managers in Canada and the U.S. determine how and where to redouble their efforts as they continue to prevent the establishment of these invasive fish."

The reason for the high risk of invasion is because portions of the Great Lakes offer sufficient food and habitat to enable these invasive fish to spawn, survive and spread, the report’s authors noted. They identified the most likely pathway for Asian carp to enter the Great Lakes is via the Chicago Area Waterway System.

The report suggests that the major ecological consequence resulting from the establishment and spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes would likely be an overall decline in certain native fish species, including some commercially and recreationally important ones. Such declines could occur because Asian carp would compete with prey fish that primarily eat plankton. This could lead to reduced growth rates and declines in abundance of prey fish species, and thus predatory fish would also likely decline. Asian carp also reduce survival of open-water fish larvae -- like those of walleye and yellow perch -- most likely through competition for plankton or by preying on the larvae.

However, the authors emphasized that the establishment of Asian carp in the Great Lakes and resulting ecosystem damage are not foregone conclusions. Preventing the establishment of Asian carp in the Great Lakes is the best means of avoiding harmful ecological and economic effects.

The new report, developed with input from resource managers, decision makers and researchers from federal, provincial and state agencies, and other groups, provides a science-based assessment of the risk these fish pose to the Great Lakes. By involving both Canadian and U.S. scientists, the report drew upon the wealth of Asian carp expertise in both countries. The report will allow managers to make informed decisions for management of Asian carp and for prevention of their spread.

Preventing establishment remains the main objective of ongoing efforts of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC), a partnership of federal and state agencies, municipalities and other groups, led by the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Ongoing efforts of the coordinating committee are described in the newly released “FY2012 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework.” Actions of the ACRCC are diverse; they include aggressive tracking and monitoring of Asian carp, evaluating electric dispersal barriers in the Chicago Area Waterways System preventing movement toward Lake Michigan, and developing new technologies to control the abundance and distribution of Asian carp.

The Binational Asian Carp Risk Assessment can be accessed at

English (PDF)
French (PDF)

The 2012 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework can be accessed at asiancarp.us.

A Big Day for Science: Citizens Have Contributed One Million Observations to Top Nature Database

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 3 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

RESTON, Va. — Thanks to citizen-scientists around the country, the USA National Phenology Network hit a major milestone this week by reaching its one millionth nature observation.

The millionth observation was done by Lucille Tower, a citizen-scientist in Portland, Ore., who entered a record about seeing maple vines flowering. Her data, like all of the entries, came in through USA-NPN’s online observation program, Nature's Notebook, which engages more than 4,000 volunteers across the country to observe and record phenology – the timing of the recurring life events of plants and animals such as when cherry trees or lilacs blossom, when robins build their nests, when salmon swim upstream to spawn or when leaves turn colors in the fall.

Each record not only represents a single data point — the status of a specific life stage of an individual plant or animal on one day – but also benefits both science and society by helping researchers understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and, in turn, how those responses are affecting people and ecological systems.

"My dream is that through the wonders of modern technology and the National Phenology Network we could turn the more than six billion people on the planet into components of our scientific observing system," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We could make giant leaps in science education, improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the planet, lower the cost of scientific data collection, and all while making ordinary citizens feel a part of the scientific process."

Jake Weltzin, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and the executive director of USA-NPN, concurs. "Hitting the one millionth observation is exciting because researchers and decision-makers need more information to understand and respond to our rapidly changing planet. More information means better-informed decisions that ensure the continued vitality of our natural areas that we all depend on and enjoy."

For example, said Weltzin, the data in Nature's Notebook are already being used to benefit society, including the development of more accurate indicators of spring, forecasting the onset of allergy seasons or the chances of western wildfires, managing wildlife and invasive plants, and setting goals for habitat restoration. Ultimately, such information can be used for better managing water resources, wildlife and ecosystem management, and even help farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Changes in phenology are among the most sensitive biological indicators of global change. Across the world, many springtime events are occurring earlier — and fall events happening later — than in the past. These changes are happening quickly for some species and more slowly, or not at all, for others, altering relationships and processes that have been dynamically stable for thousands of years. Some wildlife —like caribou and butterflies — are becoming mismatched from their plant food resources, which are responding differently. Migrations for some birds are changing too, as they can now overwinter instead of moving south for the winter, or as they fly north more quickly to keep pace with an advancing front of spring flowering.

Because of this, said Weltzin, scientists need more and better information about the pace and pattern of nature — locally to nationally — to answer important scientific and societal questions, and to build the tools and models needed to help people understand and adapt to the changes.

"So much of our improved understanding about global environmental changes is driven by varied and valuable sources of information that include networks of citizen-scientists," said John Wingfield, National Science Foundation’s assistant director for biological sciences. "The public at large has played an important role collecting observations and data for a hundred years and more. Knowledge and data gained from their work will continue to have a lasting effect on how we understand regularly recurring biological phenomena for hundreds of plant and animal species and contribute to the policy arena."

Gwen Lundburg in Seattle is one citizen-scientist who has contributed hundreds of entries into Nature’s Notebook. "Just noticing small changes like tiny purple lilac buds suddenly turning green has taught me to look more closely at my plants," Lundburg said. "I see things in my garden I never saw before."

With the help of citizen-scientist volunteers, working in concert with professionals, the USA-NPN, which was established in 2007, collects, stores and freely shares phenological data on more than 800 species of plants and animals. The Nature’s Notebook observing program has been in operation since 2009. The coordinating office of the organization is located at 1955 E. 6^th St., Tucson, Ariz., 85721. For more information, visit the USA National Phenology Network, or contact Jake Weltzin at 520-626-3821 or jweltzin@usgs.gov.

Invasive Carps Could Find a Home in Lake Erie

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EDT

Lake Erie and its largest tributaries are suitable habitats for invasive Asian carps to reproduce and mature, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

The USGS study found that the Maumee, Sandusky, and Grand rivers are hospitable environments for Asian carps, potentially allowing the invasive fish to establish a self-sustaining population in western Lake Erie. Currently, federal agencies are working in partnership with Great Lakes States to implement a series of measures to prevent Asian carps from entering the Great Lakes Basin and possibly damaging native fish populations and the Great Lakes economy.

"While the finding of a hospitable environment is not the scientific outcome we and our partners might have hoped for, the clear implication is that conditions exist which could allow for the establishment of breeding populations of Asian carps in Lake Erie," said USGS director Marcia McNutt. "Experience has shown that if they do, the native fish, and the economy that depends on them, could suffer gravely.”

Silver, bighead, and grass carps are Asian carp species that typically spawn in rivers during high summer flows, and, as demonstrated by previous research, can threaten ecosystems by competing with native fish for food. At present, there are no known self-sustaining bighead or silver carp populations in the Great Lakes.

To determine if these and other species of Asian carp can potentially mature in Lake Erie and if river conditions are favorable for them to spawn, the USGS researchers studied water temperatures in the lake and water velocity during flood events in eight major tributaries over the past 20 years.

The new study found that the Maumee River, which enters western Lake Erie at Toledo, is highly suitable for Asian carps to mature and spawn, and the Sandusky River, which enters western Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio, and the Grand River, which enters central Lake Erie at Fairport Harbor, are moderately suitable.

"We are getting a clearer picture of the threat Asian carps pose to western Lake Erie, and that picture suggests there is cause for concern," said Patrick Kocovsky, USGS scientist and an author of the report.

This USGS research effort, coupled with previously published research on Asian carp food availability in western Lake Erie, is the first to demonstrate the potential for Asian carps to successfully reproduce within the Great Lakes Basin.

Federal and state agencies and other partners are undertaking aggressive tracking and monitoring of the invasive species, have installed electric barriers in the Chicago Area Waterways System to keep Asian carp from moving toward Lake Michigan, and constructed a 1,500-foot fence to block advancement of Asian carp from the Wabash River to the Maumee and Lake Erie.

The USGS study, published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, can be accessed online.

Local Information May Prevent Many Great Lakes Beach Closures

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 14:53:40 EDT

Porter, IN – Water quality information collected by local officials may provide increased beach access while minimizing swimming-related illnesses from harmful bacteria, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

The USGS study found that current water quality testing at Great Lakes beaches may be applied too broadly, possibly resulting in as many as 681 more Chicago-area beach closings between 2004 and 2010 than may have occurred if a more localized approach was taken.

"Recent studies have determined that closure of Great Lakes beaches to recreational use represents significant economic losses that are compounded if all beaches in one area are simultaneously closed down," said USGS director Marcia McNutt. "Any time that science can be used to prevent unnecessary closures such that human health is still protected and the economy doesn't needlessly suffer, everyone wins."

The commonly applied federal health study guidelines, set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, were based on studies conducted at beaches directly affected by sewage contamination. Although the EPA criteria provide flexibility for the use of local data, they are currently applied at all beaches when determining whether to close a beach or issue a swimming advisory, regardless of whether there is a sewage source.

"By basing their beach closure decisions on local variations in bacteria concentrations, beach managers likely will be able to keep their beaches open more often, without increasing the presumed health risk or violating the EPA guidelines," said Meredith Nevers, a scientist with the USGS Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station. "Our goal is to make local beach managers fully aware of the flexibility that the EPA is providing in its current guidelines."

The USGS study examined historic monitoring data from 50 Lake Michigan beaches in Illinois and Indiana. New calculations using local monitoring results for the 50 sites indicated that the current applications may be more conservative than necessary for these and most coastal beaches across the country.

The EPA is expected to release new recreational water quality criteria in October 2012 that, like the current guidelines, will apply to all coastal marine and Great Lakes beaches.

This USGS Great Lakes Science Center research was funded by the USGS Ocean Research Priorities Plan and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The article, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, can be downloaded here (PDF).

Groundwater Storage Losses Substantial Across Eight State Aquifer System

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 1 Dec 2011 13:10:46 EDT

More than 280 million acre-feet of groundwater has been withdrawn from the Mississippi embayment aquifer system between 1870-2007, according to a new water modeling tool developed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

This cumulative withdrawal, which is the equivalent of five feet of water over 78,000 square miles, contributes to one of the largest losses of groundwater storage anywhere in the United States.

The new USGS modeling tool was designed to help resource managers find a balance between water supply and demand for future economic and environmental uses. The three-dimensional model provides a holistic picture of how water flows below ground and how it relates to surface-water. The Mississippi embayment aquifer system encompasses approximately 78,000 square miles in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. A report documenting past and current groundwater conditions, and tools to forecast regional response to human use, climate variability, and land-use changes are all available online.

"Our groundwater aquifers are nature's own natural method for storing water safely long term where it is less vulnerable to loss through evaporation and surface contamination," explained USGS director Marcia McNutt. "We should be as concerned about loss of groundwater as we are about dropping levels in reservoirs behind dams, because in the depths of the worst drought, when the rivers run dry, it is only the groundwater that will sustain us."

"This model can assist water resource managers faced with increasing management challenges and constraints," said USGS hydrologist, Brian Clark. "This model could be used to evaluate regional issues, such as streamflow declines from groundwater pumping or conservation scenarios to lessen water level declines."

The Mississippi embayment aquifer system includes one of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions, with an annual value of $3 billion per year. Two of the region’s most important aquifers lie beneath the Mississippi embayment. The pumping from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer accounts for more than 12 percent of all groundwater pumped in the United States.

"This model will help officials find ways to better manage the area's present and future groundwater resources," said USGS Arkansas Water Science Center Director, Dave Freiwald. "This is the most recent large-scale, comprehensive assessment of groundwater resources in the area."

This report is a product of a four-year study being funded by the USGS Groundwater Resources Program. Information derived from this and future studies of more than 30 regional aquifers will provide a collective assessment of America's groundwater availability.

To develop the model, scientists examined more than 2,600 geophysical logs, some dating back to the early 1960’s. Researchers examined groundwater and surface-water data from the early 1900’s to 2007, groundwater withdrawal information, and thousands of miles of surface-water bodies to illustrate how the water system works and how supplies have changed.

A comprehensive report detailing the research, “Groundwater Availability of the Mississippi Embayment,” and a factsheet, “A New Tool to Assess Groundwater Resources in the Mississippi Embayment,” are available online.

Map showing the Mississippi embayment aquifer system area. (Larger image)

Red Dye Study will Temporarily Discolor the Des Plaines River near Lemont

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:19:34 EDT

A harmless red dye will temporarily discolor the Des Plaines River near Lemont, Ill., for scientific research purposes starting on Nov. 15.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists will be performing a dye test in the Des Plaines River and the nearby Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) between Route 83 and the Lockport area during the week of Nov. 14, giving the water a reddish tint until approximately Nov. 17. The study will determine locations where water from the Des Plaines River may be moving into the CSSC, and is part of a larger study on the potential for Asian carp eggs or larval and other invasive species to migrate from the Des Plaines River to Lake Michigan.

"Experience with invasive species in the past has shown that their populations can expand rapidly at the expense of native species once they obtain access to new, favorable habitat," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "The Great Lakes fisheries are a $7 billion industry annually that is at risk."

By using low, non-hazardous concentrations of dye, USGS scientists can identify the exact areas, if any, where openings in the bedrock are large enough for invasive carp eggs and other invasives to migrate through and enter the CSSC, giving them a direct pathway into Lake Michigan.

"Asian carp can be destructive to native ecosystems because they compete with native fish for food, and this study will inform strategies to prevent their migration into Lake Michigan," said Doug Yeskis, director of the USGS Illinois Water Science Center.

USGS scientists will begin setting up the equipment on Nov. 14, and the red dye will be injected along the bank of the Des Plaines River near Route 83 on Nov. 15. The scientists will monitor the movement of water between the Des Plaines River and the CSSC from Nov. 15-18. If dye movement is not complete by this time, the USGS will continue monitoring it until it has moved through the study area.

The dye will be monitored using fluorometers, which are instruments that detect the presence and concentration of dye. USGS scientists will monitor using fluorometers on the Des Plaines River and the CSSC between Route 83 and their point of convergence. The dye will also be monitored from boats that will traverse this area and in wells installed between the Des Plaines River and the CSSC near Lemont Road.

This dye injection study is part of the Interbasin Transfer Project funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

For more information about water resources in Illinois, visit the USGS Illinois Water Science Center website.

Red Dye Study will Temporarily Discolor the Des Plaines River near Lemont

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:10:06 EDT

Note: This study has been postponed due to high water levels on the Des Plaines River. It will be rescheduled within the next few months.

A harmless red dye will temporarily discolor the Des Plaines River near Lemont, Ill., for scientific research purposes starting on Aug. 2.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists will be performing a dye test in the Des Plaines River and the nearby Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) between Route 83 and the Lemont area during the week of Aug. 1, giving the water a reddish tint until approximately Aug. 5. The study will determine locations where water from the Des Plaines River may be moving into the CSSC, and is part of a larger study on the potential for Asian carp eggs or larval and other invasive species to migrate from the Des Plaines River to Lake Michigan.

"By using low, non-hazardous concentrations of dye, we can identify the exact areas, if any, where openings in the bedrock are large enough for invasive carp eggs and other invasives to migrate through and enter the CSSC, giving them a direct pathway into Lake Michigan," said Doug Yeskis, director of the USGS Illinois Water Science Center. "Asian carp can be destructive to native ecosystems because they compete with native fish for food, and this study will inform strategies to prevent their migration into Lake Michigan."

USGS scientists will begin setting up the equipment on Aug. 1, and the red dye will be injected along the bank of the Des Plaines River near Route 83 on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3. The scientists will monitor the movement of water between the Des Plaines River and the CSSC from Aug. 2 - 5. If dye movement is not complete by this time, the USGS will continue monitoring it until it has moved through the study area.

This dye injection study is part of the Interbasin Transfer Project funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

For more information about water resources in Illinois, visit the USGS Illinois Water Science Center website.

Lichens May Aid in Combating Deadly Chronic Wasting Disease in Wildlife

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:00:50 EDT

MADISON, Wis. – Certain lichens can break down the infectious proteins responsible for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a troubling neurological disease fatal to wild deer and elk and spreading throughout the United States and Canada, according to U.S. Geological Survey research published today in the journal PLoS ONE.

Like other "prion" diseases, CWD is caused by unusual, infectious proteins called prions. One of the best-known of these diseases is "mad cow" disease, a cattle disease that has infected humans. However, there is no evidence that CWD has infected humans. Disease-causing prions, responsible for some incurable neurological diseases of people and other diseases in animals, are notoriously difficult to decontaminate or kill. Prions are not killed by most detergents, cooking, freezing or by autoclaving, a method used to sterilize medical instruments.

"When prions are released into the environment by infected sheep or deer, they can stay infectious for many years, even decades," said Christopher Johnson, Ph.D., a scientist at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and the lead author of the study. "To help limit the spread of these diseases in animals, we need to be able to remove prions from the environment."

The researchers found that lichens have great potential for safely reducing the number of prions because some lichen species contain a protease enzyme (a naturally produced chemical) capable of significantly breaking down prions in the lab.

"This work is exciting because there are so few agents that degrade prions and even fewer that could be used in the environment without causing harm," said Jim Bennett, Ph.D., a USGS lichenologist and a co-author of the study.

CWD and scrapie in sheep are different than other prion diseases because they can easily spread in sheep or deer by direct animal-to-animal contact or through contact with contaminated inanimate objects like soil. Chronic wasting disease was first diagnosed in the 1960s and has since been detected in 19 states and two Canadian provinces. CWD has been detected in wild elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer and moose in North America.

Lichens, said Johnson, produce unique and unusual organic compounds that aid their survival and can have antibiotic, antiviral and other chemotherapeutic activities. In fact, pharmaceutical companies have been examining the medicinal properties of lichens more closely in recent years.

Lichens - which are often mistaken for moss - are unusual plant-like organisms that are actually a symbioses of fungi, algae and bacteria living together. They usually live on soil, bark, leaves and wood and can live in barren and unwelcoming environments, including the Arctic and in deserts.

Future work will examine the effect of lichens on prions in the environment and determine if lichen consumption can protect animals from acquiring prion diseases.

The study, “Degradation of the disease-associated prion protein by a serine protease from lichens,” was published in PLoS ONE and is freely accessible to the public. The study was authored by USGS scientists Christopher Johnson, James Bennett and Tonie Rocke, as well as authors from Montana State University and the University of Wisconsin.

Tattered Wings: Bats Grounded by White-Nose Syndrome's Lethal Effects on Life-Support Functions of Wings

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:47:54 EDT

Madison, Wisconsin—Damage to bat wings from the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome (WNS) may cause catastrophic imbalance in life-support processes, according to newly published research.

This imbalance may be to blame for the more than 1 million deaths of bats due to WNS thus far, proposes Carol Meteyer, a pathologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center and a lead author of the research published in BMC Biology.

Physiological problems caused by the novel fungus, may, in fact, represent a completely new disease paradigm for mammals, Meteyer and her colleagues wrote. Other skin infections in mammals due to fungi (ringworm, athlete’s foot) remain superficial and do not invade living tissue—typically they only affect the surface of skin, hair and nails.

Not so for the aptly named Geomyces destructans.

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“This fungus is amazingly destructive — it digests, erodes, and invades the skin — particularly the wings — of hibernating bats,” said Meteyer. “The ability of this fungus to invade bats’ wing skin is unlike that of any known skin fungal pathogen in land mammals.”

The authors examined nearly 200 bats that had died from WNS, and also reviewed the critical function and physiology of bat wings during hibernation. As a result, they propose that G. destructans may cause unsustainable dehydration in hibernating bats, triggering thirst-associated arousals. In addition to the direct damage to the wings that would alter flight control, the erosion and invasion of skin may also cause significant changes in circulation, body-temperature regulation and respiratory function.

Since signs of the disease were first observed in New York during the winter of 2006-07, the fungus has spread through 11 states and 2 Canadian provinces, resulting in the first sustained high-mortality disease affecting bats in recorded history. Biologists assume that as the disease spreads to new areas, cave-hibernating bats in those areas will also be at risk, including some that are endangered.

“The high number of bat deaths and range of species being affected far exceeds the rate and magnitude of any previously known natural or human-caused mortality event in bats, and possibly in any other mammals,” said Paul Cryan, a lead author of the paper and a USGS bat ecologist at the Fort Collins Science Center.

Although the powdery white muzzles of affected bats gave the disease its name, the authors believe that the skin of bat wings is the most significant, though often less obvious, target of the fungus.

The order of bats is called Chiroptera, Greek for “hand-wing,” appropriately named since bat wings are essentially modified arms. Imagine, for a moment, your human hand with its fingers spread apart. Then imagine your fingers are 6 feet long, and the whole skeletal affair is covered with two layers of thin, somewhat transparent membranes attached to the sides of your torso and legs. Sandwiched between the membranes are blood and lymphatic vessels, delicate nerves, muscles and special connective tissues that help you fly and help keep you physiologically healthy.

“The disproportionately large areas of exposed skin that make up bat wings play critical roles in maintaining safe internal body conditions during hibernation,” noted Cryan. “Healthy wings are essential for day-to-day survival, even during winter when bats are mostly just hanging around. Wings damaged by the fungus may not always look so bad to the naked eye, but under the microscope things get ugly fast.”

When Meteyer examined wings of diseased bats microscopically, she discovered wing damage was often so severe that it led her and her colleagues to suggest multiple life-threatening effects on hibernating bats.

“A bat’s wings,” said Meteyer, “are obviously critical for flying, but they also play a vital part in essential functions such as body temperature, blood pressure, water balance and blood and gas circulation and exchange.”

Healthy bats occasionally rouse themselves from hibernation, probably to change roosts, drink, mate and even overcome sleep deprivation, biologists think. But bats afflicted with WNS arouse much more often. In fact, a characteristic of hibernation sites with WNS is daytime flights of affected bats outside caves.

“The prevailing hypothesis is that daytime winter flight is a last-ditch effort for starving bats to find insect prey,” Cryan said. “What we propose is that thirst, and maybe not always hunger, is driving these arousals. Unusual thirst during hibernation may result from water essentially leaking out of wings damaged by the fungus.”

Anecdotally, bats at hibernacula affected by WNS are sometimes seen flying over and drinking from water surfaces or eating snow, highlighting the plausibility of this hypothesis, the authors noted.

Hibernation itself is one reason this emerging disease is so successful. During hibernation, a bat’s immune function and metabolism are dramatically reduced, and body temperature drops significantly. Also, some of the worst-affected bat species roost in humid areas in dense clusters to conserve energy and decrease moisture loss.

“These ideal environmental conditions, combined with the hibernating bat’s suppressed immune system, likely allow the fungus to invade body tissues for nutrients without resistance, making the hibernating bat a most accommodating host for this new disease,” Meteyer said.

The researchers compare the ability of this novel bat fungus to destabilize internal functions with the electrolyte imbalance that occurs in frogs infected by chytrid fungus, which, like G. destructans, is a novel disease of vertebrates. Chytrid infection impairs the ability of frog skin to regulate hydration and internal equilibrium, causing electrolyte imbalance and ultimately cardiac arrest.

“The skin plays a critical role in the physiology of both amphibians and bats,” Meteyer said. “We suggest that a similar, but less subtle, disturbance could be occurring in the wing membranes of bats with WNS.”

The journal article can be accessed online.

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Loons Tracked by Satellites Will Uncover Mysteries of Their Migration

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:28:36 EDT

Tagged Birds Will Shed Light on How Avian Botulism is Transmitted

Ten common loons are now sporting satellite transmitters so researchers can study the migratory movements and feeding patterns of these remarkable fish-eating waterbirds as they migrate through the Great Lakes toward their winter homes farther south.

By using satellite tracking devices implanted in the loons from Wisconsin and Minnesota, USGS scientists expect to learn essential information about avian botulism needed by managers to develop important conservation strategies for the loon species.

Biologist Jeff Wilson releases a loon marked with a geolocator tag on a lake in northern Wisconsin.

Geolocator tag is shown attached to a common loon's leg band using marine epoxy and cable ties.

“This study will also help managers better understand how loons fare as they head to their wintering grounds along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts,” said USGS scientist Kevin Kenow, of the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) in La Cross, WI. “Right now, little is known about habitat use along their entire migratory routes.”

Common loons, a large black and white waterbird with haunting calls, are an iconic species in the Great Lakes states where they are most abundant. Unlike most birds which have hollow bones, loon bones are dense, helping them to dive to depths of some 250 feet in their search for food.

In addition to satellite transmitter-marked loons, about 70 other loons will have geolocator tags, which will record daily location, temperature, light levels and water-pressure data that will log the foraging depths of these diving birds. “This information will help shed light on how avian botulism may work in the food web on the Great Lakes,” said Kenow, the leader of the migration project.

Botulism, which has caused more than 80,000 bird deaths on the Great Lakes since 1999, causes paralysis and death of vertebrates who ingest neurotoxin produced by the botulism bacterium. The USGS study on avian botulism on the Great Lakes, funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will examine the pathways by which fish and birds acquire botulinum toxin from Great Lakes food webs and determine how avian botulism outbreaks are related to environmental variables such as water quality and food web structure. Avian botulism outbreaks have resulted in periodic and often huge die-offs of fish-eating birds since at least the 1960s, but outbreaks have become more common and widespread since 1999, particularly in Lakes Michigan and Erie.

“Understanding feeding patterns and exposure routes of waterbird species at high risk for botulism die-offs, such as the common loon, is central to understanding how botulism exposure happens in the aquatic food chains in the Great Lakes and to eventually identifying what drives botulism outbreaks,” said Kenow, “Only then, can we help provide tools to prevent or lessen such outbreaks.”

Movement of loons from previous studies carrying satellite transmitters can be followed online at the USGS UMESC website. Loon movements from the current study will be available later this summer.

More information on avian botulism can be found at USGS National Wildlife Health Center website

In addition to the UMESC, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center and Michigan Water Science Center are involved in the Great Lakes botulism study. The University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, and St. John’s Abbey and University provided support to various aspects of the migration project.