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At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
USGS1991

Wisconsin: A summary of cooperative water-resources investigations 1991

The objectives of this study are to provide continuous discharge records for selected rivers at specific sites to supply the needs for regulation, analytical studies, definition of statistical properties, trends analysis, determination of the occurrence, and distribution of water in streams for planning. The project is also designed to determine lake levels and to provide discharge for floods, low-flow conditions, and for water-quality investigations. Requests for streamflow data and information relating to streamflow in Wisconsin are answered. Basic data are published annually in the report "Water Resources Data-Wisconsin".

Wisconsin↗
USGS2024

Peak streamflow trends in South Dakota and their relation to changes in climate, water years 1921–2020

Peak-flow (flood) frequency analysis is essential to water-resources management applications, including the design of critical infrastructure such as bridges and culverts, and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for performing peak-flow flood frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C, which documents the guidelines for determining annual peak streamflow frequency, is that, for basins without major hydrologic alterations (for example, regulation, diversion, and urbanization), statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant through time. Nonstationarity is a statistical property of a peak-flow series such that the long-term (on the order of decades) distributional properties change one or more times either gradually or abruptly through time. Individual nonstationarities may be attributed to one source such as flow regulation, land-use change, or climate but are often the result of a combination of sources, making detection and attribution of nonstationarities challenging. In response to a growing concern regarding nonstationarity in peak streamflows in the region, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Departments of Transportation of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, assessed the potential nonstationarity in peak streamflows in the north-central United States. This chapter characterizes the effects of natural hydroclimatic shifts and potential climate change on annual peak streamflows in the State of South Dakota. Annual peak and daily streamflow as well as model-simulated gridded climatic data were examined for temporal monotonic trends, change points, and other statistical properties indicative of changing climatic and environmental conditions. Changes in annual peak and daily flows were evaluated among 13, 35, and 81 qualifying U.S. Geological Survey streamgages for the 75-, 50-, and 30-year trend periods through water year 2020 (the period from October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2020) in South Dakota, respectively. No qualifying streamgages were in the 100-year trend period in the State. Statistical tests for autocorrelation (independent and identically distributed assumption), monotonic trends, and change points in the median and scale are analyzed to evaluate potential stationarity violations (nonstationarity) for performing at-site peak-flow flood-frequency analysis. The trends are reported using a likelihood approach as an alternative to simply reporting significant trends with an arbitrary p -value cutoff point. A distinct east-west spatial pattern of likely upward and downward monotonic trends and change points, respectively, was detected in 75- and 50-year trend periods, but an inconsistent spatial pattern was detected in the 30-year trend period. Additionally, change points in the median annual peak streamflows were detected in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the western part of the State, but in the east, the change point was more commonly detected in 1992–93. A similar east-west spatial pattern of likely upward and downward trends was detected in the annual peak-flow timing, the day of the year of the annal peak streamflow. In the western part of the State, the annual peak streamflows are arriving earlier, but in the east, the annual peak streamflows are arriving later. A peaks-over-threshold (POT) analysis where, on average, there are two events per year (POT2) and four events per year (POT4) was also used to evaluate changes in the frequency (count) of daily streamflows exceeding the threshold. Similar to detected changes in the annual peak streamflow, an east-west likely upward or downward change corresponding to an increase or decrease, respectively, in the frequency of daily streamflow greater than a POT2 and POT4 threshold was detected. A monthly water-balance model was used to evaluate hydroclimatic variation in annual and seasonal precipitation, snowfall, potential evapotranspiration, and soil moisture storage for all qualifying streamgages in the 75-, 50-, and 30-year trend periods. Detected trends in the annual hydroclimatic metrics for the 75- and 50-year trend periods indicate a spatially consistent statewide increase in precipitation, decrease in snowfall, increase in potential evapotranspiration, and increase in soil moisture storage. Furthermore, detected trends in seasonal precipitation in the 75- and 50-year trend periods highlight a pronounced change in precipitation in winter and later into the summer season, especially in the 50-year trend period in the eastern part of the State. Statewide increases in seasonal soil moisture storage were also detected, highlighting year-round increasing flood magnitudes, particularly in the eastern part of the State. Based on the results of these stationarity tests for the qualifying streamgages in South Dakota among the 75-, 50-, and 30-year trend periods, consistent temporal and spatial patterns of nonstationarity were detected among the 75- and 50-year trend periods. Furthermore, when nonstationarity is detected in daily streamflow, increased streamflow and volume (increasing frequency in POT), as well as potentially bridge scour, may have implications on culvert and highway design in the eastern part of South Dakota. Thus, when performing at-site peak-flow flood-frequency analyses in South Dakota, potential nonstationarities and alternative approaches are important considerations.

South Dakota↗
USGS2024

Introduction and methods of analysis for peak streamflow trends and their relation to changes in climate in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis, also called peak-flow frequency or flood-flow frequency analysis, is essential to water resources management applications including critical structure design and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for doing flood-frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C is that for drainage basins without major hydrologic alterations, statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows (peak flows) are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant. The stationarity assumption has been widely accepted within the flood-frequency community; however, a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change has caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumption. Flood-frequency analyses that do not incorporate observed trends and abrupt changes may result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance for incorporating nonstationarities when estimating floods, and it describes a need for studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. In response to this need and a history of concern regarding nonstationarity peak flows in the region, this study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Departments of Transportation of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, to assess potential nonstationarity in peak flows in the north-central United States. This chapter summarizes the methods used to detect hydroclimatic changes in peak-flow data in the study region. A wide range of analyses and statistical approaches are applied to document the primary mechanisms controlling floods and characterize temporal changes in hydroclimatic variables and peak flow. Four periods were selected for analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data. The periods are (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. The climate data consist of monthly time series estimates of temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, snowfall, soil moisture storage, snow water equivalent, and runoff on a 3.1-mile by 3.1-mile grid for the conterminous United States. Statistical and graphical analyses were used to investigate potential changes in hydrology and climate. The starting point for these analyses was the initial data analysis of peak flow described in Bulletin 17C, which includes plotting the peak flow and checking for autocorrelation, monotonic trends, and changes points. Analyses were added to examine additional features in the data. To examine potential causal drivers of changes, the climate data were analyzed graphically and statistically. Results are provided in a U.S. Geological Survey data release. The study limitations are documented for users of the results.

Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Mon↗
USGS2019

Scientific Framework for resilience research on the Upper Mississippi River System

The goal of this research framework is to outline research that would continue to improve our understanding of ecological resilience of the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) and inform management of the system for health and resilience. We provide a broad overview of recently completed and ongoing work that has been funded as a part of the UMRS Ecological Resilience Assessment and related efforts to provide context for how proposed research questions build upon our current knowledge and may inform restoration planning and design. We describe two primary objectives within this research framework - the first objective is to investigate hypothesized drivers and feedbacks related to specified resilience, and the second is to expand our utility of general resilience indicators through further development and evaluation. The intended audience for this framework is the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program (UMRR). The UMRR partnership is made up of natural resource agencies from five states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin) and five federal agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service).

Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin↗
USGS1967

Trends in ground-water levels in Wisconsin through 1966

The water supplies of Wisconsin are the State's most valuable natural resource. Although the State has abundant water supplies to maintain the perennial flow of most streams, and to sustain large increases in municipal, agricultural, and industrial use in many areas, the available supply is not distributed equally throughout the State, either areally or in time. Intelligent development of all water resources depends on knowledge of the occurrence, distribution and movement of water, the amount of discharge to and from a region, the interrelationship of ground and surface water, and the quantity and quality of the water available.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2013

The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Wisconsin

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Wisconsin, elevation data are critical for agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. Today, high-quality light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the sources for creating elevation models and other elevation datasets. Federal, State, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data, on a national basis, that are (on average) 30 years old and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data. The new 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) initiative, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), responds to the growing need for high-quality topographic data and a wide range of other three-dimensional representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1994

Shoreline and coastal wetland variability along the west shore of Green Bay, Marinette and Oconto counties, Wisconsin

Coastal wetland ecosystems along the Great Lakes shorelines are extremely valuable natural resources. They provide numerous environmental and recreational benefits, and they serve as critical habitats for fish and wildlife populations. In general terms, wetlands can be defined as lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems; they are characterized by periodic submergence or a water table at or near the surface and a predominance of hydric soils and hydrophytes. Changes in shoreline positions over time result in concomitant changes in the amount of adjacent coastal wetlands, frequently resulting in a permanent loss of these valuable resources. In the Great Lakes region, the main natural cause of shoreline changes are lake-level fluctuations that result from two interactive factors. One factor is the glacio-isostatic rebound of the lake basins, which has been occurring since the end of the late Wisconsin glaciation to the present. This crustal rebounding has slowly uplifted previous lake outlets, warped and tilted lake basins, and changed lake levels and shoreline positions. On the basis of historic lake-level gauge records, measured modern differential vertical uplift rates range from 0.26 ft/century in the southern part of the Great Lakes drainage basin to 1.74 ft/century in the northern part of the basin (Larsen, 1989). The second factor contributing to lake-level fluctuations is climate variability, which controls the amount of regional precipitation and evaporation, storm frequency, runoff, and resulting lake levels. Climate variability can occur over a wide spectrum of time scales; it can range from seasonal variations, to long-term trends of a few years or decades in duration, to trends lasting hundred of thousands of years. Climatic variations, in conjunction with glacio-isostatic rebound, have resulted in substantial temporal variability of the Great Lakes shorelines and associated wetland tracts during post-glacial times.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2002

Bedrock and soil geochemistry from Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Bedrock, forest floor, and mineral soil sampling in Voyageurs National Park (VNP), Minnesota in 2000 and 2001 is part of a multidisciplinary project that includes the U. S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The joint project is examining the distribution of mercury in age-1 perch, lake water, bedrock and soils for eighteen watersheds in the interior of VNP. The purpose of the project was to establish the background and baseline geochemistry for bedrock and soil in the region, and to determine terrestrial mercury sources and sinks in VNP.

Minnesota↗
USGS2015

Determining climate change management priorities: A case study from Wisconsin

A burgeoning dialogue exists regarding how to allocate resources to maximize the likelihood of long-term biodiversity conservation within the context of climate change. To make effective decisions in natural resource management, an iterative, collaborative, and learning-based decision process may be more successful than a strictly consultative approach. One important, early step in a decision process is to identify priority species or systems. Although this promotes the conservation of select species or systems, it may inadvertently alter the future of non-target species and systems. We describe a process to screen terrestrial wildlife for potential sensitivity to climate change and then use the results to engage natural resource professionals in a process of identifying priorities for monitoring, research, and adaptation strategy implementation. We demonstrate this approach using a case study from Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, experts identified 23 out of 353 species with sufficient empirical research and management understanding to inform targeted action. Habitat management and management of hydrological conditions were the common strategies for targeted action. Although there may be an interest in adaptation strategy implementation for many species and systems, experts considered existing information inadequate to inform targeted action. According to experts, 40% of the vertebrate species in Wisconsin will require near-term intervention for climate adaptation. These results will inform state-wide conservation planning as well as regional efforts.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2025

Hydroclimatic and land-use factors affecting peak streamflow in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis provides the basis for flood risk estimates used by water-resource managers in land-use planning, and it informs the design of essential infrastructure such as bridges and culverts. Federal guidelines for flood-frequency analysis do not offer guidance on addressing changing climate and land-use conditions when estimating floods. However, failing to consider climatic and land-use changes that cause abrupt or gradual changes in flood regimes can result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. In response to concerns about changing flood regimes, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with nine State agencies (Illinois Department of Transportation, Iowa Department of Transportation, Michigan Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Transportation, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, North Dakota Department of Water Resources, South Dakota Department of Transportation, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation) began a study to examine variability and change in hydrology and climate and the effects of urbanization and tile drainage on flooding. The analyses of patterns and changes in hydrology and climate were reported in a multichapter Scientific Investigations Report, the findings of which are summarized in this U.S. Geological Survey Circular. Additional analyses documenting changes in seasonality of flooding and the effects of urbanization and tile drainage were completed and published as separate studies and are also summarized in this Circular. These studies provide extensive exploratory analysis of peak streamflow, daily streamflow, and climate data, setting the stage for advancements in flood-frequency analysis.

Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mon↗
USGS2013

WICCI Wildlife Working Group Report

Wisconsin is world-renowned for its diversity of ecological landscapes and wildlife populations. The northern forests, southern prairies, and interior and coastal wetlands of the state are home to more than 500 terrestrial animal species. These animals supply the Wisconsin public with aesthetic, cultural, and economic benefits; our identity and economy are intertwined with these natural resources. Climate change is altering the behavior, distribution, development, reproduction, and survival of these animal populations. In turn, these changes will alter the aesthetic, cultural, and economic benefits we receive from them. The focus of the Wildlife Working Group is to document past and current impacts, anticipate changes in wildlife distribution and abundance, and develop adaptation strategies to maintain the vitality and diversity of Wisconsin's wildlife populations.

Report↗
USGS2026

The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Wisconsin’s economy

Introduction In Wisconsin, high-quality elevation data can be utilized for improving agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, and water supply planning, as well as management of flood risk, infrastructure, construction, water quality, forest resources, and many other business uses. Such data can be beneficial for the State’s responses to large rain events, flooding, coastal erosion along the Great Lakes, and urban and suburban development. Critical applications that meet the State’s management needs depend on light detection and ranging (lidar) data that provide a highly detailed three-dimensional (3D) model of the Earth’s surface and aboveground features. The 3D Elevation Program (3DEP; refer to sidebar) is managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with Federal, State, Tribal, U.S. territorial, and local agencies to acquire consistent lidar coverage at quality level 2 or better (table 1) to meet the many needs of the Nation and Wisconsin. The status of available and in-progress 3DEP baseline lidar data in Wisconsin is shown in figure 1. 3DEP baseline lidar data include quality level 2 or better, 1-meter or better digital elevation models, and lidar point clouds, and must meet the Lidar Base Specification 2025 Rev. A (https://www.usgs.gov/3dep/lidarspec) or newer requirements. The National Enhanced Elevation Assessment (Dewberry, 2012) identified user requirements and conservatively estimated that availability of lidar data would result in at least $11.18 million in new benefits annually to the State. The top 10 Wisconsin business uses for 3D elevation data, which are based on the estimated annual conservative benefits of 3DEP, are shown in table 2.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1968

Water resources of Wisconsin, Fox-Wolf River basin

PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purposes of this report are to (1) describe the geohydrology of the basin, (2) describe and relate the surface- and ground-water systems, (3) discuss existing and possible future water problems in the basin, and (4) to suggest means of possible solutions. The scope of the study was to interpret and relate streamflow, climatic, geologic, and ground-water information. Because of its reconnaissance nature, this report should serve as background information. More specific water information for many areas of the Fox-Wolf River basin is available at the offices of the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey in Madison. This study is part of a planned investigation of the geology and water resources of the rapidly developing Fox River valley industrial complex and municipal region extending from Green Bay to Fond du Lac. The related studies in this region cover Fond du Lac County (Newport, 1962), Outagamie County (LeRoux, 1957), Brown County (Drescher, 1953), the Green Bay area (Knowles and others, 1964; Knowles, 1964), Waupaca County (Berkstresser, 1964), Waushara County (Summers, 1965), and Winnebago County (Olcott, 1966).

Wisconsin↗
USGS2019

Groundwater flow model for Western Chippewa County–Including analysis of water resources related to industrial sand mining and irrigated agriculture

A groundwater flow model for western Chippewa County, Wisconsin, was developed by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) using the computer program MODFLOW. The model is the result of a five-year groundwater study commissioned by Chippewa County in 2012 to evaluate the effects of industrial sand mining and irrigated agriculture on the county’s water resources. The study incorporates existing data and newly acquired data from fieldwork conducted within the study area. The groundwater model may be useful for future investigations, such as evaluation of proposed high-capacity well sites, development of municipal wellhead protection plans, and studies that seek to further quantify surface water-groundwater relationships. The model conceptualizes the hydrostratigraphy of western Chippewa County as six stacked layers. Each layer is distinct, beginning with unlithified glacial material at the surface, and alternating between sandstones (that act as aquifers) and shale units (that serve as aquitards). The model is bounded below by Precambrian crystalline bedrock and its perimeter was derived from a regional-scale groundwater flow model. The MODFLOW model represented average conditions during 2011–2013 with “steady-state” assumptions, meaning that simulated water levels do not fluctuate seasonally or from year to year. Steady-state models simplify natural variability, making results of scenario simulations easier to interpret and compare while also maximizing effects of stressors because the simulated stress is always applied (not halted after a few months or years). Model calibration used the parameter estimation code (PEST), and calibration targets included heads (groundwater levels) and streamflows. Calibration focused on 2011–2013 because a large amount of head and streamflow data were available for that period. The MODFLOW model explicitly simulates all sources and sinks of water, including groundwater/surface-water interaction with streamflow routing. Model input included estimates of aquifer hydraulic conductivity and a spatial groundwater recharge distribution developed using a GIS-based soil-water-balance (SWB) model applied to the model area. Groundwater withdrawals were simulated for 269 high-capacity wells across the entire model domain, which includes western Chippewa County and adjacent portions of Dunn, Barron, and Rusk Counties. Collectively, these wells withdrew about 1.14 million gallons per year between 2011 and 2013. Once the model was calibrated, it was applied to two distinct scenarios of increased groundwater withdrawals: one evaluating hydrologic effects of more intensive industrial sand mining and the second evaluating the hydrologic effects of more intensive agricultural irrigation practices. Each scenario was developed with input from Chippewa County and a stakeholder group established expressly for this study. The scenarios were designed to represent reasonable future buildout conditions for both mining and irrigated agriculture. The mining scenario underscores the potential hydrologic effects related to changing land-use practices (i.e., hilltops and farmland becoming sand mines), while the irrigated agriculture scenario illustrates the potential hydrologic effects of intensifying existing land-use practices (i.e., installing new wells to irrigate farm fields). While each scenario evaluated distinctly different conditions, modeling results demonstrated the potential of both scenarios to lower the water table and reduce baseflows in headwater streams within the modeled area. In the case of irrigated agriculture, hydrologic effects were associated directly with groundwater withdrawals. By assuming that irrigation did not decrease, this steady-state simulation represented a sustained future effect. By contrast, hydrologic effects of industrial sand mining were the result of both groundwater withdrawals at mines and land-use changes that effectively reduced recharge to groundwater over distinct phases of active mining. This scenario included a post-mining phase, during which groundwater withdrawals stopped and mined areas were reclaimed to undeveloped prairie grass cover. If reclamation to undeveloped prairie indeed occurs as simulated, long-term increases in the water table and stream baseflows are possible. In this sense, the scenario representing build out of irrigated agriculture led to long-term baseflow declines while the future buildout of industrial sand mining led to declines that dissipated following mine reclamation to undisturbed prairie. Future investigations in similar hydrogeologic settings may find the following insights gleaned from this study useful: ❚❚ The characterization of hydrogeologic properties, delineation of hydrogeologic units, and calibration of groundwater flow models benefited from incorporation of accurate well construction reports, high-quality borehole geophysical logs, and streamflow gaging data. ❚❚ Infiltration testing performed in active mining areas provided evidence that reducing the degree and extent of compaction and enhancing areas designed to retain and infiltrate stormwater runoff could potentially reduce runoff and increase groundwater recharge. ❚❚ Similarly, reclaiming mined areas to prairie grasses would be expected to reduce runoff and increase groundwater recharge by reducing compaction and improving soil structure and vegetation that can slow runoff and enhance infiltration.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1953

Stratigraphic relations of the Shakopee dolomite and the St. Peter sandstone in southwestern Wisconsin

This paper is concerned with the origin and geologic history of the boundary that separates the widespread St. Peter sandstone from the underlying Shakopee dolomite. That international surface is highly undulatory, and most contemporary geologists who have examined it believe that the contact irregularities result from pre-St. Peter subaerial erosion of the upper Shakopee surface. Some earlier investigators do not entirely concur. This report is a by-product of work done for the U. S. Geological Survey during an investigation of the lead-zinc resources of Wisconsin by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. Attention was focused on the problem by stratigraphic studies of the Prairie du Chien formations, particularly of the Shakopee dolomite, in which structural and lithologic characters observed in the carbonate sediments seemed to be incompatible with the widely accepted erosional origin of the upper Shakopee surface. It was decided, in 1950, to explore the whole problem of the Shakopee-St. Peter relations by detailed outcrop examinations, supplemented by subsurface and other studies that might contribute to a better understanding of the genetic relationships involved. The area of the investigation was restricted to three counties in southwestern Wisconsin and closely adjacent areas in Iowa(fig. 1), differing in this respect from the broader and more general studies that previously have tended to be the rule.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1999

Management of riparian habitat for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Appendix C

Melinda Knutson (USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center) and Christine Ribic (USGS Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit) contributed to a recent report published by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The report summarizes a workshop held 8 December 1999 in Chicago, IL. Highlights of the report include resources and land management recommendations for riparian zones in the Midwest. The full report will soon be available at the USDA NRCS Wildlife Habitat Management Institute website: http://www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/whmi/habitat.htm Knutson, M., and C. Ribic. 2000. Management of riparian habitat for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Pages 22-24, Appendix C in W. Hohman, ed. NRCS Management and Restoration of Midwestern Riparian Systems Workshop Report. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Chicago, IL.

Report↗
USGS2020

Compilation of mercury data and associated risk to human and ecosystem health, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Wisconsin

Mercury is an environmentally ubiquitous neurotoxin, and its methylated form presents health risks to humans and other biota, primarily through dietary intake. Because methylmercury bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in living tissue, concentrations progressively increase at higher trophic positions in ecosystem food webs. Therefore, the greatest health risks are for organisms at the highest trophic positions and for humans who consume organisms such as fish from these high trophic positions. Data on environmental mercury concentrations in various media and biota provide a basis for comparison among sites and regions and for evaluating ecosystem health risks. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Natural Resources Department, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, have compiled a dataset from analyses of mercury concentrations in surface water, bed sediment, fish tissue, Rana clamitans (green frog) tissue, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagle) feathers, Lontra canadensis (North American river otter) hair, Zizania palustris (northern wild rice), and litterfall from samples collected in the Bad River watershed, Wisconsin during 2004–18. These data originated from either the Natural Resources Department or another agency based on samples collected within or near to Bad River Tribal lands before transfer to the U.S. Geological Survey for compilation and analysis at the onset of the project. This report describes the compiled mercury dataset, provides comparisons to similar measurements in the region and elsewhere, and evaluates health risks to humans and to the sampled biota. Except for litterfall, data were not collected on a consistent, regular basis over a sufficient period to evaluate temporal patterns. The reported mercury concentrations are generally similar to those reported elsewhere in the upper Great Lakes region. Reported values are consistent with atmospheric deposition as the principal source and reflect a favorable environment for mercury methylation. Fish mercury concentrations increased at higher food web positions and generally increased with length in most species measured. Sander vitreus (walleye) present the greatest risk to humans among fishes considered here because of their high trophic position and associated elevated mercury concentrations in combination with relatively high walleye consumption rates by the Native American community. Methylmercury concentrations in wild rice are generally low and likely pose little health risk. Despite reports of declining atmospheric mercury deposition across eastern North America during the past decade, a downward trend in litterfall mercury deposition was not evident in samples collected during 2012–18. Limitations in this data compilation and analysis were noted due to missing information such as collection dates and site locations for some samples. Regular monitoring of mercury in litterfall and surface waters along with periodic collection of fish would enable evaluation of temporal change in the mercury cycle that might affect future risk to humans and aquatic ecosystem inhabitants.

Wisconsin↗