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Description of Work USGS researchers have determined the densities of the eggs as these develop, and how much time the bighead and silver carp require to begin swimming and migrating laterally from flowing water into nursery habitat. This information about egg transport requirements was used to create a Tributary Assessment Tool also referred to as the Fluvial Egg Drift Simulator (FluEgg) model. The development of this tool was a collaborative effort between USGS and the University of Illinois. The tool takes into account the hydraulics of a river (water velocity and dispersion rates) and the water temperature (affects egg and larvae development rates) in order to determine if a river is sufficiently long and the...
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Description of Work U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists are focusing on restoring natural water flow and ecological processes between coastal wetlands in the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (Ohio) and adjacent to Lake Erie to improve fish and wildlife habitat. This pilot project will develop approaches that will restore coastal wetland function and increase ecosystem resilience to be used as a model throughout the Great Lakes basin. USGS will focus on restoring natural hydrologic processes in diked coastal wetlands adjacent to Great Lakes waters to improve wetland functions like phosphorus retention and restoration of habitats for fish and wildlife. Sustainable approaches are being developed in the Maumee River...
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Description of Work USGS scientists will develop support to State partners for the removal of Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) such as fish consumption advisories, fish tumor presence, Eutrophication and unwanted algae, drinking water problems, beach health, and concentrations of PCBs in lake trout and walleyes. Areas of Concern (AOC) principles and guidelines were developed as an initial reference point from which appropriate restoration criteria could be developed. Stage 2 Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) were developed for each of these AOCs to address impairments to any one of 14 beneficial uses associated with these areas. Specific remediation actions are completed in order to restore the beneficial use. When...
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Description of Work Predictive models have been used at beaches to improve the timeliness and accuracy of recreational water-quality assessments over the most common current approach to water-quality monitoring, which relies on culturing fecal-indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli.)
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Description of Work USGS will conduct seasonal sampling of benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, prey fish, sport fish, and their diets to complement the seasonal lower trophic level sampling by EPA. This data will provide a more holistic understanding of how invasive-driven, food-web changes could be altering energy available to sport fishes in the Great Lakes and used to build a decision support tool that can explore how different scenarios (dreissenid control, nutrient reductions, changes in fish stocking) influence the biomass of economically important fisheries.
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Products Duncker, J.J. and Johnson, K.K., 2015, Hydrology of and current monitoring issues for the Chicago Area Waterway System, northeastern Illinois: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5115, 48 p., http://dx.doi. org/10.3133/sir20155115.
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Description of Work Determine the relative sensitivity of two species of amphibians (i.e. Wood Frogs Rana sylvatica, Cricket Frogs Acris crepitans blanchardi, American Toad Bufo americana) to exposure to acute and chronic levels of nitrate, nitrite and ammonia. This data will be used to evaluate the current ammonia criteria and for possible inclusion in the development of criteria for nitrite and nitrate.
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Up to 12 different prey fish species were sampled with a 12-m bottom trawl during April, July, and September along two Lake Huron transects (Thunder Bay, Hammond Bay). At each transect in each month, two replicate 10-min tows were conducted at each of three depths (18, 46, 82 m) during the day and night. Once the fish were onboard in a given tow, they were sorted to species, weighed (in aggregate), and up to 50 individuals per species were measured to the nearest total length.
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Description of Work Several techniques will be used to characterize these potential controlling factors and data collection will be coordinated with the other agencies efforts to provide maximum complementary data collection and analysis. Flow, velocity and a suite of water-quality parameters (water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, chlorophyll-a, blue-green algae, nitrate and turbidity) will be collected in the main channel and backwater areas of the river. Plankton sampling data from the Illinois Department of Natural History will be used to characterize the available food supply in this reach of the river. Day-to-day movement of Asian carp recorded from field observations and telemetered...
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Description of Work The geology, hydrology, sediment, and water quality of the Des Plaines River, I&M Canal, and Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the aquifer between these water bodies were characterized along a 19-mile reach of interest. Acoustic data and a field examination of the bedrock identified the geometry of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and areas with fractures that could possibly transport water from the Des Plaines River or I&M Canal to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal by way of the groundwater system. The areas with fractures were further investigated by collecting sediment, geologic, and hydraulic data that could indicate a connection between the surface-water bodies and the groundwater....
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Description of Work The invasive form of Phragmites australis (common reed) is a well-established pest in many parts of the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts, including designated Areas of Concern. New innovative control options that sustainably target the competitive advantage often enjoyed by Phragmites and other invasive plants will contribute to a broad Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. This project targets the microorganisms that may help Phragmites spread and will employ a molecular genetic approach to silence the genes in Phragmites that give it a competitive edge over many native plants. This project helped build and will continue to be closely aligned with the Great Lakes Phragmites...
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Description of Work This work will investigate linkages between sediment PCB concentrations and subsequent exposure in riparian organisms living on land next to the river and harbor. This is an extension of prior work at the site that has been used by the Manistique River and Harbor Remediation Team (comprised of managers and scientists from USEPA GLNPO, USEPA ORD, NOAA, USACOE, USGS and the state of Michigan) to guide plans for delisting activities. Riparian spiders are important mediators of contaminant flux from aquatic systems to nearby terrestrial habitats. Aquatic insects accumulate contaminants in their larval form, and transport these contaminants to terrestrial ecosystems in their adult bodies. Spiders...
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Description of Work U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) will identify through this project significant sources and impacts of historical and newly emerging toxics to the Great Lakes ecosystem through broad surveillance as well as laboratory and field research of tree swallows and other bird species. USGS scientists will determine the amount of exposure to and the effects of historical and emerging contaminants in Great Lakes food chains. The data will inform regulators and provide guidance on removal of Beneficial Use Impairments at Area of Concern sites around the Great Lakes. Work supported under this project is quantifying exposure to, and effects of, both historical and emerging contaminants on Great Lakes food chains...
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Description of Work U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will expand the online availability of geospatial data to monitor the presence and extent of invasive species in wetlands, coastal areas and other sensitive habitats. USGS is working with the Great Lakes Observing System collaboration and other data sharing efforts across the Great Lakes to compile the data into a user friendly format that is accessible on line. Elevation data will be expanded in the Great Lakes Basin using a collaborative to support the GLRI. This information would support invasive species monitoring, wetland inventory, and habitat restoration. USGS will work with the Great Lakes Observing System and other data sharing efforts to make USGS geospatial...
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Description of Work U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provided a one-week training course for ''Geomorphic Analysis of Fluvial Systems'' to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other state and local agencies in Chicago. This provided an introduction to the concepts of how stream channels change over time due to natural and human-caused changes in the watershed. This training assisted managers in understanding the goals and limits of stream restoration specific to Great Lakes streams. Much of the training centered on sediment movement in channels and also was applicable to EPA managers working on clean-sediment TMDLs and nutrient-sediment interactions.
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Background: The USGS propose a collaborative investigation with the NYSDEC and NOAA to evaluate the current condition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of bed sediments in the Niagara River Area of Concern (AOC). Using a probabilistic study design, sediment-toxicity data compiled by the USGS, invertebrate community data collected by NYSDEC, and sediment-chemistry data collected by NOAA will be assimilated using a Sediment Quality Triad approach (Chapman et al., 1992; USEPA, 1992) to provide a sediment-quality baseline needed to gauge changes expected to follow remediation of contaminated sediments in parts of the AOC. These data will also be used directly to confirm that the macroinvertebrate...
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Tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, were sampled across the Great Lakes basin in 2010-2015 to provide a system-wide assessment of current exposure to organic contaminants. These results provide information identified as critical by land managers and regulators to assess the ‘Bird or Animal Deformity or Reproductive Problems’ Beneficial Use Impairment. Eggs were collected from 69 sites across all five Great Lakes, including 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs), some with multiple sites, and ten sites not listed as an AOC. Concentrations of organic contaminants in eggs were quantified and compared to background and reproductive effect thresholds. Approximately one-third of the AOCs had geometric mean concentrations of total...
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Description of Work The first major goal of this project is to characterize and evaluate the extent to which contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) threaten fish and other wildlife in the Great Lakes. This includes identifying and characterizing CECs in the Great Lakes Basin, identifying risk-based screening concentrations for priority CECs, evaluating population-relevant effects of complex mixtures on biota, and identifying the Great Lakes waterways at greatest risk. The second major goal of this project is to pilot and develop a short-term and an ongoing long-term state-of-the-art bioeffects surveillance program for the Great Lakes basin. This includes developing strategies which will account for variable conditions...
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Description of Work During 2014-2016, researchers at the USGS Lake Erie Biological Station in collaboration with the University of Toledo used three different gears to try to capture eggs and larvae of Grass Carp. Bongo nets, so named because when held up they resemble Bongo drums, are fine-mesh, cone-shaped nets that are towed through the water for 5 minutes. These nets capture floating eggs (Grass Carp eggs float) and any small fish that can’t swim fast enough to get out of the way. Light traps are fished at night and capture fish that are attracted to light – like Grass Carp. Light traps are fished for about 1 hour at a time in backwater areas where small fish seek cover from current and predators and abundant...
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Description of Work Hydroacoustic surveys were used to characterize the distribution of fish within the backwater before, during and after the addition of algal feeding attractants, establishment of a water gun barrier and commercial fishing activities. Algal feeding attractants were injected at predetermined locations in the backwater to attract and concentrate Asian carp in the closed portion of the backwater. Nine days after the first algal feeding attractant was added, a water gun barrier was established at the narrowest location on the backwater. The water gun barrier was established about 14 hours before commercial fishers began 3 consecutive days of carp removal; the water gun barrier operated continuously...
map background search result map search result map Geospatial Information for decision support in AOCs and ecosystems Building local capacity to address nonpoint source problems AOC Decision Support Birds as Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes Determination of the Sensitivity of Two Species of Amphibians to Toxicity From Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia New Strategies for Restoring Coastal Wetland Function, Maumee River Area of Concern Invasive Phragmites: Prevention, Monitoring, and Control Strategies in an Integrated Pest Management Framework Exploring changes in nutrient transfer within Great Lakes food webs: implications for fish production in Lake Michigan in support of CSMI 2010 Seasonal benthic prey fish densities in Lake Huron, offshore of Hammond Bay and Alpena, Michigan (2012) Developing and Implementing Predictive Models for Estimating Recreational Water Quality at Great Lakes Beaches in new York State Riparian Indicators of Contaminant Exposure and Potential PCB Sources at Manistique River and Harbor AOC Status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of sediments in the Niagara River Area of Concern, New York Birds as indicators of contaminants in the Great Lakes - Egg Contaminants Data Status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of sediments in the Niagara River Area of Concern, New York Seasonal benthic prey fish densities in Lake Huron, offshore of Hammond Bay and Alpena, Michigan (2012) Geospatial Information for decision support in AOCs and ecosystems New Strategies for Restoring Coastal Wetland Function, Maumee River Area of Concern Riparian Indicators of Contaminant Exposure and Potential PCB Sources at Manistique River and Harbor AOC Developing and Implementing Predictive Models for Estimating Recreational Water Quality at Great Lakes Beaches in new York State Exploring changes in nutrient transfer within Great Lakes food webs: implications for fish production in Lake Michigan in support of CSMI 2010 AOC Decision Support Birds as Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes Determination of the Sensitivity of Two Species of Amphibians to Toxicity From Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia Invasive Phragmites: Prevention, Monitoring, and Control Strategies in an Integrated Pest Management Framework Building local capacity to address nonpoint source problems Birds as indicators of contaminants in the Great Lakes - Egg Contaminants Data