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Human and bovine, or cattle, viruses were detected in a small percentage of some Great Lakes Basin streams, with human viruses more prevalent in urban streams and bovine viruses more common in streams in agricultural areas, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey-led study.

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http://www.usgs.gov/news/state-news-release/human-cattle-viruses-detected-some-great-lakes-tributaries

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Driveways in a residential subdivision are coated with black coal-tar-based sealcoat, contrasting with the white cement sidewalk. (Public domain)

Runoff from pavement with coal-tar-based sealant is the primary source of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, to streambed sediments in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to a U.S. Geological Survey and Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District study published today.

Pavement sealant is a black, shiny liquid sprayed or painted on asphalt parking lots, driveways and playgrounds to improve appearance and protect the underlying asphalt. Pavement sealants that contain coal tar, a known human carcinogen, have extremely high levels of PAHs. Some PAHs are toxic to fish and other aquatic life and several are probable human carcinogens.

Scientists with the USGS collected sediment samples from 40 streambed sites and dust samples from six parking lot sites in the Milwaukee area to determine the likely sources and toxicity of PAHs in streams. They found that dust from coal-tar-sealant contributed about 42 to 94 percent of the PAHs to the samples, with the remainder of PAHs coming from sources such as coal combustion and vehicle emissions.  

Seventy-eight percent of the sediment samples collected had PAH levels that could adversely affect aquatic organisms like aquatic insects. Among the most toxic samples collected were those from sections of Lincoln Creek, Underwood Creek and the West Milwaukee Ditch.

“This study shows that PAHs pose a very real threat to aquatic organisms at the base of the food chain,” said Austin Baldwin, a USGS scientist and the lead author of the study. “In terms of toxicity to these organisms, PAHs are probably the most important contaminants in Milwaukee-area streams.”

Potential adverse effects of these PAHs on aquatic organisms include fin erosion, liver abnormalities, cataracts and immune system impairments.

“Our study did not test the human health effects of coal-tar-sealant or PAHs in the Milwaukee area,” Baldwin said. “PAHs do not easily accumulate within the food chain, so possible human-health risks associated with consumption of fish are low.”

However, Baldwin noted that previous studies have demonstrated risks associated with tracking coal-tar-sealant dust from driveways into homes. Exposure to children playing on sealed pavement could be another route.

Coal-tar sealants have significantly higher levels of PAHs and related compounds compared to asphalt-based pavement sealants and other urban sources, including vehicle emissions, used motor oil and tire particles. Stormwater runoff, wind and tires can disseminate PAH particles throughout the urban landscape.

The new USGS study is published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

For more information about water-quality research in Wisconsin, please visit the USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center website. For more information about pavement sealants and PAHs, please visit the webpage about USGS research on PAHs and sealcoat.

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A tufted puffin, the species most affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. (Credit: Sarah Schoen, USGS)

A beach littered with bird carcasses is a sobering sight. Since mid-October, hundreds of dead seabirds have washed ashore the north and east sides of St. Paul Island, Alaska, an otherwise serene volcanic island landscape in the Bering Sea.

Most of the carcasses being found are tufted puffins, a charismatic species of seabird with striking, silky tassels of feathers positioned like ponytails behind their white-masked eyes. However, horned puffins, murres and crested auklets have washed ashore as well, according to biologists from the Aleut Community of the St. Paul Island Tribal Government Ecosystem Conservation Office (ACSPI ECO).

“Seabirds, including puffins, are important to local residents for their cultural and subsistence uses, and are appreciated by bird watchers from around the world,” said John Pearce, a scientist with the USGS Alaska Science Center. “Seabirds can also provide important signals about local conditions in the marine environment, such as the abundance and availability of forage fish.”

The ACSPI ECO and Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that as of November 17, the encounter rate of puffin carcasses over a three-week period was hundreds of times greater than normal compared to past surveys at St. Paul. In total, nearly 300 carcasses of a variety of beached seabird species have been counted since mid-October.

Only a fraction of birds that die at sea become beached, and of those, only a small portion are observed by people before they are removed by scavengers. As a result, many more birds may be affected by the die-off than has been recorded.

 

A horned puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, Alaska.(Credit: Sarah Schoen, USGS)

USGS Die-Off Detectives

To determine cause of death, eight puffin carcasses – six tufted puffins and two horned puffins – were collected by ASCPI ECO biologists and sent to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, where scientists conducted necropsies, or animal autopsies, on the birds. The USGS found that these fish-eating puffins were severely emaciated and likely died of starvation. The animals showed no sign of disease.

Starvation of the birds could be related to a lack of prey or changes in prey distribution as a result of abnormal sea temperatures. Unusually high sea surface temperatures were recorded in October for the Bering, Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Coupled with record low levels of sea ice, these temperatures could affect populations of forage fish and squid upon which seabirds like puffins depend.

In 2015-2016, the USGS and USFWS investigated and documented a large-scale die-off of common murres in the Gulf of Alaska with similar findings of starvation.

 

A Continuous, Coordinated Effort

The USGS is working with the USFWS, COASST, ACSPI ECO, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to determine the full extent of the St. Paul seabird die-off. Together, these partners will continue to investigate the seabird mortality event.

The public can help, too. According to the USFWS, people can report sick or dead birds to 1-866-527-3358 or AK_MBM@fws.gov. Please include the following information:

Time & Date Exact location (latitude/longitude, length of beach) Type of bird (species name or group e.g., murre, puffin, etc.) Estimated number of birds Photos

The USFWS warns that people should not touch or collect any sick or dead birds. Please leave the birds where they are when documenting a mortality event.

For more information about wildlife die-offs, please visit the USGS National Wildlife Health Center website. To learn more about seabirds and wildlife disease in Alaska, visit the USGS Alaska Science Center website.

February 2019 update: More information about the effects of harmful algal blooms on Alaska's seabirds is available at a 2018 USGS Fact Sheet.

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The timely removal of leaf litter can reduce harmful phosphorus concentrations in stormwater by over 80 percent in Madison, Wisconsin. (USGS)

The timely removal of leaf litter can reduce harmful phosphorus concentrations in stormwater by over 80 percent in Madison, Wisconsin, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey study.

Autumn leaf litter contributes a significant amount of phosphorus to urban stormwater, which then runs off into waterways and lakes. Excessive amounts of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen can cause eutrophication, or the depletion of oxygen in water, resulting in death of aquatic animals like fish. The USGS-led study found that without removal, leaf litter and other organic debris in the fall contributed 56 percent of the annual total phosphorus load in urban stormwater compared to only 16 percent when streets were cleared of leaves prior to a rain event.

“Our study found that leaf removal is one of the few treatment options available to environmental managers for reducing the amount of dissolved nutrients in stormwater,” said Bill Selbig, a USGS scientist and the author of the report. “These findings are applicable to any city that is required to reduce phosphorus loads from urban areas.”

The city of Madison used municipal leaf collection, street cleaning and leaf blowers to remove leaf litter from residential areas, and asked residents to pile their leaves adjacent to the street to limit excess debris. (USGS)

During April through November of 2013 through 2015, scientists compared concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen in stormwater from two residential catchments in western Madison that had similar tree cover. The city applied a leaf litter removal program from late September through mid-November at one site but not the other. The researchers found significantly lower amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen at the site where leaves were removed.

The study also found that stormwater nutrient levels were highest during the fall months when the amount of organic debris on streets was at its peak. This finding suggests that leaf removal programs are most effective during fall in Madison, and that sources other than leaves, such as street dirt and grass clippings, were likely the primary contributors of phosphorus and other nutrients during spring and summer.

“The efficiency, frequency and timing of leaf removal and street cleaning are the primary factors to consider when developing a leaf management program,” Selbig said.

During the study period, the city of Madison used municipal leaf collection, street cleaning and leaf blowers to remove leaf litter from residential areas, and asked residents to pile their leaves adjacent to the street to limit excess debris. Leaf collection and street cleaning occurred about every seven days from late September through mid-November.

The USGS collaborated with the City of Madison, the Fund for Lake Michigan and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on the study.

For more information about Wisconsin water research, please visit the USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center website.

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The health of the environment is a research priority for the U.S. Geological Survey, and some of the recent highlights of that research will be on display at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s 2016 North American conference this Fall. For reporters interested in attending these presentations at the conference, or for following up with the scientists who did the research, please call or email Alex Demas at 703-648-4421 or apdemas@usgs.gov.

Maintaining the Aquatic Food Web

The largest subject area that USGS will have presentations and posters in is studies on the health of aquatic organisms, such as aquatic invertebrates. Although not as charismatic, aquatic invertebrates serve an essential function in the food web, and are often on the front lines of exposure to contaminants.

Some of those contaminants come from mine waste or drainage. Often these are metals, and they can have significant toxic effects on aquatic invertebrates. USGS is presenting studies that look at the effects of these metals on caged and wild crayfish, mussels, aquatic insects like caddisflies, and amphipods, which are tiny invertebrates that are an important food source for many other animals.

When one part of the food web is affected, it can ripple throughout the entire ecosystem. Thus, studies of the entire food web are important to show the true effects a contaminant can have. In one such example, USGS is presenting a study on how the insecticide bifenthrin can have significant impacts on aquatic food webs and even affect nearby land-based food webs.

Moving up the food web, USGS has studies on frog species’ exposure to the neonicotinoid insecticides clothianidin and thiamethoxam, as well as a study on the effects of the herbicide atrazine on fathead minnows. Although each of these species is not the target of the pesticide in question, they can still be affected, either through bioaccumulation in the food the species eat or exposure in the environment.

In the same vein of unintended consequences, natural disasters can have longer-reaching effects than the initial destruction they’re known for. USGS will be presenting studies on organic pollutants spread by Hurricane Sandy and their effects on bluefish and resident mussels.

And finally, USGS plays an important role in the methodologies that go into studying the health of aquatic organisms. Strategies to address endocrine disruption in Chesapeake Bay fish and wildlife; the chronic toxicity of various chemicals to freshwater mussels; and the role of mesocosms in studying aquatic life are three presentations that USGS has on environmental health methodology.

The Science of Spills in Streams

In addition to studying the organisms that live in aquatic environments, USGS studies the health of the aquatic environments themselves. For instance, in addition to studying the actual effects of pesticides on aquatic organisms, USGS scientists study how the pesticides can reach the aquatic organisms in the first place.

This year, USGS has presentations on how an additive to the popular pesticide glyphosate can spread in the environment; what the effects of various pesticide mixtures are in Midwestern streams; and what levels of neonicotinoid insecticides are in certain agricultural and urban streams throughout the United States.

In addition, USGS looks at unintended spills of various chemicals, with presentations on diluted bitumen spills in the Kalamazoo River and the residual toxicity of NaOH-based ballast water treatment system for freshwater bulk freighters. Also, USGS has a presentation on what can happen to sediment toxicity during a dam’s removal.

Finally, just as with the aquatic organisms, USGS has valuable studies on how to research the health of aquatic environments. In addition to the well-established EPA MDL procedure, USGS examines how to estimate detection levels for multi-analyte methods, which is important for determining contaminant levels in streams. Also, USGS has taken a look at the use of the tool ToxCast to evaluate organic contaminant effects in Great Lakes Tributaries and whether or not reducing the amount of sulfate can mitigate the production of methylmercury in the Great Lakes.

Taking to the Sky

Aquatic organisms aren’t the only ones USGS studies. This year, there are a number of papers and posters that look at the health of birds, namely what chemicals and contaminants they’re exposed to and the effects they may experience.

Tree swallows received the most attention, with USGS and EPA looking at the distribution and effects of legacy contaminants on egg and nestling survival in Great Lakes Areas of Concern, as well as whether the swallows are appropriate bioindicators for other toxicants. In addition, they were also used to assess how effective various remedies were in those Areas of Concern.

Birds of prey were also studied, because their position at the higher end of the foodweb means they can be exposed to significant bioaccumulation of various contaminants. However, USGS research on ospreys showed that, at least in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, they largely have a clean bill of health.  Two other studies looked at American kestrels and what happens when they are exposed to persistent organic pollutants or priority flame retardants while developing in eggs.

The Science of Environmental Chemistry

Finally, USGS has several presentations about the science of environmental chemistry, including one on environmental chemistry perspectives from around the world. And, before the conference officially begins, USGS is giving a workshop on exploratory data analysis and plotting data with ggplot2 in R.

The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s 2016 North American conference runs from November 6-10 in Orlando, Fla.

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The physical setting of lakes, which includes underlying geology, elevation and surrounding land use, is the most significant driver of lake-level changes in the Twin Cities, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study published today. 

Scientists with the USGS analyzed 96 lakes in the northeast metropolitan area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, to determine why water levels recently declined in some, including White Bear Lake, yet increased in others. They found that not all lakes in the area respond similarly to weather and groundwater pumping, and White Bear Lake is especially sensitive to lake-level changes because of its unique deep-water outlets.

"Water-level changes in White Bear Lake have been the largest of the northeast metro lakes monitored since 1925," said Perry Jones, a USGS scientist and lead author of the report. "Our study showed that water is flowing out of the lake at deeper depths, and this may be contributing to larger water-level changes."

The scientists studied lake levels during short-term (2002–2010) and long-term (1925–2014) periods, and compared them to landscape and geologic characteristics, climatic factors and local groundwater withdrawals. The study found that:

Closed-basin lakes, or those lacking an outlet like White Bear Lake, had more significant lake-level declines than flow-through lakes with an outlet; When closed-basin lake levels increased or decreased, groundwater levels reflected those changes; Water levels in flow-through lakes varied more when annual precipitation fluctuated; Lake-level declines were larger in higher-elevation areas; and The installation of water-flow control structures, such as culverts and weirs, helped moderate multiyear lake-level changes.

The study also showed that groundwater enters White Bear Lake from shallow sites near the shore, and leaves from deep-water sites at the bottom of the lake. When water flows out from these deep sites, it flows into aquifers beneath White Bear Lake. These deep-water outflows are uncommon in Minnesota lakes, and make the lake uniquely sensitive to water-level declines.

The USGS partnered with the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Health on the new study.

For more information about water research in Minnesota, please visit the USGS Minnesota Water Science Center website.

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A common insecticide used in urban and agricultural areas, bifenthrin, is harmful to aquatic ecosystems at levels that were previously considered safe, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey. The insecticide was measured in several streams in the Midwest at levels that caused harm to artificial aquatic ecosystems.

Bifenthrin is used to combat common household pests like ants and termites, to control mosquitos that could spread diseases like West Nile and Zika and on crops to kill aphids and other agricultural pests. About 1.2 million pounds of bifenthrin was used in the United States in 2013.

USGS scientists evaluated the effects of bifenthrin on natural communities of stream invertebrates, such as mayflies and midges, using artificial streams. Exposure to bifenthrin concentrations previously thought benign caused the insect populations to become less abundant and diverse, and caused an increase in algal growth as the larvae that feed on algae decreased. The insecticide also altered the timing of insect emergence from the larval state to become adults and complete their life cycle. The full study, reported in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology, is now available online.

There were obvious similarities between the data from the artificial stream test and data for 92 small streams in the Midwest studied by the USGS in 2013. The insect species that were most sensitive to bifenthrin in the artificial streams were less abundant or eliminated from Midwest streams with similar bifenthrin concentrations. About 40 percent of Midwest streams sampled had bifenthrin concentrations greater than levels that caused meaningful ecological change in the artificial stream study.

 “The results of this experiment demonstrate that not only do aquatic insects die at concentrations of bifenthrin previously thought nontoxic, but that bifenthrin changes the way that stream ecosystems function,” said Travis Schmidt, a USGS ecologist and the lead scientist on the study. “Bifenthrin disrupts the ability of insects to control algal blooms, and disrupts the emergence of flying aquatic insects that are a food source for bats, birds and other animals in and around rivers.”

Parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas were included in the study.

This study is the one of several regional stream-quality assessments by the USGS. Findings will provide the public and decision makers with information regarding which human and natural factors are the most critical in affecting stream quality. Regions studied include the Southeast (2014), the Pacific Northwest (2015), the Northeast (2016) and California (2017). 

Support for this work was provided by the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA).

Companion USGS Data Release

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Tiny pieces of harmful plastic, called microplastics, are prevalent in many rivers that flow into the Great Lakes, according to a study published today in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Results are also illustrated on a new USGS microplastics website.

Microplastics fall off decomposing bottles and bags, wear off of synthetic clothing and are manufactured into some toothpastes and lotions. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and State University of New York at Fredonia studied 107 water samples collected from 29 Great Lakes tributaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and New York, and found microplastics in all samples. Together, these 29 tributaries account for approximately 22 percent of the total river water that flows into the Great Lakes.

Microplastics, organic material and other debris in a sample from the Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Austin Baldwin, USGS, Public domain)

“These microplastics, which are harmful to animal and possibly human health, will continue to accumulate in the Great Lakes well into the future,” said Austin Baldwin, a USGS scientist and the lead author of the report. “Our findings can help water managers better understand the types and sources of microplastics in rivers, and which rivers are the most polluted with microplastics.”

Baldwin noted that the study underestimates the actual microplastic concentrations in the rivers because the scientists sampled large microplastics greater than 0.33 millimeters (mm). The majority of microplastics are smaller than 0.1 mm.

Key findings from the study include:

The highest concentration of microplastics was detected in the Huron River at Ann Arbor, Michigan, at 32 particles per cubic meter, or p/m3; High levels of microplastics were also detected in the Buffalo River at Buffalo, New York (31 p/m3), the Ashtabula River near Ashtabula, Ohio (23 p/m3), and the Clinton River near Mt. Clemens, Michigan (21 p/m3); The median concentration of microplastics in all samples was 1.9 p/m3; Urban watersheds had the highest concentrations of microplastics; and Microplastics were also present in streams in forested and agricultural areas.

The scientists found various forms of microplastics in the river samples: fibers, fragments, films, foams, and pellets or beads. Plastic fibers, which come from items such as synthetic clothes, diapers and cigarette butts, were the most common type detected, at 71 percent of the total particles. The least common form found in the river water was microbeads, which are the only form banned by the United States Congress. This ban has not yet taken effect.

“We were surprised by the small amount of plastic beads and high amount of fibers found in the samples,” Baldwin said. “These unexpected findings demonstrate how studies like ours are critical to better understanding the many forms and fates of microplastics in the environment.”

Ingested microplastics can cause digestive and reproductive problems, as well as death, in fish, birds and other animals. Unhealthy additives in the plastic, including flame retardants and antimicrobials, have been associated with cancer and endocrine disruption in humans. Also, pollutants such as pesticides, trace metals and even pathogens can accumulate at high concentrations on microplastic particles.

Scientists have found microplastics nearly everywhere. Aside from rivers, microplastics are also common in lakes and oceans, in freshwater and marine fish, oysters and mussels, and in sediment. They are deposited onto land and water surfaces from the atmosphere.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funded the new study. For more information on USGS microplastics research, please visit the USGS Great Lakes Restoration Initiative website.

USGS scientists Pete Lenaker and Nic Buer collect a microplastic sample at the Manitowoc River, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. (Austin Baldwin, USGS, Public domain) Collecting a microplastics sample using a neuston net, Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.(Austin Baldwin, USGS, Public domain)

 

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An international team of scientists led by the U.S. Geological Survey, recently documented widespread mercury contamination in air, soil, sediment, plants, fish, and wildlife at various levels across western North America. They evaluated potential risk from mercury to human, fish, and wildlife health, and examined resource management activities that influence this risk.

Wetland habitats, such as the Great Salt Lake wetlands, provide critical feeding areas for many fish and wildlife species.Collin Eagles-Smith, USGSPublic domain

“Mercury is widespread in the environment, and under certain conditions poses a substantial threat to environmental health and natural resource conservation,” said Collin Eagles-Smith, USGS ecologist and team lead. “We gathered decades of mercury data and research from across the West to examine patterns of mercury and methylmercury in numerous components of the western landscape. This effort takes an integrated look at where mercury occurs in western North America, how it moves through the environment, and the processes that influence its movement and transfer to aquatic food chains.”

More than 80 percent of fish consumption advisories posted in the United States and Canada are wholly or partially because of mercury.  Fish consumption provides many health benefits to people, but the presence of mercury at high concentrations in fish can reduce some of those benefits. Balancing the protection of human health from mercury while also communicating health benefits associated with fish consumption requires detailed information about the distribution of mercury among fish species and across various aquatic systems.

Vegetation patterns affect both soil moisture and the amount of sunlight that reaches the soil, two factors associated with mercury release from soils. USFWS photo.

“The movement of mercury through the western landscape - traveling between the air, ground, and water to plants, animals, and ultimately humans, is extremely complex,” said Eagles-Smith. “This series of articles helps further our understanding of the processes associated with that complexity in western North America, highlights where knowledge gaps still exist, and provides information to resource managers that will help with making informed, science-based management and regulatory decisions.”

Effective management of environmental health risks associated with mercury goes beyond controlling the sources, and could be improved by development of tools to control the production of methylmercury and its bioaccumulation through the food web, ultimately affecting animals and humans.

”This effort provides critical information on mercury pathways to humans and wildlife that government regulators, lawmakers, and the public can use to make decisions,” adds David Evers, Executive Director of Biodiversity Research Institute and co-organizer of the effort. “It builds upon the Northeastern and Great Lakes regional efforts that collected and analyzed environmental mercury data that were often separated by sample type.”

Densely forested areas, such as those found along the Oregon Coastal Range, collect substantial amounts of mercury because they receive high amounts of precipitation.  Used with permission from Kelly J. James Photography.

Key findings of the report include:

Methylmercury contamination in fish and birds is common in many areas throughout the West, and climate and land cover are some important factors influencing mercury contamination and availability to animals Fish and birds in many areas were found to have mercury concentrations above levels that have been associated with toxic effects Patterns of methylmercury exposure in fish and wildlife across the West differed from patterns of inorganic mercury on the landscape Some ecosystems and species are more sensitive to mercury contamination, and local environmental conditions are important factors influencing the creation and transfer of methylmercury through the food web Forest soils typically contain more inorganic mercury than soils in semi-arid environments, yet the highest levels of methylmercury in fish and wildlife occurred in semi-arid areas Vegetation patterns strongly influence the amount of mercury emitted to the atmosphere from soils Forested areas retain mercury from the atmosphere, whereas less vegetated areas tend to release mercury to the atmosphere Land disturbances, such as urban development, agriculture, and wildfires, are important factors in releasing inorganic mercury from the landscape, potentially making it available for biological uptake Land and water management activities can strongly influence how methylmercury is created and transferred to fish, wildlife, and humans

 

Mercury and Methylmercury

Mercury, also known by its chemical symbol Hg, is a naturally-occurring metal that can pose a threat to humans, fish, and wildlife when exposed to high levels of its most toxic form, methylmercury. Methylmercury is created from inorganic mercury in aquatic ecosystems by bacteria. This is a complex process that only occurs under the right conditions for the bacteria to thrive. Therefore, the movement of inorganic mercury from the atmosphere or land to the water does not always result in equivalent levels of methylmercury in fish and wildlife unless the environmental condition is favorable for methylmercury production.

Methylmercury is easily accumulated by fish, wildlife, and humans from their diet; primarily affecting the nervous and reproductive systems, and is particularly harmful during the developmental stages of life. It increases in concentration up the food chain, reaching its highest levels in predators and long-lived species. Because methylmercury readily accumulates through the food chain, exposure patterns in fish and wildlife reflect where local conditions favor the creation of methylmercury.  

 

The western landscape is defined by extremes in climate, land cover, and habitat type. 

Sources, Storage, Transport, and Re-release

In the West, the distribution of mercury is a reflection of the diversity of sources combined with a landscape defined by extremes in climate, land cover, and habitat type. These characteristics of the western landscape influence mercury storage, chemical transformation, and buildup through the food chain.

Mercury enters the landscape from the atmosphere, natural geologic sources, historic mining activities, and re-released mercury stored in vegetation and soils. Atmospheric mercury sources are primarily direct natural emissions, such as volcanic eruptions; direct man-made emissions, such as fossil fuel emissions; and re-release from plants and soils. Mercury from the atmosphere makes its way back to earth through precipitation, dust particles, or direct uptake by plants through their leaves.

Densely forested areas, such as those found along the Pacific coastal mountain ranges, collect substantial amounts of mercury because they receive high amounts of precipitation. The deposited mercury easily binds to vegetation and rich forest soils. Soil mercury concentrations in these forests are on average 2.5 times higher than those in dry semi-arid environments. Similarly, waterbodies located in these forests have among the highest concentrations of inorganic mercury in their sediments.

Mercury Released from Soils

Soil-bound mercury can also move in the opposite direction, from land to the atmosphere. Much of the mercury emitted from the soil is re-release from previously deposited or “old” mercury. The amount of mercury released from soils varies across the region and is dependent upon vegetation patterns, which are important because these patterns affect both soil moisture and the amount of sunlight that reaches the soil – two factors associated with mercury release from soils.

In drier regions with less plant cover, the amount of mercury deposited from the atmosphere is similar to the amount released from soils, suggesting that these areas do not store mercury. In contrast, densely forested areas receive several times more mercury through atmospheric deposition than what is re-emitted to the atmosphere. As a result, western forests tend to provide long-term storage for inorganic mercury whereas much of the mercury deposited across the vast areas of sparsely vegetated semi-arid lands throughout the West either returns back into the atmosphere or becomes available for transport to aquatic ecosystems.

Mercury Released from Wildfires

Wildfire is one of the largest sources of re-released soil mercury to the atmosphere. The amount of mercury released during a wildfire depends on the size of the burned area, the amount of mercury stored in plants and soil, and the severity of burning. High severity fires, or  fires that cause greater physical change in an area, release greater amounts of mercury than low severity fires because they burn more fuel and make the soil hotter. Although high severity fires release more stored mercury into the atmosphere, lower severity fires may leave behind mercury in soils in a form that can more easily be moved to aquatic ecosystems and converted to methylmercury. With the increasing rate and severity of wildfires in the West associated with a changing climate, there could be an increase in movement of mercury that has been stored for centuries.

Historical mining and ore processing used mercury to extract precious metals such as gold and silver, releasing extensive amounts of mercury into the environment. Malakoff Diggins, Nevada County, California. Hearst Mining Collection of Views. Used with Permission of the Bancroft Library, The University of California - Berkeley.

Legacy Mining in the West

The West has rich geologic deposits of naturally occurring mercury, as well as gold and silver, where mercury was historically used to extract these valuable elements from rock formations. Historical mining and ore processing for these metals released extensive amounts of mercury into the environment, contaminating lake and river sediments downstream of mining operations. As a result, many of the highest levels of sediment mercury concentrations across the West are associated with legacy gold, silver, and mercury mines. However, the influence of mining on downstream mercury concentrations is most noticeable in small watersheds, because the amount of mercury from mining in larger watersheds is a fraction of what is contributed by other sources and processes such as atmospheric deposition, land disturbance, and erosion of less contaminated soils.

Land Use and Development

Agriculture and urban land development are more widespread across the West than mining, and those land uses have a large influence on the amount of mercury released from soils. As a result, lakes receiving runoff from agricultural or urbanized watersheds show higher rates of mercury accumulation in their sediments than lakes in undisturbed areas. The accumulation rate of mercury in lake sediments, calculated from sediment cores dated from to 1800-2010,  showed the highest rate during the last decade (2000-2010) than at any time since the industrial revolution, and approximately five times higher than during pre-industrial times (1800 to 1850).

Wildfire is one of the largest sources of re-released mercury to the atmosphere and a component to the widespread movement of inorganic mercury to aquatic sediments.Public domain

Landscape disturbance; such as wildfire, resource extraction, and land development, is a major component to the widespread movement of inorganic mercury to aquatic sediment throughout waterbodies of the West. However, mercury levels in fish and wildlife do not always match the levels of inorganic mercury because of the requirement for inorganic mercury to be converted to methylmercury before accumulating up the food chain.

“Methylmercury production is a complex microbial process that requires specific environmental conditions,” said Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, USGS microbiologist and co-organizer of the synthesis. “Only a small amount of the inorganic mercury is available to be made into methylmercury by bacteria, and under the right conditions even this small amount can result in methylmercury levels that pose a threat to fish, aquatic birds, and human health.”

As a result, sediment inorganic mercury concentrations alone often do not accurately indicate how much mercury makes its way into the animals living in the associated environment and ultimately, humans who may consume those animals.

 

Fish are indicators of methylmercury contamination because they are an important link in the food chain for both wildlife and humans.  USFS photo.

Managing Mercury Risk to Wildlife and Humans

Western North America supports many fish and wildlife communities, several of which are threatened by habitat loss or other factors, including exposure to methylmercury. Fish are indicators of methylmercury contamination because they are an important link in the food chain for both wildlife and humans. Fish and wildlife also are indicators of methylmercury availability over many months to years in the food chain. Mercury contamination of fish and birds is widespread across the West, but the patterns of exposure do not fully match patterns of inorganic mercury distribution in soils and sediments. Although the highest levels of inorganic mercury in soil are found in forested areas, the highest levels of methylmercury in fish and wildlife tend to occur in more arid regions of the West such as the Great Basin. Many existing guidelines and regulations around mercury focus on inorganic mercury in soils and sediments. The combination of inorganic mercury movement, methylmercury creation, and how long mercury stays in the food chain are some of the challenges to managing methylmercury risk to animals and humans.

More than half of the land, lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands in the West are publically owned or managed, much by the federal government. Natural resource management for both conservation and resource extraction can have a particularly strong influence on how mercury is transported over land, through water, and transferred to fish, wildlife, and humans.

Water and its management is a defining characteristic of the western landscape. It is among the continent’s most complex and widespread resource management challenges and has greatly influenced land use, development, and natural resource conservation. The need to store and transport water for shared ecological, agricultural, and human needs has resulted in complex networks of dams and man-made waterways that have transformed the western landscape and dramatically changed the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of river systems, and in some cases influenced the movement of mercury through these systems.

Wetlands, lakes, and rivers can all promote the creation of methylmercury, and seasonal flow and flood patterns of the West result in numerous locations where methylmercury can be created. These habitats are also often important environments that are critical feeding areas for many fish and wildlife species. Management of water flows and storage throughout the West can influence methylmercury creation in these aquatic habitats and can have a strong impact on the degree of mercury exposure throughout local food webs.

Management of water flows and storage through structures such as Foster Dam in Oregon can influence methylmercury creation in aquatic habitats. USACE image.

"We found mercury contamination of birds was common in many areas throughout western North America, some at levels above what is considered toxic to birds,” said Josh Ackerman, USGS wildlife biologist and lead author of one of the articles on bird mercury exposure. “Certain ecological characteristics, such as the type of habitat the birds live in, and their diet were important factors influencing bird mercury concentrations and their risk to mercury toxicity."

This body of work was conducted as part of the Western North America Mercury Synthesis Working Group and supported by the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis. The Working Group is comprised of partners from other U.S. and Canadian federal, state, and provincial agencies, as well as academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. Primary funding support was provided by the USGS, National Park Service, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with additional support from the individual authors’ organizations.

Findings are found in a 2016 special issue of Science of The Total Environment:  Mercury in Western North America—Spatiotemporal Patterns, Biogeochemistry, Bioaccumulation, and Risks

 

More Information:

Special Issue

USGS Environmental Health Science Feature

University of Michigan News Release

Biodiversity Research Institute News Release

 

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USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/comprehensive-study-finds-widespread-mercury-contamination-across-western-north-america

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Mercury contamination is widespread, at various levels across western North America in air, soil, sediment, plants, fish and wildlife.

Original Article

Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Upper Midwest Water Science Center

http://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/comprehensive-study-finds-widespread-mercury-contamination-across-western-north

ssoileau@usgs.gov

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This essay examines the New Left’s impact on the Canadian labour movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Specifically, it argues that in large industrial unions such as the UAW, New Left ideas that were popular amongst the rank and file were stifled by the more conservative labour bureaucrats. However, in public sector unions and unions unaffiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress, New Left ideas were often able to flourish, and these more radical unions were sometimes able to obtain substantial gains for their members throughout the 1970s while also fostering a broader sense of class consciousness in Canadian society -- culminating most notably in the Common Front’s general strikes in Quebec. Furthermore, this essay suggests that New Left ideas were more popular in public sector and independent unions because these unions had a larger proportion of women in comparison to other unions, and women at this time had a greater incentive to embrace transformative ideologies than men.

Original Article

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/gljuh/vol4/iss1/5

Sean P. Antaya

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The question of why it took the United States so long to aid in Europe during the Holocaust has been widely debated in history, due to confusion over what groups knew about the atrocity taking place and just how much information was available. When did the United States government understand the destruction that was being done to the Jewish populations overseas? Did specific organizations try to help to raise awareness? As early as the mid-1800s, Cleveland, Ohio became home to its own active Jewish society. Making a new home, but keeping their former ideals, these groups still stayed connected to what was happening back home. Acknowledging what the government was not, these Cleveland Jewish groups tried to bring the American population up to speed by exposing Hitler’s destruction to their people. These Jewish populations had a greater understanding of the horrific treatment happening to their own in Europe. However, within the Jewish population opposing ideologies about how to bring awareness to the issue existed, thus hindering their full ability to prompt the need of the United States to give aid. Through the use of primary sources such as newspapers from Ohio, official government documents, and secondary sources ranging from basic and brief histories to giving understanding of the different Jewish groups, this paper will discuss the Jewish Cleveland groups who tried to raise awareness to the United States government about the Holocaust. I argue that through these specific Jewish groups in Cleveland, as well as other, the United States was well aware of the monstrous acts being administered by Adolf Hitler before intervening.

Original Article

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/gljuh/vol4/iss1/4

Megan Moledor

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This essay analyzes why the comfort women were not mentioned until recent decades. The essay starts with an overview of Japan’s colonization and formation of the Comfort Women system; next, the history of the women and a comparison between the Korean and Dutch comfort women are being compared before going into the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. It discusses historical blindness through the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. There are three factors into how the United States government officials, including General Douglas MacArthur and Joseph Berry Keenan, manipulated the trials: United States government’s conduct, the general view on gender crimes, and the Cold War Discourse. General Douglas MacArthur and Joseph Berry Keenan manipulated the trials to gain an ally in the Far East. Their actions led to the silence of comfort women and other atrocities during World War II.

Original Article

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/gljuh/vol4/iss1/3

Kathryn J. Witt Ms.

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This essay looks at the Chatham All-Stars, an all-black baseball team from Chatham, Ontario that won the Ontario Baseball Association championship in 1934. In particular, this essay shall investigate the practice of barnstorming, which was significant in showcasing teams like the All-Stars and increasing their revenues. The essay argues that barnstorming was important in the All-Stars success in the Ontario Baseball Association, and that barnstorming also secured financial opportunities for many of the All-Star players. In addition, barnstorming was important not only to entertain communities at this time, but also to tighten relationships amongst communities. Furthermore, this essay highlights the widespread racism that the All-Stars, and teams similar to the All-Stars, faced at this time. Ultimately, this essay discusses the importance of athletics in shaping Canadian society through taking into account race, ethnicity, and socio-economic background.

The Chatham Coloured All-Stars can now be found online at:

http://cdigs.uwindsor.ca/BreakingColourBarrier/

Original Article

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/gljuh/vol4/iss1/2

Lauren A. Miceli

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Having established itself as a beacon of historiographical under- standing and undergraduate ambition, one can only imagine my excitement when presented with the opportunity to become Editor- in-Chief of e Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History. How- ever, to say that this process was not also intimidating would be incorrect. Readership and participation in the Journal has extended beyond the University of Windsor’s History department, into the wider Great Lakes region and around the world. e fear of doing an injustice to the outstanding individuals who have helped make this journal such a success was, at times, overbearing. However, I have discovered through this year-long endeavour that the limitations undergraduate students (like myself ) face are largely self-imposed, emerging from a fear of failure. is self-doubt is indeed conquer- able. e very existence of the Journal, which thrives on the enthu- siasm of undergraduate students, rea rms this fact; it is limitless in both its scope, and evolution into the multi-platform exploit that it is today, as a result of their exceptionalism.

Original Article

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/gljuh/vol4/iss1/1

Salma Abumeeiz

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There is an elevated incidence of skin and liver tumors among White Suckers caught in certain Wisconsin rivers that flow into Lake Michigan according to a U.S. Geological Survey study recently published in the Journal of Fish Diseases.

The three-year study looked at White Sucker tumor prevalence in the Sheboygan River and Milwaukee Estuary, which have both been listed as “Areas of Concern” under the International Joint Commission Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. According to this agreement, “an AOC is a geographic area designated by the [the United States and Canada] where significant impairment of beneficial uses has occurred as a result of human activities at the local level.”

In accordance with the agreement, any part of the Great Lakes, or it’s tributary rivers, can be listed as an AOC if special criteria are met. One of the 14 criteria used for labeling an AOC is the pervasiveness of tumors on certain species of fish, including White Sucker.

 Lip tumor diagnosed as a papilloma on a White Sucker, USGS

Once an AOC has been listed, the agreement requires a Remedial Action Plan to be developed that will restore impacted areas. As part of a remedial action plan, the State of Wisconsin asked the USGS to acquire data about the status of White Sucker within the two AOCs that were used in the study. During the research period, which lasted from 2012-2014, approximately 200 adult suckers were collected at each site during the fish’s migration periods. Fish were also collected in two non-AOCs, the Root River and Kewaunee Rivers, for comparison.

After compiling the study data, researchers revealed there was an abundance of liver tumors and skin lesions on the bodies, fins and lips of fish collected from three of the four sites.

“There was an elevated prevalence of skin and liver tumors on fish from both Areas of Concern as well as one of the non-Areas of Concern,” said Vicki Blazer, USGS Research Fish Biologist and lead author of the study.

Discovering elevated levels of fish tumors in an area not designated as an AOC was not unexpected, said Blazer. The research scientist said this non-AOC, the Root River, is close to the Milwaukee River, which has similar land and industrial runoff as the two AOCs.

However, the research team did discover something they weren’t initially looking for as they were examining their specimens.

Some of the male fish collected at both AOCs had testicular tumors in addition to the skin and liver tumors the scientists were documenting. The data collected did not show a correlation to the frequency of liver and skin tumors between male and female suckers, therefore, the testicular tumor finding was the only discovery directly related to the sex of tested fish.  

While the rates of liver and skin tumors seem to be equal between male and female fishes, the age of the fish does seem to play an important role in tumor development.

“Many of the fish with the skin and liver tumors were fairly old,” said Blazer. “The question remains if the risk factors causing the tumors on these older fish, could also be harming the younger fish in other ways, such as early mortality or lack of reproduction. We really don’t know right now.”

Another unknown is the cause of these tumors.

Blazer said there are some studies that suggest exposure to certain chemicals can cause liver tumors in fish, but there is still more research needed to determine the exact cause. 

“The fact of the matter is that tumors in fish, just like tumors in humans, are multifactorial and we really need more research to identify what the risk factors behind these tumors are,” said Blazer.

Several sediment cleanup projects to remove legacy contaminants from AOCs have been completed in Sheboygan and Milwaukee since the time the USGS study was initiated, and additional sediment cleanup projects are underway in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources anticipates that additional studies will be needed to monitor the levels of liver tumors as AOC recovery occurs over time.

For more information on this study - which was conducted in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin, with funding by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - click here to read the complete report.

Original Article

USGS.gov

USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/high-rate-tumors-found-white-sucker-some-wisconsin-rivers

hhamilton@usgs.gov

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A hibernating little brown bat with a white muzzle typical of white-nose syndrome. (Greg Turner, Pennsylvania Game Commission, public domain)

The bat-killing fungus recently detected for the first time in western North America is genetically similar to strains found in the eastern United States and did not likely originate in Eurasia, according to a study published today in the journal mSphere.  

The findings have implications for resource managers battling the spread of the devastating disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) in North American bats.

Results of the U.S. Geological Survey and USDA Forest Service study provide clues about the origin of this strain of the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus, or Pd. This fungus causes WNS and was recently found on a bat near North Bend, Washington, about 1,300 miles from the previous westernmost detection in Nebraska. Because Pd is also present in Eurasia and North Bend is located near an international port, the scientists studied DNA from the Washington fungus to determine if it had roots abroad.

“Although it remains unclear how Pd reached Washington, this finding guides us to look to North America as the source,” said Jonathan Sleeman, director of the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC), where the Washington bat was confirmed Pd positive. “Now that Pd has been identified in the western U.S., it’s critical to continue working with resource managers to help conserve imperiled bat species, which are worth billions of dollars per year to North American agriculture and forestry.”

In March 2016, a little brown bat found sick near North Bend tested positive for WNS. Following this discovery, the USGS NWHC provided DNA from the fungus on the bat’s skin to a laboratory at the Forest Service’s Northern Research Station (NRS) for genetic analysis.

“The severity and potential ecosystem-level effects of WNS in North America make it one of the most serious wildlife diseases ever recorded,” said Daniel Lindner, a research plant pathologist with the Forest Service’s NRS and a co-author on the study. “We have made a lot of progress in understanding WNS and in monitoring its spread, but more work is needed to determine how disease impacts will vary among bat populations in eastern and western North America.”

Scientists at the Forest Service’s NRS sequenced DNA from multiple strains of Pd, including the fungus cultured from the Washington bat, to determine that it most closely matched fungal strains from eastern North America.

White-nose syndrome was first documented in New York state in 2006 and has rapidly spread westward in North America to neighboring states and into Canada. The disease has killed millions of beneficial, insect-eating bats and threatens several formerly abundant bat species with extinction.

Bats showing signs of infections with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. (Kim Miller, USGS, public domain)

Based on the current understanding of Pd distribution in North America, scientists cannot determine if the fungus reached Washington from the east by bat movements or through human activities. However, ongoing surveillance efforts coordinated through the multiagency WNS response effort continues to provide insights on the spread of WNS, the impacts of this disease on bat populations and the potential for population recovery.

The national WNS response effort is coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and involves federal, state and non-governmental organizations, including representatives from the bat conservation and caving communities.

"These results confirm that Pd is capable of movement far across North America. They do not, however, change the importance of taking precautions to reduce the risk of spread by humans,” said Jeremy Coleman, National WNS Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “There's much we don’t know about how Pd will affect populations of western bats, so it is critical to limit spread as much as possible until we can improve survival of susceptible bats."

WNS is not known to pose a threat to humans, pets, livestock or other wildlife.

For more information about WNS, please visit the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and Forest Service’s Northern Research Station websites.

Original Article

USGS.gov

USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/deadly-bat-fungus-washington-state-likely-originated-eastern-us

mlubeck@usgs.gov

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While exposure was low at most sites, USGS scientists found high concentrations of dioxins and furans in tree swallow eggs from Midland, Michigan, and from the Saginaw River and Bay.​​​​​​​ (Thomas W. Custer, USGS)

Birds at most study sites in the Great Lakes basin were minimally exposed to most environmental contaminants, with the exception of high exposure to dioxins and furans in central Michigan, according to research published today.

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey collected tree swallow eggs from 69 sites across the Great Lakes in 2010-2015, including 27 sites designated as Areas of Concern, or AOCs, by the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. They tested the eggs for 26 pesticides and other contaminants that could have harmful effects on bird reproduction and development. While exposure was low at most sites, the scientists found high concentrations of dioxins and furans in eggs from Midland, Michigan, and from the Saginaw River and Bay AOC downstream of Midland.

“Our findings are valuable for wildlife managers tasked with protecting birds in the Great Lakes basin, and can be used to assess Beneficial Use Impairments at AOCs across the Great Lakes,” said Christine Custer, a USGS scientist and the lead author of the study.

Scientists tested the eggs for industrial products that can negatively affect animal health, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. The findings showed that:

Only six AOCs exceeded the PCB concentration of two micrograms per gram (mg/g), which is considered elevated;  Mean concentrations of PCBs in the eggs were 10 to over 20 times below the lower limit at which egg hatching begins to be affected, which is 20 mg/g; Other organic contaminants, including p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, or DDE; mirex; heptachlor; chlordane; and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, were at or below background concentrations, or did not differ between AOCs and non-AOCs. 

Dioxins and chlorinated dibenzo furans are a pollutant that results from high temperature burning, such as incinerators, and during the production of some industrial chemicals such as PCBs and herbicides. The findings specific to Midland and the Saginaw River and Bay AOC included:

The mean concentration of dioxins and furans was highest in Midland eggs at 475 picograms per gram (pg/g). For comparison, the lower limit for hatching effects is 181 pg/g; The mean concentration of dioxins and furans in eggs from a site in the Saginaw River and Bay was 242 pg/g; The other 67 Great Lakes sites had mean dioxin and furan concentrations below 87 pg/g; and High dioxin and furan exposure at these locations confirms earlier reports.

“Remediation efforts are planned, underway or completed by U.S. EPA at numerous AOCs, which should further reduce bird exposure to many of these pollutants,” Custer said.

Over 90 collaborators assisted with the project, including all levels of government, private companies and corporations, non-governmental organizations and private citizens.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the USGS Contaminant Biology Program funded the study, which was published today in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.                                             

For more information on bird health in the Great Lakes region, please visit the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center website.

Original Article

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USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/low-levels-contaminants-found-great-lakes-tree-swallow-eggs

mlubeck@usgs.gov

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Photo of representatives from the Philippines Department of Public Works & Highways watching a remote USGS presentation.

USGS scientists Charles Dunning, Rob Waschbusch, Kevin Housel (Wisconsin Water Science Center), Marie Peppler (Office of Surface Water), Joe Nielson (Office of Water Information), and Verne Schneider (International Hydrological Programme) participated in a remote presentation to the Philippines Department of Public Works & Highways on Tuesday, July 19th. In collaboration with USAID, the Philippine government is in the process of converting their existing surface-water data system from paper to digital format, and is interested in the potential uses and capabilities of a digital water information system. The USGS presented information on our National Streamflow Information Program; collecting and communicating streamflow information; discharge measurement innovations; flood inundation mapping and flood-event data collection; and demonstrations of USGS water information systems such as NWIS, WaterWatch, and Flood Inundation Mapper. The Philippines, in turn, presented their National Hydrologic Data Collection Program.

Original Article

USGS.gov

USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/usgs-participates-streamflow-data-learning-exchange-philippine-government

USGS.gov

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USGS scientists participated in a remote presentation to the Philippine government on Tuesday, July 19th. The USGS presented information on our National Streamflow Information Program; discharge measurement innovations; flood inundation mapping and data collection; and USGS water information systems. The Philippines, in turn, presented their National Hydrologic Data Collection Program.

Original Article

Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Upper Midwest Water Science Center

http://www.usgs.gov/news/usgs-participates-streamflow-data-learning-exchange-philippine-government

jlbruce@usgs.gov

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A team of scientists from Canada and the United States coordinated by the International Joint Commission (IJC) has created binational datasets for the Red-Assiniboine River Basin to more precisely identify sources of phosphorus and nitrogen across the Basin. Using the data, the scientists determined that agricultural use of these nutrients is the primary source of inputs to the transboundary watershed.

The work will inform federal, provincial and state agencies in their efforts to improve water quality and address the eutrophication, or the excessive nutrient enrichment, of rivers and lakes in the region spanning portions of Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota and Saskatchewan.

Excessive phosphorus and nitrogen loads result in numerous harmful and undesirable impacts in many rivers and lakes across the Basin, in both Canada and the U.S. and downstream of the Red River in Lake Winnipeg. The resulting algal blooms have degraded aquatic food webs, negatively affected tourism and recreation through fouled beaches and infested nearshore zones, and threatened drinking water for coastal communities through release of algal toxins.

This marks the first binationally-focused SPARROW model, a watershed tool developed by the U.S. Geological Survey for interpreting water-quality monitoring information. It was applied using Canada-U.S. datasets to estimate loads and sources of phosphorus and nitrogen by watershed and by jurisdiction at a large scale. The research team has generated new information on the sources and transport of these nutrients that will guide efforts in both countries to reduce nutrients lost from the Basin. In particular, output from the model will help the IJC’s International Red River Board and International Souris River Board deliver on nutrient management strategies in their watersheds.

The innovations, developed by IJC scientist Glenn A. Benoy in collaboration with R. Wayne Jenkinson from the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and Dale M. Robertson and David A. Saad from the USGS, included the coordination of geospatial datasets from both countries. The researchers designed a contiguous stream network to estimate nutrient loading and transport, and used novel statistical techniques to accommodate limitations in spatial variability. Their research results were published in the Canadian Water Resources Journal, a peer-reviewed publication of the Canadian Water Resources Association.

The binational team consists of scientists from the IJC, an international body established by Canada and the U.S. to foster shared stewardship of transboundary waters; NRC, Canada’s premier research and technology organization; and the USGS, a federal scientific agency that studies the landscape of the U.S., its natural resources and the natural hazards that threaten it. This team is uniquely positioned to advance problem-solving tools, such as this SPARROW modeling work. Through its facilitation and coordination, the IJC will be able to transfer the tools, techniques and research relationships cultivated during the development of this model to water-quality concerns in other watersheds that straddle the Canada-U.S. border.

Results of the Red-Assiniboine River Basin SPARROW model developed as part of this study, including supporting datasets, can be accessed through an online SPARROW mapping tool.

For more information about binational SPARROW models, please visit the USGS SPARROW nutrient modeling website. 

Original Article

USGS.gov

USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/sources-excessive-nutrients-transboundary-red-assiniboine-river-basin-identified-binational

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New and updated daily water-quality advisories called nowcasts show whether bacteria levels in swimming areas at selected Lake Erie and Lake Ontario beaches are suitable for recreation.

This season, the Ohio Nowcast has a new look and format, and the New York Nowcast is easier to use than ever. Developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and partners, these interactive, mobile-friendly websites use maps of beach locations to indicate whether or not estimated bacteria levels exceed state safety standards. Rapid nowcast information is available for eight beaches and one river in Ohio and for 11 beaches in New York. 

“Nowcasts are similar to forecasts except they estimate current instead of future conditions,” said Amie Brady, a USGS hydrologist and coauthor of a recent nowcast study. “We estimate current bacteria levels using models that are calibrated for each beach, taking into account existing weather and environmental conditions.”

Older methods to determine levels of harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), take at least 18 hours to complete. During this period, E. coli levels may increase or decrease substantially depending on rainfall, light levels and other factors. As a result, beaches may be posted with incorrect advisories based on E. coli levels from the previous day. Nowcasts provide near real-time predictions for more accurate bacteria advisories.

“The new Ohio Nowcast is more interactive and easier to use than the old format because users can now click a beach on a map and obtain its water-quality information using their computer or mobile device,” said Brady. “The New York Nowcast has been offering this interactive format for several years, adding new beaches each year of its operation.”

Beach advisories or closings in the United States are issued when levels of bacterial indicators, such E. coli, exceed safety standards. E. coli is found in the intestines and feces of warm-blooded animals and can exist in sewage and waste. These indicators do not necessarily cause disease, but they signify the possible presence of disease-causing organisms. If the concentration of E. coli exceeds state standards, officials will advise visitors not to swim because of the risk of illness.

Scientists with the USGS and partners have been providing rapid predictions of bacteria levels at beaches through the Ohio Nowcast since 2006 and the New York Nowcast since 2012.

A full list of cooperators on the Ohio and New York Nowcasts is available in the USGS report.

For more information on water-quality research in Ohio and New York, please visit the USGS MI-OH Water Science Center and the USGS New York Water Science Center websites.

Original Article

USGS.gov

USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/science-based-tools-can-help-prevent-illness-ohio-and-new-york-beaches

USGS.gov

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Results of the study indicate the potential for small fish to be transported through the electric dispersal barrier, which was built to keep invasive species such as Asian carp from passing between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes Basins. However, there is no evidence to date that Asian carp have crossed the Electric Dispersal Barrier System in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

USGS and FWS scientists study the interaction of moving barges and small fish on the Illinois Waterway. Public domain

The study was conducted in 2015 to examine the potential for upstream transport of invasive Asian carp. Barges, which are flat-bottomed boats that carry freight, regularly move from locations where Asian carp are abundant to areas where Asian carp are not yet established. Once trapped, fish may be transported upstream over long distances, upwards of nine miles, and through navigational locks and the Electric Dispersal Barrier system on the Illinois Waterway. The new report is published online in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.

“This study is a great example of how federal agencies, state partners and industry are working together using the most advanced technology available to identify potential risks and find solutions to the difficult problems presented by Asian carp in the Illinois Waterway,” said Jeremiah Davis, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and senior author of the study.

Results show that as a barge tow moves upstream, the three feet of water surrounding the barge and the water included in the gap between barges is also dragged upstream. The speed of the water surrounding the barge can be fast enough to overcome the swimming ability of small fish, allowing fish to be drawn into and trapped in the gap between barges. To assess the number of fish that move upstream with a barge tow scientists marked free-swimming fish and released them in front of the barge or in the gap between barges. Scientists later recaptured the fish upstream using nets cast in the gap space. The study used golden shiners, a fish native to the Illinois Waterway and similar in size and swimming ability to small Asian carp.

 “Measuring the flow around a barge as it travels allows us to better understand the forces these fish are subject to as a barge passes by,” said Ryan Jackson, a USGS hydrologist and co-author of the study. “These results will be used by resource managers in designing potential mitigation efforts to prevent upstream transport of invasive species.” 

The FWS and the USGS plan to continue investigating barge tow operations to reduce the likelihood of trapping and transporting fish in the gap between barges. Future studies will also test the trapping of small fish in parts of the Illinois Waterway with abundant Asian carp populations.

USGS scientist monitors the measurement of flow around the barge. Public domain USGS scientist monitors the measurement of flow around the barge. Public domain

Original Article

USGS.gov

USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/news/moving-barges-have-potential-transport-invasive-fish

jlavista@usgs.gov

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Drought periods followed by rainfall caused nitrate levels to increase to the highest ever measured in some Midwest streams during a 2013 study, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report published today in the Journal of Environmental Quality.

Nitrate, a form of nitrogen, is a common pollutant in U.S. streams and groundwater. Excessive concentrations in streams and lakes can adversely affect biological communities and spur algal growth, which can lead to harmful algal blooms and deplete oxygen in the water causing hypoxia, or "dead zones." 

A small stream flows through corn fields in northern Indiana. Public domain

The USGS and the Environmental Protection Agency collaborated in 2013 to sample 100 small streams across parts of 11 states in the Midwest. Scientists tested for a broad range of water-quality and habitat characteristics and assessed organisms living in the stream, including algae, invertebrates and fish. The study did not look at treated drinking water. The nitrate analysis included comparing 2013 findings to 20 years of nitrate results from multiple state and federal agencies for more than 1,000 streams across the region.

“The highest nitrate concentrations in 2013 were in streams in Iowa, closely followed by southern Minnesota and central Illinois,” said Peter Van Metre, a USGS hydrologist and the lead author of the study. “Drought conditions in 2012 allowed excess nitrogen to build up in the soils until spring rains in 2013 flushed the nitrate into streams, leading to unusually high levels.”

Researchers also concluded that the most important source of the nitrate was application of nitrogen-rich fertilizer and manure, primarily for corn production.

The EPA maximum contaminant level for nitrate in drinking water, 10 milligrams per liter, was exceeded in 19 percent of the 1,199 samples collected for the study. Although the small streams themselves are not used for drinking water, they contribute to water-supply reservoirs. High nitrogen levels can pose health risks to water users and can prompt drinking-water municipalities with the technology available to activate costly nitrate removal processes.

Mean 2013 nitrate concentration at the 100 Midwest Stream Quality Assessment sites. Red circle with bold black outline indicates that the nitrate concentration in one or more samples exceeded 20 mg L–1 (spl >20 mg L–1), which is twice the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg L–1.

Large amounts of nitrate can be detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. Nitrogen sources in the Mississippi River basin, which includes the Midwest, have been linked to Gulf of Mexico hypoxia. An earlier USGS study reported that the total amount of nitrogen in the Mississippi River in late spring 2013 was much higher than normal, coinciding with the high nitrate levels measured in the small Midwest streams.

This study is the first of several regional stream-quality assessments by the USGS. Findings will provide the public and policy-makers with information regarding which human and natural factors are the most critical in affecting stream quality. Regions studied include the Southeast (2014) and the Pacific Northwest (2015), the Northeast (2016), and planning is underway for studies in California (2017). 

Support for this work was provided by the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA).

 

 

A corn farm in northeast Iowa. Public domain Cows feed on a farm in southern Wisconsin. Public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An irrigation system waters crops in southern Wisconsin. Public domain

Original Article

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https://www.usgs.gov/news/rainfall-following-drought-linked-historic-nitrate-levels-some-midwest-streams-2013

jlavista@usgs.gov

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The first-ever National Lakes Assessment of toxins from harmful algal blooms challenges several long-held assumptions, including the extent, distribution and make-up of toxins from harmful algal blooms. The assessment, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sampled 1161 inland lakes and reservoirs throughout the United States.

Harmful algal blooms can be caused by numerous species of algae and bacteria, but this assessment focused on those caused by cyanobacteria, which are also known as blue-green algae. Toxins produced by cyanobacteria are known to have a range of lethal and non-lethal effects on humans, wildlife and companion animals. Additionally, cyanotoxins have been shown to accumulate at all levels of aquatic food webs in lakes and reservoirs, from plankton all the way up to top-level predators.

 “Some had believed that toxic cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms were just a local or regional occurrence, but this study shows that they are distributed in lakes throughout the nation.” said USGS scientist Keith Loftin, lead author on the assessment.

This map shows all of the lakes tested and those in which samples contained cylindrospermopsin toxins.

The assessment sampled for three types of cyanobacterial toxins, also known as cyanotoxins: cylindrospermopsins, microcystins and saxitoxins. Results found cylindrospermopsins in 4.0 percent of samples; microcystins in 32 percent and saxitoxins in 7.7 percent.

 “This assessment shows that multiple classes of cyanotoxins are present in lakes in diverse settings throughout the United States,” said Loftin. “This is a significant finding given the perception that cyanobacteria blooms are increasing in frequency and severity.”

Typically, studies done for harmful algal bloom event response programs are largely focused on near-shore areas, where harmful algal blooms can be very thick and recreational activities include swimming or fishing from shore.  In contrast, the National Lakes Assessment focused on samples collected in the center of lakes, where cyanobacteria and toxin concentrations can be much lower, and other types of recreational activities are more common, such as boating. 

In addition, most studies for cyanotoxins only look for microcystins, not saxitoxins or cylindrospermopsins.  The results of the assessment, however, show that saxitoxins and cylindrospermopsins can occur at significant levels too.

This map shows all of the lakes tested and those in which samples contained saxitoxin toxins.

“Algal toxins like these microcystins can be a serious issue, especially in regard to the water we use for recreation or drinking,” said Michael Focazio, program coordinator for the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program. “For instance, in 2014 the City of Toledo, Ohio, alerted approximately 500,000 people that their drinking water supply was contaminated by microcystins.  That event drew national attention to the potential vulnerabilities of our water resources to toxins formed in association with harmful algal blooms.”

Studies focused on microcystins because they occur the most frequently, and it was assumed that they were a good indicator of the presence of other toxins. However, this assessment discovered that cylindrospermopsins were found alongside microcystins in 0.96 percent of samples and saxitoxins were found alongside microcystins in 5.0 percent of samples.  In fact, all three classes of toxins were found together in only 0.32 percent of samples. 

This shows that testing for microcystins alone is not a good way of showing that saxitoxins or cylindrospermopsins are present, Loftin said. He noted that relying on testing only for microcystins may lead to scenarios where potential risks from other cyanotoxin classes are unassessed in microcystin-only monitoring plans. 

This map shows all of the lakes tested and those in which samples contained microcystin toxins.

Additionally, this study highlighted that testing for the presence of chlorophyll to show how much microcystin might be present is not reliable either. Chlorophyll is a green pigment that is associated with photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria. 

Current provisional World Health Organization recreational health risk indicators for protection against microcystins suggest using the amount of chlorophyll to gauge how much microcystin might be present. However, the National Lakes Assessment discovered that relying on chlorophyll that way overpredicted microcystin risk.

This assessment was performed as part of ongoing USGS research on the occurrence and factors that influence or create new environmental exposure pathways of cyanobacteria and associated algal toxins to aquatic ecosystems.

The present study provides new evidence of the widespread occurrence of cyanotoxins in the ambient water resources of the United States and highlights the importance of understanding factors associated with microcystin and other cyanotoxin occurrence.  Ongoing work by the USGS in the Pacific Northwest and planned work in the northeastern United States and California will expand the understanding of cyanobacteria and toxins in stream ecosystems. 

The assessment can be accessed here. More information on this project and other USGS research on environmental health and water quality can be found at the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, the USGS Environmental Health Mission Area, and the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program. To keep up-to-date on the latest USGS environmental health research, subscribe to the USGS GeoHealth Newsletter.

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https://www.usgs.gov/news/new-science-challenges-old-assumptions-about-harmful-algal-blooms

apdemas@usgs.gov

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In a recent episode of Blue Sky Science, Faith Fitzpatrick (USGS) discussed how waterfalls are made and how long they last.

Blue Sky Science, a collaboration of the Wisconsin State Journal and the Morgridge Institute for Research, finds local experts to answer science-related questions submitted by the public at the University of Madison Discovery Building in Madison, Wis.

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https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/how-are-waterfalls-made

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Caption below

Welcome to the New USGS.GOV

Our new user experience makes world-class USGS science, data, information, and products more easily accessible, available, and usable.

 

Just the tip of the iceberg…

Our transitional site includes the new usgs.gov and more than 180 top-level pages (Mission Areas, Programs, Regions, our three new Science Center websites, Products, Connect, About, etc.). We will migrate more USGS websites into this new experience; check back often to see our progress.

 

Enhancements include:

USER-CENTERED DESIGN

IMPROVED FUNCTIONALITY   

RESPONSIVE MOBILE-READY DESIGN     

INTUITIVE NAVIGATION        

FASTER, MORE ACCURATE SEARCH         

ENHANCED SCIENCE-DRIVEN CONTENT         

SOCIAL MEDIA INTEGRATION            

NEW ANALYTICS PROCESS AND FEEDBACK TOOLS

 

User-centered Design

Behind the scenes, we’ve focused on visual design, usability, and information architecture so that we can provide you with the data and information you want when you want it.              

 

Improved Functionality           

Understanding our many users and what they need most motivated the new functionality. Consistent design, branding, and navigation come together to create the best possible experience.   

 

Responsive, Mobile-ready Design

More people than ever are using smartphones and tablets to surf the web. Whether you visit from a desktop or from your mobile browser, the new usgs.gov is designed to give you a clean, tailored experience.

 

Intuitive Navigation

By reducing clicks and increasing pathways to information, we’ve streamlined access to what matters most — our science, data, and information.

 

Faster, More Accurate Search

Getting you to what you want the first time is the ultimate goal. Our faster, more accurate search bridges the old and the new and puts the USGS at your fingertips.

 

Enhanced Science-driven Content

The brand new Science Explorer makes discovering USGS science easier (and more fun) than ever. Choose a topic — from biology and ecosystems to water — and see the full range of what we have to offer.     

 

Our First Three New Science Center Websites

Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/norock

Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC) at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/wetland-and-aquatic-research-center-warc

Wisconsin Water Science Center at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/wisconsin-water-science-center

 

Social Media Integration

No matter where you are on the new usgs.gov, sharing to your favorite social media platforms is only a click away.

 

New Analytics Process and Feedback Tools

New analytics and feedback tools provide insight to help us continue improving.      

 

We are building this site for you. Let us know what you think.   

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https://www.usgs.gov/news/welcome-new-usgsgov-0

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Citizens and stakeholders are invited to learn more about the recently completed Little Plover River Groundwater Model and Optimization Study at an informational meeting hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on April 12, 2016.  

Ken Bradbury, director and state geologist with UW-Extension’s Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and Michael Fienen, a research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Wisconsin Water Science Center, will present the results of their two-year study of the Little Plover River groundwater system.  DNR contracted for the study, which builds on the work of other hydrogeologists and existing stream and high capacity well data. The study uses state-of-the-art groundwater and optimization modeling software to simulate the Little Plover River groundwater and surface water flow system, said Dan Helsel, the DNR natural resources manager who coordinated the project for the department.  

“Stakeholders from all sides of the groundwater use issue recognize the expertise of Ken Bradbury and Michael Fienen,” Helsel said. “The model they have created represents the best available science and will help inform future management decisions.”

The principal investigators worked closely with a technical resource team composed of hydrogeologists representing the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, the Central Sands Water Action Coalition, the River Alliance of Wisconsin and the village of Plover, among others. 

The study provides a science-based tool to evaluate different water management actions and their impact on the flow of the Little Plover River.  The methodology can be applied to study the impacts of multiple high capacity wells in other areas of the state.

“With the creation of this tool, DNR is positioned to work with stakeholders to evaluate and implement different scenarios that make meaningful changes to optimize a healthy river flow,” said Helsel. 

The informational meeting is being hosted by the DNR, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey at the request of state Sens. Julie Lassa, Luther Olsen and Robert Cowles and Reps. Katrina Shankland, Scott Krug and Nancy VanderMeer. It will be held Tuesday, April 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Noel Fine Arts Center, Michelsen Hall, NFAC 270, 1800 Portage Street, UW-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI 54481.

(Excerpted from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources News Release, April 5, 2016: DNR hosts public presentation of the Little Plover River Groundwater Model Study)

 

To learn more about this study, visit the WGNHS Little Plover project website.

Original Article

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https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/little-plover-groundwater-study-public-meeting

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U.S. Geological Survey scientists will conduct a high-resolution airborne survey to study the rock layers under a region of the south-central Upper Peninsula, Michigan, and parts of northeastern Wisconsin, starting in early April and lasting until as late as August. When the data analysis is complete, resulting geologic maps will help USGS researchers improve an assessment of mineral resources in the region.

As part of this research, a low-flying airplane will be used. Residents and visitors should not be alarmed to witness this airplane flying low to the ground near the broader Iron Mountain-Ralph-Escanaba-Menominee region. A similar USGS study will occur around the same time, but will produce a map at a different scale and spatial area.

The airplane is under contract to the USGS through EON Geosciences. The aircraft will be operated by experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying. All flights are coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure accordance with U.S. law.

The survey area is known to contain historically significant iron deposits, as well as several other types of mineral deposits either known or suspected to be present.

“This study will help USGS and partnered scientists understand the region’s fundamental geology and mineral potential in much greater detail than is currently known,” said USGS scientist Benjamin Drenth, a Denver-based researcher leading the survey.

The airplane will carry instruments to measure variations in the Earth's magnetic field. Because different rock types vary in content of magnetic minerals, the resulting maps allow visualization of the geologic structure below the surface. The instruments carried on the aircraft only make passive measurements, and thus pose no health risk to humans or animals.

This survey will be flown in a grid pattern. North-south lines will be flown approximately 500-700 feet apart at elevations from 250-1000 feet above the ground, and 1 mile apart in an east-west direction. All survey flights will occur during daylight hours.

The Michigan Geological Survey is a technical partner with the USGS on the project, assisting with coordination with the Michigan geologic and elected community.

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https://www.usgs.gov/news/media-advisory-second-round-usgs-studies-begin-define-what-minerals-lie-beneath-portions-upper

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Beginning in early April and continuing for approximately two weeks, the U.S. Geological Survey will conduct an aerial survey designed to scan the upper part of the earth’s crust.

As part of this survey, a helicopter will be flying low to the ground towing equipment shaped like a giant hula-hoop beneath it. The flight region includes parts of upper Michigan, northern Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota. The survey, carried out under contract by Geotech Ltd., will fly along a series of widely spaced parallel profiles spanning over 1500 miles.

The survey will determine how well different rocks conduct electricity and ultimately help refine geologic maps of an area with significant mineral potential.

The survey is targeting a suite of rocks deposited 1.8 billion years ago in a deep-water marine environment when the region lay at the edge of a vast ocean. These rocks are a potential source of sulfur for many types of mineral deposits found throughout the region and have been mapped only at the surface throughout the survey area.

“The high electrical conductivity of these particular rocks makes them an ideal target for airborne electromagnetic studies,” said USGS scientist Paul Bedrosian, the study’s lead investigator. “This survey will enable us to map the geometry of these rocks deep into the subsurface.”

Map of upcoming USGS AEM study area in relation to state and county borders. The thick black lines are the intended flight profiles, and the shaded grey regions show the mapped extent of rocks deposited some 1.8 billion years ago. Mapping the subsurface geometry and distribution of these rocks is the primary goal of this survey. Image of the VTEM Plus AEM system from Geotech Ltd. in flight. A similar system will be flown during the upcoming USGS AEM study.

Original Article

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https://www.usgs.gov/news/media-advisory-usgs-goes-airborne-define-what-minerals-lie-beneath-upper-midwest

kgeer@usgs.gov

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On Feb. 18, 2016, WI WSC scientist Austin Baldwin presented preliminary findings on microplastics in Great Lakes tributaries to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality. This study sampled the quantity and particle types of floating microplastics in 29 tributaries in 6 states.

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USGS.gov

https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/presenting-preliminary-microplastics-results-white-house

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WI WSC scientist Dave Krabbenhoft met with staff of the House Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 11, 2016, to discuss a new tool that can "fingerprint", or identify, Great Lakes mercury sources such as atmospheric, industrial, or watershed runoff. Determining where the mercury originates from helps inform management and mitigation planning.

Original Article

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https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/congressional-visit-discuss-sources-mercury-great-lakes

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Today, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announce Visualize Your Water, a citizen science challenge for high school students who live in the Great Lakes basin and Chesapeake Bay watershed. This open competition in innovation, supported by a coalition of government agencies and private industry, aims to equip high school students with new skills in geographic analysis and help to broaden their understanding of nutrient management and pollution issues.

Plant nutrients can be valuable in agricultural and urban settings, but too much nutrient or too much at the wrong place or time will produce algal blooms, hypoxia, and other nutrient-related water quality issues that are particularly acute in the Great Lakes basin and Chesapeake Bay watershed. Nutrient pollution is the general term for high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in some of the nation’s waters. Nutrient pollution comes from sources such as urban and agricultural fertilizer runoff, municipal sewage treatment and leaking septic tanks, and even atmospheric deposition from factory and car nitrogen oxide emissions, with the relative balance of sources depending on location.

In this educational competition, students will use digital mapping technology from Esri (a leading geographic technology company) with data from the USGS, EPA, and other sources to analyze local water quality. They will then create a map that tells a story about the problem and suggests viable solutions. 

Today, January 13, marks the start of the competition. Contest submissions are due March 1. Winners will be announced on April 22. A free Esri ArcGIS Online school account is available to allow participating students to view and analyze relevant data and create maps. 

A grand prize of $2,500 will be awarded plus an opportunity to attend the 2016 Esri Education Conference in San Diego, California along with publication in Esri’s Mapping the Nation book. In addition, two regional first place prizes of $2,500 will be awarded for the Great Lakes basin and Chesapeake Bay watershed. National Geographic will recognize one visualization that will be promoted on National Geographic’s education website, and the author will receive a copy of the National Geographic Atlas of the World.

U.S. high school students in the following states are eligible to participate.

Great Lakes basin: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin   Chesapeake Bay watershed: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia

For further challenge details, visit the Visualize Your Water website.

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https://www.usgs.gov/news/visualize-your-water-citizen-science-challenge-high-school-students

kgeer@usgs.gov

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For the first time, land and resource managers in the Great Lakes will be able to distinguish between the various sources of mercury in the environment, a toxic chemical of significant concern in the region. This is thanks to a new tool that “fingerprints” the mercury, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

For Lakes Superior and Huron, atmospheric mercury is the dominant form, while in Lakes Erie and Ontario, most mercury comes from industrial activity or runoff from the watersheds of the lakes. Lake Michigan is dominated in some areas by atmospheric mercury, in other areas by industrial activity and in still others by watershed contributions.

A map showing the relative concentrations of mercury sources as identified by the fingerprinting tool which include watershed, industrial, and precipitation in the locations of Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

“I’ve been involved in mercury research for nearly 28 years,” said USGS scientist Dave Krabbenhoft, the project chief. “Back in the 1980’s, when I first got into this area of research, I dreamed of a tool that could provide geochemical markers of mercury sources.  That dream has now become reality.”

Determining where the mercury comes from is important, because it informs decisions designed to minimize it.  For example, minimizing industrial sources of mercury alone will not be effective if the majority of mercury entering the Great Lakes is from atmospheric mercury.

“One of the surprising things we saw was just how much of the mercury building up in fish was due to atmospheric mercury,” said Krabbenhoft. “This shows that atmospheric mercury needs to be emphasized, even when the sediments in the Lakes show relatively little atmospheric mercury accumulation.”

Although this fingerprinting tool was pioneered for the Great Lakes, it can be applied elsewhere. A very common situation across the United States and elsewhere is the presence of large amounts of mercury that was released during industrialization, so-called legacy mercury. At these sites, resource managers often lack a tool to help them understand whether it is legacy or other sources that substantively contribute to exposures in fish, wildlife and humans today.

“We are very excited to explore the capability of this new tool to inform resource managers and decision makers responsible for managing these challenging situations,” said Krabbenhoft.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can have toxic effects on people’s brains, kidneys and lungs. In certain environments, it can also bind with carbon and hydrogen to become methylmercury, which is far more toxic than elemental mercury. In addition, methylmercury can build up in the tissues of fish and other aquatic organisms, resulting in higher doses when people or other animals eat them.

More information about this new tool can be found online. USGS provides information on mercury sources; mercury cycling in the atmosphere, land surface, lakes, streams and oceans; and bioaccumulation and toxicity of mercury. This information helps land and resource managers understand and reduce mercury hazards to people and wildlife.

Original Article

USGS News: Wisconsin

USGS News: Wisconsin

https://www.usgs.gov/news/new-tool-can-determine-sources-mercury-found-great-lakes

shorvath@usgs.gov