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Water data for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin

Access real-time and historical data for surface water, groundwater, water quality, and water use

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Edge-of-field monitoring

Testing the effectiveness of agricultural conservation practices for reducing nutrient and sediment runoff

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SPARROW models of streamflow and nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-s

SPARROW Watershed Models of Loads in Midwest Streams

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Great Lakes urban stormwater monitoring

Assessing the ability of green infrastructure to reduce stormwater runoff in Great Lakes urban areas

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Great Lakes mercury sources revealed

Mercury "footprinting" identifies sources of pollution in the Great Lakes

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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Our USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center priority is to continue the important work of the Department of the Interior and the USGS, while also maintaining the health and safety of our employees and community.  Based on guidance from the White House, the CDC, and state and local authorities, we are shifting our operations to a virtual mode and have minimal staffing

Current conditions in MI, MN, and WI

Explore real-time streamflow, groundwater, and water-quality conditions and access data with our interactive map application.

Message from the Director

Headshot of John F. Walker

Learn more about the Upper Midwest Water Science Center from John Walker, our Center Director.

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UMid WSC Quick Links

News

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Using sensor technology to develop a recreational contact warning tool for the Grand River, Grand Rapids, MI

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New study highlights correlations among cyanobacteria and understudied toxins in recurring blooms

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Media Alert: Low-flying Helicopter Will Survey Southern Wisconsin for Geologic, Water Studies

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Publications

Loss of street tree canopy increases stormwater runoff

Urban forests have largely been overlooked for the role they play in reducing stormwater runoff volume by using hydrologic processes such as interception (rainfall intercepted by tree canopy), evapotranspiration (the transfer of water from vegetation into the atmosphere) and infiltration (percolation of rainwater into the Earth’s soil). Early research into the effects of trees on urban stormwater
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Book review: Analytical groundwater modeling: Theory and applications using Python

No abstract available.
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Green infrastructure in the Great Lakes—Assessment of performance, barriers, and unintended consequences

The Great Lakes Basin covers around 536,393 square kilometers, and the Great Lakes hold more than 5,400 cubic miles of water, accounting for more than 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water supply. The Great Lakes provide a source of drinking water to tens of millions of people in Canada and the United States and support one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Increasing urbanizati
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Water Resources, New York Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
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Science

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Illustration of typical green infrastructure installation for RecoveryPark

Assessing stormwater reduction through green infrastructure: RecoveryPark (Detroit, Mich.)

The effectiveness of green infrastructure (including urban land conversion and bioswales) at reducing stormwater runoff is being assessed at RecoveryPark, a redeveloped urban farm in Detroit, Michigan. This study will monitor pre- and post-construction storm-sewer flow, groundwater levels, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (ET) to evaluate stormwater-volume reduction in response to...
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Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
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Assessing stormwater reduction through green infrastructure: RecoveryPark (Detroit, Mich.)

The effectiveness of green infrastructure (including urban land conversion and bioswales) at reducing stormwater runoff is being assessed at RecoveryPark, a redeveloped urban farm in Detroit, Michigan. This study will monitor pre- and post-construction storm-sewer flow, groundwater levels, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (ET) to evaluate stormwater-volume reduction in response to...
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Slideshow of Gary City Hall, before and after redevelopment with green infrastructure

Assessing stormwater reduction using green infrastructure: Gary City Hall (Gary, Ind.)

The effectiveness of green infrastructure (rain gardens and decreased impervious surface) at reducing stormwater runoff and capturing dissolved chloride is being assessed at a redevelopment project at Gary City Hall (Gary, Indiana). This study will evaluate pre- and post-construction hydrologic conditions using data collected by monitoring storm-sewer flow, groundwater levels, soil moisture, and...
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Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
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Assessing stormwater reduction using green infrastructure: Gary City Hall (Gary, Ind.)

The effectiveness of green infrastructure (rain gardens and decreased impervious surface) at reducing stormwater runoff and capturing dissolved chloride is being assessed at a redevelopment project at Gary City Hall (Gary, Indiana). This study will evaluate pre- and post-construction hydrologic conditions using data collected by monitoring storm-sewer flow, groundwater levels, soil moisture, and...
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Photo of a tree-lined street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Monitoring and predicting the impacts of trees on urban stormwater volume reduction

Much has been learned about how effectively individual green infrastructure practices can reduce stormwater volume, however, the role of urban trees in stormwater detention is poorly understood. This study quantified the impact that trees have on stormwater runoff volume.
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center
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Monitoring and predicting the impacts of trees on urban stormwater volume reduction

Much has been learned about how effectively individual green infrastructure practices can reduce stormwater volume, however, the role of urban trees in stormwater detention is poorly understood. This study quantified the impact that trees have on stormwater runoff volume.
Learn More
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