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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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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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Media Alert: Hunter Survey Available for Green Bay and Lake Michigan

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Publications

FluOil: A novel tool for modeling the transport of oil-particle aggregates in inland waterways

Spilled oil in inland waterways can aggregate with mineral and organic particles to form oil-particle aggregates (OPAs). OPAs can be transported in suspension or deposited to the bed. Modeling the fate and transport of OPAs can provide useful information for making mitigation decisions. A novel open-source tool, FluOil, is developed to predict where OPAs may deposit and when they arrive in affecte
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Central Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Using carbon, nitrogen, and mercury isotope values to distinguish mercury sources to Alaskan lake trout

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), collected from 13 remote lakes located in southwestern Alaska, were analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, and mercury (Hg) stable isotope values to assess the importance of migrating oceanic salmon, volcanic activity, and atmospheric deposition to fish Hg burden. Methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in phytoplankton (5.0–6.9 kg L–1) was also measured to quantify the bas
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

The use of continuous sediment-transport measurements to improve sand-load estimates in a large sand-bedded river: The Lower Chippewa River, WI

Accurately determining sediment loads is necessary for managing river environments but is difficult because multiple processes can lead to large discharge-independent changes in sediment transport. Thus, estimations of sediment load using discharge–sediment rating curves fit to sparse or historical sediment-transport measurements can be inaccurate, necessitating alternative approaches to reduce un
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Water Resources, Ecosystems, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Science

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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.
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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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