Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Water data for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin

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

Get data

Edge-of-field monitoring

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

Learn more

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

SPARROW Watershed Models of Loads in Midwest Streams

Explore

Great Lakes urban stormwater monitoring

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

Learn more

Great Lakes mercury sources revealed

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

Explore

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.

Read more

Upper Midwest Water Science Cener Quick Links

News

link

Upper Midwest Water Science Center Fall/Winter 2022 Newsletter is now available

link

Launch of Northeast Wisconsin Well Water Advisory Forecast Study

link

Upper Midwest Water Science Center Fiscal Year 2022 Newsletter is now available

View All

Publications

Estimating flood magnitude and frequency for unregulated streams in Wisconsin

Flood frequency characteristics and estimated flood discharges for the 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities were computed at 299 streamgaged locations in Wisconsin. The State was divided into four flood frequency regions using a cluster analysis to produce regions which are homogeneous with respect to physical basin characteristics. Regression equations
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa

In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use tapwater (TW) is a recognized public-health data gap and an obstacle to both risk-management and homeowner decision making. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in private-well TW from hydrologically-vulnerable (alluvial, karst) aquifers in agriculturally-intensive landscapes
By
Water Resources, California Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Central Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Contaminant exposure and transport from three potential reuse waters within a single watershed

Global demand for safe and sustainable water supplies necessitates a better understanding of contaminant exposures in potential reuse waters. In this study, we compared exposures and load contributions to surface water from the discharge of three reuse waters (wastewater effluent, urban stormwater, and agricultural runoff). Results document substantial and varying organic-chemical contribution to
By
Water Resources, Colorado Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Central Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Oklahoma Water Science Center
View All

Science

link
Three people measure streamflow while standing in the middle of an Iowa stream, leafy foliage surrounds stream.

Assessing the health risk from waterborne pathogens for public users recreating on future Iowa Water Trails recreation sites near Des Moines

Scientists at LIDE are collaborating with Polk County Conservation in central Iowa to estimate the health risk posed to recreators in the Des Moines River and tributaries. Samples collected over two years are tested for viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens, and health risk is estimated using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Health risk will also be compared to microbial source...
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Laboratory for Infectious Disease and the Environment
link

Assessing the health risk from waterborne pathogens for public users recreating on future Iowa Water Trails recreation sites near Des Moines

Scientists at LIDE are collaborating with Polk County Conservation in central Iowa to estimate the health risk posed to recreators in the Des Moines River and tributaries. Samples collected over two years are tested for viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens, and health risk is estimated using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Health risk will also be compared to microbial source...
Learn More
link
Three scientists collecting residential water well samples on sunny snowy day

Well Water Advisory Forecasts for northeast Wisconsin

The fractured bedrock of northeast Wisconsin is vulnerable to groundwater contamination because water and contaminants can move quickly. LIDE is launching a study to predict contamination of private wells in northeast WI using Runoff Risk Advisory Forecasts (RRAF). RRAF is an online tool that forecasts conditions conducive to surface runoff, and the long-term vision is to leverage its forecasts to...
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Laboratory for Infectious Disease and the Environment
link

Well Water Advisory Forecasts for northeast Wisconsin

The fractured bedrock of northeast Wisconsin is vulnerable to groundwater contamination because water and contaminants can move quickly. LIDE is launching a study to predict contamination of private wells in northeast WI using Runoff Risk Advisory Forecasts (RRAF). RRAF is an online tool that forecasts conditions conducive to surface runoff, and the long-term vision is to leverage its forecasts to...
Learn More
link
Benthic algae growing at Oak Creek at East Drexel Avenue in Oak Creek, Wisconsin

MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Nutrient Evaluations

Eutrophication and harmful algal blooms (HABs) are becoming an increasing concern in the Great Lakes. Although there is a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus in the Milwaukee Estuary, abundance/biovolume of potential HAB-producing cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin presence in Milwaukee-area rivers and the estuary are largely unknown. USGS evaluations of nutrients in the MMSD Watercourse...
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Nutrient Evaluations

Eutrophication and harmful algal blooms (HABs) are becoming an increasing concern in the Great Lakes. Although there is a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus in the Milwaukee Estuary, abundance/biovolume of potential HAB-producing cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin presence in Milwaukee-area rivers and the estuary are largely unknown. USGS evaluations of nutrients in the MMSD Watercourse...
Learn More
View All