The USGS works with a wide range of cooperators to investigate many aspects of water quality. The newly integrated USGS Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center is assisting in furthering urban water-quality research in Northwest Indiana.
Rain gardens are a popular green infrastructure approach to removing chemicals from stormwater runoff before it flows into sewers and local streams. Rain gardens also reduce the amount of stormwater that gets into the sewer system. As part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP), the USGS is working with the Gary (Indiana) Stormwater Management District to evaluate how rain gardens affect infiltration of stormwater that seasonally contains deicing chemicals. The monitoring, which involves continuous measurement of specific conductance, feeds into existing work between the USGS and the City of Gary designed to better understand how rain gardens affect the water budget of stormwater flows.
In a second UWFP project, the USGS assisted in the installation of water temperature sensors in tributaries of Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, and in managing and reporting the data. The real-time streamflow and temperature data benefits recreational use of the stream and flood and thermal forecasting. Water temperature data are used in recreational fishing to target stream reaches and times when cold-water and warm-water sport fish predominate and by sport paddlers to identify appropriate thermal protective safety gear. The data also will assist in management of the invasive bighead carp and sea lamprey. Bighead carp reproduce more successfully in warmer water temperatures, and sea lamprey kill more fish in warmer water than in colder water. This project is being done in cooperation with the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission and with the Sanitary District of Michigan City.
Stakeholder Quote
You [USGS] have great coverage on the Little Calumet River. The US Fish and Wildlife Service/Great Lakes Fishery Commission sea lamprey control programs are certainly interested in the … temperature data.
— Brian Breidert, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Lake Michigan Fisheries Biologist
More about other Urban Waters Federal Partnership projects
- Middle Rio Grande (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)
- Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds (New York, N.Y.)
- San Antonio River Basin (Bexar County, Tex.)
- Patapsco Watershed (Baltimore, Md. Area)
- Middle Blue River Basin (Kansas City, Mo.)
Learn about other Urban Waters Federal Partnership projects at the links below.
Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds (New York, N.Y.)
Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Middle Rio Grande (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)
Urban Waters Federal Partnership - Suspended Sediment and Nutrient Delivery to the Gulf of Mexico
Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Patapsco Watershed (Baltimore, Md. region)
Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Middle Blue River Basin (Kansas City, Mo.)
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Overview
The USGS works with a wide range of cooperators to investigate many aspects of water quality. The newly integrated USGS Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center is assisting in furthering urban water-quality research in Northwest Indiana.
Rain gardens are a popular green infrastructure approach to removing chemicals from stormwater runoff before it flows into sewers and local streams. Rain gardens also reduce the amount of stormwater that gets into the sewer system. As part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP), the USGS is working with the Gary (Indiana) Stormwater Management District to evaluate how rain gardens affect infiltration of stormwater that seasonally contains deicing chemicals. The monitoring, which involves continuous measurement of specific conductance, feeds into existing work between the USGS and the City of Gary designed to better understand how rain gardens affect the water budget of stormwater flows.
In a second UWFP project, the USGS assisted in the installation of water temperature sensors in tributaries of Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, and in managing and reporting the data. The real-time streamflow and temperature data benefits recreational use of the stream and flood and thermal forecasting. Water temperature data are used in recreational fishing to target stream reaches and times when cold-water and warm-water sport fish predominate and by sport paddlers to identify appropriate thermal protective safety gear. The data also will assist in management of the invasive bighead carp and sea lamprey. Bighead carp reproduce more successfully in warmer water temperatures, and sea lamprey kill more fish in warmer water than in colder water. This project is being done in cooperation with the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission and with the Sanitary District of Michigan City.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Stakeholder Quote
You [USGS] have great coverage on the Little Calumet River. The US Fish and Wildlife Service/Great Lakes Fishery Commission sea lamprey control programs are certainly interested in the … temperature data.
— Brian Breidert, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Lake Michigan Fisheries Biologist
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.More about other Urban Waters Federal Partnership projects
- Middle Rio Grande (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)
- Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds (New York, N.Y.)
- San Antonio River Basin (Bexar County, Tex.)
- Patapsco Watershed (Baltimore, Md. Area)
- Middle Blue River Basin (Kansas City, Mo.)
- Science
Learn about other Urban Waters Federal Partnership projects at the links below.
Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds (New York, N.Y.)
The Harlem and Bronx Rivers provide ecological and social resources in an intensively urban area. Connecting people to rivers requires clean water—the USGS is helping to assess the efficacy of green infrastructure to improve the quality of stormwater that flows into the rivers.Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Middle Rio Grande (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)
The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, just 7 miles south of downtown Albuquerque on the Rio Grande, will reconnect people, especially young people, with nature in this highly populated area. The USGS is gathering data that will help gauge the success of habitat restoration efforts.Urban Waters Federal Partnership - Suspended Sediment and Nutrient Delivery to the Gulf of Mexico
Suspended sediment and nutrients from greater San Antonio can affect instream ecological health of the San Antonio River and ultimately impact Gulf of Mexico bays and estuaries. Real-time monitoring in urban and rural parts of the river basin may provide a glimpse into the importance of urban sediment and nutrient sources. Real-time sensors provide a tool to better understand and manage water...Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Patapsco Watershed (Baltimore, Md. region)
Several watersheds in the Baltimore region have elevated PCB loads in tidal waters. Local jurisdictions are responsible for reducing PCB loading from their watersheds. The USGS is embarking on a pilot study in the Patapsco watershed that will help determine sources of PCBs and will demonstrate innovative monitoring and analysis techniques for more efficient use of mitigation resouces.Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Middle Blue River Basin (Kansas City, Mo.)
Reconnecting people and water is an increasingly important goal in many urban areas. Parks, urban trails, boat ramps, and urban agriculture all are ways that an urban population can interact with nature and improve quality of life. USGS is participating in gathering the information that will make these projects possible. - Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.