Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Angela K Brennan
(She/her)Angela Brennan is the Data Management Coordinator with the Office of Quality Assurance in the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Angela assists in the coordination, development, and maintenance of data management guidance, best practices, and tools for ensuring the quality of WMA scientific data throughout the data lifecycle and helps to define clear expectations for data management requirements. Angela also collaborates with various entities within the Water Resources Mission Area Divisions and Programs, as well as Water Science Centers, USGS Regions, USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity, USGS Office of the Associate Chief Information Officer, and the Science Data Management Branch of the Core Science Systems to develop clear expectations for data management requirements, communicate data management needs, and to maintain an online library of tools, training, and resources.
Prior to working with the Water Resources Mission Area Office of Quality Assurance, Angela worked as a Hydrologist and Water Quality Specialist with the Upper Midwest Water Science Center located in Lansing and Grayling, Michigan. Her research with the USGS focused on evaluating nutrients and emerging contaminants in rivers, lakes and groundwater throughout the Great Lakes region.
Education and Certifications
B.S. in Applied Ecology and Environmental Science – Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, 1996-2000
Science and Products
Determination of Algal Toxin Concentrations in Surface Waters at National Parks
Silver Lake Nutrient Study
Elk GPS collar data from National Elk Refuge (2006-2015)
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Understanding sources and distribution of Escherichia coli at Lake St. Clair Metropark Beach, Macomb County, Michigan
Evaluation of legacy and emerging organic chemicals using passive sampling devices on the North Branch Au Sable River near Lovells, Michigan, June 2018
Preliminary investigation of groundwater quality near a Michigan cemetery, 2016–17
Detection of microcystin and other cyanotoxins in lakes at Isle Royale National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, northern Michigan, 2012–13
Water quality and hydrology of Silver Lake, Oceana County, Michigan, with emphasis on lake response to nutrient loading
Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) at ambient freshwater beaches
Occurrence and distribution of fecal indicator bacteria and gene markers of pathogenic bacteria in Great Lakes tributaries, March-October 2011
Geographic setting influences Great Lakes beach microbiological water quality
Science and Products
- Science
Determination of Algal Toxin Concentrations in Surface Waters at National Parks
The U.S. Geological Survey, in partnership with the National Park Service began a project in 2012 exploring levels of the algal toxins in surface drinking water and recreational waters in 3 National Park Service Parks: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.Silver Lake Nutrient Study
Recently, elevated chlorophyll-a concentrations were found related to persistent algal blooms on Silver Lake in Oceana County, MI. Elevated chlorophyll-a concentrations, high phosphorus concentrations during summer months, as well as a decrease in water clarity indicated potential accelerated eutrophication processes during the last two years, and underscore a need to characterize water and... - Data
Elk GPS collar data from National Elk Refuge (2006-2015)
17 adult female elk were captured on or around the National Elk Refuge and monitored with GPS collars from 2006 to 2015. Each of these elk were monitored for 1 to 2 years and migrated from the National Elk Refuge to Yellowstone National Park during the spring. Here we provide the unique identifier for each individual elk, the date/time stamp of each GPS location, the GPS location of the elk in UTM - Multimedia
Groundwater Sampling at Mt. Hope Cemetery, MichiganGroundwater Sampling at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Michigan
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Groundwater Sampling at Mt. Hope Cemetery, MichiganGroundwater Sampling at Mt. Hope Cemetery, MichiganIs this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Groundwater Sampling at Mt. Hope Cemetery, MichiganGroundwater Sampling at Mt. Hope Cemetery, MichiganIs this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
Is this cemetery haunted? Probably not, but there could be tiny things moving beyond the grave. The USGS sampled groundwater downhill of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan, to find out if materials associated with decomposition and burial processes could affect groundwater quality near a cemetery.
- Publications
Understanding sources and distribution of Escherichia coli at Lake St. Clair Metropark Beach, Macomb County, Michigan
Lake St. Clair Metropark Beach (LSCMB) in Michigan is a public beach near the mouth of the Clinton River that has a history of beach closures for public health concerns. The Clinton River is designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern, and the park has a Beneficial Use Impairment for beach closings because of elevated Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperAuthorsLisa R. Fogarty, Jessica A. Maurer, Ian M. Hyslop, Alexander R. Totten, Christopher M. Kephart, Angela K. BrennanEvaluation of legacy and emerging organic chemicals using passive sampling devices on the North Branch Au Sable River near Lovells, Michigan, June 2018
The North Branch Au Sable River, located in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan near Lovells, Michigan, has historically been known for its brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and its status as a blue ribbon trout stream; however, within the past few decades, there has been a decline in fish population. The objectives of this study were to assess if concentrations of organic chemicals were prAuthorsAngela K. Brennan, David A. AlvarezPreliminary investigation of groundwater quality near a Michigan cemetery, 2016–17
The potential effect of cemetery leachate on groundwater quality in the United States has rarely been studied. Nutrients and other constituents associated with decomposition and burial processes (such as embalming) have the potential to reach shallow groundwater and could affect nearby drinking-water sources. The objective of this preliminary investigation was to evaluate the potential effect of cAuthorsAngela K. Brennan, Carrie E. Givens, Julia G. Prokopec, Christopher J. HoardDetection of microcystin and other cyanotoxins in lakes at Isle Royale National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, northern Michigan, 2012–13
Although cyanotoxins released during algal blooms have become an increasing concern in surface waters across the United States, the presence of cyanotoxins in northern Michigan lakes had not been evaluated in detail. The U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service (NPS) led a 2-year study (2012 and 2013) to determine the presence of microcystin and other algal toxins in several inland lakes aAuthorsLori M. Fuller, Angela K. Brennan, Lisa R. Fogarty, Keith A. Loftin, Heather E. Johnson, David D. VanderMeulen, Brenda Moraska LafrancoisWater quality and hydrology of Silver Lake, Oceana County, Michigan, with emphasis on lake response to nutrient loading
Executive Summary Silver Lake is a 672-acre inland lake located in Oceana County, Michigan, and is a major tourist destination due to its proximity to Lake Michigan and the surrounding outdoor recreational opportunities. In recent years, Silver Lake exhibited patterns of high phosphorus concentrations, elevated chlorophyll a concentrations, and nuisance algal blooms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USAuthorsAngela K. Brennan, Christopher J. Hoard, Joseph W. Duris, Mary E. Ogdahl, Alan D. SteinmanStaphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) at ambient freshwater beaches
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a threat to human health worldwide, and although detected at marine beaches, they have been largely unstudied at freshwater beaches. Genes indicating S. aureus (SA; femA) and methicillin resistance (mecA) were detected at 11 and 12 of 13 US Great Lakes beaches and in 18% or 27% of 287 recreational water samples, respectively. Eight beaches hadAuthorsLisa R. Fogarty, Sheridan K. Haack, Heather E. Johnson, Angela K. Brennan, Natasha M. Isaacs, Chelsea SpencerOccurrence and distribution of fecal indicator bacteria and gene markers of pathogenic bacteria in Great Lakes tributaries, March-October 2011
From March through October 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), conducted a study to determine the frequency of occurrence of pathogen gene markers and densities of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in 22 tributaries to the Great Lakes. This project was funded as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and included sampling at 22 locations throughout 6 states that border the Great LAuthorsAngela K. Brennan, Heather E. Johnson, Alexander R. Totten, Joseph W. DurisGeographic setting influences Great Lakes beach microbiological water quality
Understanding of factors that influence Escherichia coli (EC) and enterococci (ENT) concentrations, pathogen occurrence, and microbial sources at Great Lakes beaches comes largely from individual beach studies. Using 12 representative beaches, we tested enrichment cultures from 273 beach water and 22 tributary samples for EC, ENT, and genes indicating the bacterial pathogens Shiga-toxin producingAuthorsSheridan K. Haack, Lisa R. Fogarty, Erin A. Stelzer, Lori M. Fuller, Angela K. Brennan, Natasha M. Isaacs, Heather E. Johnson