Austin K Baldwin
Austin Baldwin is a Research Hydrologist with the USGS Idaho Water Science Center in Boise, Idaho.
Austin's research focuses on field-based studies of contaminants in surface water and sediment, including organic compounds, mercury and other metals, and microplastics. His work specifically focuses on (1) investigations into the sources, transport, and fate of contaminants, (2) processes driving contaminant partitioning among environmental compartments and transformation to more bioavailable forms, and (3) potential adverse effects of contaminants on ecosystem health. Through each of these research themes, he aims to inform management decisions to improve ecosystem health.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Organic contaminants in aquatic environments; mercury in aquatic environments; aquatic toxicity; microplastic sources, transport, fate, and biological uptake; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon source identification.
Professional Experience
Research Hydrologist, USGS Idaho Water Science Center, Boise, ID, October 2021 – Present
Hydrologist, USGS Idaho Water Science Center, Boise, ID, May 2016 – October 2021
Hydrologist, USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center, Middleton, WI, January 2007 – May 2016
Education and Certifications
M.S. Structural Geology, 2005, University of Texas at Austin
B.S. Geological Sciences, 2001, University of Texas at Austin
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Water Resources Association (AWRA)
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 16
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 40
Arsenic, antimony, mercury, and water temperature in streams near Stibnite mining area, central Idaho, 2011–17 Arsenic, antimony, mercury, and water temperature in streams near Stibnite mining area, central Idaho, 2011–17
Mineralization and historical mining of stibnite (antimony sulfide), tungsten, gold, silver, and mercury in the headwaters of the East Fork of the South Fork Salmon River (EFSFSR) near the former town of Stibnite in central Idaho resulted in water-quality impairments related to mercury, antimony, and arsenic. Additionally, mining-related disturbances and wildfires have resulted in a lack...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Alexandra Etheridge
It is raining plastic It is raining plastic
Atmospheric deposition samples were collected using the National Atmospheric Deposition Program / National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) at 6 sites in the Denver-Boulder urban corridor and 2 adjacent sites in the Colorado Front Range. Weekly wet-only atmospheric deposition samples collected at these sites during winter-summer of 2017 were filtered (0.45 micrometers, polyethersulfone) to...
Authors
Gregory A. Wetherbee, Austin Baldwin, James Ranville
Human-associated indicator bacteria and human-specific viruses in surface water: a spatial assessment with implications on fate and transport Human-associated indicator bacteria and human-specific viruses in surface water: a spatial assessment with implications on fate and transport
Hydrologic, seasonal, and spatial variability of sewage contamination was studied at six locations within a watershed upstream from water reclamation facility (WRF) effluent to define relative loadings of sewage from different portions of the watershed. Fecal pollution from human sources was spatially quantified by measuring two human-associated indicator bacteria (HIB) and eight human...
Authors
Peter Lenaker, Steven R. Corsi, Sandra L. McLellan, Mark Borchardt, Hayley T. Olds, Deborah K. Dila, Susan Spencer, Austin Baldwin
Patterns of host-associated fecal indicators driven by hydrology, precipitation, and land use attributes in Great Lakes watersheds Patterns of host-associated fecal indicators driven by hydrology, precipitation, and land use attributes in Great Lakes watersheds
Fecal contamination from sewage and agricultural runoff is a pervasive problem in Great Lakes watersheds. Most work examining fecal pollution loads relies on discrete samples of fecal indicators and modeling land use. In this study, we made empirical measurements of human and ruminant-associated fecal indicator bacteria and combined these with hydrological measurements in eight...
Authors
Deborah Dila, Steven R. Corsi, Peter Lenaker, Austin Baldwin, Melinda Bootsma, Sandra McLellan
Year-round presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA Year-round presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA
To better characterize the transport of neonicotinoid insecticides to the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, monthly samples (October 2015–September 2016) were collected from 10 major tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA. For the monthly tributary samples, neonicotinoids were detected in every month sampled and five of the six target neonicotinoids were detected. At least one...
Authors
Michelle L. Hladik, Steven R. Corsi, Dana Kolpin, Austin Baldwin, Brett R. Blackwell, Jenna Cavallin
Response to comment on “Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediments”—The authors' reply Response to comment on “Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediments”—The authors' reply
No abstract available.
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Michelle Lutz, Christopher Ingersoll, Rebecca Dorman, Christopher Magruder, Matthew Magruder
Microplastics are everywhere! Microplastics are everywhere!
No abstract available.
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Kerensa King, Richard Damstra, Byron Karns, Lark Weller, Sherri Mason, Timothy Hoellein, Lisa Kim
Hydrologic, land cover, and seasonal patterns of waterborne pathogens in Great Lakes tributaries Hydrologic, land cover, and seasonal patterns of waterborne pathogens in Great Lakes tributaries
Great Lakes tributaries are known to deliver waterborne pathogens from a host of sources. To examine the hydrologic, land cover, and seasonal patterns of waterborne pathogens (i.e. protozoa (2), pathogenic bacteria (4) human viruses, (8) and bovine viruses (8)) eight rivers were monitored in the Great Lakes Basin over 29 months from February 2011 to June 2013. Sampling locations...
Authors
Peter Lenaker, Steven R. Corsi, Mark Borchardt, Susan Spencer, Austin Baldwin, Michelle Lutz
Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediment Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediment
High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streams can be a significant stressor to aquatic organisms. To understand the likely sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streams, streambed sediment samples from 40 sites and parking lot dust samples from 6 sites were analyzed for 38 parent PAHs and 25 alkylated PAHs. Diagnostic ratios, profile correlations...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Michelle Lutz, Christopher Ingersoll, Rebecca Dorman, Christopher Magruder, Matthew Magruder
Plastic debris in 29 Great Lakes tributaries: Relations to watershed attributes and hydrology Plastic debris in 29 Great Lakes tributaries: Relations to watershed attributes and hydrology
Plastic debris is a growing contaminant of concern in freshwater environments, yet sources, transport, and fate remain unclear. This study characterized the quantity and morphology of floating micro- and macroplastics in 29 Great Lakes tributaries in six states under different land covers, wastewater effluent contributions, population densities, and hydrologic conditions. Tributaries...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Sherri Mason
Organic contaminants in Great Lakes tributaries: Prevalence and potential aquatic toxicity Organic contaminants in Great Lakes tributaries: Prevalence and potential aquatic toxicity
Organic compounds used in agriculture, industry, and households make their way into surface waters through runoff, leaking septic-conveyance systems, regulated and unregulated discharges, and combined sewer overflows, among other sources. Concentrations of these organic waste compounds (OWCs) in some Great Lakes tributaries indicate a high potential for adverse impacts on aquatic...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Laura A. De Cicco, Peter Lenaker, Michelle Lutz, Daniel Sullivan, Kevin Richards
Organic waste compounds as contaminants in Milwaukee-area streams Organic waste compounds as contaminants in Milwaukee-area streams
Organic waste compounds (OWCs) are ingredients and by-products of common agricultural, industrial, and household substances that can contaminate our streams through sources like urban runoff, sewage overflows, and leaking septic systems. To better understand how OWCs are affecting Milwaukee-area streams, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Christopher Magruder, Matthew Magruder, Jennifer Bruce
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 16
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 40
Arsenic, antimony, mercury, and water temperature in streams near Stibnite mining area, central Idaho, 2011–17 Arsenic, antimony, mercury, and water temperature in streams near Stibnite mining area, central Idaho, 2011–17
Mineralization and historical mining of stibnite (antimony sulfide), tungsten, gold, silver, and mercury in the headwaters of the East Fork of the South Fork Salmon River (EFSFSR) near the former town of Stibnite in central Idaho resulted in water-quality impairments related to mercury, antimony, and arsenic. Additionally, mining-related disturbances and wildfires have resulted in a lack...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Alexandra Etheridge
It is raining plastic It is raining plastic
Atmospheric deposition samples were collected using the National Atmospheric Deposition Program / National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) at 6 sites in the Denver-Boulder urban corridor and 2 adjacent sites in the Colorado Front Range. Weekly wet-only atmospheric deposition samples collected at these sites during winter-summer of 2017 were filtered (0.45 micrometers, polyethersulfone) to...
Authors
Gregory A. Wetherbee, Austin Baldwin, James Ranville
Human-associated indicator bacteria and human-specific viruses in surface water: a spatial assessment with implications on fate and transport Human-associated indicator bacteria and human-specific viruses in surface water: a spatial assessment with implications on fate and transport
Hydrologic, seasonal, and spatial variability of sewage contamination was studied at six locations within a watershed upstream from water reclamation facility (WRF) effluent to define relative loadings of sewage from different portions of the watershed. Fecal pollution from human sources was spatially quantified by measuring two human-associated indicator bacteria (HIB) and eight human...
Authors
Peter Lenaker, Steven R. Corsi, Sandra L. McLellan, Mark Borchardt, Hayley T. Olds, Deborah K. Dila, Susan Spencer, Austin Baldwin
Patterns of host-associated fecal indicators driven by hydrology, precipitation, and land use attributes in Great Lakes watersheds Patterns of host-associated fecal indicators driven by hydrology, precipitation, and land use attributes in Great Lakes watersheds
Fecal contamination from sewage and agricultural runoff is a pervasive problem in Great Lakes watersheds. Most work examining fecal pollution loads relies on discrete samples of fecal indicators and modeling land use. In this study, we made empirical measurements of human and ruminant-associated fecal indicator bacteria and combined these with hydrological measurements in eight...
Authors
Deborah Dila, Steven R. Corsi, Peter Lenaker, Austin Baldwin, Melinda Bootsma, Sandra McLellan
Year-round presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA Year-round presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA
To better characterize the transport of neonicotinoid insecticides to the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, monthly samples (October 2015–September 2016) were collected from 10 major tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA. For the monthly tributary samples, neonicotinoids were detected in every month sampled and five of the six target neonicotinoids were detected. At least one...
Authors
Michelle L. Hladik, Steven R. Corsi, Dana Kolpin, Austin Baldwin, Brett R. Blackwell, Jenna Cavallin
Response to comment on “Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediments”—The authors' reply Response to comment on “Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediments”—The authors' reply
No abstract available.
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Michelle Lutz, Christopher Ingersoll, Rebecca Dorman, Christopher Magruder, Matthew Magruder
Microplastics are everywhere! Microplastics are everywhere!
No abstract available.
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Kerensa King, Richard Damstra, Byron Karns, Lark Weller, Sherri Mason, Timothy Hoellein, Lisa Kim
Hydrologic, land cover, and seasonal patterns of waterborne pathogens in Great Lakes tributaries Hydrologic, land cover, and seasonal patterns of waterborne pathogens in Great Lakes tributaries
Great Lakes tributaries are known to deliver waterborne pathogens from a host of sources. To examine the hydrologic, land cover, and seasonal patterns of waterborne pathogens (i.e. protozoa (2), pathogenic bacteria (4) human viruses, (8) and bovine viruses (8)) eight rivers were monitored in the Great Lakes Basin over 29 months from February 2011 to June 2013. Sampling locations...
Authors
Peter Lenaker, Steven R. Corsi, Mark Borchardt, Susan Spencer, Austin Baldwin, Michelle Lutz
Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediment Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediment
High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streams can be a significant stressor to aquatic organisms. To understand the likely sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streams, streambed sediment samples from 40 sites and parking lot dust samples from 6 sites were analyzed for 38 parent PAHs and 25 alkylated PAHs. Diagnostic ratios, profile correlations...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Michelle Lutz, Christopher Ingersoll, Rebecca Dorman, Christopher Magruder, Matthew Magruder
Plastic debris in 29 Great Lakes tributaries: Relations to watershed attributes and hydrology Plastic debris in 29 Great Lakes tributaries: Relations to watershed attributes and hydrology
Plastic debris is a growing contaminant of concern in freshwater environments, yet sources, transport, and fate remain unclear. This study characterized the quantity and morphology of floating micro- and macroplastics in 29 Great Lakes tributaries in six states under different land covers, wastewater effluent contributions, population densities, and hydrologic conditions. Tributaries...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Sherri Mason
Organic contaminants in Great Lakes tributaries: Prevalence and potential aquatic toxicity Organic contaminants in Great Lakes tributaries: Prevalence and potential aquatic toxicity
Organic compounds used in agriculture, industry, and households make their way into surface waters through runoff, leaking septic-conveyance systems, regulated and unregulated discharges, and combined sewer overflows, among other sources. Concentrations of these organic waste compounds (OWCs) in some Great Lakes tributaries indicate a high potential for adverse impacts on aquatic...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Laura A. De Cicco, Peter Lenaker, Michelle Lutz, Daniel Sullivan, Kevin Richards
Organic waste compounds as contaminants in Milwaukee-area streams Organic waste compounds as contaminants in Milwaukee-area streams
Organic waste compounds (OWCs) are ingredients and by-products of common agricultural, industrial, and household substances that can contaminate our streams through sources like urban runoff, sewage overflows, and leaking septic systems. To better understand how OWCs are affecting Milwaukee-area streams, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage...
Authors
Austin Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Christopher Magruder, Matthew Magruder, Jennifer Bruce
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government