USGS scientists use a backpack-mounted electrofishing device to sample fish communities in a small and shallow Milwaukee-area stream.
Barbara C Scudder Eikenberry
Barbara Scudder Eikenberry is a Scientist Emerita, previous Hydrologist with the USGS, where she had worked since 1981.
Her expertise is in water quality assessment using freshwater organisms, with emphasis on chemical bioaccumulation and toxicity, also community ecology of algae, invertebrates, and fish. She has a B.A. in Aquatic Biology (1979, University of CA-Santa Barbara) and a M.S. in Marine Science (1984, CA State University, Hayward at Moss Landing Marine Labs). From 1991 to 2012, she was lead biologist for the Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit of the USGS NAWQA Program. Since 2004, she has led ecological studies for the Milwaukee Corridor Study. She is currently leading benthos and plankton studies in rivermouths and harbors along the Lake Michigan coastline for decision-making input re Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) at Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
Focus: Water-quality assessments using stream organisms, with an emphasis on bioaccumulation, toxicity, and community ecology of benthic algae and invertebrates and fish.
Science and Products
MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Ecological Assessments and Trends
Changes in streams that result from urban development such as loss of stream habitat, inadequate or flashy streamflow, and degraded water quality can adversely affect communities of aquatic organisms. MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study ecological assessments evaluate water quality over time by pairing community assessments of aquatic organisms with chemical assessments from passive samplers, as well...
Areas of Concern: Benthos Toxicity at Wisconsin's AOCs
USGS is assessing sediment toxicity at Wisconsin's Sheboygan River and Milwaukee Estuary areas of concern (AOCs) on Lake Michigan. The study will assess if sediment toxicity from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), selected metals, ammonia, or low dissolved oxygen is present at either acutely toxic or chronically toxic concentrations. Sediment toxicity tests...
Fish sampling using backpack shocker
USGS scientists use a backpack-mounted electrofishing device to sample fish communities in a small and shallow Milwaukee-area stream.
Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park
Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park.
Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park.
Root River at Greenfield showing high flow damage
Root River at Greenfield showing damage from powerful high flows that are common to many urban streams.
Root River at Greenfield showing damage from powerful high flows that are common to many urban streams.
Passive samplers, POCIS and mini-SPMDs deployed in stream
Passive samplers (on left: Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler or “POCIS”; on right: mini-Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) attached at depth in a stream for measurement of chemical contaminants.
Passive samplers (on left: Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler or “POCIS”; on right: mini-Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) attached at depth in a stream for measurement of chemical contaminants.
Passive samplers with multi-parameter water quality probe
Passive samplers (POCIS and mini-SPMDs) deployed in stream for assessment of chemical contaminants in the water; a multi-parameter water-quality probe (on left) measures water temperature, pH, and specific conductance during initial deployment.
Passive samplers (POCIS and mini-SPMDs) deployed in stream for assessment of chemical contaminants in the water; a multi-parameter water-quality probe (on left) measures water temperature, pH, and specific conductance during initial deployment.
Two mini SPMDs prior to deployment
Two passive samplers (mini Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) prior to a onemonth deployment for measurement of organic contaminants.
Two passive samplers (mini Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) prior to a onemonth deployment for measurement of organic contaminants.
Best management practices of agricultural streams
Effective best management practices have been shown to reduce the transport of sediment, nutrients, herbicides, and pesticides from agriculture to waterways.
Effective best management practices have been shown to reduce the transport of sediment, nutrients, herbicides, and pesticides from agriculture to waterways.
Science and Products
MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Ecological Assessments and Trends
Changes in streams that result from urban development such as loss of stream habitat, inadequate or flashy streamflow, and degraded water quality can adversely affect communities of aquatic organisms. MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study ecological assessments evaluate water quality over time by pairing community assessments of aquatic organisms with chemical assessments from passive samplers, as well...
Areas of Concern: Benthos Toxicity at Wisconsin's AOCs
USGS is assessing sediment toxicity at Wisconsin's Sheboygan River and Milwaukee Estuary areas of concern (AOCs) on Lake Michigan. The study will assess if sediment toxicity from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), selected metals, ammonia, or low dissolved oxygen is present at either acutely toxic or chronically toxic concentrations. Sediment toxicity tests...
Fish sampling using backpack shocker
USGS scientists use a backpack-mounted electrofishing device to sample fish communities in a small and shallow Milwaukee-area stream.
USGS scientists use a backpack-mounted electrofishing device to sample fish communities in a small and shallow Milwaukee-area stream.
Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park
Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park.
Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park.
Root River at Greenfield showing high flow damage
Root River at Greenfield showing damage from powerful high flows that are common to many urban streams.
Root River at Greenfield showing damage from powerful high flows that are common to many urban streams.
Passive samplers, POCIS and mini-SPMDs deployed in stream
Passive samplers (on left: Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler or “POCIS”; on right: mini-Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) attached at depth in a stream for measurement of chemical contaminants.
Passive samplers (on left: Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler or “POCIS”; on right: mini-Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) attached at depth in a stream for measurement of chemical contaminants.
Passive samplers with multi-parameter water quality probe
Passive samplers (POCIS and mini-SPMDs) deployed in stream for assessment of chemical contaminants in the water; a multi-parameter water-quality probe (on left) measures water temperature, pH, and specific conductance during initial deployment.
Passive samplers (POCIS and mini-SPMDs) deployed in stream for assessment of chemical contaminants in the water; a multi-parameter water-quality probe (on left) measures water temperature, pH, and specific conductance during initial deployment.
Two mini SPMDs prior to deployment
Two passive samplers (mini Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) prior to a onemonth deployment for measurement of organic contaminants.
Two passive samplers (mini Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices or “SPMDs”) prior to a onemonth deployment for measurement of organic contaminants.
Best management practices of agricultural streams
Effective best management practices have been shown to reduce the transport of sediment, nutrients, herbicides, and pesticides from agriculture to waterways.
Effective best management practices have been shown to reduce the transport of sediment, nutrients, herbicides, and pesticides from agriculture to waterways.