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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.

 

 

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Three people collecting fish in a shallow river using a large seine.

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...
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center
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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...
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Collection of samples taken from the WI AOC

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...
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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...
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Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) data from instream water and sediment passive samplers, stream bank sediment, and catch basin sediment in the Clinton River Area of Concern, Michigan, USA, 2019

Two types of passive samplers for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) analysis were deployed in the Clinton River Area of Concern in 2019: semipermeable membrane devices for water and in-stream sediment samplers. Samplers were deployed in July 2019 and retrieved in August 2019. Additionally, bank sediment samples for PCB analysis were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in August 2019 and ca
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Bottom sediment chemical data at rivermouths and harbors along western Lake Michigan, USA, 2016

Streambed sediment samples were collected in October 2016 from streams tributary to Wisconsin?s western Lake Michigan shoreline. Streams included two Areas of Concern (AOCs), two non-AOC comparisons, and two additional non-AOC study areas. Within the Milwaukee Estuary AOC, samples were collected from the Milwaukee River (three subsites), the Menomonee River (two subsites), the Kinnickinnic River (
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Aquatic community and environmental data for 14 rivers and streams in the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Planning Area, 2004-13

In 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled benthic algae and invertebrates, and fish to assess the condition of the aquatic communities and water quality in 14 wadable streams near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Additional community sampling was also done at a subset of three sites in 2011 and 2012 to assess temporal variation. Selected environmental (physical and chemical) data in t
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Benthos and Plankton data for Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern, Illinois, and Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana Non-Area of Concern, Indiana, in 2015

During two seasonal sampling events in spring (June) and fall (August) of 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, collected benthos (benthic invertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) at three sites each in the Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern (AOC) in Illinois and in Burns Harb
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Fish sampling using backpack shocker
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Sunset on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park
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Root River at Greenfield showing high flow damage
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Passive samplers, POCIS and mini-SPMDs deployed in stream
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Passive samplers with multi-parameter water quality probe
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Two mini SPMDs prior to deployment
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Best management practices of agricultural streams
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Filter Total Items: 43

Creek and quarry water quality at Pipestone National Monument and pilot study of pathogen detection methods in waterfall mist at Winnewissa Falls, Pipestone, Minnesota, 2018–19

Pipestone National Monument is a 301-acre site sacred to many Native American Tribes, providing cultural exhibits and walking trails to Pipestone Creek, Winnewissa Falls, and historical pipestone quarries for numerous visitors each year. However, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has determined turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria occur in Pipestone Creek in high enough numbers to be a poten
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Water Resources, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Cyanotoxin mixture models: Relating environmental variables and toxin co-occurrence to human exposure risk

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms, often containing multiple toxins, are a serious public health issue. However, there are no known models that predict a cyanotoxin mixture (anatoxin-a, microcystin, saxitoxin). This paper presents two cyanotoxin mixture models (MIX) and compares them to two microcystin (MC) models from data collected in 2016–2017 from three recurring cyanobacterial bloom locations in Ka

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Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory

Summary of fish communities along Underwood Creek, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2004–2019

Beginning in 2010, sections of Underwood Creek in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, have undergone reconstruction to allow for improved fish habitat and better management of storm flows. In addition, dam and drop structures were removed to help improve fish migration while reintroducing several native fish species. With the reconstruction of Underwood Creek underway, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage
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Water Resources, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Physical and chemical stressors on algal, invertebrate, and fish communities in 14 Milwaukee area streams, 2004–2013

In 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began sampling 14 wadable streams in urban or urbanizing watersheds near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The overall goal of the study is to assess the health of the aquatic communities in the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District planning area to inform current and future watershed management. In addition to collection of biological data on aquatic communities,
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Ecological status of aquatic communities in selected streams in the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District planning area of Wisconsin, 2004–13

A total of 14 wadable streams in urban or urbanizing watersheds near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, were sampled in 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2013 to assess the ecological status of aquatic communities (biota), including benthic algae and invertebrates, and fish. To assess temporal variation, additional community sampling was also done at a subset of three sites in 2011 and 2012. Relative abundances of each ty
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Stream corridor sources of suspended sediment and phosphorus from an agricultural tributary to the Great Lakes

Fine-grained sediment and phosphorous are major contaminants in the Great Lakes and their tributaries. Plum Creek, Wisconsin (92 km2), a tributary to the Lower Fox River, has a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requiring reductions of suspended sediment and phosphorus loading by 70% and 77%, respectively. In 2016-18, an integrated sediment fingerprinting and stream corridor-based sediment budget s
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Water Resources, California Water Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Benthos and plankton of western Lake Michigan Areas of Concern in comparison to non-Areas of Concern for selected rivers and harbors, 2012 and 2014

Since their designation in the 1980s, Areas of Concern (AOCs) around the Great Lakes have been the focus of multi-State and international cleanup efforts that were needed after decades of human activity resulted in severely contaminated sediment, water-quality degradation, loss of habitat for aquatic organisms, and impaired public use. Although individual Great Lake States had been working to clea
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Upper Midwest Water Science Center

An evaluation of the zooplankton community at the Sheboygan River Area of Concern and non-Area of Concern comparison sites in western Lake Michigan rivers and harbors in 2016

The Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) are considered to be the most severely degraded areas within the Great Lakes basin, as defined in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and amendments. Among the 43 designated AOCs are four Lake Michigan AOCs in the State of Wisconsin. The smallest of these AOCs is the Sheboygan River AOC, which was designated as an AOC because of sediment contamination fr
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Water Resources, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Comparison of benthos and plankton for Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern, Illinois, and Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana non-Area of Concern, Indiana, in 2015

During two seasonal sampling events in spring (June) and fall (August) of 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey collected benthos (benthic invertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) at three sites each in the Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern (AOC) in Illinois and in Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana, a non-AOC comparison site in Indiana. The study was done in cooperation with the U.S. Enviro
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Water Resources, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Comparison of benthos and plankton for selected areas of concern and non-areas of concern in western Lake Michigan Rivers and Harbors in 2012

Recent data are lacking to assess whether impairments still exist at four of Wisconsin’s largest Lake Michigan harbors that were designated as Areas of Concern (AOCs) in the late 1980s due to sediment contamination and multiple Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), such as those affecting benthos (macroinvertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) communities. During three seasonal samp
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Water Resources, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Optimizing fish sampling for fish - mercury bioaccumulation factors

Fish Bioaccumulation Factors (BAFs; ratios of mercury (Hg) in fish (Hgfish) and water (Hgwater)) are used to develop Total Maximum Daily Load and water quality criteria for Hg-impaired waters. Both applications require representative Hgfish estimates and, thus, are sensitive to sampling and data-treatment methods. Data collected by fixed protocol from 11 streams in 5 states distributed across the
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Water Resources, Ecosystems, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Benthos and plankton community data for selected rivers and harbors along Wisconsin's Lake Michigan shoreline, 2012

Four river systems on the Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Michigan are designated Areas of Concern (AOCs) because of severe environmental degradation: the Lower Menominee River, Lower Green Bay and Fox River, Sheboygan River, and Milwaukee Estuary. Each AOC has one or more Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) that form the basis of the AOC designation and that must be remediated or otherwise addressed be
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Water Resources, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

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