Barry P Baldigo
Barry Baldigo has been a Research Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey since 1990. He leads numerous collaborative studies that aim to improve our understanding of the health of aquatic ecosystems, impacts of environmental contaminants and hydrologic modification, important interrelations, and management options that help mitigate ecological disturbance and sustain valuable natural resources.
Professional Membership:
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
American Fisheries Society
New York State Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
Society for Freshwater Science (formerly North American Benthological Society)
Professional Experience
Research Biologist (RGE); U.S. Geological Survey, Troy, NY; 1990-present: Principal investigator for cooperative water programs (with NGOs, and county, regional, and state agencies) evaluating interrelations among restoration, channel stability, habitat, and fish communities; tissue contaminants and toxicity of water and sediments in Areas of Concern across the Great Lakes; basin features, impound
Senior Biologist; Adirondack Lakes Survey Corp, Raybrook, NY; 1988-1990: Field coordinator for the EPA’s Episodic Response Project assessing effects of episodic acidification on water quality, fish survival, and biologic communities in streams of the southwestern Adirondack Mountains, New York.
Senior Scientist; Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Co., Las Vegas, NV; 1984-1988: Lead investigator for several EPA technical-support projects in the Northwest and regional coordinator and instructor for EPA’s NSWS Eastern and Western Lakes-, Eastern Stream-, and Michigan Lakes Biology and Acidification Surveys.
Research Biologist; University of Nevada, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Las Vegas, NV; 1980-1984: Invertebrate taxonomist and technician; helped develop and assess new field guidelines for modifying EPA’s national site-specific water quality criteria (NPDES permitting program) and stream biological assessments.
Education and Certifications
SUNY, College of Environmental Sciences & Forestry M.S. Fisheries Biology, 1982
Utica College of Syracuse University B.S. Biology, 1978
Science and Products
Eastward expansion of Round Goby in New York: Assessment of detection methods and current range
Biological and chemical recovery of acidified Catskill Mountain streams in response to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
The response of streams to changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen in the Adirondack Mountains
Quantifying and addressing the prevalence and bias of study designs in the environmental and social sciences
Decreases in aluminum toxicity and mortality of caged brook trout in Adirondack Mountain Streams
The response of stream ecosystems in the Adirondack region of New York to historical and future changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen
Predictive relations between acid-base chemistry and fish assemblages in streams of the Adirondack Mountains
Declining aluminum toxicity and the role of exposure duration on brook trout mortality in acidified streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Response of water chemistry and young-of-year brook trout to channel and watershed liming in streams showing lagging recovery from acidic deposition
Resilience of benthic macroinvertebrates to extreme floods in a Catskill Mountain river, New York, USA: Implications for water quality monitoring and assessment
Spatial and temporal variability of fish assemblages in acidified streams: Implications for long-term monitoring
Temporal variability in stream fish assemblage metrics and implications for long-term monitoring
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
New York Statewide Fish Collection: Contaminants in fish from the Buffalo River AOC
Responses of fish assemblages to changing environmental conditions in the Neversink River and Rondout Creek
Sediment toxicity and status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the remediated Buffalo River Area-of-Concern
Effects of acid-base chemistry on biology of lakes and streams in the Adirondack Mountains
Effect of Flooding from Tropical Storm Irene on Fish Assemblages in the Upper Esopus Creek Basin
Assessment of Acidic Deposition Effects on the Chemistry and Benthos of Streams of the East-Central Adirondack Region
Adirondack Long-Term Stream and Soil Monitoring
Status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of sediments in the Niagara River Area of Concern, New York
Status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of sediments in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern, New York
Effects of Watershed and In-stream Liming on Accelerated Recovery of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in Tributaries to Honnedaga Lake
Long-term Effects of the Clean Air Act on Water Toxicity and Brook Trout Survival in Acidified Streams of the Southwestern Adirondacks, 1984-2017
Effects of acid-base chemistry on biology of streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Brook trout toxicity data from bioassays conducted in Western Adirondack Streams, 2001-03 and 2015-17
Data for Impacts of Alewife and White Perch Introductions on Rainbow Trout Growth in the Ashokan Reservoir, Catskill Mountains, NY
Data for effects of watershed and in-stream liming on macroinvertebrate communities in acidified tributaries to an Adirondack lake
Data for relationships between fish assemblages and acid-base chemistry in streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 1993-2014
Data for Assessing the Status of Sediment Toxicity and Macroinvertebrate Communities in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern
Community composition data for assessing fish populations in headwater streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Data from 10-day sediment toxicity tests of bed sediments from the Niagara River Area of Concern and tributaries, New York, with Chironomus dilutus and Hyalella azteca, 201415
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 95
Eastward expansion of Round Goby in New York: Assessment of detection methods and current range
The Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus has spread rapidly around the Great Lakes region since its introduction to North America in 1990. In 2014, a specimen was captured in the New York State Canal System west of Utica, prompting concerns that Round Goby would soon reach the ecologically and economically valuable watersheds of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River estuary. The establishment of RoundAuthorsScott D. George, Barry P. Baldigo, Christopher B. Rees, Meredith L. Bartron, Dylan R. WinterhalterBiological and chemical recovery of acidified Catskill Mountain streams in response to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
Decades of acidic deposition have adversely affected aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in acid-sensitive watersheds in parts of the eastern United States. The national Acid Rain Program (Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments - CAAA) helped reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and resulted in sharp decreases in the acidity of atmospheric deposition. The decreaAuthorsBarry P. Baldigo, Scott D. George, Dylan R. Winterhalter, Michael McHaleThe response of streams to changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen in the Adirondack Mountains
Acidic deposition is the result of upwind sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) emissions into the atmosphere from human activities. Environmental impacts from acidic deposition across forested landscapes include acidification of soil and drainage water, depletion of available soil nutrient bases, and impacts to and changes in forest and aquatic species composition and biodiversity. Acidic deposition can moAuthorsCharles T. Driscoll, Shuai Shao, Timothy J. Sullivan, Todd C. McDonnell, Barry P. Baldigo, Douglas A. Burns, Gregory B. LawrenceQuantifying and addressing the prevalence and bias of study designs in the environmental and social sciences
Building trust in science and evidence-based decision-making depends heavily on the credibility of studies and their findings. Researchers employ many different study designs that vary in their risk of bias to evaluate the true effect of interventions or impacts. Here, we empirically quantify, on a large scale, the prevalence of different study designs and the magnitude of bias in their estimates.AuthorsAlec P. Christie, David Abecasis, Mehdi Adjeroud, Juan C. Alonso, Tatsuya Amano, Alvaro Anton, Barry P. Baldigo, Rafael Barrientos, Jake E. Bicknell, Deborah A. Buhl, Just Cebrian, Ricardo S. Ceia, Luciana Cibils-Martina, Sarah Clarke, Joachim Claudet, Michael D. Craig, Dominique Davoult, Annelies De Backer, Mary K. Donovan, Tyler D. Eddy, Filipe M. França, Jonathan P.A. Gardner, Bradley P. Harris, Ari Huusko, Ian L. Jones, Brendan P. Kelaher, Janne S. Kotiaho, Adrià López-Baucells, Heather L. Major, Aki Mäki-Petäys, Beatriz Martínez-López, Carlos A. Martín, Philip A. Martin, Daniel Mateos-Molina, Robert A. McConnaughey, Michele Meroni, Christoph F. J. Meyer, Kade Mills, Monica Montefalcone, Norbertas Noreika, Carlos Palacín, Anjali Pande, C. Roland Pitcher, Carlos Ponce, Matthew J. Rinella, Ricardo Rocha, María C. Ruiz-Delgado, Juan J. Schmitter-Soto, Jill A. Shaffer, Shailesh Sharma, Anna A. Sher, Doriane Stagnol, Thomas Stanley, Kevin D.E. Stokesbury, Aurora Torres, Oliver Tully, Teppo Vehanen, Corinne Watts, Qingyuan Zhao, William J. SutherlandDecreases in aluminum toxicity and mortality of caged brook trout in Adirondack Mountain Streams
Mortality of juvenile brook trout and water chemistry were characterized in six western Adirondack streams in northern New York State during spring 2015, 2016, and 2017 and compared with results from comparable tests done between 1980 and 2003 in many of the same streams to assess temporal changes in inorganic monomeric aluminum (Ali) concentrations, Ali-toxicity, and the role of Ali-exposure duraAuthorsBarry P. Baldigo, Scott D. GeorgeThe response of stream ecosystems in the Adirondack region of New York to historical and future changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen
The present-day acid-base chemistry of surface waters can be directly linked to contemporary observations of acid deposition; however, pre-industrial conditions are key to predicting the potential future recovery of stream ecosystems under decreasing loads of atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition. The integrated biogeochemical model PnET-BGC was applied to 25 forest watersheds that reAuthorsShuai Shao, Charles T. Driscoll, Timothy J. Sullivan, Douglas A. Burns, Barry P. Baldigo, Gregory B. Lawrence, Todd C. McDonnellPredictive relations between acid-base chemistry and fish assemblages in streams of the Adirondack Mountains
Surface waters across much of New York State’s Adirondack Mountains were acidified in the late 20th century but began to recover following the 1990 Title IV Amendments to the Clean Air Act. Previous assessments of acidification recovery in the Adirondacks have generally been based on surface water chemistry data and inferred relationships to fish and other aquatic biota. Little data, however, hasAuthorsDiane Bertok, Barry P. Baldigo, Scott D. GeorgeDeclining aluminum toxicity and the role of exposure duration on brook trout mortality in acidified streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Mortality of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and water chemistry were characterized in 6 headwater streams in the western Adirondacks of New York during spring 2015, 2016, and 2017 and compared with results from analogous tests done between 1980 and 2003 in many of the same streams, to assess temporal changes in toxicity and inorganic monomeric aluminum (Ali) concentrations, and the role of AliAuthorsBarry P. Baldigo, Scott George, Gregory B. Lawrence, Eric A. PaulResponse of water chemistry and young-of-year brook trout to channel and watershed liming in streams showing lagging recovery from acidic deposition
Reductions in sulfur emissions have initiated chemical recovery of surface waters impacted by acidic deposition in the Adirondack region of New York State. However, acidified streams remain common in the region, which limits recovery of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations. To investigate liming as a method to accelerate recovery of brook trout, the channels of two acidified streams werAuthorsDaniel C Josephson, Gregory B. Lawrence, Scott D. George, Jason Siemion, Barry P. Baldigo, Clifford E. KraftResilience of benthic macroinvertebrates to extreme floods in a Catskill Mountain river, New York, USA: Implications for water quality monitoring and assessment
Changes in the timing, magnitude, frequency, and duration of extreme hydrologic events are becoming apparent and could disrupt species assemblages and stream ecosystems across the Northeastern United States. Between August 28 and 29 of 2011, an average of 31 cm of rain from Tropical Storm Irene fell across Eastern New York State in less than 24 h and caused historic flooding in numerous streams ofAuthorsAlexander J. Smith, Barry P. Baldigo, Brian T Duffy, Scott D. George, Brian DresserSpatial and temporal variability of fish assemblages in acidified streams: Implications for long-term monitoring
Numerous studies have established strong linkages between acid deposition, soil and surface-water acidification, and toxicity to aquatic biota. Little is known however, about the effects of acidification on fish assemblages in headwater streams because they are highly variable, and pre-acidification data are often lacking. The primary purpose of this study was to describe spatial and interannual (AuthorsScott D. George, Barry P. Baldigo, Gregory B. LawrenceTemporal variability in stream fish assemblage metrics and implications for long-term monitoring
High natural variability in the condition of fish communities in headwater streams complicates detection of long-term responses to changes in water quality. As a result, little is known about the impacts and recovery of fishes from acid deposition in streams of New York. Twenty-one fish metrics from annual electrofishing surveys at 13 streams sites in the Catskill and Adirondack mountains were assAuthorsScott D. George, Barry P. Baldigo, Daniel S. StichNon-USGS Publications**
Warren, D. R., A. G. Ernst, and B. P. Baldigo. 2009. Influence of spring floods on year-class strength of fall- and spring-spawning salmonids in Catskill Mountain streams. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 138(1):200-210.Baldigo, B. P., and T. P. Baudanza. 2001. Avoidance response and mortality of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) in tests with copper sulfate-treated waters from West Branch Reservoir, Putnam County, New York. U. S. Geological Survey, WRI 99-4237, Troy, NY.Baldigo, B. P., K. R. Riva-Murray, and G. E. Schuler. 2004. Effects of environmental and spatial features on mussel populations and communities in a North American river. Walkerana 14(31):1-32.Baldigo, B. P., D. R. Warren, A. S. Gallagher-Ernst, S. J. Miller, D. Davis, W.Keller, T. P. Baudanza, D. DeKoskie, and J. R. Buchanan, 2008. Restoring geomorphic stability and biodiversity in streams of the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA. Pages 1777-1790 in J. L. Nielsen, and coeditors, editors. Proceedings of the Fourth World Fisheries Congress: Reconciling fisheries with conservation, Symposium 49. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.Smith, A. J., B. T. Duffy, D. L. Heitzman, J. Lojpersberger, L. E. Abele, B. P. Baldigo, M. R. McHale, S. G. George, J. Siemion, and M. A. Novak. 2013. Upper Esopus Creek: Biological Assessment, 2009-2010 Survey. NYSDEC SOP 208·09, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Troy, NY., 30 pp.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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New York Statewide Fish Collection: Contaminants in fish from the Buffalo River AOC
Background: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) plan to obtain data on chemical contaminants in fish from multiple Areas of Concern (AOCs) in New York State and use this information to evaluate fish consumption advisories, which are a critical component of most removal criteria for “Restriction on Fish and Wildlife ConsumptionResponses of fish assemblages to changing environmental conditions in the Neversink River and Rondout Creek
Problem The Neversink River and Rondout Creek are historic trout fishing and recreational streams in the heart of the Catskill Mountains of southeastern NY. Waters throughout upper reaches of both rivers currently range from neutral to severely acidic due to deposition of acid rain throughout their watersheds. Fish surveys conducted by the USGS during the late 1980s and early 1990s found that someSediment toxicity and status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the remediated Buffalo River Area-of-Concern
Background : Contaminated bed sediments in much of the Buffalo River AOC (Figure 1A, 1B) were removed (dredged) between 2011 and 2015. Plans to monitor and assess the effectiveness of this management action on 8 of 9 beneficial-use-impairments (BUI), included the benthic macroinvertebrate (benthos) BUI, were revised by the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper (Riverkeeper, 2014). Funds needed to implemeEffects of acid-base chemistry on biology of lakes and streams in the Adirondack Mountains
BACKGROUND Watersheds of the Adirondack Mountains receive high levels of acid deposition resulting from atmospheric emissions of nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Acidic deposition has been shown to reduce acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and calcium (Ca) concentrations, and increase acidity and aluminum (Al) concentrations in soils and surface waters, and affect forest health as well as fish and macroiEffect of Flooding from Tropical Storm Irene on Fish Assemblages in the Upper Esopus Creek Basin
Background The Upper Esopus Creek, a popular trout-fishing and recreational stream in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, received historic flooding from Tropical Storm Irene on August 28, 2011. Streamflows approached or surpassed the 1% annual exceedance probability (>100 year) flood levels at several USGS streamgages in this basin. Short-term flood impacts on biological assemblages have been asAssessment of Acidic Deposition Effects on the Chemistry and Benthos of Streams of the East-Central Adirondack Region
Project Summary. The Western Adirondack Stream Survey (WASS), conducted in 2003-2005, showed that acidic deposition was causing toxic forms of Al to move from soils to streams in 66% of the 565 watersheds assessed in the study region. The WASS encompassed only 20% of the Adirondack region, and for the remaining 80% (referred to hereafter as the East-Central Adirondack region), there is littAdirondack Long-Term Stream and Soil Monitoring
The current Adirondack Long-Term Monitoring Program combines monitoring of streams and soils based on a watershed design. Not only are headwater streams an important component of Adirondack ecosystems, they are closely tied to the terrestrial environment through runoff that is strongly influenced by soil and vegetation processes. This linkage makes headwater streams a useful tool for monitoringStatus of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of sediments in the Niagara River Area of Concern, New York
Background: The USGS propose a collaborative investigation with the NYSDEC and NOAA to evaluate the current condition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of bed sediments in the Niagara River Area of Concern (AOC). Using a probabilistic study design, sediment-toxicity data compiled by the USGS, invertebrate community data collected by NYSDEC, and sediment-chemistry data colleStatus of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of sediments in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern, New York
Background: The USGS propose a collaborative investigation with the NYSDEC to evaluate the current condition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and toxicity of bed sediments in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern (AOC). Sediment-toxicity data provided by the USGS and benthic-community data provided by the NYSDEC from inside the AOC will be compared to similar data from non-AOC sites in EEffects of Watershed and In-stream Liming on Accelerated Recovery of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in Tributaries to Honnedaga Lake
Background Acidification of lotic and lentic environments has been found to adversely affect the integrity of resident biological assemblages. These effects have been particularly severe in poorly buffered regions like the Western Adirondacks. Although the Clean Air Act and its amendments have greatly reduced levels of atmospheric deposition, many streams in this region are still chronicallyLong-term Effects of the Clean Air Act on Water Toxicity and Brook Trout Survival in Acidified Streams of the Southwestern Adirondacks, 1984-2017
Background Forested watersheds in the southwestern Adirondack Mountains of New York received some of the most acidic deposition in North America from the 1970s through much of the 1990s (NADP 2005). Thus it is not surprising that associated effects on surface-water quality and ecosystems in lakes and streams of the southwestern Adirondack Mountains of New York were investigated to various extentsEffects of acid-base chemistry on biology of streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Background Watersheds of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) receive high levels of acid deposition resulting from atmospheric emissions of nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Acidic deposition has been shown to reduce acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and calcium concentrations and increase acidity and aluminum concentrations in soils and surface waters and affect forest health as well as fi - Data
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Brook trout toxicity data from bioassays conducted in Western Adirondack Streams, 2001-03 and 2015-17
This dataset is composed of a single data table containing survival data and ancillary measurements for brook trout bioassays conducted in streams of the Western Adirondack Mountains during 2001-03 and 2015-17. At each stream site, 4 replicate bottles, each containing five young-of-year brook trout, are exposed to ambient stream waters for approximately one month during spring.Data for Impacts of Alewife and White Perch Introductions on Rainbow Trout Growth in the Ashokan Reservoir, Catskill Mountains, NY
This dataset contains the results from aging and back-calculation of length-at-age of scale samples from 492 Rainbow Trout captured in the Ashokan Reservoir between 1952 and 2016. The first five columns contain collection information including an assigned fish number, the year and period of capture, the basin of the Ashokan Reservoir from which a fish was captured, and the length of the fish whenData for effects of watershed and in-stream liming on macroinvertebrate communities in acidified tributaries to an Adirondack lake
In 2012, a program was initiated using in-stream and aerial (whole-watershed) liming to improve water quality and Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) recruitment in three acidified tributaries of a high-elevation Adirondack lake in New York State. Concurrently, macroinvertebrates were sampled annually between 2013 and 2016 at 3 treated and 3 untreated reference sites to assess the effects of eachData for relationships between fish assemblages and acid-base chemistry in streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 1993-2014
Fish community richness, density, and biomass for entire communities, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, and minnows, including site characteristics, and water chemistry (acid neutralizing capacity, pH, nitrate, sulfate, ammonia, calcium, and total aluminum) collected at least once and as many as 13 times at each of 52 stream sites during the same years that fish were inventoried, Great Smoky Mountains NData for Assessing the Status of Sediment Toxicity and Macroinvertebrate Communities in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern
The data include the sample collection information and results from 10-day exposures of two test species, Chironomus dilutus and Hyalella azteca to sediments from Eighteenmile Creek and Oak Orchard Creek, NY. The following endpoints were measured for each species following the 10-day exposure: percentage of organisms surviving (hereafter survival) and average ash-free dry weight of the surviving oCommunity composition data for assessing fish populations in headwater streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Community composition data for assessing fish populations in headwater streams of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA. Data were collected to assess fish communities and estimate population size and biomass for each species at each sampling site. All data collected from western portion of Adirondack Park or immediately adjacent to it. Each row represents one individual fish. This spreadsheet cData from 10-day sediment toxicity tests of bed sediments from the Niagara River Area of Concern and tributaries, New York, with Chironomus dilutus and Hyalella azteca, 201415
Data from 10-day sediment toxicity tests of bed sediments from the Niagara River and tributaries, Niagara and Erie County, New York. Specifically, the data was used to compare the survival and growth of two macroinvertebrate species in sediments from study sites and laboratory controls. Results are from 10-day sediment exposures of two test species, Chironomus dilutus and Hyalella azteca. Bed-sedi - News