Chris Hoard is a Hydrologist with the Upper Midwest Water Science Center in Lansing, Michigan.
He has participated in studies involving groundwater flow simulation, surface-water modeling, borehole geophysics, and water-quality assessments. Chris has worked throughout the U.S. and abroad, including an aquifer characterization study in Bangladesh to assist with studies of arsenic in drinking water supplies. His current research focuses on characterizing groundwater and surface water interaction as well as monitoring and simulation of the urban hydrologic cycle
Science and Products
Assessing stormwater reduction through green infrastructure: RecoveryPark (Detroit, Mich.)
The effectiveness of green infrastructure (including urban land conversion and bioswales) at reducing stormwater runoff is being assessed at RecoveryPark, a redeveloped urban farm in Detroit, Michigan. This study will monitor pre- and post-construction storm-sewer flow, groundwater levels, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (ET) to evaluate stormwater-volume reduction in response to...
Nutrient Monitoring: Detroit River Monitoring
The Detroit River is a major contribution of flow to Western Lake Erie. However, difficulty in estimating the phosphorus load from the river has led to uncertainty in the phosphorus budget in Lake Erie. To reduce this uncertainty the USGS, in cooperation with the USEPA through GLRI, have begun depth and width integrated water-quality sampling of the Detroit River. The results of this sampling will...
Groundwater monitoring and research
Groundwater is an important water resource. The USGS collects information on the quality and quantity of groundwater and conducts advanced modeling of groundwater flow and groundwater/surface-water systems. The USGS also evaluates the effects of water-use, land-use, and climate change on groundwater, surface-water, and the ecosystems that rely on them.
Response to an oil spill on the Kalamazoo River
Enbridge Energy Partners LLP (Enbridge) reported a 30-inch pipeline ruptured on Monday, July 26, 2010, near Marshall, Michigan. The release, estimated at 819,000 gallons, entered Talmadge Creek and flowed into the Kalamazoo River, a Lake Michigan tributary. Heavy rains caused the river to overtop existing dams and carried oil 30 miles downstream on the Kalamazoo River. As the federal agency in...
Groundwater Data Available Online
The USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center cooperates with local and state agencies to collect and maintain groundwater data across the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In Michigan, the USGS and local partners actively monitor 90 wells. Of the 90 wells, 22 are continuously monitored with 3 of those continuously monitored sites displayed in near real-time. All current and historical...
NAWQA Groundwater
The National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) provides an understanding of water-quality conditions; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions. Regional and national assessments are possible because of a consistent study design and uniform methods of data collection and analysis. Monitoring data are...
Science and Products
- Science
Assessing stormwater reduction through green infrastructure: RecoveryPark (Detroit, Mich.)
The effectiveness of green infrastructure (including urban land conversion and bioswales) at reducing stormwater runoff is being assessed at RecoveryPark, a redeveloped urban farm in Detroit, Michigan. This study will monitor pre- and post-construction storm-sewer flow, groundwater levels, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (ET) to evaluate stormwater-volume reduction in response to...Nutrient Monitoring: Detroit River Monitoring
The Detroit River is a major contribution of flow to Western Lake Erie. However, difficulty in estimating the phosphorus load from the river has led to uncertainty in the phosphorus budget in Lake Erie. To reduce this uncertainty the USGS, in cooperation with the USEPA through GLRI, have begun depth and width integrated water-quality sampling of the Detroit River. The results of this sampling will...Groundwater monitoring and research
Groundwater is an important water resource. The USGS collects information on the quality and quantity of groundwater and conducts advanced modeling of groundwater flow and groundwater/surface-water systems. The USGS also evaluates the effects of water-use, land-use, and climate change on groundwater, surface-water, and the ecosystems that rely on them.Response to an oil spill on the Kalamazoo River
Enbridge Energy Partners LLP (Enbridge) reported a 30-inch pipeline ruptured on Monday, July 26, 2010, near Marshall, Michigan. The release, estimated at 819,000 gallons, entered Talmadge Creek and flowed into the Kalamazoo River, a Lake Michigan tributary. Heavy rains caused the river to overtop existing dams and carried oil 30 miles downstream on the Kalamazoo River. As the federal agency in...Groundwater Data Available Online
The USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center cooperates with local and state agencies to collect and maintain groundwater data across the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In Michigan, the USGS and local partners actively monitor 90 wells. Of the 90 wells, 22 are continuously monitored with 3 of those continuously monitored sites displayed in near real-time. All current and historical...NAWQA Groundwater
The National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) provides an understanding of water-quality conditions; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions. Regional and national assessments are possible because of a consistent study design and uniform methods of data collection and analysis. Monitoring data are... - Data
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