Faith A Fitzpatrick
Faith Fitzpatrick is a research hydrologist at the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.
She has spent much of her career studying geomorphic characteristics and sediment dynamics of rivers related to land use and climate change. Her area of expertise is in historical watershed geomorphology and sediment budgets, specifically identifying natural and human causes for accelerated erosion and sedimentation problems, flooding, habitat degradation, eutrophication, and sources of contaminants. She works closely with water resources and fisheries managers from a variety of agencies in a scientific support role for decision-making. She recently completed an assignment as scientific support coordinator for EPA for the pipeline release of diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River Michigan. She is a lecturer in the UW-Madison Geography Department and an instructor for the USGS Training Center.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Physical Geography (Fluvial Geomorphology), Minor in Civil Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin. Dissertation: "Geomorphic and hydrologic responses to vegetation, climate, and
M.S. in Geology, University of Illinois, Illinois. Thesis: "Fluvial geomorphology of two contrasting tributaries of the Vermilion River, east-central Illinois", 1985-1988
B.S. in Geology, Minor in Chemistry, Lake Superior State University, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, 1981-1985
Science and Products
Urbanization influences on aquatic communities in northeastern Illinois streams
Sedimentation and sediment chemistry, Neopit Mill Pond, Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin, 2001
Simulation of ground-water flow and rainfall runoff with emphasis on the effects of land cover, Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, 1999-2001
Limitations and implications of stream classification
Nutrient, trace-element, and ecological history of Musky Bay, Lac Courte Oreilles, Wisconsin, as inferred from sediment cores
Physical, Chemical, and Biological Methods and Data from the Urban Land-Use-Gradient Study, Des Plaines and Fox River Basins, Illinois, 1999-2001
Effects of Land-Cover Change, Floods, and Stream Position on Geomorphic Processes - Implications for Restoration Activities
Effects of multi-scale environmental characteristics on agricultural stream biota in eastern Wisconsin
A comparison of multi-disciplinary methods for measuring physical conditions of streams
Spatial and temporal sensitivity of hydrogeomorphic response and recovery to deforestation, agriculture, and floods
Environmental setting of the upper Illinois River basin and implications for water quality
Effects of historical land-cover changes on flooding and sedimentation, North Fish Creek, Wisconsin
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Urbanization influences on aquatic communities in northeastern Illinois streams
Biotic indices and sediment trace element concentrations for 43 streams in northeastern Illinois (Chicago area) from the 1980s and 1990s were examined along an agricultural to urban land cover gradient to explore the relations among biotic integrity, sediment chemistry, and urbanization. The Illinois fish Alternative Index of Biotic Integrity (AIBI) ranged from poor to excellent in agricultural/ruAuthorsF. A. Fitzpatrick, M.A. Harris, T.L. Arnold, K.D. RichardsSedimentation and sediment chemistry, Neopit Mill Pond, Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin, 2001
The volume, texture, and chemistry of sediment deposited in a mill pond on the West Branch of the Wolf River at Neopit, Wis., Menominee Reservation, were studied in 2001-2002. The study was accomplished by examining General Land Office Survey Notes from 1854, establishing 12 transects through the mill pond, conducting soundings of the soft and hard bottom along each transect, and collecting core sAuthorsFaith A. Fitzpatrick, Marie C. PepplerSimulation of ground-water flow and rainfall runoff with emphasis on the effects of land cover, Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, 1999-2001
The effects of land cover on flooding and base-flow characteristics of Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wis., were examined in a study that involved ground-water-flow and rainfall-runoff modeling. Field data were collected during 1999-2001 for synoptic base flow, streambed head and temperature, precipitation, continuous streamflow and stream stage, and other physical characteristics. Well logs pAuthorsBernard N. Lenz, David A. Saad, Faith A. FitzpatrickLimitations and implications of stream classification
Stream classifications that are based on channel form, such as the Rosgen Level II classification, are useful tools for the physical description and grouping of streams and for providing a means of communication for stream studies involving scientists and (or) managers with different backgrounds. The Level II classification also is used as a tool to assess stream stability, infer geomorphic procesAuthorsK. E. Juracek, F. A. FitzpatrickNutrient, trace-element, and ecological history of Musky Bay, Lac Courte Oreilles, Wisconsin, as inferred from sediment cores
Sediment cores were collected from Musky Bay, Lac Courte Oreilles, and from surrounding areas in 1999 and 2001 to determine whether the water quality of Musky Bay has declined during the last 100 years or more as a result of human activity, specifically cottage development and cranberry farming. Selected cores were analyzed for sedimentation rates, nutrients, minor and trace elements, biogenic silAuthorsFaith A. Fitzpatrick, Paul J. Garrison, Sharon A. Fitzgerald, John F. ElderPhysical, Chemical, and Biological Methods and Data from the Urban Land-Use-Gradient Study, Des Plaines and Fox River Basins, Illinois, 1999-2001
Physical, chemical, and biological data were collected at 46 sites in the Fox and Des Plaines River Basins as part of the upper Illinois River Basin study of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The data, collected from 1999 to 2001, will be used to determine the effects of urbanization on streams in the Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area. To examine the possibAuthorsDebbie L. Adolphson, Terri Arnold, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Mitchell A. Harris, Kevin D. Richards, Barbara C. Scudder, Jana S. StewartEffects of Land-Cover Change, Floods, and Stream Position on Geomorphic Processes - Implications for Restoration Activities
A geomorphic study for North Fish Creek, a northern Wisconsin tributary to Lake Superior was analyzed to determine the hydrologic and geomorphic changes caused by clear-cut logging and agricultural activity. Discharge magnitude estimated with HEC-2 for full-channel capacities indicate that modern full-channel discharges are about twice as large as pre-1946 full-channel discharges. Flood-plain depoAuthorsF. A. FitzpatrickEffects of multi-scale environmental characteristics on agricultural stream biota in eastern Wisconsin
The U.S. Geological Survey examined 25 agricultural streams in eastern Wisconsin to determine relations between fish, invertebrate, and algal metrics and multiple spatial scales of land cover, geologic setting, hydrologic, aquatic habitat, and water chemistry data. Spearman correlation and redundancy analyses were used to examine relations among biotic metrics and environmental characteristics. RiAuthorsF. A. Fitzpatrick, B. C. Scudder, B. N. Lenz, D. J. SullivanA comparison of multi-disciplinary methods for measuring physical conditions of streams
No abstract available.AuthorsFaith A. FitzpatrickSpatial and temporal sensitivity of hydrogeomorphic response and recovery to deforestation, agriculture, and floods
Clear-cut logging followed by agricultural activity caused hydrologic and geomorphic changes in North Fish Creek, a Wisconsin tributary to Lake Superior. Hydro-geomorphic responses to changes in land use were sensitive to the location of reaches along the main stem and to the relative timing of large floods. Hydrologic and sediment-load modeling indicates that flood peaks were three times larger aAuthorsF. A. Fitzpatrick, J.C. KnoxEnvironmental setting of the upper Illinois River basin and implications for water quality
The upper Illinois River Basin (UIRB) is the 10,949 square mile drainage area upstream from Ottawa, Illinois, on the Illinois River. The UIRB is one of 13 studies that began in 1996 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. A compilation of environmental data from Federal, State, and local agencies provides a description of the environmental setting of theAuthorsTerri Arnold, Daniel J. Sullivan, Mitchell A. Harris, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Barbara C. Scudder, Peter M. Ruhl, Dorothea W. Hanchar, Jana S. StewartEffects of historical land-cover changes on flooding and sedimentation, North Fish Creek, Wisconsin
North Fish Creek, a Wisconsin tributary to Lake Superior, is an important recreational fishery that is potentially limited by the loss of aquatic habitat caused by accelerated flooding and sedimentation. A study of the historical flooding and sedimentation characteristics of North Fish Creek was done to determine how North Fish Creek responded to human-caused changes in land cover since European sAuthorsFaith A. Fitzpatrick, James C. Knox, Heather E. Whitman - News