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Hayley T Olds

Hayley Olds is a Hydrologist with the  Upper Midwest Water Science Center in Wisconsin, where she has worked since 2012.

Hayley Olds is stationed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her research has focused on freshwater quality assessments using both freshwater organisms and molecular source tracking. Hayley has experience with monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) composition, toxicity, and spatial extent using low-cost sampling techiques such as Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking (SPATT) technology throughout the Upper Midwest and Northeast regions, and nation-wide at National Parks throughout the country. Hayley also has experience in assessing benthic invertebrate, phytoplankton, and zooplankton communities, as well as sediment contamination and toxicity, in rivers and streams throughout Wisconsin, including several of Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Areas of Concern. Over her career, Hayley has been involved in collecting and analyzing ecological data, including algae, invertebrates, fish, sediment, and surveying habitat at a local scale in southeastern Wisconsin's tributaries to Lake Michigan, as well as nationally in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and California regions.

Professional Experience

  • 2015 - Present, Hydrologist, USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center

  • 2012 - 2015, Hydrologic Technician, USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Education and Certifications

  • 2015, M.S. in Freshwater Sciences and Technology – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Thesis: “The Identification and Quantification of Sewage Contamination in the Milwaukee Estu

  • 2013, B.S. in Water Resources – University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Wisconsin Section of the American Water Resources Association

         - 2012 - Present, Member

         - 2019 - Present, Planning Committee Communications Chair

Science and Products

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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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Select optical signals from water samples collected on the Menomonee River, Underwood Creek, and Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility from 2017-2019, and time-series optical sensor and one-hour mean streamflow data from the Menomonee River 2017-2018

5-day composite river water samples were collected from two sites: Menomonee River (U.S. Geological Survey station number 04087142) and Underwood Creek (U.S. Geological Survey station number 04087088) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 5-day composite wastewater (raw sewage) influent samples were also collected from the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility (U.S. Geological Survey station number 430125087
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

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

Human-associated indicator bacteria and human specific virus loads, sample volumes, and drainage areas for six Menomonee River Watershed sampling locations

Human-associated indicator bacteria and human specific viruses in the Menomonee River watershed in Milwaukee, WI were investigated from April 2009 to March 2011 at six sampling locations within the watershed. We used concentration and water volume data from runoff-event and low-flow periods to compute loads for each sample collected, and subsequently used those loads, and drainage area from each
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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
Two scientists collect a sediment core from the Root River at Grange Avenue in Greenfield, Wisconsin
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Scientist filters a water sample for nutrient analysis.
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Two scientists collect a sediment core from the Scuppernong River near Palmyra, Wisconsin
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Two scientists collect a sediment core from the Mukwonago River at Mukwonago, Wisconsin
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scientist sampling habitat in a shallow river surrounded by greenery and wildflowers
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A creek lined with rocks next to a grassy shore in early spring
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A milting rainbow trout held up by scientist after being caught through electrofishing
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Three scientists walking down a shallow river with backpack fish shocker to temporarily stun and sample fish
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Rainbow trout in net
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Close up view of a White Sucker fish being held in a person's left hand
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Breeding male central stoneroller fish with bumps on its head held in hands of scientist
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Invertebrate sampling - sieving
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Algal sampling after removal of subsample
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Invertebrate sampling
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Invertebrate sampling closeup
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Phytoplankton community interactions and cyanotoxin mixtures in three recurring surface blooms within one lake

Cyanobacteria can produce numerous secondary metabolites (cyanotoxins) with various toxicities, yet data on cyanotoxins in many lakes are limited. Moreover, little research is available on complex relations among cyanobacteria that produce toxins. Therefore, we studied cyanobacteria and 19 cyanotoxins at three sites with recurring blooms in Kabetogama Lake (USA). Seven of 19 toxins were detected i
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, 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 Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory

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

Human-associated indicator bacteria and human-specific viruses in surface water: a spatial assessment with implications on fate and transport

Hydrologic, seasonal, and spatial variability of sewage contamination was studied at six locations within a watershed upstream from water reclamation facility (WRF) effluent to define relative loadings of sewage from different portions of the watershed. Fecal pollution from human sources was spatially quantified by measuring two human-associated indicator bacteria (HIB) and eight human-specific vi
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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 Mission Area, 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 Mission Area, 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 Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Quantification of human-associated fecal indicators reveal sewage from urban watersheds as a source of pollution to Lake Michigan

Sewage contamination of urban waterways from sewer overflows and failing infrastructure is a major environmental and public health concern. Fecal coliforms (FC) are commonly employed as fecal indicator bacteria, but do not distinguish between human and non-human sources of fecal contamination. Human Bacteroides and humanLachnospiraceae, two genetic markers for human-associated indicator bacteria,
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Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Benthos and plankton community data for selected rivers and harbors along the western Lake Michigan shoreline, 2014

Benthos (benthic invertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) communities were sampled in 2014 at 10 Wisconsin rivers and harbors, including 4 sites in Great Lakes Areas of Concern and 6 less degraded comparison sites with similar physical and chemical characteristics, including climate, latitude, geology, and land use. Previous U.S. Geological Survey sampling was completed in 2012,
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Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

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 Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government