Jennifer Sharpe, is a Geographer with the USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center, in Urbana, Illinois.
Professional Experience
September 1997–present, Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey Central Midwest Water Science Center, Urbana, Illinois
December 1994–September 1997, Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 1994–November 1994, United Nations Environment Programme/Global Resource InformationDatabase Programme (UNEP/GRID), EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
June 1994–November 1994, Visiting EPA Fellow, United Nations Environment Programme/Global Resource InformationDatabase Programme (UNEP/GRID), EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
July 1991–May 1994, Research Assistant, Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies (CALMIT), Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
Education and Certifications
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588. M.A. Geography, December 1994
Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056. B.A. Geography, Cartography Minor, May 1991
Science and Products
Bathymetry and Water-Quality of Surface Water Bodies in Cook County, Illinois
Bathymetry and Water-Quality Data of Surface Waterbodies in Cook County, Illinois, 2022
Select Groundwater-Quality and Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project 2019 to Present (ver. 3.0, November 2023)
Data Release for Secondary Hydrogeologic Regions of the Conterminous United States (ver. 2.0, June 2022)
Groundwater data, predictor variables, and rasters used for predicting redox conditions in the glacial aquifer, northern continental United States
Data Release for Evaluation of Six Methods for Correcting Bias in Estimates from Ensemble Tree Machine Learning Regression Models
Datasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013 to 2015
Data for the Estimation of Regional Flow-Duration Curves for Indiana and Illinois (ver. 2.0, February 2021)
Data used to evaluate drinking water quality in the glacial aquifer system, northern USA
National Multi Order Hydrologic Position (MOHP) Predictor Data for Groundwater and Groundwater-Quality Modeling
Point data for four case studies related to testing of multi-order hydrologic position
Summaries of selected SSURGO soil attributes within the Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting (LMDA) system
Bathymetric survey of Rock Run Rookery Lake, Will County, Illinois
Bathymetric map and surface area and capacity table for Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas, 2018
Bathymetric map and surface area and capacity table for Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas, 2018
Bathymetric survey of Lake Calumet, Cook County, Illinois
Flood-inundation maps for the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, 2013
Flood-Inundation Maps for a 1.6-Mile Reach of Salt Creek, Wood Dale, Illinois
Statewide sampling to determine spatial distribution, prevalence, and occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Illinois community water supplies, 2020–21
Estimating peak-flow quantiles for selected annual exceedance probabilities in Illinois
Predicted uranium and radon concentrations in New Hampshire (USA) groundwater—Using Multi Order Hydrologic Position as predictors
Multiorder hydrologic position in the conterminous United States: A set of metrics in support of groundwater mapping at regional and national scales
Secondary hydrogeologic regions of the conterminous United States
Estimation of peak discharge quantiles for selected annual exceedance probabilities in northeastern Illinois
Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting land cover change estimation by use of the National Land Cover Dataset and raingage network partitioning analysis
Estimation of regional flow-duration curves for Indiana and Illinois
Flood-inundation maps for a nine-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois
Ohio River backwater flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers in southern Illinois
Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations in the Illinois River between Hennepin and Peoria, Illinois: 2007-08
Flood of September 13-16, 2008, in northeastern Illinois
Science and Products
- Science
Bathymetry and Water-Quality of Surface Water Bodies in Cook County, Illinois
Surface water bodies in Cook County are used for stormwater detention, domestic and industrial uses, recreation, and commercial navigation. However, the bathymetry (elevation of the bottom surface) of most water bodies in Cook County has not been measured or mapped comprehensively. Similarly, water quality in most of these water bodies is unknown. - Data
Bathymetry and Water-Quality Data of Surface Waterbodies in Cook County, Illinois, 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Cook County Bureau of Technology (BOT), prioritized waterbodies (lakes, rivers, and canals) of interest within Cook County to survey in 2022. These surveys describe the bathymetry and basic water-quality conditions observed, and could be used by the BOT to assist with resource management decisions and uses, as well as build an inventory thSelect Groundwater-Quality and Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project 2019 to Present (ver. 3.0, November 2023)
Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed from 417 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and the water-quality data and quality-control data are included in this data release. The samples were collected from three types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the qualityData Release for Secondary Hydrogeologic Regions of the Conterminous United States (ver. 2.0, June 2022)
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) previously identified 62 Principal Aquifers (PAs) in the U.S., with 57 located in the conterminous states. The USGS characterized areas outside of PAs as “other rocks;” other rocks account for about 40% of the area of the conterminous states. This paper subdivides the large area identified as other rocks into Secondary Hydrogeologic Regions (SHRs). SHRs are defineGroundwater data, predictor variables, and rasters used for predicting redox conditions in the glacial aquifer, northern continental United States
This data release contains input data used in model development and TIF raster files used to predict the probability of low dissolved oxygen (DO) and high dissolved iron (Fe) in groundwater within the glacial aquifer system in the northern continental United States. Input data include measured DO and Fe concentrations at groundwater wells, and associated predictor variable data. The probability ofData Release for Evaluation of Six Methods for Correcting Bias in Estimates from Ensemble Tree Machine Learning Regression Models
Ensemble-tree machine learning (ML) regression models can be prone to systematic bias: small values are overestimated and large values are underestimated. Additional bias can be introduced if the dependent variable is a transform of the original data. Six methods were evaluated for their ability to correct systematic and introduced bias: (1) empirical distribution matching (EDM); (2) regression ofDatasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013 to 2015
Groundwater-quality data were collected from 648 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (514) were sampled from January through December 2016 and 60 of them were sampled in 2013 and 74 in 2014. The data were collected from seven types of well networks: principal aData for the Estimation of Regional Flow-Duration Curves for Indiana and Illinois (ver. 2.0, February 2021)
Digital datasets were used to develop basin characteristics whose values are used in multiple regression equations and tested for the use in predicting flow-duration curves (FDCs) in ungaged areas of Illinois and Indiana. Several basin characteristics are easily derived from StreamStats (https://streamstats.usgs.gov/ss/) basin delineations themselves, such as basin area and basin centroid. OtherData used to evaluate drinking water quality in the glacial aquifer system, northern USA
This data release contains groundwater-quality data and well information for the glacial aquifer system in the northern USA. Water-quality data and well information were derived from a dataset compiled from three sources: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS; USGS, 1998, 2002), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Safe Drinking Water Information SysNational Multi Order Hydrologic Position (MOHP) Predictor Data for Groundwater and Groundwater-Quality Modeling
Multi Order Hydrologic Position (MOHP) raster datasets: Distance from Stream to Divide (DSD) and Lateral Position (LP) have been produced nationally for the 48 contiguous United States at a 30-meter resolution for stream orders 1 through 9. These data are available for testing as predictor variables for various regional and national groundwater-flow and groundwater-quality statistical models. ThePoint data for four case studies related to testing of multi-order hydrologic position
The location of a point (or pixel) within the conterminous U.S. can be assigned based on its position relative to the Nation's stream network. Two metrics are recognized: lateral position (LP) and distance from stream to divide (DSD). And given that a point can have different positions in different hydrologic orders the term multi-order hydrologic position (MOHP) is used to describe the ensembleSummaries of selected SSURGO soil attributes within the Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting (LMDA) system
As part of the Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting (LMDA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District (USACE-Chicago) uses Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) models to estimate runoff from the ungaged portion of the diverted Lake Michigan watershed. Simulation accuracy is evaluated at nine gaged watersheds in or adjacent to the diverted watershed. This data release consists ofBathymetric survey of Rock Run Rookery Lake, Will County, Illinois
The bathymetric data set was collected in Rock Run on Dec. 10, 2015 by USGS ILWSC staff Clayton Bosch and Louis Pappas. The bathymetric data were collected with an RD Instruments 1200 kHz ADCP (S/N 8617) and Trimble Ag 162 GPS mounted on the M/V La Moine. A temporary reference point (TRP) was established on the north side of the footbridge over the connecting channel to the Des Plaines River. The - Maps
Bathymetric map and surface area and capacity table for Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas, 2018
Beaver Lake was constructed in 1966 on the White River in the northwest corner of Arkansas for flood control, hydroelectric power, public water supply, and recreation. The surface area of Beaver Lake is about 27,900 acres and approximately 449 miles of shoreline are at the conservation pool level (1,120 feet above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988). Sedimentation in reservoirs can result iBathymetric map and surface area and capacity table for Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas, 2018
Beaver Lake was constructed in 1966 on the White River in the northwest corner of Arkansas for flood control, hydroelectric power, public water supply, and recreation. The surface area of Beaver Lake is about 27,900 acres and approximately 449 miles of shoreline are at the conservation pool level (1,120 feet above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988). Sedimentation in reservoirs can result iBathymetric survey of Lake Calumet, Cook County, Illinois
The U.S. Geological Survey collected bathymetric data in Lake Calumet and a portion of the Calumet River in the vicinity of Lake Calumet to produce a bathymetric map. The bathymetric survey was made over 3 days (July 26, September 11, and November 7, 2012). Lake Calumet has become a focus area for Asian carp rapid-response efforts by state and federal agencies, and very little bathymetric data exiFlood-inundation maps for the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, 2013
Digital flood-inundation maps for a 15.5-mi reach of the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Will County Stormwater Management Planning Committee. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimaFlood-Inundation Maps for a 1.6-Mile Reach of Salt Creek, Wood Dale, Illinois
Digital flood-inundation maps for a 1.6-mile reach of Salt Creek from upstream of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad to Elizabeth Drive, Wood Dale, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the DuPage County Stormwater Management Division. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at - Publications
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Statewide sampling to determine spatial distribution, prevalence, and occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Illinois community water supplies, 2020–21
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been manufactured and used globally since the 1940s. PFAS are used for their oil- and water-repellent properties, ability to reduce friction, and their flame-retardant nature. PFAS are widely used in a variety of products, including clothing, carpet, food packaging, and firefighting foam. The properties that maAuthorsAmy M. Gahala, Jennifer B. Sharpe, Andrew M. WilliamsEstimating peak-flow quantiles for selected annual exceedance probabilities in Illinois
This report presents the methods, results, and applications of an updated flood-frequency study for the State of Illinois. This study, which uses data through September 2017, updates two previous studies that used data through 1999 and 2009, respectively. Flood-frequency estimates are used for a variety of land-use planning and infrastructure design purposes, including for the hydraulic design ofAuthorsThomas M. Over, Mackenzie K. Marti, Padraic S. O'Shea, Jennifer B. SharpePredicted uranium and radon concentrations in New Hampshire (USA) groundwater—Using Multi Order Hydrologic Position as predictors
Two radioactive elements, uranium (U) and radon (Rn), which are of potential concern in New Hampshire (NH) groundwater, are investigated. Exceedance probability maps are tools to highlight locations where the concentrations of undesirable substances in the groundwater may be elevated. Two forms of statistical analysis are used to create exceedance probability maps for U and Rn in NH groundwater. TAuthorsRichard B. Moore, Kenneth Belitz, Joseph D. Ayotte, Terri L. Arnold, Laura Hayes, Jennifer B. Sharpe, J. Jeffrey StarnMultiorder hydrologic position in the conterminous United States: A set of metrics in support of groundwater mapping at regional and national scales
The location of a point on the landscape within a stream network (hydrologic position) can be an important predictive measure in hydrology. Hydrologic position is defined here by two metrics: lateral position and distance from stream to divide, both measured horizontally. Lateral position (dimensionless) is the relative position of a point between the stream and its watershed divide. Distance fromAuthorsKenneth Belitz, Richard B. Moore, Terri Arnold, Jennifer B. Sharpe, J. Jeffrey StarnSecondary hydrogeologic regions of the conterminous United States
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) previously identified and mapped 62 Principal Aquifers (PAs) in the U.S., with 57 located in the conterminous states. Areas outside of PAs, which account for about 40% of the conterminous U.S., were collectively identified as “other rocks.” This paper, for the first time, subdivides this large area into internally-consistent features, defined here as Secondary HAuthorsKenneth Belitz, Elise Watson, Tyler D. Johnson, Jennifer B. SharpeEstimation of peak discharge quantiles for selected annual exceedance probabilities in northeastern Illinois
This report provides two sets of equations for estimating peak discharge quantiles at annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs) of 0.50, 0.20, 0.10, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.002 (recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 years, respectively) for watersheds in Illinois based on annual maximum peak discharge data from 117 watersheds in and near northeastern Illinois. One set ofAuthorsThomas M. Over, Riki J. Saito, Andrea G. Veilleux, Padraic S. O'Shea, Jennifer B. Sharpe, David T. Soong, Audrey L. IshiiLake Michigan Diversion Accounting land cover change estimation by use of the National Land Cover Dataset and raingage network partitioning analysis
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Chicago District, is responsible for monitoring and computation of the quantity of Lake Michigan water diverted by the State of Illinois. As part of this effort, the USACE uses the Hydrological Simulation Program–FORTRAN (HSPF) with measured meteorological data inputs to estimate runoff from the Lake Michigan diversion special contributing areas (SCAs), thAuthorsJennifer B. Sharpe, David T. SoongEstimation of regional flow-duration curves for Indiana and Illinois
Flow-duration curves (FDCs) of daily streamflow are useful for many applications in water resources planning and management but must be estimated at ungaged sites. One common technique for estimating FDCs at ungaged sites in a given region is to use equations obtained by linear regression of FDC quantiles against multiple basin characteristics that can be computed by means of a geographic informatAuthorsThomas M. Over, James D. Riley, Mackenzie K. Marti, Jennifer B. Sharpe, Donald V. ArvinFlood-inundation maps for a nine-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois
Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and the Villages of Lincolnshire and Riverwoods. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usAuthorsElizabeth A. Murphy, David T. Soong, Jennifer B. SharpeOhio River backwater flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers in southern Illinois
Digital flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers referenced to elevations on the Ohio River in southern Illinois were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The inundation maps, accessible through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water leAuthorsElizabeth A. Murphy, Jennifer B. Sharpe, David T. SoongFecal-indicator bacteria concentrations in the Illinois River between Hennepin and Peoria, Illinois: 2007-08
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has designated portions of the Illinois River in Peoria, Woodford, and Tazewell Counties, Illinois, as impaired owing to the presence of fecal coliform bacteria. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, examined the water quality in the Illinois River and major tributaries within a 47-mile reach betweeAuthorsDavid H. Dupre, Jon Hortness, Paul J. Terrio, Jennifer B. SharpeFlood of September 13-16, 2008, in northeastern Illinois
Major flooding occurred in northeastern Illinois during September 13–16, 2008, following extended storm activity. Rainfall recorded at select Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), National Weather Service (NWS), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) rain gages in northeastern Illinois, ranged from 2.39 to 10.51 inches throughout a 51-hour period during September 12–14, 2008. The rainfall resulted in extAuthorsDavid J. Fazio, Jennifer B. Sharpe