Jennifer L Graham, Ph.D.
Jennifer is a Research Hydrologist at the New York Water Science Center
Jennifer Graham currently serves as the harmful algal bloom coordinator for the USGS Water Mission Area. She also represents the USGS on the Interagency Working Group on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia. Jennifer began her career with the USGS in 1999 as a Volunteer for Science working on harmful algal blooms at the Columbia Environmental Research Center. She worked there as a volunteer until 2005, when she became a Hydrologist at the Kansas Water Science Center. Jennifer joined the New York Water Science Center in 2018. She is a nationally recognized expert in cyanobacteria and associated toxins and taste-and-odor compounds. For over two decades Jennifer has conducted research on the environmental factors influencing the occurrence of cyanotoxins in the United States. She has conducted both regional and single system studies at a variety of spatiotemporal scales.
The overarching theme of Jennifer’s research is the spatiotemporal distribution of algae and algal assemblages with respect to changing physical, chemical, and biological conditions in both lentic and lotic ecosystems. Focus areas currently include anthropogenic influences on algal production and community composition, environmental conditions leading to the development of harmful algal blooms, with an emphasis on cyanobacteria, the occurrence, fate, and transport of cyanobacterial toxins and taste-and-odor compounds, and the development of predictive models for the occurrence of cyanobacterial toxins and taste-and-odor compounds. She has a complimentary interest in evaluating and using leading-edge technology, such as continuous water-quality instrumentation and satellite imagery, to improve predictive capabilities for the onset, duration, and decline of harmful algal bloom events. Research efforts include partnerships within the USGS as well as with local, state, and federal agencies and universities.
Professional Experience
USGS as Research Hydrologist at the New York Water Science Center 2018-present.
USGS as a Hydrologist at the Kansas Water Science Center 2005-2018.
USGS as a Volunteer for Science working on harmful algal blooms at the Columbia Environmental Research Center 1999-2005.
Education and Certifications
PhD in Fisheries and Wildlife with a specialization in Limnology (2004) – University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
MS in Biology with a specialization in Aquatic Ecology (1998) – Southwest Missouri
BS in Environmental Science (1995) – Davis and Elkins College, Elkins, WV
Science and Products
Phytoplankton Data for 18 Texas Reservoirs, August through October, 2016
Velocity test data for assessing the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, July 10 to 13, 2017
Microcystin, chlorophyll, and cell-count data for assessing the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, July 9 to 17, 2017
Milford Lake, Kansas, spatial water-quality data, July 27 and August 31, 2015
Phytoplankton data for Milford Lake, Kansas, July 27 and August 31, 2015
Water-quality data from two sites on Milford Lake, Kansas, July 26-27 and August 30-31, 2015
Water-quality data from four Indian Creek sites, Johnson County, Kansas, July 22-25, 2014 and August 21-27, 2015
Spatial water-quality data for Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, May 23, 2013, July 23, 2014, July 30, 2015, and August 26, 2015
Sediment Oxygen Demand Data for Eastern Kansas Streams, August 2014 through December 2015
Phytoplankton data for Cheney Reservoir near Cheney, Kansas, June 2001 through November 2015
Spectral mixture analysis for surveillance of harmful algal blooms (SMASH): A field-, laboratory-, and satellite-based approach to identifying cyanobacteria genera from remotely sensed data
Cyanobacteria, cyanotoxin synthetase gene, and cyanotoxin occurrence among selected large river sites of the conterminous United States, 2017–18
Technical note—Relative variability of selected turbidity standards and sensors in use by the U.S. Geological Survey
Phytoplankton and cyanobacteria abundances in mid-21st century lakes depend strongly on future land use and climate projections
Cyanotoxin occurrence in the United States: A 20 year retrospective
The extent and variability of storm‐induced temperature changes in lakes measured with long‐term and high‐frequency data
Spatial and temporal variability of nutrients and algae in the Republican River and Milford Lake, Kansas, June through November 2017 and May through November 2018
Cyanotoxin occurrence in large rivers of the United States
Cyanotoxins occur in rivers worldwide but are understudied in lotic ecosystems relative to lakes and reservoirs. Eleven large river sites located throughout the United States were sampled during June–September 2017 to determine the occurrence of cyanobacteria with known cyanotoxin-producing strains, cyanotoxin synthetase genes, and cyanotoxins. Chlorophyll-a concentrations spanned the range from o
Spatial and temporal variability of harmful algal blooms in Milford Lake, Kansas, May through November 2016
Understanding the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Water-quality conditions with an emphasis on cyanobacteria and associated toxins and taste-and-odor compounds in the Kansas River, Kansas, July 2012 through September 2016
Book review: Handbook of cyanobacterial monitoring and cyanotoxin analysis
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 22
Phytoplankton Data for 18 Texas Reservoirs, August through October, 2016
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides phytoplankton data collected from 18 Texas reservoirs during August through October, 2016. All data are reported as raw calculated values and are not rounded to USGS significant figures. This data release was produced in compliance with the open data requirements as a way to make scientific products associated with USGS research efforts andVelocity test data for assessing the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, July 10 to 13, 2017
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides velocity test data for assessing the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, July 10 to 13, 2017. All data are reported as raw measured values and are not rounded to USGS significant figures. Water and algal bloom material were collected from Lake Okeechobee, Florida onMicrocystin, chlorophyll, and cell-count data for assessing the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, July 9 to 17, 2017
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides microcystin, chlorophyll, and cell-count data for assessing the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida. All data are reported as raw measured values and are not rounded to USGS significant figures. Water and algal bloom material were collected from Lake Okeechobee, FlorMilford Lake, Kansas, spatial water-quality data, July 27 and August 31, 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides spatial water-quality data collected from Milford Lake, Kansas, on July 27 and August 31, 2015. All data are reported as raw measured values and are not rounded to USGS significant figures. Continuous water-quality monitors were used to measure water temperature, specific conductance, turbidity, pH, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, dissolved oxygenPhytoplankton data for Milford Lake, Kansas, July 27 and August 31, 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides phytoplankton data collected from Milford Lake, Kansas, during July 27 and August 31, 2015. This data release was produced in compliance with the federal open-data requirements as a way to make scientific products associated with USGS research efforts and publications available to the public. The dataset includes all samples collected at thrWater-quality data from two sites on Milford Lake, Kansas, July 26-27 and August 30-31, 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides continuously-measured water-quality data collected from two sites on Milford Lake, Kansas, during July 26-27 and August 30-31, 2015. All data are reported as raw measured values and are not rounded to USGS significant figures. Water-quality monitors were used to measure water temperature, specific conductance, turbidity, pH, chlorophyll, phyWater-quality data from four Indian Creek sites, Johnson County, Kansas, July 22-25, 2014 and August 21-27, 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides continuously measured water-quality data collected from four Indian Creek sites in Johnson County, Kansas during July 22-25, 2014 and August 21-27, 2015. Water-quality monitors were used to measure water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, turbidity, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, and nitrate at fifteen-minute intervals. ThisSpatial water-quality data for Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, May 23, 2013, July 23, 2014, July 30, 2015, and August 26, 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides spatial water-quality data collected from Indian Creek in Johnson County, Kansas, on May 23, 2013, July 23, 2014, July 30, 2015, and August 26, 2015. Continuous water-quality monitors were used to measure water temperature, specific conductance, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, nitrate, and fluorescent dissolved orgSediment Oxygen Demand Data for Eastern Kansas Streams, August 2014 through December 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides data collected from sediment oxygen demand (SOD) deployments conducted at eight stream sites in eastern Kansas during August 2014 through December 2015. Continuous water-quality monitors were used to measure water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, turbidity, and total algae (chlorophyll-a and phycocyanin) at thirty secPhytoplankton data for Cheney Reservoir near Cheney, Kansas, June 2001 through November 2015
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides phytoplankton data collected from Cheney Reservoir, Kansas, during June 2001 through November 2015. All data are reported as raw calculated values and are not rounded to USGS significant figures. This data release was produced in compliance with the open data requirements as a way to make scientific products associated with USGS research eff - Multimedia
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Filter Total Items: 67
Spectral mixture analysis for surveillance of harmful algal blooms (SMASH): A field-, laboratory-, and satellite-based approach to identifying cyanobacteria genera from remotely sensed data
Algal blooms around the world are increasing in frequency and severity, often with the possibility of adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. The health and economic impacts associated with harmful algal blooms, or HABs, provide compelling rationale for developing new methods for monitoring these events via remote sensing. Although concentrations of chlorophyll-a and key pigments like phycoAuthorsCarl J. Legleiter, Tyler Victor King, Kurt D. Carpenter, Natalie Celeste Hall, Adam Mumford, E. Terrence Slonecker, Jennifer L. Graham, Victoria G. Stengel, Nancy Simon, Barry H. RosenCyanobacteria, cyanotoxin synthetase gene, and cyanotoxin occurrence among selected large river sites of the conterminous United States, 2017–18
The U.S. Geological Survey measured cyanobacteria, cyanotoxin synthetase genes, and cyanotoxins at 11 river sites throughout the conterminous United States in a multiyear pilot study during 2017–19 through the National Water Quality Assessment Project to better understand the occurrence of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in large inland and coastal rivers. This report focuses on the first 2 years ofAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, Jennifer L. Graham, Erin A. Stelzer, Keith A. Loftin, Barry H. RosenTechnical note—Relative variability of selected turbidity standards and sensors in use by the U.S. Geological Survey
The challenges associated with field measurements of turbidity are well known and result primarily from differences in reported values that depend on instrument design and the resulting need for reporting units that are specific to those designs. A critical challenge for making comparable turbidity measurements is the selection and use of appropriate turbidity standards for sensor calibration. TheAuthorsGuy M. Foster, Lindsey R. King, John D. Jastram, John K. Joiner, Brian A. Pellerin, Jennifer L. Graham, Thomas J. WilliamsPhytoplankton and cyanobacteria abundances in mid-21st century lakes depend strongly on future land use and climate projections
Land use and climate change are anticipated to affect phytoplankton of lakes worldwide. The effects will depend on the magnitude of projected land use and climate changes and lake sensitivity to these factors. We used random forests fit with long-term (1971–2016) phytoplankton and cyanobacteria abundance time series, climate observations (1971–2016), and upstream catchment land use (global ClumondAuthorsKaran Kakouei, B.M. Kraemer, O. Anneville, L. Carvalho, H. Feuchtmayr, Jennifer L. Graham, S. Higgins, F. Pomati, L.G. Rudstam, J.D. Stockwell, S.J. Thackeray, M. Vanni, R. AdrianCyanotoxin occurrence in the United States: A 20 year retrospective
Cyanobacterial blooms, and associated cyanotoxin occurrence, are a concern because of the potential harms posed to humans, wildlife, and aquatic ecosystem health. Evidence suggests the magnitude, frequency, and duration of cyanobacterial blooms are increasing, and these events represent a significant challenge to freshwaters and, increasingly, marine waters, worldwide. Cyanobacterial blooms routinAuthorsJennifer L. GrahamThe extent and variability of storm‐induced temperature changes in lakes measured with long‐term and high‐frequency data
The intensity and frequency of storms are projected to increase in many regions of the world because of climate change. Storms can alter environmental conditions in many ecosystems. In lakes and reservoirs, storms can reduce epilimnetic temperatures from wind‐induced mixing with colder hypolimnetic waters, direct precipitation to the lake's surface, and watershed runoff. We analyzed 18 long‐term aAuthorsJonathan P. Doubek, Orlane Anneville, Gael Dur, Aleksandra M. Lewandowska, Vijay P. Patil, James A. Rusak, Nico Salmaso, Christian T. Seltmann, Dietmar Straile, Pablo Urrutia‐Cordero, Patrick Venail, Rita Adrian, Maria B. Alfonso, Curtis L. DeGasperi, Elvira de Eyto, Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Evelyn Gaiser, Scott F Girdner, Jennifer L. Graham, Hans-Peter Grossart, Josef Hejzlar, Stéphan Jacquet, Georgiy Kirillin, María E. Llames, Shin-Ichiro S. Matsuzaki, Emily Nodine, Maria Cintia Piccolo, Donald C. Pierson, Alon Rimmer, Lars G. Rudstam, Steven Sadro, Hilary M. Swain, Stephen J. Thackeray, Wim Thiery, Piet Verburg, Tamar Zohary, Jason D. StockwellSpatial and temporal variability of nutrients and algae in the Republican River and Milford Lake, Kansas, June through November 2017 and May through November 2018
Milford Lake has been listed as impaired and designated hypereutrophic because of excessive nutrient loading, specifically biologically available orthophosphate. It is the largest lake by surface area in Kansas and is a reservoir built for purposes including water supply and recreation. In 2015, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) divided the lake into three zones (Zones A, B, aAuthorsBrianna M. Leiker, Justin R. Abel, Jennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster, Lindsey R. King, Tom C. Stiles, Riley P. BuleyCyanotoxin occurrence in large rivers of the United States
Cyanotoxins occur in rivers worldwide but are understudied in lotic ecosystems relative to lakes and reservoirs. Eleven large river sites located throughout the United States were sampled during June–September 2017 to determine the occurrence of cyanobacteria with known cyanotoxin-producing strains, cyanotoxin synthetase genes, and cyanotoxins. Chlorophyll-a concentrations spanned the range from o
AuthorsJennifer L. Graham, Neil Dubrovsky, Guy Foster, Lindsey R. King, Keith Loftin, Barry Rosen, Erin StelzerSpatial and temporal variability of harmful algal blooms in Milford Lake, Kansas, May through November 2016
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), completed a study to quantify the spatial and temporal variability of cyanobacterial blooms in Milford Lake, Kansas, over a range of environmental conditions at various time scales (hours to months). A better understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of cyanobacteria and microcystinAuthorsGuy M. Foster, Jennifer L. Graham, Lindsey R. KingUnderstanding the effect of salinity tolerance on cyanobacteria associated with a harmful algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida
In an effort to simulate the survival of cyanobacteria asthey are transported from Lake Okeechobee to the estuarinehabitats that receive waters from the lake, a bioassayencompassing a range of salinities was performed. An overalldecline in cyanobacteria health in salinity treatments greaterthan 18 practical salinity units (psu) was indicated by loss ofcell membrane integrity based on SYTOX® GreenAuthorsBarry H. Rosen, Keith A. Loftin, Jennifer L. Graham, Katherine N. Stahlhut, James M. Riley, Brett D. Johnston, Sarena SenegalWater-quality conditions with an emphasis on cyanobacteria and associated toxins and taste-and-odor compounds in the Kansas River, Kansas, July 2012 through September 2016
Cyanobacteria cause a multitude of water-quality concerns, including the potential to produce toxins and taste-and-odor compounds that may cause substantial economic and public health concerns, and are of particular interest in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers that are used for drinking-water supply. Extensive cyanobacterial blooms typically do not develop in the Kansas River; however, reservoirs inAuthorsJennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster, Thomas J. Williams, Matthew D. Mahoney, Madison R. May, Keith A. LoftinBook review: Handbook of cyanobacterial monitoring and cyanotoxin analysis
Review of Meriluoto, Jussi, Lisa Spoof, and GeoffreyA. Codd [eds.]. 2017. Handbook of Cyanobacterial Monitoring and Cyanotoxin Analysis. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.: Chichester, West Sussex, UK, ISBN 978‐1‐119‐06868‐6 (978‐1‐119‐06876‐1 eBook), DOI 10.1002/9781119068761.AuthorsJennifer L. Graham, Keith A. Loftin - Software
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