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Jennifer Murphy

Jenny is a hydrologist with the USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center. Much of her work focuses on characterizing and understanding water-quality trends in the Nation's streams and rivers. Jenny also leads a team of scientists working to develop a proxy for harmful algal blooms in rivers.

Jenny has played an important role in characterizing water-quality trends with the Weighted Regressions on Time, Season and Discharge (WRTDS) model at >1,000 sites across the country using an extensive multi-agency dataset. Jenny's additional trends work includes looking at nitrate in the Mississippi River Basin, sediment in the lowermost Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, and water quality in streams and rivers in the Delaware River Basin. Additionally, she has worked on projects ranging from the evaluation of best management practices in small agricultural drainages, to characterizing and understanding ecological flows, estimating water use at thermoelectric powerplants, and harmonizing multisource data.  Her current interests are in trend studies, causal attribution of these trends, and exploring the influence of streamflow on water quality.

CURRENT & PAST PROJECTS

  • Co-lead of multisource surface water-quality trends task as part of the IWAAs Delaware River Basin Regional Pilot
  • NAWQA Surface Water Status and Trends team (Causal Analysis team lead)
  • Evaluating agricultural best management practices in northwestern MS
  • Ecological flows in the Cumberland and Tennessee River Basins
  • Water-quality trends in the Mississippi River Basin
  • Water use at thermoelectric powerplants
  • Water quality in the lowermost Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers

 

Professional Experience

  • 2020-Present, Hydrologist, USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center, DeKalb, Illinois

  • 2010-2020, Hydrologist, USGS,  Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Nashville, TN

  • 2007-2009, Project Geologist, ECS Limited, Nashville, TN

  • Summer 2007, Field Geologist, US Forest Service, Lewis and Clark National Forest, Great Falls, MT

  • 2006-2007, Research Assistant, USGS, Eastern Mineral Resources, Reston, VA

Education and Certifications

  • M.S., Earth and Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 2011

  • B.A., Geology, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 2006

Science and Products

gage house next to body of water lined with fall colored trees

Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin

Regional Water Availability Assessments are scientific assessments of water availability in different hydrologic regions across the Nation. In the Delaware River Basin, the USGS will conduct a focused assessment of increasing freshwater salinity and an integrated and comprehensive assessment of multiple water quantity, quality and use factors.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Integrated Water Availability Assessments
Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin

Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin

Regional Water Availability Assessments are scientific assessments of water availability in different hydrologic regions across the Nation. In the Delaware River Basin, the USGS will conduct a focused assessment of increasing freshwater salinity and an integrated and comprehensive assessment of multiple water quantity, quality and use factors.
Learn More
USGS Hydrologist Collects a Water-Quality Sample at Henry, Illinois

Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Monitoring - CMWSC

The Central Midwest Water Science Center (CMWSC) includes three states: Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. The water science center is responsible for providing information on discharge, water quality, water-use, and groundwater data. The Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) team is currently researching ways to better predict, analyze, and study HABs.
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center
Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Monitoring - CMWSC

Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Monitoring - CMWSC

The Central Midwest Water Science Center (CMWSC) includes three states: Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. The water science center is responsible for providing information on discharge, water quality, water-use, and groundwater data. The Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) team is currently researching ways to better predict, analyze, and study HABs.
Learn More
USGS employee collecting water quality sample at USGS gage 09359020 Animas River below Silverton, CO.

Water-Quality Trends

Is water quality getting better or worse? Answering this deceptively simple question has been a fundamental objective of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project’s research. Learn about trends in contaminants in the nation’s streams and rivers, trends in contaminants that collect in the bed sediment of streams and lakes, and changes in the quality of the nation’s groundwater.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program
Water-Quality Trends

Water-Quality Trends

Is water quality getting better or worse? Answering this deceptively simple question has been a fundamental objective of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project’s research. Learn about trends in contaminants in the nation’s streams and rivers, trends in contaminants that collect in the bed sediment of streams and lakes, and changes in the quality of the nation’s groundwater.
Learn More
Stream in Tennessee forrest

Environmental Flow Research in the Tennessee River Basin

The objective of this project is to improve understanding of how alteration of streamflow characteristics affects the ecological health of rivers and streams in Tennessee. Initial efforts are aimed at identifying critical streamflow characteristics and providing a set of statistical tools and analytical approaches for the prediction of these characteristics. Application of these tools will enhance...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Environmental Flow Research in the Tennessee River Basin

Environmental Flow Research in the Tennessee River Basin

The objective of this project is to improve understanding of how alteration of streamflow characteristics affects the ecological health of rivers and streams in Tennessee. Initial efforts are aimed at identifying critical streamflow characteristics and providing a set of statistical tools and analytical approaches for the prediction of these characteristics. Application of these tools will enhance...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 23

Estimation of Annual and Monthly Loads of Nitrate + Nitrite, Total Phosphorous, and Dissolved Phosphorus in Illinois for Water Years 1974 to 2022 Estimation of Annual and Monthly Loads of Nitrate + Nitrite, Total Phosphorous, and Dissolved Phosphorus in Illinois for Water Years 1974 to 2022

This data release contains data in support of "Diverging trends in Nitrate and Phosphorus Loads and Yields Across Illinois Watersheds, 1997–2022" (Kamrath and others, 2025). It contains input and output data used to estimate total nitrate + nitrite, dissolved phosphorous and total phosphorous loads for sites in Illinois from water years 1974 to 2022. The input data includes "input-data...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Annual Estimates of Suspended Sediment Concentration and Load to Support Trend Analysis on the Lower Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River, 1978–2021 Annual Estimates of Suspended Sediment Concentration and Load to Support Trend Analysis on the Lower Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River, 1978–2021

This data release contains annual estimates of total, fine (
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Average Annual Loads and Yields of Nitrate and Phosphorus from Illinois Watersheds (HUC8s) for Three Periods between 1997 and 2022 Average Annual Loads and Yields of Nitrate and Phosphorus from Illinois Watersheds (HUC8s) for Three Periods between 1997 and 2022

This data release supports "Diverging trends in nitrate and phosphorus loads and yields across Illinois watersheds, 1997–2022" (Kamrath and others, 2024) and the State of Illinois's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS; Illinois Environmental Protection Agency [IEPA] and others, 2015). This data release contains estimates of incremental nitrate (NO3) and total phosphorus (TP) loads and...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Multisource Discrete Chlorophyll Data in the Illinois River Basin, 1976–2023 Multisource Discrete Chlorophyll Data in the Illinois River Basin, 1976–2023

This data release contains discrete chlorophyll data, specifically corrected chlorophyll a, uncorrected chlorophyll a, and pheophytin pigments, from inland waters in the Illinois River Basin for 1981–2023. These data are discrete samples (collected in the field and analyzed in the laboratory) of plankton (suspended algae) and periphyton (benthic algae) from lakes, streams, rivers, canals...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Modeled transport components of daily chlorophyll-a in the Illinois River, 2018 through 2020 (version 1.1, April 2024) Modeled transport components of daily chlorophyll-a in the Illinois River, 2018 through 2020 (version 1.1, April 2024)

TThis data release contains approximately three years of modeled chlorophyll-a—a proxy for planktonic algal biomass—transport through a 394-km portion of the Illinois River. Defined by four distinct reaches, model estimates include daily water balance, velocities, and algal biomass separated into its components of net growth, net loss, transported from upstream, and input from...
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Data to support Leveraging machine learning to automate regression model evaluations for large multi-site water-quality trend studies Data to support Leveraging machine learning to automate regression model evaluations for large multi-site water-quality trend studies

This data release contains one dataset and one model archive in support of the journal article, "Leveraging machine learning to automate regression model evaluations for large multi-site water-quality trend studies," by Jennifer C. Murphy and Jeffrey G. Chanat. The model archive contains scripts (run in R) to reproduce the four machine learning models (logistic regression, linear and...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center
Filter Total Items: 35

Temporal changes in nutrient concentrations in the Lower Grand River and selected drainage basins, Missouri and Iowa, during the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (2010–23) Temporal changes in nutrient concentrations in the Lower Grand River and selected drainage basins, Missouri and Iowa, during the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (2010–23)

This report describes a cooperative study by the U.S. Geological Survey and Missouri Department of Natural Resources that evaluated temporal changes in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the Lower Grand River hydrologic unit. The study focused on trends since 2010, when the basin was designated as a priority drainage basin of the Mississippi River Basin...
Authors
Brock Kamrath, Courtney Lauderback, Jennifer Murphy
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

A systematic literature review of forecasting and predictive models of harmful algal blooms in flowing waters A systematic literature review of forecasting and predictive models of harmful algal blooms in flowing waters

Occurrences of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in rivers challenge the belief that rivers are not susceptible to HABs because of their short residence times and fluctuating hydrology. Here we present a systematic literature review of predictive and forecasting models for HABs in flowing waters, including rivers, flowing in-stream reservoirs (e.g., run-of-river reservoirs and lock-and-dam...
Authors
Jennifer Murphy, Rebecca Gorney, Lisa Lucas, Jacob Zwart, Jennifer Graham
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Tracking persistent declines in suspended sediment in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, 1992–2021: Harnessing WRTDSplus to characterize longitudinally varying trends and explore connections to streamflow Tracking persistent declines in suspended sediment in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, 1992–2021: Harnessing WRTDSplus to characterize longitudinally varying trends and explore connections to streamflow

Suspended sediment (SS) continues a century-long decline in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, United States. In this study, we use the WRTDSplus model to estimate concentrations and loads for total, fine (
Authors
Jennifer Murphy, Lindsey Schafer, Scott Mize
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Diverging trends in nitrate and phosphorus loads and yields across Illinois watersheds, 1997–2022 Diverging trends in nitrate and phosphorus loads and yields across Illinois watersheds, 1997–2022

Illinois is a major contributor of nutrients to the northern Gulf of Mexico. As such, the State of Illinois initiated efforts to curb nutrient runoff over the last several decades. To evaluate progress towards these reductions, water-quality data were used to estimate incremental loads and yields of nitrate plus nitrite (NO3) and total phosphorus (TP) from 1997–2022 for 49 Illinois...
Authors
Brock Kamrath, Jennifer Murphy, Lindsey Schafer, Hannah Podzorski, Gregory McIsaac
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Chlorophyll a in lakes and streams of the United States (2005–2022) Chlorophyll a in lakes and streams of the United States (2005–2022)

The concentration of chlorophyll a in phytoplankton and periphyton represents the amount of algal biomass. We compiled an 18-year record (2005–2022) of pigment data from water bodies across the United States (US) to support efforts to develop process-based, machine learning, and remote sensing models for prediction of harmful algal blooms (HABs). To our knowledge, this dataset of nearly...
Authors
Sarah Spaulding, Lindsay R.C. Platt, Jennifer Murphy, S. Covert, Judson Harvey
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Evaluation of metrics and thresholds for use in national-scale river harmful algal bloom assessments Evaluation of metrics and thresholds for use in national-scale river harmful algal bloom assessments

The spatiotemporal distribution of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in rivers remains poorly understood, and there is an urgent need to develop a consistent set of metrics to better document HAB occurrences and forecast future events. Using data from seven sites in the Illinois River Basin, we computed metrics focused on HAB conditions related to excess algal growth and hypoxia. Daily mean...
Authors
Sarah Stackpoole, Jacob Zwart, Jennifer Graham, Judson Harvey, Noah Schmadel, Jennifer Murphy
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Murphy, J.C., G.M. Hornberger, and R.G. Liddle, 2014, Concentration–discharge relationships in the coal mined region of the New River basin and Indian Fork sub-basin, Tennessee, USA. Hydrological Processes 28: 718-728.
Debra Perrone, Jennifer Murphy, and George M. Hornberger (2011), Gaining Perspective on the Water−Energy Nexus at the Community Scale. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (10), pp 4228–4234
DOI: 10.1021/es103230n.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Experimental Forecast for River Chlorophyll Experimental Forecast for River Chlorophyll

This app displays historical total chlorophyll observations at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gaging stations, forecasts from the USGS models currently submitted to the Ecological Forecasting Initiative (EFI)-USGS River Chlorophyll Forecasting Challenge, and forecasted driver data used to create the models in a user-friendly interface.
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Tracking Water Quality in U.S. Streams and Rivers Tracking Water Quality in U.S. Streams and Rivers

This online graphical data tool provides USGS National Water Quality Network data, water-quality loads, and trends.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program, Gulf of America

WRTDSplus: Extensions to the WRTDS method. WRTDSplus: Extensions to the WRTDS method.

For some sites and constituents the three dimensions of the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model do not capture all the important aspects of water quality variability. For example, in some locations hysteresis or antecedent flow conditions are important influences on water quality concentration and loads. In other places, daily flow is less predictive than...
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

EGRET EGRET

An R-package for the analysis of long-term changes in water quality and streamflow, including the water-quality method Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS).
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Concentrations of suspended sediment decreasing in many US streams and rivers

Concentrations of suspended sediment decreasing in many US streams and rivers

A new USGS study reports that landscape management actions across the U.S. aimed at reducing concentrations of suspended sediment in streams and...

Read Article

Science and Products

gage house next to body of water lined with fall colored trees

Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin

Regional Water Availability Assessments are scientific assessments of water availability in different hydrologic regions across the Nation. In the Delaware River Basin, the USGS will conduct a focused assessment of increasing freshwater salinity and an integrated and comprehensive assessment of multiple water quantity, quality and use factors.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Integrated Water Availability Assessments
Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin

Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin

Regional Water Availability Assessments are scientific assessments of water availability in different hydrologic regions across the Nation. In the Delaware River Basin, the USGS will conduct a focused assessment of increasing freshwater salinity and an integrated and comprehensive assessment of multiple water quantity, quality and use factors.
Learn More
USGS Hydrologist Collects a Water-Quality Sample at Henry, Illinois

Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Monitoring - CMWSC

The Central Midwest Water Science Center (CMWSC) includes three states: Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. The water science center is responsible for providing information on discharge, water quality, water-use, and groundwater data. The Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) team is currently researching ways to better predict, analyze, and study HABs.
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center
Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Monitoring - CMWSC

Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Monitoring - CMWSC

The Central Midwest Water Science Center (CMWSC) includes three states: Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. The water science center is responsible for providing information on discharge, water quality, water-use, and groundwater data. The Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) team is currently researching ways to better predict, analyze, and study HABs.
Learn More
USGS employee collecting water quality sample at USGS gage 09359020 Animas River below Silverton, CO.

Water-Quality Trends

Is water quality getting better or worse? Answering this deceptively simple question has been a fundamental objective of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project’s research. Learn about trends in contaminants in the nation’s streams and rivers, trends in contaminants that collect in the bed sediment of streams and lakes, and changes in the quality of the nation’s groundwater.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program
Water-Quality Trends

Water-Quality Trends

Is water quality getting better or worse? Answering this deceptively simple question has been a fundamental objective of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project’s research. Learn about trends in contaminants in the nation’s streams and rivers, trends in contaminants that collect in the bed sediment of streams and lakes, and changes in the quality of the nation’s groundwater.
Learn More
Stream in Tennessee forrest

Environmental Flow Research in the Tennessee River Basin

The objective of this project is to improve understanding of how alteration of streamflow characteristics affects the ecological health of rivers and streams in Tennessee. Initial efforts are aimed at identifying critical streamflow characteristics and providing a set of statistical tools and analytical approaches for the prediction of these characteristics. Application of these tools will enhance...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Environmental Flow Research in the Tennessee River Basin

Environmental Flow Research in the Tennessee River Basin

The objective of this project is to improve understanding of how alteration of streamflow characteristics affects the ecological health of rivers and streams in Tennessee. Initial efforts are aimed at identifying critical streamflow characteristics and providing a set of statistical tools and analytical approaches for the prediction of these characteristics. Application of these tools will enhance...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 23

Estimation of Annual and Monthly Loads of Nitrate + Nitrite, Total Phosphorous, and Dissolved Phosphorus in Illinois for Water Years 1974 to 2022 Estimation of Annual and Monthly Loads of Nitrate + Nitrite, Total Phosphorous, and Dissolved Phosphorus in Illinois for Water Years 1974 to 2022

This data release contains data in support of "Diverging trends in Nitrate and Phosphorus Loads and Yields Across Illinois Watersheds, 1997–2022" (Kamrath and others, 2025). It contains input and output data used to estimate total nitrate + nitrite, dissolved phosphorous and total phosphorous loads for sites in Illinois from water years 1974 to 2022. The input data includes "input-data...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Annual Estimates of Suspended Sediment Concentration and Load to Support Trend Analysis on the Lower Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River, 1978–2021 Annual Estimates of Suspended Sediment Concentration and Load to Support Trend Analysis on the Lower Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River, 1978–2021

This data release contains annual estimates of total, fine (
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Average Annual Loads and Yields of Nitrate and Phosphorus from Illinois Watersheds (HUC8s) for Three Periods between 1997 and 2022 Average Annual Loads and Yields of Nitrate and Phosphorus from Illinois Watersheds (HUC8s) for Three Periods between 1997 and 2022

This data release supports "Diverging trends in nitrate and phosphorus loads and yields across Illinois watersheds, 1997–2022" (Kamrath and others, 2024) and the State of Illinois's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS; Illinois Environmental Protection Agency [IEPA] and others, 2015). This data release contains estimates of incremental nitrate (NO3) and total phosphorus (TP) loads and...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Multisource Discrete Chlorophyll Data in the Illinois River Basin, 1976–2023 Multisource Discrete Chlorophyll Data in the Illinois River Basin, 1976–2023

This data release contains discrete chlorophyll data, specifically corrected chlorophyll a, uncorrected chlorophyll a, and pheophytin pigments, from inland waters in the Illinois River Basin for 1981–2023. These data are discrete samples (collected in the field and analyzed in the laboratory) of plankton (suspended algae) and periphyton (benthic algae) from lakes, streams, rivers, canals...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Modeled transport components of daily chlorophyll-a in the Illinois River, 2018 through 2020 (version 1.1, April 2024) Modeled transport components of daily chlorophyll-a in the Illinois River, 2018 through 2020 (version 1.1, April 2024)

TThis data release contains approximately three years of modeled chlorophyll-a—a proxy for planktonic algal biomass—transport through a 394-km portion of the Illinois River. Defined by four distinct reaches, model estimates include daily water balance, velocities, and algal biomass separated into its components of net growth, net loss, transported from upstream, and input from...
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Data to support Leveraging machine learning to automate regression model evaluations for large multi-site water-quality trend studies Data to support Leveraging machine learning to automate regression model evaluations for large multi-site water-quality trend studies

This data release contains one dataset and one model archive in support of the journal article, "Leveraging machine learning to automate regression model evaluations for large multi-site water-quality trend studies," by Jennifer C. Murphy and Jeffrey G. Chanat. The model archive contains scripts (run in R) to reproduce the four machine learning models (logistic regression, linear and...
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center
Filter Total Items: 35

Temporal changes in nutrient concentrations in the Lower Grand River and selected drainage basins, Missouri and Iowa, during the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (2010–23) Temporal changes in nutrient concentrations in the Lower Grand River and selected drainage basins, Missouri and Iowa, during the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (2010–23)

This report describes a cooperative study by the U.S. Geological Survey and Missouri Department of Natural Resources that evaluated temporal changes in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the Lower Grand River hydrologic unit. The study focused on trends since 2010, when the basin was designated as a priority drainage basin of the Mississippi River Basin...
Authors
Brock Kamrath, Courtney Lauderback, Jennifer Murphy
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

A systematic literature review of forecasting and predictive models of harmful algal blooms in flowing waters A systematic literature review of forecasting and predictive models of harmful algal blooms in flowing waters

Occurrences of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in rivers challenge the belief that rivers are not susceptible to HABs because of their short residence times and fluctuating hydrology. Here we present a systematic literature review of predictive and forecasting models for HABs in flowing waters, including rivers, flowing in-stream reservoirs (e.g., run-of-river reservoirs and lock-and-dam...
Authors
Jennifer Murphy, Rebecca Gorney, Lisa Lucas, Jacob Zwart, Jennifer Graham
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Tracking persistent declines in suspended sediment in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, 1992–2021: Harnessing WRTDSplus to characterize longitudinally varying trends and explore connections to streamflow Tracking persistent declines in suspended sediment in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, 1992–2021: Harnessing WRTDSplus to characterize longitudinally varying trends and explore connections to streamflow

Suspended sediment (SS) continues a century-long decline in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, United States. In this study, we use the WRTDSplus model to estimate concentrations and loads for total, fine (
Authors
Jennifer Murphy, Lindsey Schafer, Scott Mize
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Diverging trends in nitrate and phosphorus loads and yields across Illinois watersheds, 1997–2022 Diverging trends in nitrate and phosphorus loads and yields across Illinois watersheds, 1997–2022

Illinois is a major contributor of nutrients to the northern Gulf of Mexico. As such, the State of Illinois initiated efforts to curb nutrient runoff over the last several decades. To evaluate progress towards these reductions, water-quality data were used to estimate incremental loads and yields of nitrate plus nitrite (NO3) and total phosphorus (TP) from 1997–2022 for 49 Illinois...
Authors
Brock Kamrath, Jennifer Murphy, Lindsey Schafer, Hannah Podzorski, Gregory McIsaac
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Chlorophyll a in lakes and streams of the United States (2005–2022) Chlorophyll a in lakes and streams of the United States (2005–2022)

The concentration of chlorophyll a in phytoplankton and periphyton represents the amount of algal biomass. We compiled an 18-year record (2005–2022) of pigment data from water bodies across the United States (US) to support efforts to develop process-based, machine learning, and remote sensing models for prediction of harmful algal blooms (HABs). To our knowledge, this dataset of nearly...
Authors
Sarah Spaulding, Lindsay R.C. Platt, Jennifer Murphy, S. Covert, Judson Harvey
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Evaluation of metrics and thresholds for use in national-scale river harmful algal bloom assessments Evaluation of metrics and thresholds for use in national-scale river harmful algal bloom assessments

The spatiotemporal distribution of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in rivers remains poorly understood, and there is an urgent need to develop a consistent set of metrics to better document HAB occurrences and forecast future events. Using data from seven sites in the Illinois River Basin, we computed metrics focused on HAB conditions related to excess algal growth and hypoxia. Daily mean...
Authors
Sarah Stackpoole, Jacob Zwart, Jennifer Graham, Judson Harvey, Noah Schmadel, Jennifer Murphy
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Murphy, J.C., G.M. Hornberger, and R.G. Liddle, 2014, Concentration–discharge relationships in the coal mined region of the New River basin and Indian Fork sub-basin, Tennessee, USA. Hydrological Processes 28: 718-728.
Debra Perrone, Jennifer Murphy, and George M. Hornberger (2011), Gaining Perspective on the Water−Energy Nexus at the Community Scale. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (10), pp 4228–4234
DOI: 10.1021/es103230n.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Experimental Forecast for River Chlorophyll Experimental Forecast for River Chlorophyll

This app displays historical total chlorophyll observations at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gaging stations, forecasts from the USGS models currently submitted to the Ecological Forecasting Initiative (EFI)-USGS River Chlorophyll Forecasting Challenge, and forecasted driver data used to create the models in a user-friendly interface.
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Tracking Water Quality in U.S. Streams and Rivers Tracking Water Quality in U.S. Streams and Rivers

This online graphical data tool provides USGS National Water Quality Network data, water-quality loads, and trends.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program, Gulf of America

WRTDSplus: Extensions to the WRTDS method. WRTDSplus: Extensions to the WRTDS method.

For some sites and constituents the three dimensions of the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model do not capture all the important aspects of water quality variability. For example, in some locations hysteresis or antecedent flow conditions are important influences on water quality concentration and loads. In other places, daily flow is less predictive than...
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

EGRET EGRET

An R-package for the analysis of long-term changes in water quality and streamflow, including the water-quality method Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS).
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Concentrations of suspended sediment decreasing in many US streams and rivers

Concentrations of suspended sediment decreasing in many US streams and rivers

A new USGS study reports that landscape management actions across the U.S. aimed at reducing concentrations of suspended sediment in streams and...

Read Article
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