Hi, I'm Joe Duris. I'm interested in trace organic compounds in water, understanding their fate and transport, and their interactions with stream and aquifer ecosystems. Have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Throughout my time at the USGS I have been actively involved in many facets of water-quality monitoring and research. I have worked with several national and regional USGS programs including the Toxics Substances Hydrology program (Toxics), the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA), the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), and most recently the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) Program in the Delaware River Basin. Most of my work throughout my career has focused on evaluating the occurrence, fate, and transport of fecally-derived pathogens and their relation to trace organic compounds (PFAS, wastewater compounds, pharmaceuticals, hormones, pesticides). In addition, I have worked on issues of nutrient enrichment and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in inland lakes and the Great Lakes, and on monitoring nutrient and sediment flux using surrogate regression models.
Current Research
- Evaluation of the distribution, fate, transport, and mass-balance of Per-and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) at multiple spatial scales and refining and testing field techniques for proper sampling of PFAS in surface water
- Evaluation of suspended sediment and nutrient flux in real-time using surrogate regression models by rating in-stream measurements with parameters of interest
- Exploring the connection between blending untreated human sewage and acid mine drainage on the microbial ecology of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in streams
- Data management, data visualization, and evaluating new monitoring technologies
Professional Experience
Water-Quality Specialist, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, 2016-present
Microbiologist, Michigan Water Science Center, 2002-2016
Education and Certifications
Master of Science in Biology with a focus on Environmental Microbiology, Western Michigan University, 2002
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and Chemistry, Western Michigan University, 1998
Science and Products
Hydrologic and Water Quality Studies of PFAS in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Susquehanna River and Basin
Pennsylvania Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network
Sediment and Stream Health - Pennsylvania
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Statewide Surface Water-Quality Monitoring Network - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sampling Preparation
Water Quality Monitoring - Pennsylvania
Surrogate regression models for computation of time series suspended-sediment, Delaware River Basin NGWOS, 2019 through 2022
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Water-Quality and Sonar Measurements alongside Conductivity, Temperature and Depth Measurements in the Delaware River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2021
Per-and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) and associated ancillary data from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA, 2019
Groundwater Seepage Measurements in Northeast Section of Bear Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan, October 2015
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in Pennsylvania surface waters: A statewide assessment, associated sources, and land-use relations
Characterization of ambient groundwater quality within a statewide, fixed-station monitoring network in Pennsylvania, 2015–19
Effects of legacy sediment removal and effects on nutrients and sediment in Big Spring Run, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 2009–15
Spatial distribution of nutrients, chloride, and suspended sediment concentrations and loads determined by using different sampling methods in a cross section of the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, Michigan, November 2014–November 2015
Associations between cyanobacteria and indices of secondary production in the western basin of Lake Erie
Temporal trends in water-quality constituent concentrations and annual loads of chemical constituents in Michigan watersheds, 1998–2013
Groundwater flux and nutrient loading in the northeast section of Bear Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan, 2015
Understanding the hydrologic impacts of wastewater treatment plant discharge to shallow groundwater: Before and after plant shutdown
Pre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater‑facility-impacted stream reach
Detection of hepatitis E virus and other livestock-related pathogens in Iowa streams
Contamination with bacterial zoonotic pathogen genes in U.S. streams influenced by varying types of animal agriculture
Water quality and hydrology of Silver Lake, Oceana County, Michigan, with emphasis on lake response to nutrient loading
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.
Web Tools
Pennsylvania Real-Time Water Quality
Real-time computed concentrations of water-quality constituents such as suspended sediment and fecal coliform bacteria are calculated using ordinary least squares regression models. The results of these models, along with direct water-quality measurements, can be viewed here as time-series graphs, or downloaded as tabular data.
Science and Products
- Science
Hydrologic and Water Quality Studies of PFAS in Pennsylvania
USGS is working with federal, state, and local partners to monitor and evaluate perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Pennsylvania's groundwater and surface waters. A recent study sampled tap water in Pennsylvania (and other states) and detected PFAS chemicals in some samples.Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
USGS provides monitoring, analysis, modeling and research on streams and water quality to better understand the fate and transport of nutrients and sediment to the Susquehanna and other rivers, and their tributaries, and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Additional research focuses on emerging contaminants and other stressors that effect human and aquatic life in the watershed and estuary.Susquehanna River and Basin
In Pennsylvania, the USGS's water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers and assessments of groundwater resources near Philadelphia. The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center continues to provide scientific information about the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin, in cooperation with regional and...Pennsylvania Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network
USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, samples 28 wells biannually to monitor ambient groundwater quality conditions throughout Pennsylvania.Sediment and Stream Health - Pennsylvania
Sediment in streams, from land surface erosion in watersheds, is an important factor in determining the quality of Pennsylvania's surface waters and of downstream water bodies such as the Delaware Estuary and Chesapeake Bay. The USGS has a long-standing tradition of measuring suspended-sediment concentrations and estimating loads. Recent technological advances allow real-time estimates of...Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.Pennsylvania Statewide Surface Water-Quality Monitoring Network - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sampling Preparation
In partnership with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Susquehanna River Basin Commission, rigorous and innovative PFAS sampling techniques were created for low-level detections.Water Quality Monitoring - Pennsylvania
Water-Quality Monitoring - Data
Surrogate regression models for computation of time series suspended-sediment, Delaware River Basin NGWOS, 2019 through 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part of the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) has collected discrete stream samples for analysis of suspended-sediment concentrations at eight real-time streamflow and water-quality monitoring (turbidity and suspended sediment) stations located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York in the Delaware River Basin. Data were collected from 2019-202Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Water-Quality and Sonar Measurements alongside Conductivity, Temperature and Depth Measurements in the Delaware River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2021
These datasets were created in support of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) for the Delaware River Basin pilot study (Eberts, Wagner, and Woodside, 2019). The NGWOS utilizes real-time data, improved computational capabilities, and new technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) to provide informationPer-and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) and associated ancillary data from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA, 2019
The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center (USGS PAWSC) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) has assembled this data release in support of ongoing USGS and PADEP evaluations related to the occurrence and distribution of Per-and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) within Pennsylvania surface water. The data is of four general types: Discrete samGroundwater Seepage Measurements in Northeast Section of Bear Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan, October 2015
Five discrete groundwater seepage measurements were collected to make a direct measurement of the flux of water across the sediment-water interface. Change in volume/time is the volumetric rate of flow. The volumetric rate of flow was used to calculate flux velocity (distance/time), by dividing the specific area of the seepage meter (2.70-square-feet). The change in volume over the time the seepag - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 33
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in Pennsylvania surface waters: A statewide assessment, associated sources, and land-use relations
The objectives of this study are to identify per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Pennsylvania surface waters, corresponding associations with potential sources of PFAS contamination (PSOC) and other parameters, and compare raw surface water concentrations to human and ecological benchmarks. Surface water samples from 161 streams were collected in September 2019 and were analyzed for 33 tAuthorsSara Breitmeyer, Amy Williams, Joseph W. Duris, Lee W. Eicholtz, Dustin R. Shull, Timothy A. Wertz, Emily WoodwardCharacterization of ambient groundwater quality within a statewide, fixed-station monitoring network in Pennsylvania, 2015–19
Pennsylvania leads the Nation in the number of individuals that use groundwater for private domestic water supply; more than 3 million rural and suburban Pennsylvania residents rely on private domestic supplies for drinking water. These supplies are not regulated nor routinely monitored; thus relevant groundwater-quality information is not widely available. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in coAuthorsMatthew D. Conlon, Joseph W. DurisEffects of legacy sediment removal and effects on nutrients and sediment in Big Spring Run, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 2009–15
Big Spring Run is a 1.68-square mile watershed underlain by mostly carbonate rock in a mixed land-use setting (part agricultural and part developed) in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Big Spring Run is a subwatershed of Mill Creek, a tributary to the Conestoga River. These watersheds are known contributors of nutrient and sediment loads to the Chesapeake Bay and several stream reaches are on the PAuthorsMichael J. Langland, Joseph W. Duris, Tammy M. Zimmerman, Jeffrey J. ChaplinSpatial distribution of nutrients, chloride, and suspended sediment concentrations and loads determined by using different sampling methods in a cross section of the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, Michigan, November 2014–November 2015
The Detroit River separates the United States and Canada as it flows from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie. The Trenton Channel is a 13-kilometer-long branch of the Detroit River that flows to the west of Grosse Ile before rejoining the Detroit River near its mouth, just before the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has listed both the Trenton Channel and DetroAuthorsAlexander R. Totten, Joseph W. DurisAssociations between cyanobacteria and indices of secondary production in the western basin of Lake Erie
Large lakes provide a variety of ecological services to surrounding cities and communities. Many of these services are supported by ecological processes that are threatened by the increasing prevalence of cyanobacterial blooms which occur as aquatic ecosystems experience cultural eutrophication. Over the past 10 yr, Lake Erie experienced cyanobacterial blooms of increasing severity and frequency,AuthorsJames H. Larson, Mary Anne Evans, Robert J. Kennedy, Sean Bailey, Keith A. Loftin, Zachary Laughrey, Robin Femmer, Jeff Schaeffer, William B. Richardson, Timothy Wynne, J. C. Nelson, Joseph W. DurisTemporal trends in water-quality constituent concentrations and annual loads of chemical constituents in Michigan watersheds, 1998–2013
In 1998, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Geological Survey began the Water Chemistry Monitoring Program for select streams in the State of Michigan. Objectives of this program were to provide assistance with (1) statewide water-quality assessments, (2) the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting process, and (3) water-resource management decisions.AuthorsChristopher J. Hoard, Lisa R. Fogarty, Joseph W. DurisGroundwater flux and nutrient loading in the northeast section of Bear Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan, 2015
Bear Lake in North Muskegon, Michigan, is listed as part of the Muskegon Lake area of concern as designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This area of concern was designated as a result of eutrophication and beneficial use impairments. On the northeast end of Bear Lake, two man-made retention ponds (Willbrandt Pond East and Willbrandt Pond West), formerly used for celery farming, maAuthorsAlexander R. Totten, Jessica A. Maurer, Joseph W. DurisUnderstanding the hydrologic impacts of wastewater treatment plant discharge to shallow groundwater: Before and after plant shutdown
Effluent-impacted surface water has the potential to transport not only water, but wastewater-derived contaminants to shallow groundwater systems. To better understand the effects of effluent discharge on in-stream and near-stream hydrologic conditions in wastewater-impacted systems, water-level changes were monitored in hyporheic-zone and shallow-groundwater piezometers in a reach of Fourmile CreAuthorsLaura E. Hubbard, Steffanie H. Keefe, Dana W. Kolpin, Larry B. Barber, Joseph W. Duris, Kasey J. Hutchinson, Paul M. BradleyPre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater‑facility-impacted stream reach
Pharmaceutical contamination of contiguous groundwater is a substantial concern in wastewater-impacted streams, due to ubiquity in effluent, high aqueous mobility, designed bioactivity, and to effluent-driven hydraulic gradients. Wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) closures are rare environmental remediation events; offering unique insights into contaminant persistence, long-term wastewater impacAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Larry B. Barber, Jimmy M. Clark, Joseph W. Duris, William T. Foreman, Edward T. Furlong, Carrie E. Givens, Laura E. Hubbard, Kasey J. Hutchinson, Celeste A. Journey, Steffanie H. Keefe, Dana W. KolpinDetection of hepatitis E virus and other livestock-related pathogens in Iowa streams
Manure application is a source of pathogens to the environment. Through overland runoff and tile drainage, zoonotic pathogens can contaminate surface water and streambed sediment and could affect both wildlife and human health. This study examined the environmental occurrence of gene markers for livestock-related bacterial, protozoan, and viral pathogens and antibiotic resistance in surface watersAuthorsCarrie E. Givens, Dana W. Kolpin, Mark A. Borchardt, Joseph W. Duris, Thomas B. Moorman, Susan K. SpencerContamination with bacterial zoonotic pathogen genes in U.S. streams influenced by varying types of animal agriculture
Animal waste, stream water, and streambed sediment from 19 small (< 32 km2) watersheds in 12 U.S. states having either no major animal agriculture (control, n = 4), or predominantly beef (n = 4), dairy (n = 3), swine (n = 5), or poultry (n = 3) were tested for: 1) cholesterol, coprostanol, estrone, and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations, and 2) shiga-toxin producing and enterotoxigenicAuthorsSheridan K. Haack, Joseph W. Duris, Dana W. Kolpin, Michael J. Focazio, Michael T. Meyer, Heather E. Johnson, Ryan J. Oster, William T. ForemanWater quality and hydrology of Silver Lake, Oceana County, Michigan, with emphasis on lake response to nutrient loading
Executive Summary Silver Lake is a 672-acre inland lake located in Oceana County, Michigan, and is a major tourist destination due to its proximity to Lake Michigan and the surrounding outdoor recreational opportunities. In recent years, Silver Lake exhibited patterns of high phosphorus concentrations, elevated chlorophyll a concentrations, and nuisance algal blooms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USAuthorsAngela K. Brennan, Christopher J. Hoard, Joseph W. Duris, Mary E. Ogdahl, Alan D. SteinmanNon-USGS Publications**
Atekwana, E.A., Atekwana, E.A., Werkema, D.D., Allen, J.P., Smart, L.A., Duris, J.W., Cassidy, D.P., Sauck, W.A., and Rossbach, S., 2004, Evidence for microbial enhanced electrical conductivity in hydrocarbon‐contaminated sediments: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 31, no. 23.Atekwana, E.A., Werkema Jr, D.D., Duris, J.W., Rossbach, S., Atekwana, E.A., Sauck, W.A., Cassidy, D.P., Means, J., and Legall, F.D., 2004, In-situ apparent conductivity measurements and microbial population distribution at a hydrocarbon-contaminated site: Geophysics, v. 69, no. 1, p. 56–63.Cassidy, D.P., Hudak, A.J., Werkema, D.D., Atekwana, E.A., Rossbach, S., Duris, J.W., Atekwana, E.A., and Sauck, W.A., 2002, In situ rhamnolipid production at an abandoned petroleum refinery: Soil and Sediment Contamination, v. 11, no. 5, p. 769–787.**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.
- Web Tools
Web Tools
Pennsylvania Real-Time Water Quality
Real-time computed concentrations of water-quality constituents such as suspended sediment and fecal coliform bacteria are calculated using ordinary least squares regression models. The results of these models, along with direct water-quality measurements, can be viewed here as time-series graphs, or downloaded as tabular data.
- News