Kathi Jo Jankowski, PhD
Kathi Jo Jankowski is the Principal Investigator for the Water Quality Component of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program's Long-term Resource Monitoring Element.
She coordinates water quality monitoring and research on the Upper Mississippi in coordination with several federal and state agencies. Her research aims to provide understanding on how aquatic ecosystems are responding to ongoing environmental change. Her work focuses on understanding nutrients, biogeochemical processes, and productivity in the Upper Mississippi and other river ecosystems globally.
Science and Products
Annual variation in summer phytoplankton communities influenced by river morphology and seasonal environmental conditions Annual variation in summer phytoplankton communities influenced by river morphology and seasonal environmental conditions
Phytoplankton samples were collected from the La Grange reach of the Illinois River from 2010-2020. Samples were collected from main channel, side channel and backwater areas. The following dataset includes phytoplankton community data (e.g., taxa, biovolume, cell counts, etc.). Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by...
Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) (ver. 2.0, July 2025) Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) (ver. 2.0, July 2025)
Riverine silicon (Si) plays a vital role in governing primary production, water quality, and carbon sequestration. The Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) database was constructed to assess changes in riverine Si concentrations and fluxes, their relationship to available nutrients, and to evaluate mechanisms driving these patterns. GlASS includes dissolved Si (DSi), dissolved...
Average and annual climate, productivity, and hydrologic data for watersheds across the Northern Hemisphere Average and annual climate, productivity, and hydrologic data for watersheds across the Northern Hemisphere
This dataset includes average, and annual average (e.g., average of 2020) watershed characteristics and environmental driver data for 189 rivers across the Northern Hemisphere. Average data includes lithology (e.g., percent of watershed covered by volcanics), land use (e.g., percent of watershed covered by cropland), maximum day length, median nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations...
Monthly dissolved silicon concentrations from 198 rivers in the Northern Hemisphere Monthly dissolved silicon concentrations from 198 rivers in the Northern Hemisphere
This dataset includes monthly dissolved silicon (DSi) concentration data from 198 rivers across the Northern Hemisphere. Concentration and discharge data were sourced from public and/or published datasets and the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season model (Hirsch et al. 2010) was used to estimate monthly concentrations and flow-normalized concentrations for all sites over...
Sampling site, water quality, and fish community data from multi-agency monitoring of the Illinois Waterway response to lock and dam closures, 2019-2021 Sampling site, water quality, and fish community data from multi-agency monitoring of the Illinois Waterway response to lock and dam closures, 2019-2021
Lock and dam closures along the Illinois Waterway occurred in summer of 2020, resulting in a prolonged reduction in traffic of large vessels along the Waterway. To study the response of Illinois Waterway water quality and fish community, ongoing water quality and fish Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRMP) elements of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program were expanded from the...
Dissolved silicon concentration and yield estimates from streams and rivers in North America and Antarctica,1964-2021 Dissolved silicon concentration and yield estimates from streams and rivers in North America and Antarctica,1964-2021
These data include dissolved silicon concentration and yield from 60 rivers across North America, the Caribbean, and Antarctica from 1964-2021 and are associated with the publication “Long-term change in concentration and yield of riverine dissolved silicon from the poles to the tropics”. Data were compiled from multiple public sources including the Long-term Ecological Research Network...
Filter Total Items: 25
GlASS - Global Aggregation of Stream Silica GlASS - Global Aggregation of Stream Silica
Riverine silicon (Si) plays a vital role in governing primary production, water quality, and carbon cycling. Climate and land cover change have altered how dissolved Si (DSi) is processed on land, transported to rivers, and cycled through aquatic ecosystems. The Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) database was constructed to assess changes in river Si concentrations and fluxes...
Authors
Kathi Jo Jankowski, Keira Johnson, Nicholas Lyon, Sidney A. Bush, Paul Julian, Lienne R. Sethna, Diane M. McKnight, William H. McDowell, Adam S. Wymore, Pirkko Kortelainen, Hjalmar Laudon, Ruth C. Heindel, Amanda Poste, Arial J. Shogren, Fred Worrall, Luke Mosley, Pamela L. Sullivan, Joanna C. Carey
Variation and controls of sediment oxygen demand in backwater lakes of the Upper Mississippi River during winter Variation and controls of sediment oxygen demand in backwater lakes of the Upper Mississippi River during winter
Many ecological processes affect the availability of winter dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in rivers, a key feature of overwintering fish habitat. Sediment oxygen demand (SOD) contributes to DO depletion, particularly during ice-covered periods, and may cause hypoxic conditions in backwater lakes, affecting the availability of suitable overwintering habitat. Understanding the...
Authors
Patrik Mathis Perner, Rebecca M. Kreiling, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Eric A. Strauss
Climate, hydrology, and nutrients control the seasonality of Si concentrations in rivers Climate, hydrology, and nutrients control the seasonality of Si concentrations in rivers
The seasonal behavior of fluvial dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations, termed DSi regime, mediates the timing of DSi delivery to downstream waters and thus governs river biogeochemical function and aquatic community condition. Previous work identified five distinct DSi regimes across rivers spanning the Northern Hemisphere, with many rivers exhibiting multiple DSi regimes over time...
Authors
Keira Johnson, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Joanna C. Carey, Lienne R. Sethna, Sidney A. Bush, Diane M. McKnight, William H. McDowell, Adam S. Wymore, Pirkko Kortelainen, Jeremy B. Jones, Nicholas Lyon, Hjalmar Laudon, Amanda Poste, Pamela L. Sullivan
U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi River Science Forum—Summary of data and science needs and next steps U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi River Science Forum—Summary of data and science needs and next steps
The U.S. Geological Survey hosted a Mississippi River Science Forum with Federal agencies; Tribal, State, and local governments located in States that border the Mississippi River; academia; and other interested stakeholders. The purpose of the forum was to share current (2023) science; identify data gaps and areas of concern; and to prioritize next steps needed to advance the goals of...
Authors
John C. Nelson, Richard A. Rebich, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Thea M. Edwards, James H. Larson, Dale M. Robertson, Lori A. Sprague, Sarah M. Stackpoole, Katherine M. Summers, Peter J. Cinotto, Paul H. Rydlund, Christopher J. Churchill, Wesley M. Daniel, Owen P. McKenna, Beth Middleton, Jacoby Carter, Stephen B. Hartley, Jeffrey W. Frey, Kelly L. Warner
Reduction of large vessel traffic improves water quality and alters fish habitat-use throughout a large river Reduction of large vessel traffic improves water quality and alters fish habitat-use throughout a large river
Rivers are increasingly used as superhighways for the continental-scale transportation of freight goods, but the ecological impact of large vessel traffic on river ecosystems is difficult to study. Recently, the temporary maintenance closure of lock and dam systems on the Illinois Waterway (USA) brought commercial vessel traffic to a halt along the river's length, offering a rare...
Authors
Michael J. Spear, Brandon S. Harris, Taylor A. Bookout, Brian Ickes, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Levi E. Solomon, Kristopher A. Maxson, Andrya L. Whitten Harris, Andrew T. Mathis, Sam J. Schaick, Jesse A. Williams, Jason A. DeBoer, Allison W. Lenaerts, Eric C. Hine, John H. Chick, James T. Lamer
The where and why of large wood occurrence in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers The where and why of large wood occurrence in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
Large wood (LW) plays important geomorphic and ecological roles in rivers and is widely used as a restoration tool. Changes to floodplain land use and historical removal have altered wood dynamics in fluvial systems globally. We know little about the distribution and dynamics of LW in great rivers (approximately >105 km2) like the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers despite its...
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Kaija Gahm, Serenity Budd, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie, Richard A. Erickson, Roger J. Haro, Jason J. Rohweder
Science and Products
Annual variation in summer phytoplankton communities influenced by river morphology and seasonal environmental conditions Annual variation in summer phytoplankton communities influenced by river morphology and seasonal environmental conditions
Phytoplankton samples were collected from the La Grange reach of the Illinois River from 2010-2020. Samples were collected from main channel, side channel and backwater areas. The following dataset includes phytoplankton community data (e.g., taxa, biovolume, cell counts, etc.). Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by...
Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) (ver. 2.0, July 2025) Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) (ver. 2.0, July 2025)
Riverine silicon (Si) plays a vital role in governing primary production, water quality, and carbon sequestration. The Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) database was constructed to assess changes in riverine Si concentrations and fluxes, their relationship to available nutrients, and to evaluate mechanisms driving these patterns. GlASS includes dissolved Si (DSi), dissolved...
Average and annual climate, productivity, and hydrologic data for watersheds across the Northern Hemisphere Average and annual climate, productivity, and hydrologic data for watersheds across the Northern Hemisphere
This dataset includes average, and annual average (e.g., average of 2020) watershed characteristics and environmental driver data for 189 rivers across the Northern Hemisphere. Average data includes lithology (e.g., percent of watershed covered by volcanics), land use (e.g., percent of watershed covered by cropland), maximum day length, median nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations...
Monthly dissolved silicon concentrations from 198 rivers in the Northern Hemisphere Monthly dissolved silicon concentrations from 198 rivers in the Northern Hemisphere
This dataset includes monthly dissolved silicon (DSi) concentration data from 198 rivers across the Northern Hemisphere. Concentration and discharge data were sourced from public and/or published datasets and the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season model (Hirsch et al. 2010) was used to estimate monthly concentrations and flow-normalized concentrations for all sites over...
Sampling site, water quality, and fish community data from multi-agency monitoring of the Illinois Waterway response to lock and dam closures, 2019-2021 Sampling site, water quality, and fish community data from multi-agency monitoring of the Illinois Waterway response to lock and dam closures, 2019-2021
Lock and dam closures along the Illinois Waterway occurred in summer of 2020, resulting in a prolonged reduction in traffic of large vessels along the Waterway. To study the response of Illinois Waterway water quality and fish community, ongoing water quality and fish Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRMP) elements of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program were expanded from the...
Dissolved silicon concentration and yield estimates from streams and rivers in North America and Antarctica,1964-2021 Dissolved silicon concentration and yield estimates from streams and rivers in North America and Antarctica,1964-2021
These data include dissolved silicon concentration and yield from 60 rivers across North America, the Caribbean, and Antarctica from 1964-2021 and are associated with the publication “Long-term change in concentration and yield of riverine dissolved silicon from the poles to the tropics”. Data were compiled from multiple public sources including the Long-term Ecological Research Network...
Filter Total Items: 25
GlASS - Global Aggregation of Stream Silica GlASS - Global Aggregation of Stream Silica
Riverine silicon (Si) plays a vital role in governing primary production, water quality, and carbon cycling. Climate and land cover change have altered how dissolved Si (DSi) is processed on land, transported to rivers, and cycled through aquatic ecosystems. The Global Aggregation of Stream Silica (GlASS) database was constructed to assess changes in river Si concentrations and fluxes...
Authors
Kathi Jo Jankowski, Keira Johnson, Nicholas Lyon, Sidney A. Bush, Paul Julian, Lienne R. Sethna, Diane M. McKnight, William H. McDowell, Adam S. Wymore, Pirkko Kortelainen, Hjalmar Laudon, Ruth C. Heindel, Amanda Poste, Arial J. Shogren, Fred Worrall, Luke Mosley, Pamela L. Sullivan, Joanna C. Carey
Variation and controls of sediment oxygen demand in backwater lakes of the Upper Mississippi River during winter Variation and controls of sediment oxygen demand in backwater lakes of the Upper Mississippi River during winter
Many ecological processes affect the availability of winter dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in rivers, a key feature of overwintering fish habitat. Sediment oxygen demand (SOD) contributes to DO depletion, particularly during ice-covered periods, and may cause hypoxic conditions in backwater lakes, affecting the availability of suitable overwintering habitat. Understanding the...
Authors
Patrik Mathis Perner, Rebecca M. Kreiling, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Eric A. Strauss
Climate, hydrology, and nutrients control the seasonality of Si concentrations in rivers Climate, hydrology, and nutrients control the seasonality of Si concentrations in rivers
The seasonal behavior of fluvial dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations, termed DSi regime, mediates the timing of DSi delivery to downstream waters and thus governs river biogeochemical function and aquatic community condition. Previous work identified five distinct DSi regimes across rivers spanning the Northern Hemisphere, with many rivers exhibiting multiple DSi regimes over time...
Authors
Keira Johnson, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Joanna C. Carey, Lienne R. Sethna, Sidney A. Bush, Diane M. McKnight, William H. McDowell, Adam S. Wymore, Pirkko Kortelainen, Jeremy B. Jones, Nicholas Lyon, Hjalmar Laudon, Amanda Poste, Pamela L. Sullivan
U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi River Science Forum—Summary of data and science needs and next steps U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi River Science Forum—Summary of data and science needs and next steps
The U.S. Geological Survey hosted a Mississippi River Science Forum with Federal agencies; Tribal, State, and local governments located in States that border the Mississippi River; academia; and other interested stakeholders. The purpose of the forum was to share current (2023) science; identify data gaps and areas of concern; and to prioritize next steps needed to advance the goals of...
Authors
John C. Nelson, Richard A. Rebich, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Thea M. Edwards, James H. Larson, Dale M. Robertson, Lori A. Sprague, Sarah M. Stackpoole, Katherine M. Summers, Peter J. Cinotto, Paul H. Rydlund, Christopher J. Churchill, Wesley M. Daniel, Owen P. McKenna, Beth Middleton, Jacoby Carter, Stephen B. Hartley, Jeffrey W. Frey, Kelly L. Warner
Reduction of large vessel traffic improves water quality and alters fish habitat-use throughout a large river Reduction of large vessel traffic improves water quality and alters fish habitat-use throughout a large river
Rivers are increasingly used as superhighways for the continental-scale transportation of freight goods, but the ecological impact of large vessel traffic on river ecosystems is difficult to study. Recently, the temporary maintenance closure of lock and dam systems on the Illinois Waterway (USA) brought commercial vessel traffic to a halt along the river's length, offering a rare...
Authors
Michael J. Spear, Brandon S. Harris, Taylor A. Bookout, Brian Ickes, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Levi E. Solomon, Kristopher A. Maxson, Andrya L. Whitten Harris, Andrew T. Mathis, Sam J. Schaick, Jesse A. Williams, Jason A. DeBoer, Allison W. Lenaerts, Eric C. Hine, John H. Chick, James T. Lamer
The where and why of large wood occurrence in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers The where and why of large wood occurrence in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
Large wood (LW) plays important geomorphic and ecological roles in rivers and is widely used as a restoration tool. Changes to floodplain land use and historical removal have altered wood dynamics in fluvial systems globally. We know little about the distribution and dynamics of LW in great rivers (approximately >105 km2) like the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers despite its...
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Kaija Gahm, Serenity Budd, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie, Richard A. Erickson, Roger J. Haro, Jason J. Rohweder