Kenna Gierke

The Illinois River receives nutrients from point and non-point runoff from upstream urban and agricultural areas. These excess nutrients could be contributing to harmful algal blooms in the Illinois River and its tributaries. Successfully mitigating the blooms requires an understanding of the underlying nutrient processes occurring in the river. Phosphorus is often the nutrient that...

Nutrient and soil runoff from agricultural fields in the Upper East River basin contribute to eutrophication in downstream waters like Lake Michigan. Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient in freshwater ecosystems and the binding of dissolved phosphorus to suspended sediment can reduce its bioavailability. These data provide information about what size particles are binding phosphorus...

Understanding sediment nutrient dynamics in the Milwaukee River Basin is important for assessing water quality and stream habitat. The Milwaukee River is a major tributary to Lake Michigan that provides clean drinking water for over one million people. Urban and agricultural runoff are linked to elevated loads of phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment in the river. Excessive nutrients can...

The dataset represents the results of floodplain soil samples collected in Navigation Pool 8 of the upper Mississippi River. The objective of the research was to assess the changes in soil chemistry and nutrient transformation at floodplain forest sites in the presence or absence of invasive reed canarygrass (RCG- Phalaris arundinacea) and determine if the RCG effect was modified by the...

The Maumee River transports huge loads of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to Lake Erie. The increased concentrations of N and P are causing eutrophication of the lake, creating hypoxic zones, and contributing to phytoplankton blooms. It is hypothesized that the P loads are a major contributor to harmful algal blooms that occur in the western basin of Lake Erie, particularly in summer...