Rebecca Carvin is a Physical Scientist with the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Monitoring nonpoint source runoff in urban and agricultural environments
- Water-quality data collection and analysis
CURRENT PROJECTS
- Water quality monitoring and geomorphic assessment of Pleasant Valley for the Wisconsin Buffer Initiative Pilot Project
- Evaluation of Experimental Rain Gardens at Edgewood College
- Particle-Size Distribution from Urban Land Uses and Source Areas
Education and Certifications
M.S. in Water Resources Management – University of Wisconsin at Madison - 2008
B.S. in Environmental Geology – Beloit College, WI - 2005
Science and Products
Upper Pecatonica River Wisconsin Buffer Initiative pilot project
Total phosphorus and total dissolved phosphorous released from Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) as they contribute to leachable phosphorus in leaf litter and impact phosphorus loads in urban stormwater
Storm event data in the control and test catchments during the calibration and treatment phase of a urban tree canopy study in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from May 2018 through September 2020: U.S. Geological Survey data release
Stormwater-quality data in the control and test catchments during the calibration and treatment phase of a leaf collection study in Madison, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh, WI, from September 2016 through November 2019
Stormwater-quality data for lined permeable pavement systems in Madison, WI, from September 2016 through July 2018
Paired Watershed Data for Pleasant Valley Creek and Ridgeway Branch, Wisconsin 2006-2015
Seasonal variation in sediment and phosphorus yields in four Wisconsin agricultural watersheds
Testing a two-scale focused conservation strategy for reducing phosphorus and sediment loads from agricultural watersheds
Predicting recreational water quality advisories: A comparison of statistical methods
Human and bovine viruses and bacteria at three Great Lakes beaches: Environmental variable associations and health risk
Virtual Beach 3: user's guide
Developing and implementing the use of predictive models for estimating water quality at Great Lakes beaches
Predictive models have been used at beaches to improve the timeliness and accuracy of recreational water-quality assessments over the most common current approach to water-quality monitoring, which relies on culturing fecal-indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli.). Beach-specific predictive models use environmental and water-quality variables that are easily and quickly measured as s
Science and Products
- Science
Upper Pecatonica River Wisconsin Buffer Initiative pilot project
The Upper Pecatonica River pilot project is testing targeted water-quality improvement strategies in small agricultural watersheds. The USGS is contributing by monitoring phosphorus and sediment at the watershed outlets, quantifying in-stream sources and sinks of phosphorus and sediment, and developing innovative approaches for quantifying sediment-related stream impairments and TMDLs. - Data
Total phosphorus and total dissolved phosphorous released from Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) as they contribute to leachable phosphorus in leaf litter and impact phosphorus loads in urban stormwater
The data set contains results from leaf litter samples analyzed for total phosphorus (TP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) released from Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) leaves in three medium-density urban residential basins in Madison, WI, USA during October and November of 2017 and 2018. Tables contain averages and standard deviations for all replicatesStorm event data in the control and test catchments during the calibration and treatment phase of a urban tree canopy study in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from May 2018 through September 2020: U.S. Geological Survey data release
These data were collected as part of a study to assess the stormwater volume reduction capabilities of urban street trees. In this paired-catchment study rainfall-runoff relations were developed in a medium-density residential area before and after half of the street trees were removed from the treatment basin. The Supplementary_Event_Data set contains rainfall depth and intensity, event date andStormwater-quality data in the control and test catchments during the calibration and treatment phase of a leaf collection study in Madison, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh, WI, from September 2016 through November 2019
The data set contains phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and loads measured as part of a study to determine if, and by how much, removing leaves and other organic detritus from streets, through municipal leaf collection and street cleaning programs, could reduce nutrient contributions to local water bodies. Stormwater runoff was sampled in paired, medium-density, residential catchments duringStormwater-quality data for lined permeable pavement systems in Madison, WI, from September 2016 through July 2018
This dataset describes water-quality data measured from the parking lot influent and underdrain and overflow effluent from the porous asphalt, pervious concrete, and permeable interlocking concrete paver test plots in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Data include precipitation statistics; influent, overflow, and underdrain volumes; and concentrations and loads of total and dissolved forms of solids, nutriPaired Watershed Data for Pleasant Valley Creek and Ridgeway Branch, Wisconsin 2006-2015
This data release includes three sets of data collected for a farm- and field-focused phosphorus reduction study in south-central, Wisconsin, USA. Paired samples collected in the control and treatment watershed analyzed for suspended sediment, total phosphorus, and total dissolved phosphorus during the calibration and post-treatment phases are presented. Samples were collected in fall 2006 through - Multimedia
- Publications
Seasonal variation in sediment and phosphorus yields in four Wisconsin agricultural watersheds
Agricultural water quality projects in two distinct topographic regions in Wisconsin collected 5 to 10 yr of continuous stream discharge, suspended sediment (SS), total P (TP), and total dissolved P (TDP) in four watersheds (2100–5000 ha) from 2006 to 2016. Previous agricultural nonpoint SS and TP reduction efforts in two of these watersheds documented cold versus warm season differences in waterTesting a two-scale focused conservation strategy for reducing phosphorus and sediment loads from agricultural watersheds
This study tested a focused strategy for reducing phosphorus (P) and sediment loads in agricultural streams. The strategy involved selecting small watersheds identified as likely to respond relatively quickly, and then focusing conservation practices on high-contributing fields within those watersheds. Two 5,000 ha (12,360 ac) watersheds in the Driftless Area of south central Wisconsin, previouslyPredicting recreational water quality advisories: A comparison of statistical methods
Epidemiological studies indicate that fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in beach water are associated with illnesses among people having contact with the water. In order to mitigate public health impacts, many beaches are posted with an advisory when the concentration of FIB exceeds a beach action value. The most commonly used method of measuring FIB concentration takes 18–24 h before returning a resHuman and bovine viruses and bacteria at three Great Lakes beaches: Environmental variable associations and health risk
Waterborne pathogens were measured at three beaches in Lake Michigan, environmental factors for predicting pathogen concentrations were identified, and the risk of swimmer infection and illness was estimated. Waterborne pathogens were detected in 96% of samples collected at three Lake Michigan beaches in summer, 2010. Samples were quantified for 22 pathogens in four microbial categories (human virVirtual Beach 3: user's guide
Virtual Beach version 3 (VB3) is a decision support tool that constructs site-specific statistical models to predict fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations at recreational beaches. VB3 is primarily designed for beach managers responsible for making decisions regarding beach closures or the issuance of swimming advisories due to pathogen contamination. However, researchers, scientists, engDeveloping and implementing the use of predictive models for estimating water quality at Great Lakes beaches
Predictive models have been used at beaches to improve the timeliness and accuracy of recreational water-quality assessments over the most common current approach to water-quality monitoring, which relies on culturing fecal-indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli.). Beach-specific predictive models use environmental and water-quality variables that are easily and quickly measured as s