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Robert J Waschbusch

Robert Waschbusch is a Data Chief and Hydrologist with the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • Wisconsin streamflow network, monitoring and statistics
  • Recreational water quality
  • Surface water investigations of waterborne pathogens 
  • Wisconsin Flood-Frequency and Low-Flow Statistics

 

CURRENT PROJECTS

Maintenance and collection of streamflow data from the USGS Wisconsin streamgaging network to provide real-time streamflow data and to describe streamflow conditions and flood and low-flow characteristics for the State of Wisconsin.

 

 

Professional Experience

  • Data Chief - USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 2005 - present

  • Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 1992 to present

  • Hydrologic Technician, U.S. Geological Survey, 1988-1991

Education and Certifications

  • MS Water Resources Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1991)
     

  • BS Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1988)

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • State of Wisconsin Licensed Professional Hydrologist

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 14

Flood of July 2016 in northern Wisconsin and the Bad River Reservation

Heavy rain fell across northern Wisconsin and the Bad River Reservation on July 11, 2016, as a result of several rounds of thunderstorms. The storms caused major flooding in the Bad River Basin and nearby tributaries along the south shore of Lake Superior. Rainfall totals were 8–10 inches or more and most of the rain fell in an 8-hour period. A streamgage on the Bad River near Odanah, Wisconsin, r
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Eric D. Dantoin, Naomi Tillison, Kara M. Watson, Robert J. Waschbusch, James D. Blount
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Flood of June 2008 in Southern Wisconsin

In June 2008, heavy rain caused severe flooding across southern Wisconsin. The floods were aggravated by saturated soils that persisted from unusually wet antecedent conditions from a combination of floods in August 2007, more than 100 inches of snow in winter 2007-08, and moist conditions in spring 2008. The flooding caused immediate evacuations and road closures and prolonged, extensive damages
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Marie C. Peppler, John F. Walker, William J. Rose, Robert J. Waschbusch, James L. Kennedy
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water resources data - Wisconsin, water year 2005

Water-resources data for the 2005 water year for Wisconsin include records of streamflow at gaging stations, partial-record stations, and miscellaneous sites, records of precipitation, and records of chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of surface water. In addition, water levels in observation wells are reported. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, S.B. Marsh
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water resources data - Wisconsin, water year 2004

No abstract available.
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, S.B. Marsh, P.A. Stark

Water Resources Data - Wisconsin, Water Year 2003

Water-resources data for the 2003 water year for Wisconsin include records of streamflow at gaging stations, partialrecord stations, and miscellaneous sites, records of precipitation, and records of chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of surface water. In addition, water levels in observation wells are reported. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, B.R. Ellefson, P.A. Stark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Data and methods of a 1999-2000 street sweeping study on an urban freeway in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is required to control the quality of runoff from roadways under their control as part of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System. One way to control roadway runoff is to use street sweeping to remove pollutants before they are entrained in runoff. This may be a good option because land is often unavailable or prohibitively expensive and struc
Authors
Robert J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water Resources Data - Wisconsin, Water Year 2002

Water-resources data for the 2002 water year for Wisconsin include records of streamflow at gaging stations, partial record stations, and miscellaneous sites, records of precipitation, and records of chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of surface water. In addition, water levels in observation wells are reported. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, B.R. Ellefson, P.A. Stark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water Resources Data, Wisconsin, Water Year 2001

No abstract available.
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, B.R. Ellefson, P.A. Stark

Determination of the effects of fine-grained sediment and other limiting variables on trout habitat for selected streams in Wisconsin

Two Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models, developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were used to evaluate the effects of fine-grained (less than 2 millimeters) sediment on brook trout (Salvelinusfontinalis, Mitchill) and brown trout (Salmo trutta, Linnaeus) in 11 streams in west-central and southwestern Wisconsin. Our results indicated that fine-grained sediment limited brook trout habita
Authors
Barbara C. Scudder, J.W. Selbig, R.J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Sources of phosphorus in stormwater and street dirt from two urban residential basins in Madison, Wisconsin, 1994-95

Eutrophication is a common problem for lakes in agricultural and urban areas, such as Lakes Wingra and Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. This report describes a study to estimate the sources of phosphorus, a major contributor to eutrophication, to Lakes Wingra and Mendota from two small urban residential drainage basins. The Monroe Basin empties into Lake Wingra, and the Harper Basin into Lake Mendot
Authors
Robert J. Waschbusch, W.R. Selbig, Roger T. Bannerman
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Evaluation of the effectiveness of an urban stormwater treatment unit in Madison, Wisconsin, 1996-97

An urban stormwater treatment unit was tested as part of an ongoing program of urban nonpoint- pollution research in Madison, Wis. Flow measurements were made and water samples were collected at the inlet to, outlet from, and bypass around the treatment chamber of the device that was installed to collect the runoff from a city maintenance yard. About 90 percent of the runoff water from the 4.3-acr
Authors
Robert J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Stormwater-runoff data, Madison, Wisconsin, 1993-94

Section 402(P) of the Water Quality Control Act of 1987 requires that municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more obtain permits to discharge stormwater runoff and to control its quality. Monitoring and sampling of stormwater runoff from seven drainage basins in Madison, Wis., was performed from April 1993 through November 1994 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the city of Madison to (1) c
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link
Streamgage house in front of river with green foliage

MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Continuous Real-Time Streamflow

The MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study supports seven USGS streamflow gages on Milwaukee-area streams that measure real-time discharge and gage height; five of these sites also collect time-lapse videos.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Continuous Real-Time Streamflow

The MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study supports seven USGS streamflow gages on Milwaukee-area streams that measure real-time discharge and gage height; five of these sites also collect time-lapse videos.
Learn More
link
Photo of a staff gage on a Wisconsin stream

Streamflow monitoring in Wisconsin

Streamflow data are needed at many sites on a daily basis for forecasting flow conditions and flooding, water-management decisions, assessing water availability, managing water quality, and meeting legal requirements. The USGS has been measuring streamflow in Wisconsin since 1906 with nearly 1,000 active and discontinued gages.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

Streamflow monitoring in Wisconsin

Streamflow data are needed at many sites on a daily basis for forecasting flow conditions and flooding, water-management decisions, assessing water availability, managing water quality, and meeting legal requirements. The USGS has been measuring streamflow in Wisconsin since 1906 with nearly 1,000 active and discontinued gages.
Learn More
link
Photo of a flooded road and field near Gays Mills, Wis.

Flood hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to flooding hazards in Wisconsin.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

Flood hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to flooding hazards in Wisconsin.
Learn More
link
Photo of an ephemeral stream during low-flow conditions

Drought hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to drought hazards in Wisconsin.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

Drought hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to drought hazards in Wisconsin.
Learn More

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 14

Flood of July 2016 in northern Wisconsin and the Bad River Reservation

Heavy rain fell across northern Wisconsin and the Bad River Reservation on July 11, 2016, as a result of several rounds of thunderstorms. The storms caused major flooding in the Bad River Basin and nearby tributaries along the south shore of Lake Superior. Rainfall totals were 8–10 inches or more and most of the rain fell in an 8-hour period. A streamgage on the Bad River near Odanah, Wisconsin, r
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Eric D. Dantoin, Naomi Tillison, Kara M. Watson, Robert J. Waschbusch, James D. Blount
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Flood of June 2008 in Southern Wisconsin

In June 2008, heavy rain caused severe flooding across southern Wisconsin. The floods were aggravated by saturated soils that persisted from unusually wet antecedent conditions from a combination of floods in August 2007, more than 100 inches of snow in winter 2007-08, and moist conditions in spring 2008. The flooding caused immediate evacuations and road closures and prolonged, extensive damages
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Marie C. Peppler, John F. Walker, William J. Rose, Robert J. Waschbusch, James L. Kennedy
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water resources data - Wisconsin, water year 2005

Water-resources data for the 2005 water year for Wisconsin include records of streamflow at gaging stations, partial-record stations, and miscellaneous sites, records of precipitation, and records of chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of surface water. In addition, water levels in observation wells are reported. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, S.B. Marsh
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water resources data - Wisconsin, water year 2004

No abstract available.
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, S.B. Marsh, P.A. Stark

Water Resources Data - Wisconsin, Water Year 2003

Water-resources data for the 2003 water year for Wisconsin include records of streamflow at gaging stations, partialrecord stations, and miscellaneous sites, records of precipitation, and records of chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of surface water. In addition, water levels in observation wells are reported. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, B.R. Ellefson, P.A. Stark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Data and methods of a 1999-2000 street sweeping study on an urban freeway in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is required to control the quality of runoff from roadways under their control as part of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System. One way to control roadway runoff is to use street sweeping to remove pollutants before they are entrained in runoff. This may be a good option because land is often unavailable or prohibitively expensive and struc
Authors
Robert J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water Resources Data - Wisconsin, Water Year 2002

Water-resources data for the 2002 water year for Wisconsin include records of streamflow at gaging stations, partial record stations, and miscellaneous sites, records of precipitation, and records of chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of surface water. In addition, water levels in observation wells are reported. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, B.R. Ellefson, P.A. Stark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Water Resources Data, Wisconsin, Water Year 2001

No abstract available.
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch, D.L. Olson, B.R. Ellefson, P.A. Stark

Determination of the effects of fine-grained sediment and other limiting variables on trout habitat for selected streams in Wisconsin

Two Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models, developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were used to evaluate the effects of fine-grained (less than 2 millimeters) sediment on brook trout (Salvelinusfontinalis, Mitchill) and brown trout (Salmo trutta, Linnaeus) in 11 streams in west-central and southwestern Wisconsin. Our results indicated that fine-grained sediment limited brook trout habita
Authors
Barbara C. Scudder, J.W. Selbig, R.J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Sources of phosphorus in stormwater and street dirt from two urban residential basins in Madison, Wisconsin, 1994-95

Eutrophication is a common problem for lakes in agricultural and urban areas, such as Lakes Wingra and Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. This report describes a study to estimate the sources of phosphorus, a major contributor to eutrophication, to Lakes Wingra and Mendota from two small urban residential drainage basins. The Monroe Basin empties into Lake Wingra, and the Harper Basin into Lake Mendot
Authors
Robert J. Waschbusch, W.R. Selbig, Roger T. Bannerman
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Evaluation of the effectiveness of an urban stormwater treatment unit in Madison, Wisconsin, 1996-97

An urban stormwater treatment unit was tested as part of an ongoing program of urban nonpoint- pollution research in Madison, Wis. Flow measurements were made and water samples were collected at the inlet to, outlet from, and bypass around the treatment chamber of the device that was installed to collect the runoff from a city maintenance yard. About 90 percent of the runoff water from the 4.3-acr
Authors
Robert J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Stormwater-runoff data, Madison, Wisconsin, 1993-94

Section 402(P) of the Water Quality Control Act of 1987 requires that municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more obtain permits to discharge stormwater runoff and to control its quality. Monitoring and sampling of stormwater runoff from seven drainage basins in Madison, Wis., was performed from April 1993 through November 1994 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the city of Madison to (1) c
Authors
R.J. Waschbusch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link
Streamgage house in front of river with green foliage

MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Continuous Real-Time Streamflow

The MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study supports seven USGS streamflow gages on Milwaukee-area streams that measure real-time discharge and gage height; five of these sites also collect time-lapse videos.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study: Continuous Real-Time Streamflow

The MMSD Watercourse Corridor Study supports seven USGS streamflow gages on Milwaukee-area streams that measure real-time discharge and gage height; five of these sites also collect time-lapse videos.
Learn More
link
Photo of a staff gage on a Wisconsin stream

Streamflow monitoring in Wisconsin

Streamflow data are needed at many sites on a daily basis for forecasting flow conditions and flooding, water-management decisions, assessing water availability, managing water quality, and meeting legal requirements. The USGS has been measuring streamflow in Wisconsin since 1906 with nearly 1,000 active and discontinued gages.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

Streamflow monitoring in Wisconsin

Streamflow data are needed at many sites on a daily basis for forecasting flow conditions and flooding, water-management decisions, assessing water availability, managing water quality, and meeting legal requirements. The USGS has been measuring streamflow in Wisconsin since 1906 with nearly 1,000 active and discontinued gages.
Learn More
link
Photo of a flooded road and field near Gays Mills, Wis.

Flood hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to flooding hazards in Wisconsin.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

Flood hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to flooding hazards in Wisconsin.
Learn More
link
Photo of an ephemeral stream during low-flow conditions

Drought hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to drought hazards in Wisconsin.
By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
link

Drought hazards in Wisconsin

A summary of USGS resources and data related to drought hazards in Wisconsin.
Learn More

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government