Tablet-enabled field forms have been developed to help coordinate field efforts, collect site information, GPS coordinates, photos, and control data collection.
Shawn C. Fisher
Shawn is a Hydrologist at the USGS New York Water Science Center.
Shawn began working at the USGS New York Water Science Center as a student in May, 2002 collecting and interpreting groundwater and surface water-quality data. Studies include contaminants of emerging concern in public supply wells, groundwater contamination in nearshore waters, assessing sediment and water for insecticide contamination in untargeted wetlands, and evaluating real-time water quality data. He has worked in a variety of land use settings, from urban to agricultural, and helped organize and develop environmental health studies following Hurricane Sandy. Shawn was the network coordinator for the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) study and leads the Northeast Region Urban Landscapes Capability Team (ULCT). Current research includes qualification and quantification of microplastics in the Northeast region and interest in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater and surface waters.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 14
Development of a mapper-based Long Island Sound data and research portal (Clearinghouse)
In cooperation with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is creating a mapper-based clearinghouse that will provide information on sources of data available throughout the Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed and allow for real-time metadata output and integration into visualization and modeling tools developed through a...
Assessment of fecal contamination sources to Alley Creek, Queens County, New York
PROBLEM Alley Creek, a tributary to Little Neck Bay (Queens County, New York; figure 1) has been designated as impaired by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) for primary and secondary contact and included on the 303(d) Impaired Waterways for pathogens related to combined sewer overflow contributions. The New York City Department of Environmental...
Assessment of pathogen sources to Hook Pond, East Hampton, New York
Background In order to help identify sources of high Enterococci concentrations identified by the Village of East Hampton and the Surfrider Foundation’s water-quality sampling upstream of Hook Pond, surface water and groundwater samples will be collected and analyzed for F+-specific coliphage, bacteroides, Enterococci and fecal coliform, and nitrogen isotopes. Potential sources of...
Assessment of the Water Quality of Hook Pond, East Hampton, New York
PROBLEM Hook Pond, an 83-acre freshwater pond in East Hampton, N.Y., has historically shown indications of impaired water quality. Impairments in this shallow pond include elevated nutrient concentrations and low dissolved oxygen concentrations in bottom waters as a result of current and historical land-use practices (Lombardo, 2015). Recent (2016) harmful algal blooms in Hook Pond and...
Microplastics in Urban Streams of the Northeast Region
Microplastics in the environment are of increasing concern among resource managers and ecologists. With global production of plastic topping 300 million metric tons in 2015, research in fresh and marine waters throughout the world has implicated urban runoff, wastewater treatment effluent, and litter breakdown as major sources of microbeads and synthetic pieces and fibers that are slow to degrade...
Using Microbial Source Tracking to Identify Pollution Sources in Pathogen Impaired Embayments in Long Island, New York
Problem The presence of pathogens in Long Island marine embayments and the hazards they pose to marine resources and human health is of increasing concern. Many waterbodies on the New York State Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters have pathogens listed as the primary pollutant that are suspected to originate from urban/storm runoff. There is neither a clear understanding of the...
Northeast Region Urban Landscapes Capabilities Team
The ULCT serves as a resource to assist the Region and its Science Centers for developing regional science programs that provide technical support on impacts of urban development on water resources and ecosystems. Specific objectives include: • Build expertise to help communities understand their natural resources and effects of urbanization • Develop expertise in the effects of climate change and...
Northeast Region Capability Teams
The USGS Northeast Region (NER) began a process of integrating its scientific expertise and technical staff around issues of societal concern. These Regional Capability Teams (CTs) are intended to encourage interdisciplinary scientist-to- scientist collaboration and communication across the NER’s 11 Science Centers and promote the use of best methods on specific science focus areas to produce the...
Sentinel Monitoring for New and Legacy Pesticides in the Shallow Groundwater of Long Island
Problem The shallow groundwater of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is prone to contamination from current land-use, including agricultural, residential, and recreational. The aquifer system of Long Island is highly susceptible to human-derived contamination, in particular, because the soils and underlying sediments are generally composed of sandy, permeable materials that allow contaminants...
Assessing Occurrence and Persistence of Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater
Problem : Occurrence and persistence of emerging contaminants in groundwater flow in Suffolk County, New York Objectives: This project will monitor groundwater from selected SCWA supply wells for compounds indicative of anthropogenic sources, which are of increasing public concern. Approach: Groundwater-flow information, well-construction details, and distance from treated wastewater...
Urban Waters Initiative – BRONX & HARLEM RIVERS
Problem Over the past century, the Harlem River watershed has become highly urbanized with 90 percent of the waterway constrained by infrastructure, which has limited access for recreational use. Bound by New York (Manhattan) and Bronx Counties, the Harlem River is a tidal strait between urbanized estuaries to the north (Hudson River) and south (East River). Direct inputs include the...
Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) Strategy
The U.S. Geological Survey's Strategy to Evaluate Persistent Contaminant Hazards Resulting from Sea Level Rise and Storm-derived Disturbances SCoRR: Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy Project Page Natural and anthropogenic contaminants, pathogens, and viruses are found in soils and sediments throughout the United States. Enhanced dispersion and concentration of...
Tablet-enabled field forms have been developed to help field efforts
Tablet-enabled field forms have been developed to help coordinate field efforts, collect site information, GPS coordinates, photos, and control data collection.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 14
Development of a mapper-based Long Island Sound data and research portal (Clearinghouse)
In cooperation with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is creating a mapper-based clearinghouse that will provide information on sources of data available throughout the Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed and allow for real-time metadata output and integration into visualization and modeling tools developed through a...
Assessment of fecal contamination sources to Alley Creek, Queens County, New York
PROBLEM Alley Creek, a tributary to Little Neck Bay (Queens County, New York; figure 1) has been designated as impaired by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) for primary and secondary contact and included on the 303(d) Impaired Waterways for pathogens related to combined sewer overflow contributions. The New York City Department of Environmental...
Assessment of pathogen sources to Hook Pond, East Hampton, New York
Background In order to help identify sources of high Enterococci concentrations identified by the Village of East Hampton and the Surfrider Foundation’s water-quality sampling upstream of Hook Pond, surface water and groundwater samples will be collected and analyzed for F+-specific coliphage, bacteroides, Enterococci and fecal coliform, and nitrogen isotopes. Potential sources of...
Assessment of the Water Quality of Hook Pond, East Hampton, New York
PROBLEM Hook Pond, an 83-acre freshwater pond in East Hampton, N.Y., has historically shown indications of impaired water quality. Impairments in this shallow pond include elevated nutrient concentrations and low dissolved oxygen concentrations in bottom waters as a result of current and historical land-use practices (Lombardo, 2015). Recent (2016) harmful algal blooms in Hook Pond and...
Microplastics in Urban Streams of the Northeast Region
Microplastics in the environment are of increasing concern among resource managers and ecologists. With global production of plastic topping 300 million metric tons in 2015, research in fresh and marine waters throughout the world has implicated urban runoff, wastewater treatment effluent, and litter breakdown as major sources of microbeads and synthetic pieces and fibers that are slow to degrade...
Using Microbial Source Tracking to Identify Pollution Sources in Pathogen Impaired Embayments in Long Island, New York
Problem The presence of pathogens in Long Island marine embayments and the hazards they pose to marine resources and human health is of increasing concern. Many waterbodies on the New York State Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters have pathogens listed as the primary pollutant that are suspected to originate from urban/storm runoff. There is neither a clear understanding of the...
Northeast Region Urban Landscapes Capabilities Team
The ULCT serves as a resource to assist the Region and its Science Centers for developing regional science programs that provide technical support on impacts of urban development on water resources and ecosystems. Specific objectives include: • Build expertise to help communities understand their natural resources and effects of urbanization • Develop expertise in the effects of climate change and...
Northeast Region Capability Teams
The USGS Northeast Region (NER) began a process of integrating its scientific expertise and technical staff around issues of societal concern. These Regional Capability Teams (CTs) are intended to encourage interdisciplinary scientist-to- scientist collaboration and communication across the NER’s 11 Science Centers and promote the use of best methods on specific science focus areas to produce the...
Sentinel Monitoring for New and Legacy Pesticides in the Shallow Groundwater of Long Island
Problem The shallow groundwater of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is prone to contamination from current land-use, including agricultural, residential, and recreational. The aquifer system of Long Island is highly susceptible to human-derived contamination, in particular, because the soils and underlying sediments are generally composed of sandy, permeable materials that allow contaminants...
Assessing Occurrence and Persistence of Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater
Problem : Occurrence and persistence of emerging contaminants in groundwater flow in Suffolk County, New York Objectives: This project will monitor groundwater from selected SCWA supply wells for compounds indicative of anthropogenic sources, which are of increasing public concern. Approach: Groundwater-flow information, well-construction details, and distance from treated wastewater...
Urban Waters Initiative – BRONX & HARLEM RIVERS
Problem Over the past century, the Harlem River watershed has become highly urbanized with 90 percent of the waterway constrained by infrastructure, which has limited access for recreational use. Bound by New York (Manhattan) and Bronx Counties, the Harlem River is a tidal strait between urbanized estuaries to the north (Hudson River) and south (East River). Direct inputs include the...
Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) Strategy
The U.S. Geological Survey's Strategy to Evaluate Persistent Contaminant Hazards Resulting from Sea Level Rise and Storm-derived Disturbances SCoRR: Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy Project Page Natural and anthropogenic contaminants, pathogens, and viruses are found in soils and sediments throughout the United States. Enhanced dispersion and concentration of...
Tablet-enabled field forms have been developed to help field efforts
Tablet-enabled field forms have been developed to help coordinate field efforts, collect site information, GPS coordinates, photos, and control data collection.
Tablet-enabled field forms have been developed to help coordinate field efforts, collect site information, GPS coordinates, photos, and control data collection.