Unified Interior Regions
Illinois
The USGS Central Midwest Water Science Center collects, analyzes and disseminates the impartial hydrologic data and information needed to wisely and effectively manage water resources in Illinois. Our scientific research affects current issues ranging from flood and drought hazards to the impact and control of invasive species.
States L2 Landing Page Tabs
The USGS Central Midwest Water Science Center collects, analyzes and disseminates the impartial hydrologic data and information needed to wisely and effectively manage water resources in Illinois. Our scientific research affects current issues ranging from flood and drought hazards to the impact and control of invasive species.
Link to Science CenterNews
Collaboration’s Quest: Examine Effects of Urban Heat Actions in Chicago
Chicago faced a tragic awakening to the dangers of extreme heat in July 1995, when more than 700 people died during a record-breaking heat wave that stretched for five days.
Media Alert: Flights Above the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Adjacent Areas to Continue Aquifer Mapping
Editor: In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the U.S. Geological Survey is announcing this low-level airborne project. Your assistance informing the local communities is appreciated.
USGS, Southern Illinois University researchers advance genome mapping for critically-endangered sturgeon
This scientific advancement can lead to the development of new genetic markers that will help scientists distinguish between pallid sturgeon and the shovelnose sturgeon, another sturgeon species that looks similar but is more common.
Publications
Geochemical data for Illinois Basin coal samples, 2015–2018
Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and their collaborators conducted a study of the geochemical properties of coals currently produced for electric power generation in the Illinois Basin in Illinois and Indiana. The study follows from recommendations by an expert panel for the USGS to investigate the distribution and controls of...
Kolker, Allan; Scott, Clint; Lefticariu, Liliana; Mastalerz, Maria; Drobniak, Agnieszka; Scott, Annie
In vitro effects-based method and water quality screening model for use in pre- and post-distribution treated waters
Recent urban public water supply contamination events emphasize the importance of screening treated drinking water quality after distribution. In vitro bioassays, when run concurrently with analytical chemistry methods, are effective tools to evaluating the efficacy of water treatment processes and water quality. We tested 49 water...
Medlock-Kakaley, Elizabeth; Cardon, Mary C.; Evans, Nicola; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Allen, Joshua M.; Wagner, Elizabeth; Bokenkamp, Katherine; Richardson, Susan D; Plewa, Michael J; Bradley, Paul; Romanok, Kristin; Kolpin, Dana W.; Conley, Justin M.; Gray, L. Earl Jr.; Hartig, Phillip C.; Wilson, Vickie S.
Hydrologic balance, water quality, chemical-mass balance, and geochemical modeling of hyperalkaline ponds at Big Marsh, Chicago, Illinois, 2016–17
Hyperalkaline (pH greater than 12) ponds and groundwater exist at Big Marsh near Lake Calumet, Chicago, Illinois, a site used by the steel industry during the mid-1900s to deposit steel- and iron-making waste, in particular, slag. The hyperalkaline ponds may pose a hazard to human health and the environment. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in...
Gahala, Amy M.; Seal, Robert R.; Piatak, Nadine M.
Ohio River at Olmsted IL
Water-quality “super” gages (also known as “sentry” gages) provide real-time, continuous measurements of the physical and chemical characteristics of stream water at or near selected U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgages in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. A super gage includes streamflow and water-quality instrumentation and representative stream sample collection for laboratory analysis....
Geophysical Mapping of Geologic Systems Host to Critical Mineral Deposits, Southern Midcontinent, US
The objective of this project is to use high-resolution state-of-the-art airborne and regional ground geophysical methods to map an underexplored region of the southern Midcontinent that is important to economic and critical mineral deposits.
United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources
USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World. This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA).
Illinois Nutrient Monitoring Sites
Eight nutrient monitoring stations were established in 2015 to continuously monitor nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in support of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. This site provides current and historical monitoring information for the eight nutrient monitoring stations.
2017 Midwest Spring Floods
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the 2017 Midwest Spring Floods that occurred across large portions of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Arkansas in late April and early May, 2017.
May-June 2013 Midwest Floods
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the May-June 2013 Midwest Floods.
April-May 2013 Midwest Floods
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the April-May 2013 Midwest Floods caused by heavy rainfall and late snow-melt in six states.
Spring/Summer 2011 Mississippi River Basin Floods
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the Spring/Summer 2011 floods throughout the Mississippi River Basin.
May 2011 New Madrid Floodway
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the May 2011 New Madrid Floodway breaches.
Illinois Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources of the Illinois Basin Province 5064.
Michigan Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the U.S. portion of the Michigan Basin 5063.
Combined results and derivative products of hydrogeologic structure and properties from airborne electromagnetic surveys in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain
Electrical resistivity results from two regional airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys (Minsley et al. 2021 and Burton et al. 2021) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) were combined by the U.S. Geological Survey to produce three-dimensional (3D) gridded models and derivative hydrogeologic products.
Verified Irrigated Agricultural Lands for the United States, 2002-17
The spatial extents of verified irrigated lands were compiled from various federal and state sources across the nation and combined into a single Geographic Information System (GIS) geodatabase for the purpose of model training and validation.
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) and magnetic survey data were collected during February 2016 along 300 line kilometers in the western Yukon Flats near Stevens Village, Alaska. Data were acquired with the CGG RESOLVE frequency-domain helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems together with a Scintrex Cesium Vapour CS-3 magnetometer. The AEM average depth of investigation is about 100 m. The survey...
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2019 - March 2020
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2019 to March 2020 along 24,030 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). Data were acquired by CGG Canada Services, Ltd. with three different airborne sensors: the CGG Canada Services, Ltd.
Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey, southeastern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southern Indiana, 2019
This publication provides digital flight line data for a high-resolution magnetic and radiometric survey over an area of southeast Illinois, western Kentucky, and southern Indiana. The survey includes airborne geophysical data collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Mapping Resource Initiative (Earth MRI) effort (Day, 2019). Earth MRI is a cooperative effort
Domestic Wells in the United States
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey, southeast Missouri and western Illinois, 2018-2019
This publication provides digital flight line data for a high-resolution horizontal magnetic gradient and radiometric survey over an area of southeast Missouri and western Illinois. The survey represents the first airborne geophysical survey conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Mapping Resource Initiative (Earth MRI) effort (Day, 2019). Earth MRI is a coopera
Hourly computed potential evapotranspiration in thousandths of an inch, January 1, 1948 - September 30, 2018
The text file "PET.txt" contains hourly potential evapotranspiration (PET) data, in thousandths of an inch, from January 1, 1948, to September 30, 2018. Daily PET were computed from average daily air temperature, average daily dewpoint temperature, daily total wind speed, and daily total solar radiation and disaggregated to hourly PET, using the Fortran program LXPET (
Summary of the characteristics of near-surface flow reversals at the Electric Dispersal Barrier System on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Romeoville, Illinois, October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018
This dataset contains a summary of the characteristics of near-surface flow reversals at the Electric Dispersal Barrier System (EDBS) on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Romeoville, Illinois, during Water Year 2018 (October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018). Water velocity near the water surface is measured on a five-minute sampling interval in the EDBS using using a CODAR R
Crustal Architecture Beneath the Southern Midcontinent (USA) -- Data Grids and 3D Geophysical Models
Regional grid files and 3D voxel models were used to study crustal architecture beneath the Southern Midcontinent (USA) by McCafferty and others (2019). The study covered a rectangular, multi-state area of 924 by 924 kilometers centered on Missouri, and a corresponding volume extending from the topographic surface to a depth of 50 kilometers below sea level. The grid files consist of
National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper
The NWIS mapper provides access to over 1.5 million sites contained in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), including sites where current and historical surface-water, groundwater, springs, and atmospheric data has been collected. Users can search by site type, data type, site number, or place.
Downloadable Data for Illinois Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
GIS Data for Illinois Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
This primer highlights methods used in regional and reach-scale assessments of fluvial erosion hazards (FEH). Fluvial erosion includes bed erosion, meaning lowering of the bed of a stream, as well as bank erosion, which refers to the retreat of stream banks that occurs as a stream widens or migrates laterally.
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
This map shows the provinces assessed by the USGS for undiscovered oil and gas resources.
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
Geochemical data for Illinois Basin coal samples, 2015–2018
Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and their collaborators conducted a study of the geochemical properties of coals currently produced for electric power generation in the Illinois Basin in Illinois and Indiana. The study follows from recommendations by an expert panel for the USGS to investigate the distribution and controls of...
Kolker, Allan; Scott, Clint; Lefticariu, Liliana; Mastalerz, Maria; Drobniak, Agnieszka; Scott, Annie In vitro effects-based method and water quality screening model for use in pre- and post-distribution treated waters
Recent urban public water supply contamination events emphasize the importance of screening treated drinking water quality after distribution. In vitro bioassays, when run concurrently with analytical chemistry methods, are effective tools to evaluating the efficacy of water treatment processes and water quality. We tested 49 water...
Medlock-Kakaley, Elizabeth; Cardon, Mary C.; Evans, Nicola; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Allen, Joshua M.; Wagner, Elizabeth; Bokenkamp, Katherine; Richardson, Susan D; Plewa, Michael J; Bradley, Paul; Romanok, Kristin; Kolpin, Dana W.; Conley, Justin M.; Gray, L. Earl Jr.; Hartig, Phillip C.; Wilson, Vickie S. Hydrologic balance, water quality, chemical-mass balance, and geochemical modeling of hyperalkaline ponds at Big Marsh, Chicago, Illinois, 2016–17
Hyperalkaline (pH greater than 12) ponds and groundwater exist at Big Marsh near Lake Calumet, Chicago, Illinois, a site used by the steel industry during the mid-1900s to deposit steel- and iron-making waste, in particular, slag. The hyperalkaline ponds may pose a hazard to human health and the environment. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in...
Gahala, Amy M.; Seal, Robert R.; Piatak, Nadine M.
Concentrations of lead and other inorganic constituents in samples of raw intake and treated drinking water from the municipal water filtration plant and residential tapwater in Chicago, Illinois, and East Chicago, Indiana, July–December 2017
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Environmental Health Mission Area (EHMA) is providing comprehensive science on sources, movement, and transformation of contaminants and pathogens in watershed and aquifer drinking-water supplies and in built water and wastewater infrastructure (referred to as the USGS Water and Wastewater Infrastructure project)...
Romanok, Kristin M.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Meppelink, Shannon M.; Focazio, Michael J.; Argos, Maria; Hollingsworth, Mary E. ; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Putz, Andrea R.; Stark, Alan ; Weis, Christopher P.; Zehraoui, Abderrahman; Bradley, Paul M.
Methods used for the collection and analysis of chemical and biological data for the Tapwater Exposure Study, United States, 2016–17
In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Environmental Health Mission Area, initiated the Tapwater Exposure Study as part of an infrastructure project to assess human exposure to potential threats from complex mixtures of contaminants. In the pilot phase (2016), samples were collected from 11 States throughout the United States, and in the...
Romanok, Kristin M.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Meppelink, Shannon M.; Argos, Maria; Brown, Juliane B.; Devito, Michael J.; Dietze, Julie E.; Givens, Carrie E.; Gray, James L.; Higgins, Christopher P.; Hladik, Michelle L.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Loftin, Keith A.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; McDonough, Carrie A.; Meyer, Michael T.; Strynar, Mark J.; Weis, Christopher P.; Wilson, Vickie S.; Bradley, Paul M. Using reverse-time egg transport analysis for predicting Asian Carp spawning grounds in the Illinois River
Identifying spawning grounds of Asian carp is important for determining the reproductive front of invasive populations. Ichthyoplankton monitoring along the Illinois Waterway (IWW) has provided information on abundances of Asian carp eggs in the IWW's navigation pools. Post-fertilization times derived from egg development stages and water...
Zhu, Zhenduo; Soong, David T.; Garcia, Tatiana; Behrouz, Mina Shahed; Butler, Steven E.; Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Diana, Matthew J.; Duncker, James J.; Wahl, David H.
Flooding in the southern Midwestern United States, April–May 2017
Excessive rainfall resulted in flooding on numerous rivers throughout the southern Midwestern United States (southern Midwest) in late April and early May of 2017. The heaviest rainfall, between April 28 and 30, resulted in extensive flooding from eastern Oklahoma to southern Indiana including parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois.Peak-of-...
Heimann, David C.; Holmes, Robert R.; Harris, Thomas E.
Development of a hydraulic model and flood-inundation maps for the Wabash River near the Interstate 64 Bridge near Grayville, Illinois
A two-dimensional hydraulic model and digital flood‑inundation maps were developed for a 30-mile reach of the Wabash River near the Interstate 64 Bridge near Grayville, Illinois. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Flood Inundation Mapping Science web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/...
Boldt, Justin A.
River meander modeling of the Wabash River near the Interstate 64 Bridge near Grayville, Illinois
Natural river channels continually evolve and change shape over time. As a result, channel evolution or migration can cause problems for bridge structures that are fixed in the flood plain. A once-stable bridge structure that was uninfluenced by a river’s shape could be encroached upon by a migrating river channel. The potential effect of the...
Lant, Jeremiah G.; Boldt, Justin A.
Performance evaluation testing of wells in the gradient control system at a federally operated Confined Disposal Facility using single well aquifer tests, East Chicago, Indiana
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) performed tests to evaluate the hydrologic connection between the open interval of the well and the surrounding Calumet aquifer in response to fouling of extraction well pumps onsite. Two rounds of air slug testing were performed on seven monitoring wells and step drawdown and subsequent recovery tests on three...
Lampe, David C.; Unthank, Michael D. St. Louis area earthquake hazards mapping project; seismic and liquefaction hazard maps
We present probabilistic and deterministic seismic and liquefaction hazard maps for the densely populated St. Louis metropolitan area that account for the expected effects of surficial geology on earthquake ground shaking. Hazard calculations were based on a map grid of 0.005°, or about every 500 m, and are thus higher in resolution than any...
Cramer, Chris H.; Bauer, Robert A.; Chung, Jae-won; Rogers, David; Pierce, Larry; Voigt, Vicki; Mitchell, Brad; Gaunt, David; Williams, Robert; Hoffman, David; Hempen, Gregory L.; Steckel, Phyllis; Boyd, Oliver S.; Watkins, Connor M.; Tucker, Kathleen; McCallister, Natasha
Estimating suspended sediment using acoustics in a fine-grained riverine system, Kickapoo Creek at Bloomington, Illinois
Acoustic technologies have the potential to be used as a surrogate for measuring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC). This potential was examined in a fine-grained (97-100 percent fines) riverine system in central Illinois by way of installation of an acoustic instrument. Acoustic data were collected continuously over the span of 5.5 years....
Manaster, Amanda D.; Domanski, Marian M.; Straub, Timothy D.; Boldt, Justin A.
TNMCorps Mapping Challenge: City/Town Halls in IL & MO (IncPl StLouis)
TNMCorps Mapping Challenge: The labeled communities on this map represent incorporated places in the St. Louis metropolitan area (i.e., IL and MO) that have a population greater than 1,000 but do not yet have a city/town hall within their corporate boundaries.
Ecomapper Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
The Ecomapper is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that is a specialized submersibile device that operates by propelling through a water body between points along a constant depth.
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - fouled equipment
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - fouled equipment
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - damage to equipment
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - damage to equipment
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - equipment damaged by barge
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - equipment damaged by barge
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - equipment damaged by barge traffic
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - equipment damaged by barge traffic
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - equipment after cleaning
Ohio River at Olmsted IL - equipment after cleaning
Algal blooms occur in many water bodies where there is too much "food"
Harmful Algal Blooms
USGS scientists identified potentially harmful levels of cyanobacteria in lakes they sampled in Illinois during the drought of 2012. Toxins produced by the cyanobacteria were measured at harmful concentrations in four lakes. Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are capable of generating toxins (cyanotoxins), such as microcystin, that
...
Central Midwest Water Science Center Urbana, IL office entrance
Entrance for the Urbana, IL office of the Central Midwest Water Science Center. Located in the North deck parking garage on the University of Illinois campus. Entrance is on east side of building; address 405 N Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 6180. Contact office for visitor parking information at 217-328-8747.
Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework: Model Overview
This animation is the third video in a series explaining different aspects of the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). This video focuses on the machine learning model that PAMF uses to systematically learn from participant's data and then provide site-specific management guidance in return. More information about PAMF can be found at our websites:
National Oil and Gas Assessment Provinces
This is a graphic from the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment Explorer application, which allows user to drill into 70 oil and gas assessment provinces throughout the United States.
PAMF Participation Cycle
This video describes the annual participation cycle for those enrolled in the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). PAMF encompasses three annual steps including enrolling, monitoring and managing. As participants employ management actions and submit monitoring reports they will receive management guidance generated by the PAMF model, which provides the most
Chicago faced a tragic awakening to the dangers of extreme heat in July 1995, when more than 700 people died during a record-breaking heat wave that stretched for five days.
Editor: In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the U.S. Geological Survey is announcing this low-level airborne project. Your assistance informing the local communities is appreciated.
This scientific advancement can lead to the development of new genetic markers that will help scientists distinguish between pallid sturgeon and the shovelnose sturgeon, another sturgeon species that looks similar but is more common.
Reporters: Do you want to interview USGS scientists about the project? Please contact Randy Hines or Marisa Lubeck.
Editor: In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the USGS is announcing this low-level airborne project. Your assistance in informing the local communities is appreciated.
Summary statistics are now available for this challenge. Thanks again to everyone who contributed!
This challenge is now complete! Thank you to everyone who contributed!
This challenge is SO CLOSE to being finished with approximately 200 edits contributed since last week! The metropolitan areas are looking good, leaving a small handfull of communities scattered throughout Illinois and Missouri that need collecting. Check out our spatial analyses for tips on which communities these may be.
Volunteers have been working in the Chicago metrpolitan area and contributed close to 200 points in the last week - SPECTACULAR! This challenge is nearing completion, but there are still many points yet to be collected in the St. Louis metrpolitan area and throughout Illinois and Missouri. See our spatial analyses for tips on which communities these might be.
This challenge is nearing completion. However, there are still some communities in the Saint Louis and Chicago metropolitan areas that do not yet have a city hall within their boundaries. See our spatial analyses for tips on which communities these may include.
This challenge is moving along nicely with a handful of points added in Missouri since last week. However, there are still many points to be added in the suburbs of the Chicago and Saint Louis metropolitan areas. See our spatial analyses for tips on which communities these might be.
Volunteers continue to make progress on this challenge with approximately 30 new points added. Since this challenge is nearing completion, we performed our spatial analyses to help identify remaining communities.
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Locations
Illinois Water Science Center
Phone: 217-328-8747
Fax: 217-328-9770
Southern Illinois Field Office - Mt. Vernon
Phone: 618-242-4495
Fax: 618-242-4578
Northern Illinois Field Office - DeKalb
Phone: 815-756-9207
Fax: 815-756-9214