Geology topics

Research about Michigan

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Michigan.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

USGS2016

Comparison of benthos and plankton for selected areas of concern and non-areas of concern in western Lake Michigan Rivers and Harbors in 2012

Recent data are lacking to assess whether impairments still exist at four of Wisconsin’s largest Lake Michigan harbors that were designated as Areas of Concern (AOCs) in the late 1980s due to sediment contamination and multiple Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), such as those affecting benthos (macroinvertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) communities. During three seasonal sampling events (“seasons”) in May through August 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey collected sediment benthos and water plankton at the four AOCs as well as six less-degraded non-AOCs along the western Lake Michigan shoreline to assess whether AOC communities were degraded in comparison to non-AOC communities. The four AOCs are the Lower Menominee River, the Lower Green Bay and Fox River, the Sheboygan River, and the Milwaukee Estuary. Due to their size and complexity, multiple locations or “subsites” were sampled within the Lower Green Bay and Fox River AOC (Lower Green Bay, the Fox River near Allouez, and the Fox River near De Pere) and within the Milwaukee Estuary AOC (the Milwaukee River, the Menomonee River, and the Milwaukee Harbor) and single locations were sampled at the other AOCs and non-AOCs. The six non-AOCs are the Escanaba River in Michigan, and the Oconto River, Ahnapee River, Kewaunee River, Manitowoc River, and Root River in Wisconsin. Benthos samples were collected by using Hester-Dendy artificial substrates deployed for 30 days and by using a dredge sampler; zooplankton were collected by net and phytoplankton by whole-water sampler. Except for the Lower Green Bay and Milwaukee Harbor locations, communities at each AOC were compared to all non-AOCs as a group and to paired non-AOCs using taxa relative abundances and metrics, including richness, diversity, and an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI, for Hester-Dendy samples only). Benthos samples collected during one or more seasons were rated as degraded for at least one metric at all AOCs. In the Milwaukee Estuary, benthos richness was lower in the Milwaukee River subsite spring and summer samples and in the Menomonee River subsite spring sample relative to the paired non-AOCs. Benthos diversity and IBIs at the Menomonee River subsite and IBIs at the Milwaukee River subsite and Sheboygan River were significantly lower than at all non-AOCs as a group across all seasons and therefore were rated as degraded. In addition, IBIs at the Lower Menominee River were significantly lower than those at the paired non-AOCs during all seasons and were therefore rated degraded. Benthos at both Fox River subsites and the Milwaukee River subsite were significantly different from their paired non-AOCs during all three seasons, based on a comparison of the relative abundances of taxa using multivariate testing. Metrics for plankton at AOCs were not significantly lower than those at the paired or group non-AOCs during all seasons; however, zooplankton richness in spring at the Sheboygan River and in fall at the Menomonee River subsite was rated as degraded in comparison to paired non-AOCs. Also, zooplankton richness in fall at the Fox River near Allouez subsite and in spring at the Milwaukee River subsite was rated degraded overall because values were lower than at all non-AOCs as a group and lower than at the paired non-AOCs. Zooplankton diversity in fall at the Fox River near Allouez subsite and the Lower Menominee River was rated degraded in comparison to paired non-AOC comparison sites. Zooplankton communities at the Fox River near Allouez subsite were significantly different from the paired non-AOCs when multivariate comparisons were made without rotifers other than A. priodonta . Overall, benthos and zooplankton BUIs remained at the AOCs in 2012 but no AOCs with a phytoplankton BUI were rated degraded in comparison to non-AOCs. The use of a multiple ecological measures, structural and functional, and multiple statistical analyses, biological metrics and multivariate statistics, provided assessments that defined 2012 status of communities relative to less-impaired non-AOCs in the Great Lakes area.

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USGS2016

Experimental whole-lake increase of dissolved organic carbon concentration produces unexpected increase in crustacean zooplankton density

The observed pattern of lake browning, or increased terrestrial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, across the northern hemisphere has amplified the importance of understanding how consumer productivity varies with DOC concentration. Results from comparative studies suggest these increased DOC concentrations may reduce crustacean zooplankton productivity due to reductions in resource quality and volume of suitable habitat. Although these spatial comparisons provide an expectation for the response of zooplankton productivity as DOC concentration increases, we still have an incomplete understanding of how zooplankton respond to temporal increases in DOC concentration within a single system. As such, we used a whole-lake manipulation, in which DOC concentration was increased from 8 to 11 mg L−1 in one basin of a manipulated lake, to test the hypothesis that crustacean zooplankton production should subsequently decrease. In contrast to the spatially derived expectation of sharp DOC-mediated decline, we observed a small increase in zooplankton densities in response to our experimental increase in DOC concentration of the treatment basin. This was due to significant increases in gross primary production and resource quality (lower seston carbon-to-phosphorus ratio; C:P). These results demonstrate that temporal changes in lake characteristics due to increased DOC may impact zooplankton in ways that differ from those observed in spatial surveys. We also identified significant interannual variability across our study region, which highlights potential difficulty in detecting temporal responses of organism abundances to gradual environmental change (e.g., browning).

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USGS2016

Estimation of a Trophic State Index for selected inland lakes in Michigan, 1999–2013

A 15-year estimated Trophic State Index (eTSI) for Michigan inland lakes is available, and it spans seven datasets, each representing 1 to 3 years of data from 1999 to 2013. On average, 3,000 inland lake eTSI values are represented in each of the datasets by a process that relates field-measured Secchi-disk transparency (SDT) to Landsat satellite imagery to provide eTSI values for unsampled inland lakes. The correlation between eTSI values and field-measured Trophic State Index (TSI) values from SDT was strong as shown by R 2 values from 0.71 to 0.83. Mean eTSI values ranged from 42.7 to 46.8 units, which when converted to estimated SDT (eSDT) ranged from 8.9 to 12.5 feet for the datasets. Most eTSI values for Michigan inland lakes are in the mesotrophic TSI class. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Level III Ecoregions were used to illustrate and compare the spatial distribution of eTSI classes for Michigan inland lakes. Lakes in the Northern Lakes and Forests, North Central Hardwood Forests, and Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains ecoregions are predominantly in the mesotrophic TSI class. The Huron/Erie Lake Plains and Eastern Corn Belt Plains ecoregions, had predominantly eutrophic class lakes and also the highest percent of hypereutrophic lakes than other ecoregions in the State. Data from multiple sampling programs—including data collected by volunteers with the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and the 2007 National Lakes Assessment (NLA)—were compiled to compare the distribution of lake TSI classes between each program. The seven eTSI datasets are available for viewing and download with eSDT from the Michigan Lake Water Clarity Interactive Map Viewer at http://mi.water.usgs.gov/projects/RemoteSensing/index.html .

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USGS2016

Loamy, two-storied soils on the outwash plains of southwestern lower Michigan: Pedoturbation of loess with the underlying sand

Soils on many of the outwash plains in southwestern Michigan have loamy upper profiles, despite being underlain by sand-textured outwash. The origin of this upper, loamy material has long been unknown. The purpose of this study is to analyze the spatio-textural characteristics of these loamy-textured sediments to ascertain their origin(s). The textural curves of this material have distinct bimodality, with clear silt and sand peaks. Because the sand peaks align with those in the outwash below, we conclude that the upper material is a mixture of an initially silty material with the sand from below, forming loamy textures. By applying a textural filtering operation to the data, we determined its original characteristics; nearly all of the soils originally had silt loam upper profiles, typical for loess. Field data showed that the loamy material is thickest east of a broad, north–south trending valley (the Niles-Thornapple Spillway) that once carried glacial meltwater. The material becomes thinner, generally better sorted, and finer in texture eastward, away from this channel. We conclude that the loamy mantle on many of the adjacent outwash plains is silt-rich loess, derived from the Niles-Thornapple Spillway and its tributary channels and transported on mainly westerly winds. The spillway was active between ca. 17.3 and 16.8 k cal. years ago. At this time, a large network of tunnel channels existed beneath the stagnant Saginaw lobe ice. Meltwater from the lobe funneled silt-rich sediment into the spillway, rendering it a prodigious silt source.

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USGS2016

Water quality and hydrology of Silver Lake, Oceana County, Michigan, with emphasis on lake response to nutrient loading

Executive Summary Silver Lake is a 672-acre inland lake located in Oceana County, Michigan, and is a major tourist destination due to its proximity to Lake Michigan and the surrounding outdoor recreational opportunities. In recent years, Silver Lake exhibited patterns of high phosphorus concentrations, elevated chlorophyll a concentrations, and nuisance algal blooms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Silver Lake Improvement Board and in collaboration with the Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) of Grand Valley State University, designed a study to assess the hydrologic and nutrient inputs to Silver Lake in order to identify the events and conditions that affect the nutrient chemistry and production of algal blooms in the lake. This information can inform water-resource managers in developing various management strategies to prevent or reduce the occurrence of future algal blooms. USGS and AWRI scientists collected data from November 2012 to December 2014 to provide information for future management decisions for Silver Lake. Silver Lake can be classified as a polymictic lake and has a residence time of approximately 223 days. Based on the mean lake Secchi depth, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen concentrations, Silver Lake is classified as a eutrophic lake. In-situ bioassay results indicate that algal growth in Silver Lake is colimited by both nitrogen and phosphorus. The nutrient budget for Silver Lake was calculated using the BATHTUB model based on 2 years of water-quality data collection. The BATHTUB model, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, treats the lake as a well-mixed system with multiple inputs and outlets for both water and dissolved constituents, such as nutrients. Based on results of the BATHTUB model, which were conditioned on observed concentrations and flows, the mean annual input of phosphorus to Silver Lake was approximately 1,342 pounds (lb); the mean annual input of nitrogen to Silver Lake was approximately 51,998 lb. The major measured sources of phosphorus loading to Silver Lake were groundwater and Hunter Creek, whereas the major measured sources of nitrogen to Silver Lake were Hunter Creek, groundwater, and atmospheric deposition. The largest loading of phosphorus and nitrogen to Silver Lake occurred during the spring. Minimal phosphorus deposition (if any) occurred in the lakebed sediment; however, of the nitrogen that entered Silver Lake, approximately 42.2 percent was deposited in the lakebed sediment as simulated by the BATHTUB model. In addition to measured sources, a septic load model was used to estimate the likely range of septic contribution to groundwater and adjacent surface waters. The likely septic loading scenario estimates that septic systems contribute 47.8 percent of the phosphorus to groundwater and 22.3 percent of phosphorus to Hunter Creek. These results indicate that septic systems are a major source of phosphorus loading to Silver Lake. The likely septic loading scenario indicated that septic systems account for 0.95 percent of the nitrogen load to Hunter Creek and 1.1 percent of the contribution of nitrogen to groundwater. The BATHTUB model was used to estimate future nutrient loading and eutrophication scenarios based on water-quality data collected from Silver Lake, groundwater, major tributaries, and atmospheric deposition. A separate septic load model was used to estimate the septic contribution to groundwater or directly to surface water, and the nutrient load estimates were modeled using the BATHTUB model to determine subsequent water-quality changes to Silver Lake. BATHTUB model scenarios based on measured data: The first BATHTUB scenario evaluated the condition of Silver Lake and the change to lake water quality (trophic status) as a result of changes in nutrient loading from different sources. Based on BATHTUB model simulations, if groundwater loading of phosphorus and nitrogen only were decreased by 75 percent, and all of the other nutrient inputs stayed the same, the future condition of Silver Lake would most likely remain highly mesotrophic to eutrophic (the current [2014] condition of Silver Lake). If nutrient loading continued to increase in groundwater, the lake would continue to remain eutrophic with more frequent algal blooms. If nutrient loading from Hunter Creek only decreased by 50–75 percent, and all of the other nutrient inputs stayed the same as the baseline dataset, Silver Lake would remain eutrophic to highly mesotrophic. By reducing the input of manageable nutrient sources (Hunter Creek, groundwater, and lawn runoff) by 75 percent, the BATHTUB model simulation indicates that Silver Lake would be classified as mesotrophic, which is indicative of improved water quality, water clarity, and reduced algal bloom frequency. Simulations also were run using the BATHTUB model to evaluate the number of days Silver Lake could experience algal blooms (algal blooms are defined as modeled chlorophyll a in excess of 10 micrograms per liter [µg/L]) as a result of an increase/decrease in phosphorus and nitrogen loading from groundwater, Hunter Creek, and (or) a combination of sources. If the phosphorus and nitrogen loading from Hunter Creek is decreased (and all other sources are not altered), Silver Lake will continue to experience algal blooms, but less frequently than what is currently experienced. The same scenario holds true if the nutrient loading from groundwater is decreased. Another scenario was simulated using a combination of sources, which includes increases and decreases in phosphorus and nitrogen loading from sources that are the most likely to be managed, and includes groundwater (as a result of conversion of household septic to sewers), Hunter Creek (conversion of household septic to sewers), and lawn runoff. Results of the BATHTUB model indicated that a 50-percent reduction of phosphorus and nitrogen from these sources would result in a considerable decrease in algal bloom frequency (from 231 to 132 days) and severity, and a 75-percent reduction would greatly reduce algal bloom occurrence on Silver Lake (from 231 to 57 days). BATHTUB model scenarios based on septic load model: A scenario also was conducted using the BATHTUB model to simulate the conversion of septic to sewer and included a low, high, and medium (likely) scenario of nutrient loading to Silver Lake. Simulations of the BATHTUB model indicated that, under the likely scenario, the conversion of all onsite septic treatment to sewers would result in an overall change in lake trophic status from eutrophic to mesotrophic, thereby reducing the frequency of algal blooms and algal bloom intensity on Silver Lake (chlorophyll a >10 µg/L, from 231 to 184 days per year, or chlorophyll a >20 µg/L, from 80 to 49 days per year).

Michigan↗

USGS2016

Evidence that sea lampreys ( Petromyzon marinus ) complete their life cycle within a tributary of the Laurentian Great Lakes by parasitizing fishes in inland lakes

The sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) invaded the upper Laurentian Great Lakes and feeds on valued fish. The Cheboygan River, Michigan, USA, is a large sea lamprey producing tributary to Lake Huron and despite having a renovated dam 2 km from the river mouth that presumably blocks sea lamprey spawning migrations, the watershed upstream of the dam remains infested with larval sea lamprey. A navigational lock near the dam has been hypothesized as the means of escapement of adult sea lampreys from Lake Huron and source of the upper river population (H1). However, an alternative hypothesis (H2) is that some sea lampreys complete their life cycle upstream of the dam, without entering Lake Huron. To evaluate the alternative hypothesis, we gathered angler reports of lamprey wounds on game fishes upstream of the dam, and captured adult sea lampreys downstream and upstream of the dam to contrast abundance, run timing, size, and statolith microchemistry. Results indicate that a small population of adult sea lampreys (n < 200) completed their life cycle upstream of the dam during 2013 and 2014. This is the most comprehensive evidence that sea lampreys complete their life history within a tributary of the upper Great Lakes, and indicates that similar landlocked populations could occur in other watersheds. Because the adult sea lamprey population upstream of the dam is small, complete elimination of the already low adult escapement from Lake Huron might allow multiple control tactics such as lampricides, trapping, and sterile male release to eradicate the population.

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USGS2016

Life history variation among four lake trout morphs at Isle Royale, Lake Superior

Life history traits were compared among four morphs of lake trout at Isle Royale, Lake Superior. Of 738 lake trout caught at Isle Royale, 701 were assigned to a morph (119 humpers, 160 leans, 85 redfins, and 337 siscowets) using a combination of statistical analysis of head and body shape and visual assignment. On average, redfins were longer (544 mm), heavier (1,481 g), heavier at length (Wr = 94), more buoyant, and older (22 years) than siscowets (519 mm; 1,221 g; 90; 19 years), leans (479 mm; 854 g; 82; 13 years), and humpers (443 mm; 697 g; 87; 17 years). On average, leans grew from a younger age at length = 0 and shorter length at age = 0, at a faster early growth rate to a longer asymptotic length than the other three morphs, while redfins grew at a slower instantaneous rate and humpers grew to a shorter asymptotic length than other morphs. On average, leans were longer (562 mm) and older (15 years) at 50% maturity than redfins (427 mm, 12 years), siscowets (401 mm, 11 years), or humpers (394 mm, 13 years). Life history parameters did not differ between males and females within each morph. We conclude that differences in life history attributes of lean, humper, redfin, and siscowet morphs of lake trout are consistent with differential habitat use in waters around Isle Royale, Lake Superior.

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USGS2016

Freshwater polychaetes ( Manayunkia speciosa ) near the Detroit River, western Lake Erie: Abundance and life‐history characteristics

Freshwater polychaetes are relatively rare and little-studied members of the benthos of lakes and rivers. We studied one polychaete species ( Manayunkia speciosa) in Lake Erie near the mouth of the Detroit River. Abundances at one site were determined between 1961 and 2013 and life‐history characteristics at two sites were determined seasonally (March–November) in 2009–2010 and 2012–2013. Life‐history characteristics included abundances, length‐frequency distributions, presence/absence of constructed tubes, sexual maturity, and number and maturation of young of year (YOY) in tubes. Long-term abundances decreased in successive time periods between 1961 and 2003 (mean range = 57,570 to 2583/m 2 ) but few changes occurred between 2003 and 2013 (mean = 5007/m 2 ; range/y = 2355–8216/m 2 ). Seasonal abundances varied substantially between sites and years, but overall, abundances were low in March–April, high in May–August, and low in September–November. Although reproduction was continuous throughout warmer months, en masse recruitment, as revealed by length–frequency distributions, occurred in a brief period late‐June to mid-July, and possibly in early-September. All life history characteristics, including tube construction, were dependent on water temperatures (> 5 °C in spring and < 15 °C in fall). These results generally agree with and complement laboratory studies of M. speciosa in the Pacific Northwest where M. speciosa hosts parasites that cause substantial fish mortalities. Although abundance of M. speciosa near the mouth of the Detroit River was 33-fold lower in 2013 than it was in 1961, this population has persisted for five decades and, therefore, has the potential to harbor parasites that may cause fish mortalities in the Great Lakes.

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USGS2016

Observations of cocooned Hydrobaenus (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae in Lake Michigan

Larvae of the family Chironomidae have developed a variety of ways to tolerate environmental stress, including the formation of cocoons, which allows larvae to avoid unfavorable temperature conditions, drought, or competition with other chironomids. Summer cocoon formation by younger instars of the genus Hydrobaenus Fries allows persistence through increased temperatures and/or intermittent dry periods in arid regions or temporary habitats, but this behavior was not observed in the Great Lakes until the current study. Cocoon-aestivating Hydrobaenus sp. larvae were found in benthic grab samples collected in 2010–2013 near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Lake Michigan with densities up to 7329/m 2 . The aestivating species was identified as Hydrobaenus johannseni (Sublette, 1967), and the associated chironomid community was typical for an oligotrophic nearshore system. Hydrobaenus cocoon formation in the Great Lakes was likely previously unnoticed due to the discrepancies between the genus' life history and typical benthos sampling procedures which has consequences for describing chironomid communities where Hydrobaenus is present.

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USGS2016

Age and growth of round gobies in Lake Huron: Implications for food web dynamics

Although the round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus ) has become established throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes, information is scarce on spatial variation in round goby growth between and within lakes. Based on a sample of 754 specimens captured in 2014, age, growth, and mortality of round gobies at four locations in Lake Huron were assessed via otolith analysis. Total length ( TL ) of round gobies ranged from 44 to 111 mm for Saginaw Bay, from 45 to 115 mm for Rockport, from 50 to 123 mm for Hammond Bay, and from 51 to 118 mm for Thunder Bay. Estimated ages of round gobies ranged from 2 to 5 years for Saginaw Bay, from 2 to 6 years for Rockport, and from 2 to 7 years for Hammond Bay and Thunder Bay. Sex-specific, body–otolith relationships were used to back-calculate total lengths at age, which were then fitted to von Bertalanffy growth models. For each sex, round goby growth showed significant spatial variation among the four locations within Lake Huron. At all four locations in Lake Huron, males grew significantly faster than females and attained a larger asymptotic length than females. Annual mortality rate estimates were high (62 to 85%), based on catch-curve analysis, suggesting that round gobies may be under predatory control in Lake Huron.

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USGS2016

Molecular evidence of undescribed Ceratonova sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) in the freshwater polychaete, Manayunkia speciosa , from western Lake Erie

We used PCR to screen pooled individuals of Manayunkia speciosa from western Lake Erie, Michigan, USA for myxosporean parasites. Amplicons from positive PCRs were sequenced and showed a Ceratonova species in an estimated 1.1% (95% CI = 0.46%, 1.8%) of M . speciosa individuals. We sequenced 18S, ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2 and most of the 28S rDNA regions of this Ceratonova sp., and part of the protein-coding EF2 gene. Phylogenetic analyses of ribosomal and EF2 sequences showed the Lake Erie Ceratonova sp. is most similar to, but genetically distinct from, Ceratonova shasta . Marked interspecific polymorphism in all genes examined, including the ITS barcoding genes, along with geographic location suggests this is an undescribed Ceratonova species. COI sequences showed M . speciosa individuals in Michigan and California are the same species. These findings represent a third parasite in the genus Ceratonova potentially hosted by M . speciosa .

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USGS2016

Assessment of dreissenid biodeposits as a potential food resource for invasive Asian carp

Silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) and bighead carp ( H. nobilis ) are poised to invade the Laurentian Great Lakes. Zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) and quagga mussels ( D. rostriformis bugensis ) have shifted nutrient pathways towards the benthos, partly through deposition of feces and rejected food particles called biodeposits. When biodeposit material was fed to bighead and silver carp, they fed on the material, but on average lost weight. Energy density between fed and unfed fish did not differ, but a few individual fish did gain weight on the biodeposits diet. Our results demonstrate that biodeposits might be considered a supplemental food for bigheaded carps.

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USGS2016

Integrated modeling approach for fate and transport of submerged oil and oil-particle aggregates in a freshwater riverine environment

The Enbridge Line 6B pipeline release of diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River downstream of Marshall, Michigan, U.S.A., in July 2010 was one of the largest oil spills into freshwater in North American history. A portion of the oil interacted with river sediment and submerged requiring the development and implementation of new approaches for detection and recovery of oil mixed with river sediment. Hydrodynamic and sediment transport modeling became an integral part of containment and recovery operations for decision support about the potential fate and migration of submerged oil and oiled sediment. Three models were developed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to cover a range of spatial scales of interest to onsite operations. Two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic and sediment transport models from the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code and the sediment bed model SEDZLJ1 were used to simulate potential resuspension, migration, and deposition of submerged oil and oiled sediment along a 38-mile reach of the Kalamazoo River affected by the oil from Marshall to Kalamazoo. An algorithm was added to SEDZLJ to represent three additional particle size classes of oilparticle aggregates (OPAs) with a range of sizes, specific gravities, and settling velocities. Field and laboratory experiments and flume tests were done to support the numerical modeling of OPAs. A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was developed to simulate hydrodynamics and OPA tracking through Morrow Lake, the most downstream impoundment. This model incorporated wind and dam operations into high and low flow, lake drawdown, and containment simulations. Finally, a 2D unstructured grid model, HydroSed2D, was used to simulate flows and sediment transport along 1- to 2-mile segments of the Kalamazoo River around islands and through side channels and backwater areas that are particularly prone to submerged oil deposition. Integrated models could be developed quickly due to the availability of information and services combined with spill response operations that included: bathymetry and topography data, fieldbased geomorphic mapping of submerged oil, and discharge measured at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gauges. Modeling results were included in a multiple-lines-of-evidence approach that was used by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator and operations staff for decision-making related to assessment and recovery of submerged oil, as well as net environmental benefit analysis. Similar modeling approaches will likely be useful for future oil spills in riverine environments.

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USGS2015

Hydrodynamic assessment data associated with the July 2010 line 6B spill into the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, 2012–14

Hydrodynamic-assessment data for the Kalamazoo River were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) during 2012–14 to augment other hydrodynamic data-collection efforts by Enbridge Energy L.P. and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency associated with the 2010 Enbridge Line 6B oil spill. Specifically, the USGS data-collection efforts were focused on additional background data needed for 2013–14 updates to Enbridge’s 2012 hydrodynamic and sediment-transport models for simulating resuspension and deposition of submerged oil. The main data-collection activities consisted of the following along the Kalamazoo River: (1) a survey done by use of a Real-Time Network Global Navigation Satellite System, (2) water-level measurements in impounded sections, (3) velocity, discharge, and bathymetry measurements at transects and stationary points along the oil-affected reach of the river and in Morrow Delta and Lake, (4) estimates of tributary inflows, and (5) suspended-sediment concentrations and particle-size data at USGS streamgages along the Kalamazoo River. The method used to estimate bed shear stress from stationary velocity data is described. Averaged transect-based velocity data that were processed to match model grids also are included. In addition to model inputs and checks, these hydrodynamic-related data were used in submerged oil containment and recovery operations focused in impoundments and designated sediment traps. This report contains a description of the scope and methods associated with the hydrodynamic data collection and supplementary files of the USGS data that were used in modeling activities.

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USGS2015

Development of an assessment tool for agricultural best management practice Implementation in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative priority watersheds—Alger Creek, tributary to Saginaw River, Michigan

The Great Lakes face a number of serious challenges that cause damage to water quality, habitat, ecology, and coastal health. Excess nutrients from point and nonpoint sources have a history of causing harmful algal blooms (HABs); since the late 1990s, a resurgence of HABs have forced beach closures and resulted in water quality impairments across the Great Lakes. Studies increasingly point to phosphorus (P) runoff from agricultural lands as the cause of these HABs. In 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was launched to revitalize the Great Lakes. The GLRI aims to address the challenges facing the Great Lakes and provide a framework for restoration and protection. As part of this effort, the Priority Watersheds Work Group (PWWG), cochaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA–NRCS), is targeting Priority Watersheds (PWs) to reduce the amount of P reaching the Great Lakes. Within the PWs, USDA–NRCS identifies small-scale subbasins with high concentrations of agriculture for coordinated nutrient reduction efforts and enhanced monitoring and modeling. The USDA–NRCS supplies financial and/or technical assistance to producers to install or implement best management practices (BMPs) to lessen the negative effects of agriculture to water quality; additional funding is provided by the GLRI through USDA–NRCS to saturate the small-scale subbasins with BMPs. The watershed modeling component, introduced in this fact sheet, assesses the effectiveness of USDA–NRCS funded BMPs, and nutrient reductions because of GLRI or other funding programs are differentiated. Modeling scenarios consider BMPs that have already been applied and those planned to be implemented across the small-scale subbasins.

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USGS2015

Flood-inundation maps for Grand River, Red Cedar River, and Sycamore Creek near Lansing, Michigan

Digital flood-inundation maps for a total of 19.7 miles of the Grand River, the Red Cedar River, and Sycamore Creek were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Lansing, Michigan, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ , show estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at three USGS streamgages: Grand River at Lansing, MI (04113000), Red Cedar River at East Lansing, MI (04112500), and Sycamore Creek at Holt Road near Holt, MI (04112850). Near-real-time stages at these streamgages can be obtained on the Internet from the USGS National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/ , which also forecasts flood hydrographs at all of these sites. Each set of flood profiles was computed by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. Each model was calibrated to the current stage-discharge relation at each streamgage and to water levels determined with stage sensors (pressure transducers) temporarily deployed along each stream reach. The hydraulic model was used to compute a set of water-surface profiles for flood stages from nearly Action Stage to above Major Flood stage, as reported by the National Weather Service. The computed water-surface profiles were then used in combination with a Geographic Information System digital elevation model derived from light detection and ranging (lidar) data to delineate the approximate areas flooded at each water level. These maps, used in conjunction with real-time USGS streamgage data and NWS forecasting, provide critical information to emergency management personnel and the public. This information is used to plan flood response actions, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as aid in postflood recovery efforts.

Michigan↗

USGS2015

Effects of land use on lake nutrients: The importance of scale, hydrologic connectivity, and region

Catchment land uses, particularly agriculture and urban uses, have long been recognized as major drivers of nutrient concentrations in surface waters. However, few simple models have been developed that relate the amount of catchment land use to downstream freshwater nutrients. Nor are existing models applicable to large numbers of freshwaters across broad spatial extents such as regions or continents. This research aims to increase model performance by exploring three factors that affect the relationship between land use and downstream nutrients in freshwater: the spatial extent for measuring land use, hydrologic connectivity, and the regional differences in both the amount of nutrients and effects of land use on them. We quantified the effects of these three factors that relate land use to lake total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) in 346 north temperate lakes in 7 regions in Michigan, USA. We used a linear mixed modeling framework to examine the importance of spatial extent, lake hydrologic class, and region on models with individual lake nutrients as the response variable, and individual land use types as the predictor variables. Our modeling approach was chosen to avoid problems of multi-collinearity among predictor variables and a lack of independence of lakes within regions, both of which are common problems in broad-scale analyses of freshwaters. We found that all three factors influence land use-lake nutrient relationships. The strongest evidence was for the effect of lake hydrologic connectivity, followed by region, and finally, the spatial extent of land use measurements. Incorporating these three factors into relatively simple models of land use effects on lake nutrients should help to improve predictions and understanding of land use-lake nutrient interactions at broad scales.

Michigan↗

USGS2015

Landscape prediction and mapping of game fish biomass, an ecosystem service of Michigan rivers

The increased integration of ecosystem service concepts into natural resource management places renewed emphasis on prediction and mapping of fish biomass as a major provisioning service of rivers. The goals of this study were to predict and map patterns of fish biomass as a proxy for the availability of catchable fish for anglers in rivers and to identify the strongest landscape constraints on fish productivity. We examined hypotheses about fish responses to total phosphorus (TP), as TP is a growth-limiting nutrient known to cause increases (subsidy response) and/or decreases (stress response) in fish biomass depending on its concentration and the species being considered. Boosted regression trees were used to define nonlinear functions that predicted the standing crops of Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis , Brown Trout Salmo trutta , Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu , panfishes (seven centrarchid species), and Walleye Sander vitreus by using landscape and modeled local-scale predictors. Fitted models were highly significant and explained 22–56% of the variation in validation data sets. Nonlinear and threshold responses were apparent for numerous predictors, including TP concentration, which had significant effects on all except the Walleye fishery. Brook Trout and Smallmouth Bass exhibited both subsidy and stress responses, panfish biomass exhibited a subsidy response only, and Brown Trout exhibited a stress response. Maps of reach-specific standing crop predictions showed patterns of predicted fish biomass that corresponded to spatial patterns in catchment area, water temperature, land cover, and nutrient availability. Maps illustrated predictions of higher trout biomass in coldwater streams draining glacial till in northern Michigan, higher Smallmouth Bass and panfish biomasses in warmwater systems of southern Michigan, and high Walleye biomass in large main-stem rivers throughout the state. Our results allow fisheries managers to examine the biomass potential of streams, describe geographic patterns of fisheries, explore possible nutrient management targets, and identify habitats that are candidates for species management.

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