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USGS2019

Basin, climatic, and irrigation factors associated with median summer water yields for streams in Southwestern Michigan, 1945-2015

Median summer water yields and resultant flows for streams are used in Michigan to regulate large water withdrawals to help prevent negative effects on characteristic fish populations. Large water withdrawals commonly are associated with irrigation in rural areas. In an earlier statewide report, an index-flow statistic for the period of record, defined as the median flow during the summer month of lowest flow, was used to characterize median summer flows and associated water yields. In this report, the annual series of median summer water yields for the period July 1 through September 30 within the period of record is used to characterize median summer water yields. For 27 streamgages included in both reports, the average index water yield was at the 37th percentile of the distribution of median summer water yields. In contrast to an index statistic, an annual time series provides a basis for detecting trends in median summer water yields and for determining basin, climatic, and irrigation factors affecting spatial and temporal variations in summer water yields. Daily flow data from 40 selected U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in southwestern Michigan were used in this analysis. Two mixed models were identified to estimate median summer water yields based on fixed basin characteristics and temporally varying climatic factors for 1945–2015. No irrigation data were available prior to 1970, so no irrigation variables were included in the mixed models for 1945–2015. Then, two mixed models were developed for 1970–2015, a period in which a partial annual series of county-level irrigation data also were available. One of the 1970–2015 mixed models provides a basis for estimating median summer water yields at sites in southwestern Michigan using an estimated trend component, and selected basin, climatic, and irrigation factors. Re-estimation of model parameters in this mixed model with more spatially precise information on irrigation withdrawals may improve model accuracy.

Michigan↗

USGS1965

Aeromagnetic map of parts of Marquette, Dickinson, Baraga, Alger, and Schoolcraft Counties, Michigan, and its geologic interpretation

The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Geological Survey Division of the Michigan Department of Conservation, is conducting a comprehensive restudy of the iron-bearing districts of Michigan. The use of aeromagnetic data is one of the fastest and most reliable methods for outlining the areal distribution of magnetic iron-formation and thus is of material value in assessing the iron resources of the United States. As part of this program of restudy, aeromagnetic surveys of approximately 4,500 square miles of the Northern Peninsula have been made. The results of several of these surveys have been presented by Balsley and others (1949) and by Wier and others (.1953). This report is about a survey made in 1950, over an area of about 1,400 square miles in Marquette County and ad-· joining strips in northern Dickinson and northeastern Baraga Counties, and a later survey flown in 1961, over about 500 square miles in parts of Marquette, Alger, and Schoolcraft Counties. The Marquette iron range extends in an east-west direction across approximately the west-central part of the area, and iron districts of lesser importance are located at Republic, in the southwestern part of the area, and near Gwinn, in the south -central part of the area. Aeromagnetic surveys were flown along north-south lines spaced at intervals of one-quarter mile in the western part of the area and at intervals of from about 1 to 3 miles in the eastern part. Lines were flown at approximately 500 feet above the surface or at elevations of 1,100 to 2,400 feet above sea level. The flight path of the aircraft was recorded by a gyrostabilized continuous-strip camera, and elevation was continuously recorded by a radio altimeter. Magnetic measurements were made by an AN/ASQ-3A fluxgate magnetometer. Compilation of aeromagnetic data was by standard methods, described by Balsley ( 1952 ), under the supervision of John Kirby and Frank Petrafeso. The aeromagnetic contours are relative to an arbitrary datum. Magnetic properties of rocks were measured by W. E. Huff. At the time the earlier aeromagnetic survey was flown, the only base maps available were planimetric maps such as the Helena NW quadrangle and county road maps. Small errors, therefore, may exist in the location of flight lines and specific aeromagnetic a nomalies. The major magnetic anomalies and broad areas that have characteristic magnetic patterns are correlated herein with geology as determined from published reports and from mapping done since 1957 by the U. S. Geological Survey in the eastern part of the Marquette iron range. The geology north of the Marquette iron range and west of the line between R. 25 W. and R. 26 W. is based mainly on a compilation made by Robert Reed of the Geological Survey Division of the Michigan Department of Conservation from data in the files of the State Survey. In addition some aeromagnetic features have been checked by ground magnetometer in selected localities and correlated directly with the rock types. A few oriented samples have been collected for measurement of the magnetic properties of the major rock units, but many hundreds or thousands of samples would be required to obtain a full range of values of the magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization of the rocks over such a large area. Although the geology of much of the area is still imperfectly known, the available aeromagnetic data together with the best obtainable geologic data are presented at this time, rather than awaiting the eventual extension or completion of the present mapping program, because the combined data provide much information on the extent and location of magnetic iron-formation and other major rock units where concealed beneath glacial, vegetative, and alluvial cover.

Michigan↗

USGS2022

A computer-aided approach for adapting stage-discharge ratings and characterizing uncertainties of streamflow data with discrete measurements

Relations between stage (water level) and discharge of streamflow through a natural channel are the result of time-varying processes, which are commonly described by time-varying stage-discharge ratings. Hydrographers with the U.S. Geological Survey successfully maintain the accuracy of streamflow data by manually applying time-tested approaches to adapt ratings to temporal changes in hydraulic conditions. The difficulty with the manual approach is that it is a subjective, time-consuming process that requires considerable skill and experience to implement. In addition, manual adjustments of ratings make quantification of resulting streamflow data uncertainties problematic. A computer-aided adaptive stage-discharge estimation approach is proposed to track sequential changes in the relation between stage and discharge at continuous-record streamgages. In this report, adaptations are based strictly on discrete measurement data that are then used to compute the magnitudes and uncertainties of streamflow. The approach entails the parameterization of a cubic regression spline (CRS) for the stage-discharge relation based on an existing rating or on a set of discrete measurements. A state-space model is then parameterized to track temporal changes in stage-discharge relations beginning with the initial CRS parameterization using discrete measurements. Finally, Kalman estimation is used with the state-space model to estimate the magnitude and uncertainty of flows. In a case study using data from streamgage U.S. Geological Survey 04122500 Marquette River at Scottville, Michigan, a five-parameter CRS model was estimated from data in an existing stage-discharge rating to provide an initial CRS parameter set for a state-space model. The initial CRS parameters were updated sequentially in a state-space model based on periodic discrete measurements of stage and discharge that spanned a 30-year period for this analysis. Additional analysis is needed to determine the timing of rapidly varying shifts more precisely in stage-discharge relations than the relatively infrequent discrete measurements currently enabled. Unit streamflow estimates based on flow in a local streamgaging network may provide a basis for adapting a stage-discharge rating at unit time intervals by augmenting discrete measurement data within the state-space model.

Michigan↗

USGS1996

Fracture patterns and their origin in the upper Devonian Antrim Shale gas reservoir of the Michigan basin: A review

INTRODUCTION: Black shale members of the Upper Devonian Antrim Shale are both the source and reservoir for a regional gas accumulation that presently extends across parts of six counties in the northern part of the Michigan basin (fig. 1). Natural fractures are considered by most petroleum geologists and oil and gas operators who work the Michigan basin to be a necessary condition for commercial gas production in the Antrim Shale. Fractures provide the conduits for free gas and associated water to flow to the borehole through the black shale which, otherwise, has a low matrix permeability. Moreover, the fractures assist in the release of gas adsorbed on mineral and(or) organic matter in the shale (Curtis, 1992). Depths to the gas-producing intervals (Norwood and Lachine Members) generally range from 1,200 to 1,800 ft (Oil and Gas Journal, 1994). Locally, wells that produce gas from the accumulation are as deep as 2,200 (Oil and Gas Journal, 1994). Even though natural fractures are an important control on Antrim Shale gas production, most wells require stimulation by hydraulic fracturing to attain commercial production rates (Kelly, 1992). In the U.S. Geological Survey's National Assessment of United States oil and gas, Dolton (1995) estimates that, at a mean value, 4.45 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas are recoverable as additions to already discovered quantities from the Antrim Shale in the productive area of the northern Michigan trend. Dolton (1995) also suggests that undiscovered Antrim Shale gas accumulations exist in other parts of the Michigan basin. The character, distribution, and origin of natural fractures in the Antrim Shale gas accumulation have been studied recently by academia and industry. The intent of these investigations is to: 1) predict 'sweet spots', prior to drilling, in the existing gas-producing trend, 2) improve production practices in the existing trend, 3) predict analogous fracture-controlled gas accumulations in other parts of the Michigan basin, and 4) improve estimates of the recoverable gas in the Antrim Shale gas plays (Dolton, 1995). This review of published literature on the characteristics of Antrim Shale fractures, their origin, and their controls on gas production will help to define objectives and goals in future U.S. Geological Survey studies of Antrim Shale gas resources.

Michigan↗

USGS2017

Surficial geologic map of Berrien County, Michigan, and the adjacent offshore area of Lake Michigan

The surficial geologic map of Berrien County, southwestern Michigan (sheet 1), shows the distribution of glacial and postglacial deposits at the land surface and in the adjacent offshore area of Lake Michigan. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Drill-hole information correlated in cross sections provides details of typical stratigraphic sequences that compose one or more penetrated geologic map units. A new bedrock geologic map (on sheet 2) includes contours of the altitude of the eroded top of bedrock and shows the distribution of middle Paleozoic shale and carbonate units in the subcrop. A sediment thickness map (also on sheet 2) portrays the extent of as much as 150 meters of surficial materials that overlie the bedrock surface. The major physical features of the county are related principally to deposits of the last Laurentide ice sheet that advanced and then retreated back through the region from about 19,000 to 14,000 radiocarbon years before present. Glacial and postglacial deposits underlie the entire county; shale bedrock crops out only in the adjacent offshore area on the bottom of Lake Michigan. All glacial deposits and glacial meltwater deposits in Berrien County are related to the late Wisconsinan glacial advances of the Lake Michigan ice lobe and its three regional recessional moraines, which cross the county as three north-northeast-trending belts. From east to west (oldest to youngest), the three moraine belts are known as the Kalamazoo, Valparaiso, and Lake Border morainic systems. The till-ridge morainic systems (Lake Border and local Valparaiso morainic systems) consist of multiple, elongate moraine ridges separated by till plains and lake-bottom plains. Tills in ground and end moraines in Berrien County are distinguished as informal units, and are correlated with three proposed regional till units in southwestern Michigan, characterized as clayey till, loamy till, or sandy loamy till that are based in part on correlation of silty tills and clay mineralogy. The stratified morainic systems (local Valparaiso and Kalamazoo morainic systems) are composed of multiple ice-marginal glacial-lake deltas and glaciolacustrine fans that form a contiguous array of deposits, welded together at their onlapping contacts, further related by the accordant altitudes of their delta topset plains. Their bounding ice-contact slopes repeatedly are aligned parallel to the regional trend of the receding ice margin. Ice-marginal (ice-contact) deltas were deposited in glacial lakes that expanded northward as the ice sheet retreated. Glaciofluvial topset beds, which overlie deltaic foreset and bottomset facies, fine away from the ice margin. Stratified deposits associated with the Valparaiso moraine were deposited in glacial Lakes Madron and Dowagiac. Subsequent deposits of glacial Lake Baroda preceded basin-wide deposits associated with various levels of Lake Michigan. Sheet 2 includes a series of 10 map figures that show cut-away three-dimensional time slices of the stratigraphic succession, from basal tills on bedrock, to ice-marginal deltas in the three large proglacial lakes, to stacked till/lake-bottom deposits related to the Lake Border ice margin readvances, to young deposits of glacial Lake Chicago and younger phases of other glacial lakes and the Chippewa lake lowstand. The pamphlet contains a discussion of the stratigraphic framework, descriptions of each depositional unit, and graphic logs of U.S. Geological Survey stratigraphic drill holes. The pamphlet also relates the geologic history of Berrien County, beginning with bedrock Paleozoic marine deposits, continuing through erosional effects of multiple glaciations and the detailed steps of late Wisconsinan ice-margin recession as recorded in the moraines, and the rise and fall of postglacial lake levels in the Lake Michigan basin.

Michigan↗

USGS1987

Simulation of unsteady flow in the Milwaukee Harbor Estuary at Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This report describes the application and results of an unsteady-flow model for the Milwaukee Harbor Estuary. The model simulates unsteady and upstream flow occurring in the estuary as a result of Lake Michigan Seiche. The discharge computed by the model indicates that upstream flow occurs throughout the estuary during periods of lake seiche. Flow conditions are extremely unsteady and major flow reversals may occur within 1 hr. The simulated discharge indicates that both upstream and downstream flows four times greater than the average daily discharge can occur during the same day. An estimate of 5- or 15-minute average discharge was required during selected runoff events and at various locations in the estuary as part of the Milwaukee Harbor Estuary study. The model provides a method to estimate 5-minute average discharges at selected cross sections in the estuary. The U.S. Geological Survey 's Branch Network Model was used to simulate stage and discharge. A finite difference computation scheme is used to solve the one-dimensional flow equations. Model input requirements include channel geometry data, discharge at the upstream tributaries, and stage data at the estuary mouth. The model was used to simulate the flow during six selected time periods in 1982-84 using a 5- or 15-minute computation interval. (Author 's abstract)

Wisconsin↗

USGS2017

Groundwater flux and nutrient loading in the northeast section of Bear Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan, 2015

Bear Lake in North Muskegon, Michigan, is listed as part of the Muskegon Lake area of concern as designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This area of concern was designated as a result of eutrophication and beneficial use impairments. On the northeast end of Bear Lake, two man-made retention ponds (Willbrandt Pond East and Willbrandt Pond West), formerly used for celery farming, may contribute nutrients to Bear Lake. Willbrandt Ponds (East and West) were previously muck fields that were actively used for celery farming from the early 1900s until 2002. The restoration and reconnection of the Willbrandt Ponds into Bear Lake prompted concerns of groundwater nutrient loading into Bear Lake. Studies done by the State of Michigan and Grand Valley State University revised initial internal phosphorus load estimates and indicated an imbalance in the phosphorus budget in Bear Lake. From June through November 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) did an investigative study to quantify the load of nutrients from shallow groundwater around the Willbrandt Ponds in an effort to update the phosphorus budget to Bear Lake. Seven sampling locations were established, including five shallow groundwater wells and two surface-water sites, in the Willbrandt pond study area and Bear Lake. A total of 12 nutrient samples and discrete water-level measurements were collected from each site from June through November 2015. Continuous water-level data were recorded for both surface-water monitoring locations for the entire sampling period. Water-level data indicated that Willbrandt Pond West had the highest average water-level elevation of all sites monitored, which indicated the general direction of flux is from Willbrandt Pond West to Bear Lake. Nutrient and chloride loading from Willbrandt Pond West to Bear Lake was calculated using two distinct methods: Dupuit and direct seepage methods. Shallow groundwater loading calculations were determined by using groundwater levels to first determine a flux of shallow groundwater, then nutrient concentrations to determine a load. It was determined that Willbrandt Pond East and Willbrandt Pond West contributed between 2 to 4 percent of the total annual phosphorus load to Bear Lake by way of shallow groundwater flow. Annual loads calculated for other constituents include orthophosphate (40–100 pounds per year [lb P/yr]), total nitrogen (200–830 lb/yr), chloride (12,700–32,100 lb/yr), and ammonia (130–670 lb N/yr). Study results indicated that mean groundwater and surface-water nutrient concentrations calculated in this study were higher than reported Michigan statewide values. The data collected in this study allow understanding of groundwater nutrient loading into Bear Lake in an effort to help inform future restoration and management decisions.

Michigan↗

USGS2020

Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2019

A comprehensive understanding of fish populations and their interactions is the cornerstone of modern fishery management and the basis for Fish Community Goals and Objectives for Lake Erie (Ryan et al. 2003). This report is responsive to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) obligations via Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Great Lakes Council of Lake Committees (CLC) to provide scientific information in support of fishery management. Goals for the USGS Great Lakes Deepwater Fish Assessment and Ecological Studies in 2019 were to monitor long-term changes in the fish community and population dynamics of key fishes of interest to management agencies. Specific to Lake Erie, expectations of this agreement were sustained investigations of native percids, forage (prey) fish populations, and Lake Trout. Our 2019 deepwater program operations began in April and concluded in December, and utilized trawl, gillnet, hydroacoustic, lower trophic sampling, and telemetry methods. This work resulted in 88 bottom trawls covering 65 ha of lake-bottom and catching 24,140 fish totaling 3,622 kg during three separate trawl surveys in the West and Central basins of Lake Erie. Overnight gillnet sets (n=44) for cold water species were performed at 42 unique locations in the West and East basins of Lake Erie. A total of 8.0 km of gillnet was deployed during these surveys, which caught 286 fish, 114 of which were native coldwater species: Lake Trout, Burbot, and Lake Whitefish. USGS hydroacoustic surveys in 2019 produced 240 km of transects, and lower trophic sampling provided data from zooplankton samples (n=21) and water quality profiles (n=21) to populate a database maintained by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF), Ohio Division of Natural Resources (ODNR), Michigan Division of Natural Resources (MDNR), Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). USGS also assisted CLC member agencies with deployment and maintenance of the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS) throughout all three Lake Erie sub-basins, supporting multiple coordinated telemetry investigations. In 2019, Lake Trout investigations included annual gill net surveys and acoustic telemetry of spawning migration and habitat use in coordination with OMNRF, NYSDEC, and PFBC. Results from Lake Trout investigations were reported in the Coldwater Task Group annual report to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) and the CLC (Coldwater Task Group 2020). Likewise, interagency forage fish assessments conducted with hydroacoustics were summarized and reported in the Forage Task Group annual report (Forage Task Group 2020). This report presents biomass-based summaries of fish communities in western Lake Erie derived from USGS bottom trawl surveys conducted from 2013 to 2019 during June and September. The survey design provided temporal and spatial coverage that did not exist in the historic interagency trawl database, and thus complemented the August ODNR-OMNRF effort to reinforce stock assessments with more robust data. Analyses herein evaluated trends in: total biomass, abundance of dominant predator and forage species, non-native species composition, biodiversity and community structure. Data from this effort can be explored interactively online (https://lebs.shinyapps.io/western-basin/), and are accessible for download (https://doi.org/10.5066/P9LL6YOR, Keretz et al. 2020). Annual survey data are added to these sources as the data become available.

Lake Erie↗

USGS2010

Environmental baseline study of the Huron River Watershed, Baraga and Marquette Counties, Michigan

This report summarizes results of a study to establish water-quality and geochemical baseline conditions within a small watershed in the Lake Superior region. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a survey of water-quality parameters and soil and streambed sediment geochemistry of the 83 mi2 Huron River Watershed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Streamflow was measured and water-quality samples collected at a range of flow conditions from six sites on the major tributaries of the Huron River. All water samples were analyzed for a suite of common ions, nutrients, and trace metals. In addition, water samples from each site were analyzed for unfiltered total and methylmercury once during summer low-flow conditions. Soil samples were collected from 31 sites, with up to 4 separate samples collected at each site, delineated by soil horizon. Streambed sediments were collected from 11 sites selected to cover most of the area drained by the Huron River system. USGS data were supplemented with ecological assessments completed in 2006 by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality using a modified version of their Great Lakes Environmental Assessment Section procedure 51, and again during 2008 using volunteers under supervision of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Results from this study define a hydrological, geological, and environmental baseline for the Huron River Watershed prior to any significant mineral exploration or development. Results from the project also serve to refine the design of future regional environmental baseline studies in the Lake Superior Basin.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS1997

Pesticides in ground water in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan, 1983-1995

In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The long-term goals of the NAWQA Program are to describe the status and trends in the quality of a large, representative part of the Nation's surface- and ground- water resources, and to identify, describe, and explain, if possible, the major factors that affect the observed water quality (Hirsch and others, 1988). The program consists of study-unit investigations that include parts of most major river basins and aquifer systems in the country. The Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit encompasses a 20,000-square-mile area in eastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that drains to Lake Michigan and Green Bay (figure 1).

Michigan, Wisconsin↗

USGS1994

Nitrate in ground water in the western Lake Michigan drainage basin, Wisconsin and Michigan

In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey began the nationwide implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The long-term goals of the NAWQA Program are to describe the status and trends in the quality of a large, representative part of the Nation's surface- and ground-water resources and to provide a sound, scientific understanding of the primary natural and human factors that affect the quality of these resources. The program (as currently planned) consists of 60 study-unit investigations that include parts of most major river basins and aquifer systems in the country. The Western Lake Michigan Drainage Basin encompasses a 20,000-square-mile area in eastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that drains to Lake Michigan and Green Bay (fig. 1).

Michigan, Wisconsin↗

USGS1995

National Water-Quality Assessment Program, western Lake Michigan drainages: Summaries of liaison committee meeting, Green Bay, Wisconsin, March 28-29, 1995

The Western Lake Michigan Drainages (WMIC) study unit, under investigation since 1991, drains 20,000 square miles (mi2) in eastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (fig. 1). The major water-quality issues in the WMIC study unit are: (1) nonpoint-source contamination of surface and ground water by agricultural chemicals, (2) contamination in bottom sediments of rivers and harbors by toxic substances, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), other synthetic organic compounds, and trace elements, (3) nutrient enrichment of rivers and lakes resulting from nonpoint- and point-source discharges, and (4) acidification and mercury contamination of lakes in poorly buffered watersheds in the northwestern part of the study unit. A study-unit liaison committee, which includes representatives of Federal, State, university, and private and citizen organizations, has met annually since 1991 to review plans and results and guide the investigators toward policy-relevant efforts. The results of research conducted in the WMIC study unit by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and non-USGS researchers were presented at the liaison committee meeting held in Green Bay, Wis., on March 28-29, 1995. This report contains summaries of the oral presentations given at the WMIC 1995 liaison committee meeting.

Michigan, Wisconsin↗

USGS1996

Sources and transport of phosphorus in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages

In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began full implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The goals of the NAWQA program are to (1) provide a nationally consistent descrip- tion of water-quality conditions for a large part of the Nation's water resources, (2) define long-term trends (or lack of trends) in water quality, and (3) identify, describe, and explain, as possible, the major factors that affect the observed water-quality conditions and trends (Hirsch and others, 1988). To fulfill the goals of the NAWQA program, the USGS plans to examine 60 areas (study units) across the United States on a rotational cycle. The first 20 of these study units began intensive investigations in 1991. One of these study units is the Western Lake Michigan Drainages (WMIC) (fig. 1).

Michigan, Wisconsin↗

USGS2015

Hydrology of and Current Monitoring Issues for the Chicago Area Waterway System, Northeastern Illinois

The Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) consists of a combination of natural and manmade channels that form an interconnected navigable waterway of approximately 90-plus miles in the metropolitan Chicago area of northeastern Illinois. The CAWS serves the area as the primary drainage feature, a waterway transportation corridor, and recreational waterbody. The CAWS was constructed by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). Completion of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (initial portion of the CAWS) in 1900 breached a low drainage divide and resulted in a diversion of water from the Lake Michigan Basin. A U.S. Supreme Court decree (Consent Decree 388 U.S. 426 [1967] Modified 449 U.S. 48 [1980]) limits the annual diversion from Lake Michigan. While the State of Illinois is responsible for the diversion, the MWRDGC regulates and maintains water level and water quality within the CAWS by using several waterway control structures. The operation and control of water levels in the CAWS results in a very complex hydraulic setting characterized by highly unsteady flows. The complexity leads to unique gaging requirements and monitoring issues. This report provides a general discussion of the complex hydraulic setting within the CAWS and quantifies this information with examples of data collected at a range of flow conditions from U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gaging stations and other locations within the CAWS. Monitoring to address longstanding issues of waterway operation, as well as current (2014) emerging issues such as wastewater disinfection and the threat from aquatic invasive species, is included in the discussion.

Illinois↗

USGS2013

Evaluation of the potential for hysteresis in index-velocity ratings for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for monitoring flows in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) near Lemont, Illinois, as a part of the Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District. Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting is mandated by a U.S. Supreme Court decree in order to monitor, and limit, the State of Illinois’ annual diversion of Great Lakes water through the manmade CSSC. Every 5 years, a technical review committee consisting of practicing engineers and academics reviews USGS streamgaging practices in the CSSC near Lemont, Illinois. The sixth technical review committee expressed concern that the index-velocity rating—the method used to estimate mean cross-sectional velocity from a measured index velocity—may be subject to hysteresis at this site because of the unique, unsteady hydraulics of the canal. Hysteresis in index-velocity ratings can occur at sites where the flow distribution in the channel varies significantly between the rising and falling limbs of the hydrograph for the same discharge. Presently, hysteresis in index-velocity ratings has been documented only in tidally affected sites. This report investigates whether hysteresis can occur at this nontidal site, and the conditions under which it is likely to occur, by using both a theoretical approach and a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The theoretical analysis investigated the conditions required for hysteresis in the index-velocity rating, and the modeling analysis focused on the effect of the timing of the inflows from the CSSC and the Cal-Sag Channel on the potential for hysteresis and whether highly resolved simulations of actual high-flow events show any evidence of hysteresis. Based on both a theoretical analysis using observed historical data and an analysis using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, there is no conclusive evidence for the existence of hysteresis in the index-velocity rating at the USGS streamgage on the CSSC near Lemont, Illinois. Although the theoretical analysis indicated the possibility of hysteresis at this site, the hydrodynamic conditions required to generate hysteresis are not present at this site based on historical data. Ongoing streamgaging practices at this site will use the information in this report and include periodic assessment of the index-velocity rating for any signs of hysteresis that might result from future changes to the operation of this manmade canal.

Illinois↗

USGS2024

Introduction and methods of analysis for peak streamflow trends and their relation to changes in climate in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis, also called peak-flow frequency or flood-flow frequency analysis, is essential to water resources management applications including critical structure design and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for doing flood-frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C is that for drainage basins without major hydrologic alterations, statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows (peak flows) are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant. The stationarity assumption has been widely accepted within the flood-frequency community; however, a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change has caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumption. Flood-frequency analyses that do not incorporate observed trends and abrupt changes may result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance for incorporating nonstationarities when estimating floods, and it describes a need for studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. In response to this need and a history of concern regarding nonstationarity peak flows in the region, this study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Departments of Transportation of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, to assess potential nonstationarity in peak flows in the north-central United States. This chapter summarizes the methods used to detect hydroclimatic changes in peak-flow data in the study region. A wide range of analyses and statistical approaches are applied to document the primary mechanisms controlling floods and characterize temporal changes in hydroclimatic variables and peak flow. Four periods were selected for analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data. The periods are (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. The climate data consist of monthly time series estimates of temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, snowfall, soil moisture storage, snow water equivalent, and runoff on a 3.1-mile by 3.1-mile grid for the conterminous United States. Statistical and graphical analyses were used to investigate potential changes in hydrology and climate. The starting point for these analyses was the initial data analysis of peak flow described in Bulletin 17C, which includes plotting the peak flow and checking for autocorrelation, monotonic trends, and changes points. Analyses were added to examine additional features in the data. To examine potential causal drivers of changes, the climate data were analyzed graphically and statistically. Results are provided in a U.S. Geological Survey data release. The study limitations are documented for users of the results.

Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Mon↗

USGS2005

Water quality and hydrology of the Lac Vieux Desert watershed, Gogebic County, Michigan, and Vilas County, Wisconsin, 2002-04

Lac Vieux Desert is a prominent 6.6 square-mile lake that straddles the Michigan-Wisconsin border and forms the headwaters of the Wisconsin River. For generations, the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians have used Lac Vieux Desert and the surrounding area for growing and harvesting wild rice, and hunting and fishing. The Lac Vieux Desert Band is concerned about the impact of lake-stage regulation on hydrology and ecology, and the impact on water quality of development along and near the shore, and recreational watercraft use and sport fishing. In 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a water-resources investigation of the Lac Vieux Desert watershed in cooperation with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Water quality of Lac Vieux Desert is typical of many lakes in the northern United States. Trophic State Index calculations classify Lac Vieux Desert as a highly productive eutrophic lake. The pH of water in Lac Vieux Desert ranged from 6.5 to 9.5, and specific conductance ranged from 62 to 114 µs/cm. Chloride concentration was less than 1.5 mg/L, indicating little effect from septic-tank or road-salt input. Results indicate that the water can be classified as soft, with hardness concentrations reported as calcium carbonate ranging from 29 to 49 mg/L. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, chloride, and other dissolved solids ranged from 47 to 77 mg/L. Alkalinity of Lac Vieux Desert ranged from 27 to 38 mg/L. Pervasive aquatic blooms, including a bloom noted during the September 2003 sampling, are apparently common in late summer. Biological productivity at Lac Vieux Desert does not appear to have changed appreciably between 1973 and 2004. In the current study, total phosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.064 mg/L and dissolved nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen concentrations ranged from at, or below detection limit to 0.052 mg/L. Overabundance of nutrients in Lac Vieux Desert, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, could result in considerable degradation in lake-water quality. The estimated water balance includes the following inputs from the surrounding watershed: direct precipitation (35 percent); runoff, composed of streamflow and overland flow (50 percent); and ground-water flow (15 percent). Outputs from Lac Vieux Desert include streamflow into the Wisconsin River (68 percent) and evaporation from the lake surface (32 percent). Seasonal regulation of Lac Vieux Desert outflow results in an artificially high lake stage throughout the year, except from late winter to very early spring, prior to snowmelt and runoff. Regulation of Lac Vieux Desert outflow causes Wisconsin River streamflow to be artificially low during spring and summer and artificially high in fall and winter. Recent studies indicate that lake-level regulation over the past century may have affected wild rice growth and propagation in Lac Vieux Desert. As per licensing agreement between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (operators of the dam at the outlet), the maximum lake level of Lac Vieux Desert was lowered about 0.8 feet to investigate the relation between lake-level regulation and propagation of wild rice from 2003 through 2012. Recent plantings of wild rice by the Lac Vieux Desert Band have been successful, indicating that suitable habitat and hydrologic regime were present in 2004-05.

Michigan, Wisconsin↗

USGS2025

A probabilistic assessment methodology for the evaluation of geologic energy storage capacity—Natural gas storage in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs

The need for energy storage, particularly underground, where capacity and duration may far exceed battery storage technologies, is especially relevant given the increasing demands for reliable power alongside the development of intermittent renewable electricity sources. Geologic energy storage facilities already exist, and expanded use would enable storing gases such as methane and hydrogen. In 2018, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, “Future Directions for the U.S. Geological Survey's Energy Resources Program,” recommended that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) prioritize assessing underground energy storage in geologic formations in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey has since developed a methodology for assessing natural gas storage capacities in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs on a national scale. The methodology introduced in this report prescribes three approaches for calculating gas storage capacity. This methodology relies on the availability of input data, including cumulative hydrocarbon production records, reservoir petrophysical properties, and reservoir pressure data. Assessment inputs can be obtained from public, State-level databases and propriety national-scale databases, although the use of analogs could be warranted for estimating input parameters. Probabilistic assessment results are aggregated to play, petroleum province, regional, and national scales. The steps defined in this report are demonstrated on the Michigan Basin Province, which includes the Mississippian Sandstone Gas Play and the Clinton Structural Play. This methodology could be used to systematically and consistently assess hydrocarbon plays and provinces for natural gas storage capacity across the United States.

Michigan↗