Abstract
In 2021, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) selected the Illinois River Basin as the 3rd basin for study in the USGS Integrated Water Science Program. This program selects regionally representative basins for 10-year intensive monitoring and study with regional focus topics selected with basin stakeholder input. In the Illinois River Basin, the selected focus topics are nutrients and harmful algal blooms. The physiographic and anthropogenic setting of the Illinois River Basin make it uniquely qualified for the study of these focus topics. Five years into the study, this presentation describes the pyramidal structure of basin-wide monitoring in the Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) approach and the development of regional models for in the Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs). Examples of new data and preliminary results from both the NGWOS monitoring and IWAAs modeling will be presented for discussion.
Bio
Born and raised on the south side of Chicago. I received my Bachelor degree in Geology from the University of Colorado in 1982. I began working for the USGS in 1983 while in graduate school at Northern Illinois University.
My career with USGS has spanned a wide range of hydrologic and multi-disciplinary studies, including developing techniques and methods for hydroacoustic flow measurements in the Chicago Area Waterway, monitoring effectiveness of green infrastructure, and watershed modeling.
In 2012 I began working on multidisciplinary projects related to keeping invasive bigheaded carp out of the Great Lakes. This work has examined links between water quality and the apparent stalling of the bigheaded carp population front in the lower Des Plaines River.
In 2021 I became the Illinois River Basin Coordinator when the Illinois River Basin was selected as the 3rd Integrated Water Science basin.