Wisconsin

The U.S. Geological Survey and partners will deploy advanced technologies on Lake Superior this summer to better understand the $7 billion per year Great Lakes fishery. The information collected will be used by managers to sustain and support the Great Lakes’ valuable natural resources. The USGS Research Vessel Kiyi.  WHAT: The USGS and the Great …

Read moreDignitaries, scientists celebrate advanced technologies in Great Lakes research

  Mexican free-tailed bats are an abundant and widespread species of the Americas. (Credit: Ann Froschauer, USFWS) Scientists with the USGS monitored 10 captive Mexican free-tailed bats that were exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, for infection and potential bat-to-bat transmission. Five of the bats became infected with the virus and …

Read moreCOVID-19 virus can infect Mexican free-tailed bats

The Status and Trends report is the third of its kind produced as part of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) program and includes information on long term changes in water quality, aquatic vegetation and fish from six study areas spread across the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The report also summarizes trends in possible …

Read moreUpper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers Experiencing Widespread and Regional Changes

Eastern tiger salamanders are sensitive to chemical contaminants like PFAS. (Credit: Caitlin Smith, USFWS) Commonly called forever chemicals, PFAS are widespread and long-lasting contaminants that are hazardous to human and environmental health. Scientists from Purdue University and the U.S. Geological Survey studied the effects of PFAS on tadpoles of three amphibian species. These species are …

Read moreToxicity of Forever Chemicals Varies Among Amphibian Species

A low-flying helicopter towing a geophysical device collects scientific data on groundwater and geology. (Credit: USGS) Starting around late February and lasting three to four weeks, a helicopter towing a large hoop from a cable will begin making low-level flights over southern Wisconsin between Grant and Kenosha counties. The low-flying helicopter will collect and record …

Read moreMedia Alert: Low-flying Helicopter Will Survey Southern Wisconsin for Geologic, Water Studies

The animals were described as ataxic and unable to stand. NWHC received one squirrel and one rabbit found dead in the neighborhood for cause-of-death determination. The cause of death of the rabbit was undetermined. A summary of the diagnostic investigation for the squirrel is provided below. Gross Findings: The squirrel was a juvenile male in …

Read morePathology Case of the Month – Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sick turkeys were approachable, could be picked up without resistance, and “appeared blind”. There were no visible pox-like lesions, and birds died within hours of the initial observation. Two turkeys that were found dead were collected and submitted for necropsy examination and diagnostic testing. Gross Findings: Birds were in fair body condition and fair to …

Read morePathology Case of the Month – Wild Turkeys

Hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey, the questionnaire will collect public feedback about waterfowl harvest and regulations for the Wisconsin Open Water Zone that will be effective for the 2021 through 2025 waterfowl hunting seasons. Input from hunters will help natural resource managers develop regulations for the Open Water Zone. The new Open Water Zone will begin …

Read moreMedia Alert: Hunter Survey Available for Green Bay and Lake Michigan

Summary statistics are now available for this challenge. Thanks again to everyone who contributed! Overall, 5 volunteers participated and edited 664 unique points throughout the challenge. A map of all the city halls in Wisconsin that volunteers edited during this challenge (public domain).  Here is a summary of edits by user role along with a timelapse of those edits:    Standard Editor: 2  Peer Reviewer: 0  Advanced Editor: 693 …

Read moreTNMCorps Mapping Challenge Summary Results for City / Town Hall Structures in WI

This challenge is now complete! Thank you to everyone who contributed! We’re putting together summary statistics and will post them to this page shortly. In the meantime, head over to our Mapping Challenges page to check out the other challenges we have open!    Source link

Another 200 points have been added since last week! IMPRESSIVE!  Since this challenge is quickly approaching completion, we performed our spatial analysis to see which communities still need a point.  Scroll down for an overview of which communities may still remain. The original post from April 29, 2021 also has tips and tricks on collecting city/town halls throughout Wisconsin.  …

Read moreMapping Challenge Update (05/20/21): City / Town Halls in WI

This challenge saw some major heavy lifting over the last week with 200 points edited – NICE WORK!  See the original post from April 29, 2021 for tips and tricks.  TNMCorps Mapping Challenge: City/Town Halls in WI as of 05/12/21     Source link

Volunteers contributed almost 100 edits towards this challenge since it was launched last week. What’s really neat is that over three quarters of those edits are new points! Keep up the good work! Source link

Here’s a new challenge for City / Town Halls in Wisconsin! The United States Census Bureau lists over 600 incorporated places in Wisconsin. Not every one of these will have a city hall, but as you can see from the map, there are still some points that have yet to be collected.  Townships are also prominent in Wisconsin and may have a designated town …

Read moreNEW TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for City / Town Halls in WI!

Note to Editors: 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. Starting on or around January 4 and lasting two to three weeks, a helicopter towing a large hoop from a cable will begin …

Read moreLow-flying Helicopter Will Survey Northeast Wisconsin for Geologic Study

Note to Editors: 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. Starting on or around January 4 and lasting two to three weeks, a helicopter towing a large hoop from a cable will begin …

Read moreLow-flying Helicopter Will Survey Northeast Wisconsin for Geologic Study

Mercury is a globally distributed pollutant that threatens human and ecosystem health. Even protected areas, such as national parks, are subjected to mercury contamination because it is delivered through atmospheric deposition, often after long-range transport. In aquatic ecosystems, certain environmental conditions can promote microbial processes that convert inorganic mercury to an organic form Source link

Mercury is a globally distributed pollutant that threatens human and ecosystem health. Even protected areas, such as national parks, are subjected to mercury contamination because it is delivered through atmospheric deposition, often after long-range transport. In aquatic ecosystems, certain environmental conditions can promote microbial processes that convert inorganic mercury to an organic form Source link

Today, President Trump proposed a $971.2 million Fiscal Year 2021 budget for the U.S. Geological Survey that prioritizes scientific inquiry for effective stewardship of America’s natural resources and natural hazard monitoring and assessments. “President Trump’s 2021 budget request for the Department is about investing in our people and public lands and waters,” said Secretary of the …

Read morePresident Proposes $971.2 Million FY 2021 Budget for USGS

Today, President Trump proposed a $971.2 million Fiscal Year 2021 budget for the U.S. Geological Survey that prioritizes scientific inquiry for effective stewardship of America’s natural resources and natural hazard monitoring and assessments. “President Trump’s 2021 budget request for the Department is about investing in our people and public lands and waters,” said Secretary of the …

Read morePresident Proposes $971.2 Million FY 2021 Budget for USGS

Scientists Learn to Categorize Sea Lamprey Wounds Tribal, state, and federal fisheries professionals classifying sea lamprey wounds on lake trout at a workshop in Red Cliff, Wisconsin. Jean Adams (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) gave an invited presentation on how tracking sea lamprey wounds can inform fishery managers about lake trout at the Sea Lamprey Wound Assessment …

Read moreJean Adams Speaks at Sea Lamprey Wound Assessment Workshop

Scientists Learn to Categorize Sea Lamprey Wounds Tribal, state, and federal fisheries professionals classifying sea lamprey wounds on lake trout at a workshop in Red Cliff, Wisconsin. Jean Adams (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) gave an invited presentation on how tracking sea lamprey wounds can inform fishery managers about lake trout at the Sea Lamprey Wound Assessment …

Read moreJean Adams Speaks at Sea Lamprey Wound Assessment Workshop

Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF)  Dan Engel (GLSC, Chesterton, Indiana) attended a statewide meeting of Cooperative Invasive Species Management Associations in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. He presented on the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) and invited anyone managing Phragmites to enroll with the program. Phragmites australis (also known as common reed) is a perennial wetland grass that has become one of …

Read moreEngel Presets on Adaptive Management of Phragmites at Wisconsin State-Wide invasive Species Meeting

Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF)  Dan Engel (GLSC, Chesterton, Indiana) attended a statewide meeting of Cooperative Invasive Species Management Associations in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. He presented on the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) and invited anyone managing Phragmites to enroll with the program. Phragmites australis (also known as common reed) is a perennial wetland grass that has become one of …

Read moreEngel Presets on Adaptive Management of Phragmites at Wisconsin State-Wide invasive Species Meeting

Delivering Information to Fishery Managers in the Great Lakes Basin. Scientists working within the GLSC Deepwater Science Program delivered their annual reports and presentations at the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s (GLFC) annual Lake Committee Meetings in Ypsilanti, Michigan, March 25-29, 2019. The Lake Committee Meetings are a forum for state, tribal, and provincial fishery management …

Read moreGLSC Deepwater Science Program delivers annual reports, presentations to Great Lakes fishery managers at annual Lake Committee Meetings

Delivering Information to Fishery Managers in the Great Lakes Basin. Scientists working within the GLSC Deepwater Science Program delivered their annual reports and presentations at the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s (GLFC) annual Lake Committee Meetings in Ypsilanti, Michigan, March 25-29, 2019. The Lake Committee Meetings are a forum for state, tribal, and provincial fishery management …

Read moreGLSC Deepwater Science Program delivers annual reports, presentations to Great Lakes fishery managers at annual Lake Committee Meetings

This map shows the water sample locations within the Menomonee River watershed, WIsconsin. LMF is the Little Menomonee River near Freistadt; MMF is the Menomonee River at Menomonee Falls; HCW is the Honey Creek at Wauwatosa; UCW is the Underwood Creek at Wauwatosa; MRW is the Menomonee River at Wauwatosa; and MRM is the Menomonee …

Read moreHuman Bacteria, Viruses from Sewage Found in Some Milwaukee Streams

This map shows the water sample locations within the Menomonee River watershed, WIsconsin. LMF is the Little Menomonee River near Freistadt; MMF is the Menomonee River at Menomonee Falls; HCW is the Honey Creek at Wauwatosa; UCW is the Underwood Creek at Wauwatosa; MRW is the Menomonee River at Wauwatosa; and MRM is the Menomonee …

Read moreHuman Bacteria, Viruses from Sewage Found in Some Milwaukee Streams

Meet the Midcontinent Rift, one of the most geologically fascinating regions in the United States and Canada.(Public domain.) Now, you too can learn some of that history and see a small part of the mineral potential of the United States without leaving your comfortable chair! The USGS has just released a new interactive Story Map …

Read moreUnderstanding the Mineral Resources of the Midcontinent Rift

Meet the Midcontinent Rift, one of the most geologically fascinating regions in the United States and Canada.(Public domain.) Now, you too can learn some of that history and see a small part of the mineral potential of the United States without leaving your comfortable chair! The USGS has just released a new interactive Story Map …

Read moreUnderstanding the Mineral Resources of the Midcontinent Rift

The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system ranks ninth in the nation as a source of groundwater for public supply, providing 631 million gallons per day for this use. The aquifer underlies an area with a population of about 26 million people in parts of seven states and includes the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and …

Read moreGroundwater Quality in the Midwest: The Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System

A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, which includes parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana, is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey. Source link

Oxygen levels, dissolved minerals among factors responsible for high concentrations of radium in untreated water from aquifer that underlies six states Source link

Oxygen levels, dissolved minerals among factors responsible for high concentrations of radium in untreated water from aquifer that underlies six states Source link

This tadpole shows signs of severe Perkinsea infection, which causes organ failure. ​​​​​​​(Credit: William Barichivich, USGS) Frogs and salamanders are currently among the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. The two most common frog diseases, chytridiomycosis and ranavirus infection, are linked to frog population declines worldwide. The new study suggests that that SPI is the third …

Read moreEmerging Disease Further Jeopardizes North American Frogs

This tadpole shows signs of severe Perkinsea infection, which causes organ failure. ​​​​​​​(Credit: William Barichivich, USGS) Frogs and salamanders are currently among the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. The two most common frog diseases, chytridiomycosis and ranavirus infection, are linked to frog population declines worldwide. The new study suggests that that SPI is the third …

Read moreEmerging Disease Further Jeopardizes North American Frogs

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center scientists and learn about research conducted at the La Crosse, Wisconsin, facility. Fish and wildlife-oriented activities will be available for children, and refreshments, including popcorn and lemonade, will be provided. The event is an opportunity to learn about science careers …

Read morePublic Invitation: USGS La Crosse Science Center Opens Doors for Interactive Experience

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center scientists and learn about research conducted at the La Crosse, Wisconsin, facility. Fish and wildlife-oriented activities will be available for children, and refreshments, including popcorn and lemonade, will be provided. The event is an opportunity to learn about science careers …

Read morePublic Invitation: USGS La Crosse Science Center Opens Doors for Interactive Experience

Fortunately, in an effort with needlepoint detail, the U.S. Geological Survey has stitched together geologic maps of the Lower 48 States, providing a seamless quilt of 48 State geologic maps that range from 1:50,000 to 1:1,000,000 scale. The new product, called the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation, is a database compilation based on the Preliminary …

Read moreStitching Together the New Digital Geologic Quilt of the United States

Fortunately, in an effort with needlepoint detail, the U.S. Geological Survey has stitched together geologic maps of the Lower 48 States, providing a seamless quilt of 48 State geologic maps that range from 1:50,000 to 1:1,000,000 scale. The new product, called the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation, is a database compilation based on the Preliminary …

Read moreStitching Together the New Digital Geologic Quilt of the United States

Invasive mussels and less nutrients from tributaries have altered the Lake Michigan ecosystem making it more conducive to the stocking of lake trout and steelhead than Chinook salmon, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey and Michigan State University study. Source link

Managers have reduced Lake Michigan stocking levels of Chinook salmon at least three times over the past decades in response to declining prey fish and the natural reproduction of Chinook salmon.  (Credit: Michael Humling, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Public domain.) Reduced stocking of Chinook salmon, however, would still support a substantial population of this highly desirable …

Read moreChanging Tides: Lake Michigan Could Best Support Lake Trout and Steelhead

This hibernating little brown bat shows signs of white-nose syndrome. (Credit: Alan Hicks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Public domain.) USGS scientists tested samples collected from bats, the environment and equipment at eight bat hibernation sites in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. They found that bats occupying such sites in summer can …

Read moreDeadly Fungus Affecting Hibernating Bats Could Spread During Summer

This hibernating little brown bat shows signs of white-nose syndrome. (Credit: Alan Hicks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Public domain.) USGS scientists tested samples collected from bats, the environment and equipment at eight bat hibernation sites in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. They found that bats occupying such sites in summer can …

Read moreDeadly Fungus Affecting Hibernating Bats Could Spread During Summer

This southeastern bat from Alabama shows signs of infection from the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center later confirmed WNS in this animal. (Credit: Dottie Brown, Ecological Solutions, Inc.) The diseased bat was found in Shelby County, Alabama, at Lake Purdy Corkscrew Cave, by surveyors from the Alabama Department of …

Read moreAlabama Survey Finds First Southeastern Bat with White-Nose Syndrome

This southeastern bat from Alabama shows signs of infection from the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center later confirmed WNS in this animal. (Credit: Dottie Brown, Ecological Solutions, Inc.) The diseased bat was found in Shelby County, Alabama, at Lake Purdy Corkscrew Cave, by surveyors from the Alabama Department of …

Read moreAlabama Survey Finds First Southeastern Bat with White-Nose Syndrome

This information is critical in helping resource managers mitigate effects of an Asian carp invasion. Great Lakes fisheries generate economic activity of approximately $7 billion annually in the United States alone. Due to the introduction or invasion of many non-native species, Lake Michigan’s ecosystem has already undergone broad and rapid change in fish and other …

Read moreAsian Carp Would Have Adequate Food to Survive in Lake Michigan

This deer shows visible signs of chronic wasting disease. (Credit: Terry Kreeger, Wyoming Game and Fish and Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance.) Scientists with the USGS and partners developed a novel scientific model to forecast the growth and spread of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, in white-tailed deer in southwestern Wisconsin. The model showed that CWD prevalence …

Read moreDeadly Deer Disease Expected to Grow Rapidly and Spread in Wisconsin

U.S. Geological Survey scientists will conduct a high-resolution airborne survey to study the rock layers under a region of the south-central Upper Peninsula, Michigan, and parts of northeastern Wisconsin, starting in early April and lasting until as late as August. When the data analysis is complete, resulting geologic maps will help USGS researchers improve an …

Read moreSecond Round of USGS Studies Begin to Define What Minerals Lie Beneath Portions of the Upper Midwest