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U.S. Department of Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

 November 2003

District Web Site: http://il.water.usgs.gov/ Compiled by D.M. Ayers

Water Resources Update

Illinois District Newsletter

At the recent Governor’s Conference on 

the Management of the Illinois River System held in Peoria, Illinois, I was asked to 

speak about the focus and vision of the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) for the Illinois 

River system. Prior to that presentation, I 

discussed this topic with my colleagues in 

the USGS Biological Resources, Geography (National Mapping), and Geology Disciplines, in order to give a USGS 

perspective rather than just a Water 

Resources Discipline perspective. From 

those discussions, along with discussions 

with members of my Illinois District Water 

Resources Discipline staff, we identified 

six topics of USGS focus in the Illinois 

River system. These topics not only apply 

to the Illinois River system but throughout 

the State, and in some cases, on a national 

scale. The six topics of focus (in no order of 

priority) are as follows:

• Data collection and dissemination

• Long-term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP)

• National Water-Quality Assessment 

(NAWQA) program

• The National Map program

• 3-D geologic mapping of surficial 

materials (Earth Surface Dynamics 

Program)

• Interpretive studies (examples: flood 

analysis, sedimentation analysis, and 

stream-restoration research)

Data collection and dissemination long 

has been a cornerstone activity of the 

USGS (the streamflow-gaging program 

being one of the oldest and visible USGS 

programs). Many of you know or have 

heard about the NAWQA program (there 

are two NAWQA projects [study units] in 

the Illinois River Basin, one for the Upper 

Illinois River and one for the Lower Illinois 

River). Also, through reading this and our 

past Illinois District Newsletters, you likely 

are familiar with many USGS interpretive 

studies in Illinois. However, I would like to 

spend a little time highlighting three USGS 

programs among the six focus topics that 

many of you may have little knowledge 

about: LTRMP, The National Map, and 3-D 

Geologic Mapping.

The LTRMP program is conducted by 

the Biological Resources Discipline Upper 

Midwest Environmental Science Center in 

LaCrosse, Wisconsin 

(http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/ltrmp.html). 

The LTRMP collects large amounts of data 

throughout the Upper Mississippi River 

system (of which the Illinois River is a 

part) with the mission to provide decision 

makers with the information needed to 

maintain the Upper Mississippi River System as a viable, multiple-use, large river 

ecosystem. This program is an extensive 

partnership effort with funding through the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and field 

data collection accomplished through 

agreements with the five Upper Mississippi 

River Basin States. The long-term goals of 

LTRMP are to better understand the river 

system, determine resource trends and 

impacts on the system, develop management alternatives, manage information, and 

develop useful products.

The National Map is the USGS Geography Discipline effort to deal with the everchanging geospatial needs of a changing 

world (http://mapping.usgs.gov/). The 

nationwide topographic map (7.5-minute 

quadrangles) coverage was an immense 

effort and, if repeated today, would cost 

roughly between $2 and $3 billion dollars 

to complete. The National Map is a consistent framework for providing geographic knowledge needed by the Nation. 

It will provide access to high-quality, 

geospatial data and information from 

partners to help inform resource managers 

and the public. This program deviates 

from dependence on USGS-only data (as 

in the original USGS topographic mapping program) to incorporating, synthesizing, and disseminating data from 

multiple sources.

The effort to develop 3-D geologic 

mapping of surficial materials is part of 

the Earth Surface Dynamics Program of 

the USGS Geology Discipline in cooperation with the Illinois State Geologic Survey and the other State Geologic Surveys 

that are part of the Central Great Lakes 

Geologic Mapping coalition 

(http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/c1190/). These 

3-D maps show various geologic details 

of surficial materials, providing decisions 

makers with detailed knowedge to make 

informed choices that will support sustainable development. This knowledge 

will protect the environment, enable 

proper and efficient utilization of water 

and mineral resources, site net facilities, 

and reduce the cost of the possible effects 

of geologic hazards.

I encourage you to browse the Web 

sites of these three excellent programs 

and read in more detail all available information. In addition, I remind everyone 

that information of current Water 

Resources Discipline Illinois District 

projects and programs, along with realtime streamflow data, are available on the 

Illinois District Web site 

(http://il.water.usgs.gov).

MESSAGE FROM THE ILLINOIS DISTRICT CHIEF, ROBERT R. HOLMES, JR., PHD, P.E.
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CHICAGO SURFACE SOILS

BY

ROBERT T. KAY, HYDROLOGIST

The chemical composition of surface soils in Chicago, as in all urban 

areas, is affected by a variety of natural 

and anthropogenic (manmade) processes that can result in the concentration of polynuclear aromatic 

hydrocarbons (PAHs) and inorganic 

compounds, including metals and radionuclides, in the soils. Many inorganic 

and PAH compounds are deemed hazardous substances by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Consequently, remediation of residential, commercial, industrial, and wastedisposal sites in the city of Chicago 

requires remediation of soils containing 

concentrations of the hazardous PAH 

and incorganic compounds that are 

present at concentrations above those 

prescribed by the Illinois Environmental 

Protection Agency’s Tiered Approach to 

Cleanup Objectives (TACO) guidance. 

However, the TACO cleanup objectives 

for the hazardous PAHs and inorganic 

compounds are based on assessment of 

the risk they pose to human health and 

the environment and often are lower 

than the ambient (background) concentration of the compound in the surface 

soil. The need to meet the risk-based 

TACO remedial objectives results in 

additional expense associated with the 

removal and disposal of soils not contaminated by waste-disposal operations 

with little or no reduction in risk to 

human health or the environment. It is 

important to the cost-effective remediation of waste-disposal sites in the city of 

Chicago to determine the background 

concentrations of PAH and inorganic 

compounds in surface soils within the 

city, which then can be used as the remediation objective.

To characterize the chemistry of 

ambient surface soils in the city of Chicago, the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS), in cooperation with the City of 

Chicago, Department of Environment, 

assessed the concentration of the 16 regulated PAHs and 45 inorganic compounds in 57 samples of ambient surface 

soils within the city. Sample locations 

were chosen using a stratified-random 

sampling approach designed to ensure 

collection of a representative data set. 

For the purposes of this discussion, 

ambient soils are those soils whose 

chemical composition is affected by 

ubiquitous natural and anthropogenic 

processes rather than the site-specific 

disposal of waste materials.

PAH compounds are a family of 

fused ring hydrocarbon compounds 

derived primarily from the imcomplete 

combustion of organic material including wood, coal, oil, gasoline, and garbage and from leaching from coal-tar 

products such as asphalt and roofing 

shingles. PAH compounds are released 

to the environment largely from automobile and industrial emissions to the 

atmosphere, where they can be transported long distances from their sources 

before deposition on the land surface in 

rain and snow, as well as during the settling of particulate matter. The PAH 

compounds of interest for environmental 

investigations are acenaphthene, 

acenaphthylene, anthracene, 

benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, 

benzo(g,h,i)perylene, benzo(a)pyrene, 

chrysene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno(1,2,3-

cd)pyrene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, 

and pyrene.

The results of soil-quality sampling 

indicate that at least 11 of the 16 PAH 

compounds analyzed for were detected 

in each of the 57 soil samples collected. 

PAH concentrations, from highest to 

lowest, typically were in the following 

order: fluoranthene, pyrene, 

benzo(b)fluoranthene, phenanthrene, 

benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, 

benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, 

benzo(g,h,i)perylene, 

dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, and anthracene. 

Naphthalene, acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, and fluorene consistently were at 

the lowest concentrations in each sample. PAH concentrations showed a lognormal distribution, with the concentrations of the individual PAH compounds 

being highly correlated (correlation 

coefficient [r2

] typically greater than 

0.85). Correlation of the PAH compounds did show some variation with 

the molecular weight of the compound.

Statistical analysis indicates that the 

concentrations of any given PAH compound in ambient surface soils in Chicago may be affected by proximity to an 

industrial area, but does not appear to be 

affected by proximity to roadways or 

non-industrial land uses. The concentraTABLE OF CONTENTS

Message from the Illinois District Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chicago Surface Soils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Preliminary Results of a Dam-Removal Analysis on Brewster Creek Near St. Charles, Illinois, 2002-03 . . . . 4

Measuring Irrigation Discharge in Imperial Valley, Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Cooperator Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Employee Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The USGS-Illinois District’s new Searchable Publications Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Illinois District Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
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Figure 1. Concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene in ambient surface soils, Chicago, Illinois

tion of any given PAH compound also 

does not appear to be strongly affected 

by the organic carbon content of the soil.

The concentration of the different 

PAH compounds in ambient surface 

soils is affected by the physical properties of the compound, which are affected 

by its molecular weight. Lower molecular-weight PAH compounds, which were 

detected at lower concentrations in the 

soils, are present primarily in the vapor 

phase in the atmosphere. Higher molecular-weight PAH compounds, which 

typically were detected at higher concentrations in the soils, are present in the 

atmosphere primarily attached to particulate matter (particulate phase). The 

apparent effect of the phase of the PAH 

in the atmosphere on the concentration 

of a PAH in ambient surface soils indicated that atmospheric settling of particulate matter is the primary means of 

placement of PAH compounds in ambient surface soils in the city of Chicago.

The distribution of benzo(a)pyrene 

(fig. 1), which approximates the distribution of the remaining PAH compounds within the city, is complex. 

Elevated concentrations (greater that 

5,000 micrograms per kilogram) were 

detected near Lake Michigan in the 

northern part of the city, in much of the 

central and western parts of the city, and 

in isolated areas in the southern part of 

the city. Comparatively low concentrations (less than 1,000 micrograms per 

kilogram) were detected in much of the 

northwestern, south-central, southwestern, and far southern parts of the city.

Surface soils in the city of Chicago 

are composed of a mixture of inorganic 

compounds, and 34 of the 45 inorganic 

constituents analyzed for were detected 

in more than 75 percent of the samples 

collected. The arithmetic mean of the 

concentration of the 34 inorganic analytes detected in more than 75 percent of 

the samples of Chicago soils was compared with the arithmetic mean concentration of these analytes in 106 samples 

of A-horizon soils collected primarily 

from agricultural areas within 500 kilometers of Chicago. The mean concentration of arsenic, mercury, calcium, 

magnesium, phosphorus, copper, 

molybdenum, zinc, selenium was from 

two to six times higher in Chicago soils, 

and concentration of lead was about 20 

times higher than in soils from the surrounding area.

Inter-element correation coefficients show a high (r2 greater than 0.98) 

Pearson product moment correlation 

coefficients among calcium, magnesium, and carbonate carbon. These correlations indicate that the elevated 

concentrations of calcium and magnesium in Chicago soils relative to surrounding soils is because of the presence 

of dolomite bedrock in the soils. High 

correlations (r2 greater than 0.70) 

between aluminum and other clay-borne 

elements, such as potassium and trace 

constituents expected in clays including 

barium, cerium, gallium, lanthanum, 

lithium, neodymium, scadium, titanium, vanadium, and yttrium, demonstrate that the presence of clay minerals 

affects the chemical composition of Chicago soils. None of the inorganic compounds displayed a strong correlation 

with the total concentration of PAHs or 

the total organic carbon content. 

The elevated (in comparison to surrounding agricultural soils) concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead, mercury, 

molybdenum, nickle, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc and the lack of correlation between the concentration of these 

elements and the concentration of elements derived from dolomite or clays 

indicate a potential anthropogenic 

source of these elements. Lead (concentration factor of 20.4), zinc (7.4), and 

mercury (4.5) especially are enriched 

relative to background soils and all 

seem likely to indicate substantial and 

widespread anthropogenic modifications to the trace-element character of 

the soils.

A complete description of the distribution and concentrations of PAHs in 

Chicago soils is available in USGS 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 

03-4105, “Concentrations of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons and norganic Constituents in Ambient Surface 

Soils, Chicago, Illinois: 2001-02.”
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PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A DAM-REMOVAL ANALYSIS ON BREWSTER CREEK NEAR

ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS, 2002-03

BY

TIMOTHY D. STRAUB AND DONALD ROSEBOOM, HYDROLOGISTS

The USGS Water Resources 

Discipline, in cooperation with the 

Kane County Department of Environmental Management, the Illinois 

Environmental Protection Agency 

(IEPA), and the Northeastern Illinois 

Planning Commission, is conducting 

a unique pilot project to evaluate the 

sediment, dissolved oxygen, and 

geomorphic response of gradually 

removing (in five 12- to 18-inch 

notches over approximately 1 year) a 

dam on Brewster Creek, a tributary 

to the Fox River near St. Charles, 

Illinois. Notching involves cutting a 

given height across the length (or 

some portion of the length) of the 

dam.

The dam was declared a Class I 

structure by the Illinois Department 

of Natural Resources (IDNR), having a high probability of causing loss 

of life and/or substantial economic 

loss in the event of a failure. The 

dam was in disrepair and, therefore, 

needed to be repaired or removed. 

Costs were prohibitive to repair the 

dam, so it was decided by the owners 

to remove the dam. As with repairing dams, the costs and possible 

environmental effects of removing 

dams, and managing or removing 

the sediment impounded behind 

them also are substantial. Therefore, 

the concept of gradually removing a 

dam is to reduce the total project 

cost and reduce possible environmental effects by allowing the 

impounded sediment to naturally 

migrate downstream and a stable, 

revegetated stream and floodplain to 

naturally form upstream.

As part of the project, the USGS 

is monitoring the sediment concentrations at two gaging stations (one 

upstream and one downstream of the 

dam [fig.1]). From June 2002 

through June 2003, more than 300 

sediment samples have been collected at two gaging stations. Samples were obtained at various stream 

stages throughout the year, including 

the first notch of the dam on June 20, 

2003. The USGS also monitors dissolved oxygen concentrations 

before, during, and after each notching event. Additionally, biologists 

from the IDNR and the Shedd 

Aquarium in Chicago monitor the 

stream biota and engineers from the 

IDNR Office of Water Resources 

survey stream-channel capacity. 

Through this effort, notching criteria 

are being developed based upon 

watershed flow and sediment release 

in relation to the amount of stored 

sediment behind the dam. The 

notching criteria developed through 

this pilot project may be expanded to 

other dam removals in the State. The 

following discussion summarizes the 

preliminary data collected by the 

USGS from June 2002 through June 

2003, which includes the first notching on June 20, 2003. Note that all 

data presented are provisional and 

subject to revision.

A comparison of discharges and 

sediment concentrations from storm 

and notching events are given in 

table 1. This comparison is useful 

for understanding the effects of 

notching on sediment concentrations 

as compared to concentrations during storms. Data are presented from 

the two largest storms that occurred 

Figure 1. Location of two USGS gages in relation to the dam on Brewster Creek 

near St. Charles, Illinois.
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from June 2002 to June 2003 prior to the first notching event. For these storms, the peak discharges were near 100 cubic 

feet per second (ft3/s) and the peak sediment concentration rages downstream and upstream of the dam were 222-332 and 

475-572 milligrams per liter (mg/L), respectively. During the 2 days before the first notching, the discharge was near 3 ft3

/s 

and the sediment concentrations varied from 35 mg/L downstream to 29 mg/L upstream. During the first notching, the peak 

discharge increased from 3 to 24 ft3

/s. During this time, the peak sediment concentrations downstream and upstream of the 

dam were 108 and 19 mg/L, respectively.

On June 20, 2003, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the pre-notching dissolved oxygen concentration at the gages downstream and upstream of the dam were 7.5 and 7.3 mg/L, respectively. Throughout the notching, the dissolved oxygen at the 

downstream gage gradually increased to 8.4 mg/L at 10:15 a.m., and then gradually decreased to and stabilized at 7 mg/L 

from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., when the monitoring of dissolved oxygen ended. On July 8, 2003, at approximately 9:00 

a.m., the dissolved oxygen concentrations at both the upstream and downstream gages were 7 mg/L. At all times during the 

monitoring, dissolved oxygen concentration remained above 5 mg/L. These results indicate that the effects of the first 

notching did not appreciably affect dissolved oxygen concentrations in Brewster Creek.

Table 1. Peak discharge and sediment concentrations at gages upstream and downstream of a dam on 

Brewster Creek near St. Charles, Illinois

Storm or Notching Peak Discharge at 

Downstream Gage (ft3/s)

Peak Sediment 

Concentration at 

Downstream Gage 

(mg/L)

Peak Sediment 

Concentration at 

Upstream Gage (mg/L)

August 22-24, 2002 81 332 475

May 1-2, 2003 101 222 572

Pre-Notching 1

June 18-19, 2003

3 37 29

Notching 1

June 20, 2003

24 108 19

Figure 2. Dissolved oxygen concentration at the gage downstream of the dam on Brewster Creek near 

St. Charles, Illinois
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MEASURING IRRIGATION DISCHARGE IN IMPERIAL VALLEY, ILLINOIS

BY

CHARLES F. AVERY, HYDROLOGIST

So you thought that “Imperial Valley” was in California? The moniker “Imperial Valley of the Midwest” or “Imperial Valley” has been used for Mason County, Illinois for many years because of the large number of irrigation systems 

and the many specialty crops grown there. The region between the Sangamon and Illinois Rivers comprising Mason 

County and southwestern Tazewell County has the densest grouping of irrigation systems in Illinois and possibly in the 

Midwest. About 1,840 irrigation systems are present in an area of about 700 square miles, an average density of between 

2 to 3 irrigation systems in every square mile. A wide variety of speciality crops are grown there, such as pumpkins, 

sweet corn and popcorn, cucumbers, melons, and tomatoes, in addition to the ubiquitous field and seed corn and soybeans. Production of some of the specialty crops requires the regular use of irrigation to insure that abundant moisture is 

available to the crops during their growing season. The sandy soils in much of the area necessitate the use of irrigation for 

most of the crops when good summer rains do not fall on a frequent enough basis to maintain good soil-moisture levels.

The Imperial Valley Water Authority (IVWA) was created in 1989 when concerns arose over present and future use 

of the ground-water resource for irrigation in the area. The organization operates under the Water Authorities Act of 1951 

passed by the Illinois Legislature. The act gives the trustees various powers, one of which is ‘To reasonably regulate the 

use of water and during any period of actual or threatened shortage, to establish limits upon or priorities as to the use of 

water.’ The Water Authority has been very proactive in their approach to proper management of their water resource by 

collecting data on ground-water levels, water pumpage by irrigation systems, and rainfall. The data are available on their 

Web site http://www.outfitters.com/~ivwa/.

Results of a USGS study, recently presented at the Illinois Specialty Growers Association Conference held in 

Springfield, updated the conversion factor used by the IVWA to determine water withdrawn by all the irrigation wells in 

the area based on the total electrical consumption by irrigation systems provided them from the local power company. 

The conversion factor was updated by measuring the instantaneous electrical demand and water discharge at a predetermined sampling of irrigation systems, calculating the conversion factor for each system, and determining the average 

value of the conversion factor for the sampled systems.

This study was made possible largely by the use of a non-invasive flow meter. Accurate measurements of flow in the 

discharge pipe were accomplished usually in less than 15 minutes at the irrigation system. Installation of the flow meter 

does not require disruption of the system operation or modification of the discharge pipe. The non-invasive flow meter 

used for this study operates on the simple concept that sound waves are affected by moving water such that the soundwave velocity will increase in a downstream flow direction and decrease in an upstream flow direction. A measurement 

using the flow meter is accomplished by first precisely positioning two transducers on the outside surface of the pipe in 

certain orientations and spacings governed by the type of pipe material and pipe diameter. The flow meter then is programmed to transmit and receive ultrasonic sound waves back and forth between the transducers. The computer in the 

flow meter determines the water-velocity profile in the interior of the pipe and, with input provided from the operator 

about the cross-sectional area of the pipe, displays the water flow inside the pipe in whatever units the operator desires.

The average discharge value determined during the study from the 77 sampled irrigation systems was 1,259 gallons 

of water per kilowatt-hour of electricity. This value is appreciably lower than the value of 1,505 gallons per kilowatt-hour 

currently used by the IVWA. This updated value indicates that the water withdrawn for irrigation presently may be overestimated by about 20 percent. The large range in values, from 767 to 1,762 gallons per kilowatt-hour, obtained on the 

individual systems could be the result of such variables as the depth to water in the well, the efficiency of the well screen 

and the pump, and the friction losses because of the differing length of and number of bends in the pipe between the well 

and the pivot.
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The mission of the City of 

Urbana (population 37,362), 

Department of Public Works is to 

provide Urbana citizens a 

healthy, desirable, and safe environment through responsible 

management and maintenance of 

public works facilities and related 

services. The department provides a large number of services 

to the public. Some of these services include the following: providing maintenance and 

construction of city infrasturture 

(for example, sidewalks and 

lightning); providing engineering services for city projects 

(such as drainage); maintaining 

city-owned trees and landscape; 

and overseeing recycling and 

environmental issues. The department has seven divisions, including the Enironmental 

Management Division, which is 

tasked with providing environmental protection services 

through enforcement of health, 

safety, and welfare codes.

In order to provide timely 

information and relevant scientific data concerning drainage and 

flooding issues, the USGS in 

cooperation with the Department 

of Public Works, has installed 

and is operating two streamflowgaging stations on Boneyard 

Creek and one rainfall-gaging 

station located at Urbana Middle 

School. The streamflow station at 

Race Street (measuring continuous stage) and the rainfall station 

have been operating since 2000. 

The streamflow station at Lincoln 

Avenue (measuring continuous 

stage and discharge) has been 

operating since 2001. Data collected at these stations are available on a real-time basis. Realtime data from these stations give 

emergency-management officials the ability to make decisions 

during floods and allow citizens 

to make decisions regarding their 

lives and property. In addition, 

the data are used to study flood 

issues along the Boneyard Creek. 

The USGS is using data from 

these stations along with available computer models of Boneyard Creek to evaluate the 

effectiveness of the flood-control 

and remediation projects that 

recently have been completed on 

the Boneyard by the cities of 

Champaign and Urbana, and the 

University of Illinois. Data collected at these stations are of vital 

importance for accurate flow simulation and understanding the 

hydrology of the Boneyard 

watershed.

COOPERATOR SPOTLIGHT

CITY OF URBANA, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

Tim Straub began his career at the 

USGS-Illinois District, as a student 

trainee in 1994 working on various 

surface- and ground-water projects. In 

1995, he received a B.S. in 

Civil/Environmental Engineering 

from the University of Illinois, 

Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). After 

receiving his B.S., he started working 

for the USGS full-time as a 

Hydrologist and taking classes parttime, pursuing a Masters degree. He 

received an M.S. in Civil/Hydraulic 

Engineering from UIUC in 2000. 

Tim has been project chief on 

studies concerning the analysis of 

dam removal and stream-restoration 

effects, sediment and geomorphic 

investigations, hydrologic and 

hydraulic modeling, and video 

mapping as part of rapid watershed 

assessments. Tim enjoys working on a 

wide variety of projects that span 

multiple disciplines. He hopes to 

utilize his experience to advance datacollection and analysis techniques that 

can be applied to problems in multiple 

disciplines. For example, much of the 

data and modeling needed for a 

floodplain mapping study also are 

useful for stream-restoration work. 

Collaborating with other scientists, 

engineers, and planners and 

combining resources will be 

extremely beneficial in future waterresources work.

Tim and his wife, Tammy, live in 

Urbana with their 3-year old daughter, 

Jenna, and newly born son, Justin. 

Tim enjoys running, gardening, volunteering in the community, and 

spending time with his family.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

TIMOTHY D. STRAUB

HYDROLOGIST
8

Jennifer Sharpe and Nils Oberg have developed a new series of Web pages (fig. 1) that allow users to search, 

sort, and view all Illinois District publications. The main page (fig.1, left panel) gives users the options to search 

by report series, keyword, author, predefined topics, or regions within Illinois. Once a search is complete, a list is 

presented (fig. 1, center panel) showing all reports that meet the search criteria along with icons signifying if a 

report has an associated Abstract and/or PDF or HTML file (fig. 1, right panel). Users then can read the report 

Abstract and view the full report in PDF format and, in some instances, HTML format as well. The current database contains about 260 publication titles of which about 80 can be viewed in PDF format. To access the Illinois 

District’s Searchable Publications Database, visit:

http://il.water.usgs.gov/pubs/search.html.

Riverside and Evanston, Illinois, by 

A.M. Waite, N.J. Hornewer, and 

G.P. Johnson

WRIR 02-4062, Delineation of the Troy 

Bedrock Valley and Particle-Tracking Analysis of Ground-Water Flow 

Underlying Belvidere, Illinois, by 

P.C. Mills, K.J. Halford, and R.P. 

Cobb

WRIR 02-4213, Use of Isotopes to Identify Sources of Ground Water, Estimate Ground-Water-Flow Rates, 

and Assess Aquifer Vulnerability in 

the Calumet Region of Northwestern Indiana and Northeastern Illinois, by R.T. Kay, E. R. Bayless, 

and R.A. Solak

OFR 02-487, Flooding in Illinois, 

April–June 2002, by C.F. Avery and 

D.F. Smith

WRIR 02-4097, Pesticides in Surface 

Water in the Lower Illinois River 

Basin, 1996–98, by R.B. King

WRIR 02-4293, Anthropogenic Constituents in Shallow Ground Water in 

the Upper Illinois River Basin, by 

W.S. Morrow

Water-Data Report IL-02, Water 

Resources Data Illinois, by A.D. 

Robl, J.W. Angel, and J.R. Norris

WRIR 03-4105, Concentrations of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons 

and Inorganic Constituents in 

Ambient Surface Soils, Chicago, 

Illinois: 2001-02, by R.T. Kay, T.L. 

Arnold, W.F. Cannon, D.Graham, 

E. Morton, and R. Bienert

WRIR 03-3103, Arsenic in Illinois 

Ground Water—Community and 

Private Supplies, by K.L. Warner, 

A. Martin, Jr., and T.L. Arnold

ILLINOIS DISTRICT

PUBLICATIONS

Listed below are publications that 

were published recently. Federal 

Fiscal Year (FY) covers October 1 

through September 30. District 

policy is to provide copies of our 

publications to requestors at no 

cost as long as the publication is in 

stock in the District office. To 

obtain copies of the following, or 

any other Illinois District publication, you may contact Donna Ayers 

at (217) 344-0037, extension 3053 

or by email at dmayers@usgs.gov.

FY 2003

WRIR 01-4121, Monitoring and Analysis of Combined Sewer Overflows, 

THE USGS-ILLINOIS DISTRICT’S NEW SEARCHABLE PUBLICATIONS DATABASE

Figure 1. Screen captures of the USGS-Illinois District’s Searchable Publications Database Web pages.