U.S. Department of the Interior a U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Geological Survey

Programs in Wisconsin

Total phosphorus

concentrations in

micrograms per liter

0–50

51–250

>250

Gaging 

Station

EXPLANATION

LAKE MICHIGAN

Green Bay

43°

45°

89° 87°

50 Miles

0 50 Kilometers

0

Study

Unit

Boundary

 The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has 

served as the Nation’s principal collector, 

repository, and interpreter of earth science 

data for more than a century. In this capacity, 

the USGS in Wisconsin works in partnership 

with State, county, municipal public works 

departments, public health agencies, water 

and sanitation districts, Indian agencies, and 

other Federal agencies. This Fact Sheet 

describes some of the current USGS activities 

in Wisconsin. 

Mercury Studies

Evaluation of data from the waters and 

biota of many Wisconsin lakes indicates a 

statewide problem of mercury contamination 

in the natural water system. Numerous advisories have warned against consumption of fish 

from about one-third of Wisconsin’s 15,000 

lakes. Mercury is known to be toxic to both 

animals and plants.

The USGS and the Wisconsin Department 

of Natural Resources (DNR) are cooperating 

in a study of the processes responsible for the 

aquatic transport and transformation of mercury. The project will determine the accumulation rates of mercury in sediments, quantify 

fluxes of mercury from sediments, and determine variations in mercury accumulations in 

bottom sediments.

The USGS Mercury Laboratory, which is 

located in Madison, is involved with mercurycontamination issues across the Nation.

National Water-Quality 

Assessment Program

 The Western Lake Michigan Drainages 

study unit (fig. 1), begun in 1991, is one of 60 

study units planned to be examined as a part of 

the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The goals of the Program are to: provide 

a nationally consistent description of waterquality conditions for a large part of the 

Nation’s water resources; define long-term 

trends in water quality; and describe, as possible, the major factors that affect water quality. 

Part of the surface-water component of the 

study includes sampling for nutrients, major 

ions, and suspended sediment at 8 gaging stations. These sites, identified in figure 1, were 

chosen to represent the diversity in land use, 

surficial deposits, and bedrock in the study unit.

A survey was designed to determine how 

well the fixed-site network represents the 

water quality of the study unit. The study 

examined nutrient and suspended sediment 

concentration and transport at 95 sites during 

base flow in the summer of 1995. The study 

indicated that the fixed sites represent sites 

with similar environmental characteristics and 

represent the range in concentrations found in 

the study unit. The basins of each of the sites 

are color coded based on the measured total 

phosphorus concentration (fig. 1).

Submergence of the Lake Superior 

Shoreline

The most recent period of glaciation loaded 

and depressed the land surface in the Great 

Lakes area until about 9,000 years ago. With 

melting of the glaciers, the Western Lake 

Superior Basin is slowly tilting from the northeast to the southwest because of elastic landsurface rebound following glacier melting and 

unloading of the land surface.

The spillway area into the St. Marys River 

at Sault Ste. Marie is rising more rapidly than 

most other points along the U.S. shore of Lake 

Superior. As the outlet rises, the accompanying 

lake surface rises and covers the shore at an 

increasing amount westward from Sault Ste. 

Marie to Duluth, Minnesota. Scientists of the 

USGS, in cooperation with the National Park 

Service and the Michigan and the Wisconsin 

Sea Grant Programs, have documented about 

15 feet of submergence during the past 2,000 

years at the Apostle National Lakeshore near 

Bayfield. Submerged wetlands and forests are 

evident below the present lake level. Farther 

west at Duluth, there is as much as 18 feet of 

submergence. The rates of lake-level rise at 

these areas are on the order of 1 inch per 

decade. The rising lake level, which is attributable to uplift at the outlet, will continue to 

inundate low-lying areas and river mouths, to 

expand wetlands, and to contribute to erosion 

of exposed shores.

Streamflow Trends

Long-term trends of streamflow are being 

evaluated as a part of the basic-records program. It has long been suspected that streamflow characteristics were changing in response 

to a number of changes in agricultural practices and land use.

To check this possibility, the USGS used 

nine unregulated streamflow-gaging stations in 

southern Wisconsin where the predominant 

land use is agricultural. Three unregulated stations, used for control, were in forested areas, 

in the central and northern part of the State.

Index of Subjects

Mercury Studies

National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Submergence of the Lake Superior Shoreline

Streamflow Trends

Geologic Studies

Geologic Mapping

Topographic Mapping

Earth Science Information Centers

Mapping Partnerships

Sharing Spatial Data

Water-Resources Data

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Biological Resources Division

Nonpoint-Source Pollutant Monitoring

Figure 1. Phosphorus concentrations 

throughout Western Lake Michigan Drainages.
1900 2000 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1900 2000 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

1900 2000 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1900 2000 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

ANNUAL FLOOD PEAK, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

6,000

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

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20,000

5,000

10,000

15,000

ANNUAL 7-DAY LOW FLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

0

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100

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250

05436500 Sugar River near Brodhead, Wisconsin (Agricultural Watershed) 

04077400 Wolf River near Shawano, Wisconsin (Forested Watershed)

TREND

DISCHARGE

ANNUAL FLOOD PEAK ANNUAL 7-DAY LOW FLOW

Agricultural area

Forested area

A comparison of the two types of stations is 

shown for the period between 1914 and 1991 

in figure 2. The Sugar River near Brodhead 

had a significant decrease in annual peak flows 

and a significant increase in 7-day low flows. 

This trend was observed at the other eight gaging stations in the agricultural areas. During 

this period, the agricultural areas had substantial increase in contour strip cropping, crop 

rotation, contour plowing, gully filling, and 

conversion of hillside pasture to wood lots.

The Wolf River, which is in the central part 

of the State, remained predominantly forested. 

Neither annual peak flows nor 7-day low flows 

showed any change. This lack of trend also 

was observed at the other two gaging stations 

in forested areas.

 Long-term rainfall records at Green Bay 

and La Crosse had no apparent trends during 

this period. Rainfall trends at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Dubuque, Iowa had slight upward 

trends. These upward trends might explain 

some of the upward trending low flows, but not 

the downward trending peak flows in the Sugar 

River. The trends imply the following:

• Use of long-term records as a guide to estimate of future flow characteristics is 

invalid because the data population 

might be changing.

• Decreased flood peaks have resulted in 

improved drainageways and stream 

channels; 

• Combined increased baseflow and 

decreased flood peaks has had a positive 

effect on fish populations;

• The trend validates the effectiveness of the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

National Resources and Conservation 

Service’s best-management practices.

Geologic Studies

The USGS has completed a prototype 

quantitative national assessment of mineral 

resources for five commonly used metals— 

gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. The 

assessment was based on geological, geophysical, and geochemical studies. Some 

regions of Wisconsin contain identified 

resources of these metals, whose extraction 

and processing form the basis for an enhanced 

regional economy.

The assessment identifies the significant 

known deposits and the areas with mineral 

potential and estimates the quantity of each 

mineral likely to be present. Major beneficiaries of the assessment are other Federal agencies, the State of Wisconsin, industry, and the 

general public. This information is available 

in USGS Open-File Report 96–96 and on 

CD–ROM.

The USGS continues to study the bedrock 

geology and geologic resources of the State. 

Geologic maps at 1:100,000 scale are being 

prepared for several 30 X 60-minute quadrangles in the northern part of the State. 

In related studies, airborne geophysical 

studies are being conducted in parts of northwestern Wisconsin. The surveys determine 

local variations in the Earth’s magnetic and 

electric fields. These data are useful in inferring the type of bedrock and structures, such as 

faults and fractures, in the subsurface and in 

areas where bedrock is concealed by younger 

deposits of clay, sand, and gravel.

The USGS also is producing a desktop 

geographic information system that contains 

information on the State’s bedrock geology 

and the location and character of mines and 

mineral deposits. The system allows users to 

search data bases on geology and mineral 

resources and to construct custom-made 

maps, graphs, and tables of mineral resourcerelated information.

Geologic Mapping

The STATEMAP component of the National 

Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program is a 

funding tool whereby the USGS coordinates a 

50:50 Federal:State dollar match that supports 

mapping projects by State geological surveys. 

By means of a competitive process, the State 

geological surveys generate funding for geologic mapping to resolve issues of groundwater protection, waste-disposal siting, mineralresource identification, and land-use planning. 

Current STATEMAP projects in Wisconsin 

involve mapping of Quaternary materials in 

Walworth and Manitowoc Counties.

Topographic Mapping

Among the most popular and versatile 

products of the USGS are its 1:24,000-scale 

topographic maps (1 inch on the map represents 2,000 feet on land surface). These maps 

show basic natural and cultural features of the 

landscape, such as lakes, streams, highways, 

railroads, boundaries, and geographic names. 

Contour lines show the elevation and shape of 

the terrain. Wisconsin is covered by 1,169 

maps at this scale, which is useful for civil 

engineering, land-use planning, naturalresource monitoring, and other technical applications. These maps are favorites of the general public for outdoor uses, including hiking, 

camping, exploring, and back-country hunting 

and fishing.

The USGS coordinates mapping activities 

in the State with the Wisconsin Land Information Board (WLIB), which comprises 

Figure 2. Relation of annual flood peaks and annual 7-day low flow with time for a gaging 

station in an agricultural area and a gaging station in a forested area.
representatives from local, county, and State 

agencies; public utilities; and the private sector. The WLIB is chartered by the State to provide leadership in developing and implementing integrated geographic and land-information systems throughout the State in a decentralized fashion starting at the local governmental level. The Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office provides a broad variety of mapping information to State citizens through 

publications such as the “Wisconsin Mapping 

Bulletin,” public meetings, and educational 

forums, and serves as the State’s affiliate for 

cartographic information in the Earth Science 

Information Center (ESIC) network.

Earth Science Information Centers

The USGS’s ESIC’s provide information 

about USGS programs, products, and technological developments to the public. The ESIC 

in Madison was established under a cooperative agreement between the USGS and the 

Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office. The 

American Geographical Society Collection at 

the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 

Library also is a State ESIC affiliate. As part of 

the national ESIC network, these offices provide information on such earth science topics 

as cartography, geography, digital data, remote 

sensing, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, 

hydrology, geohydrology, aerial photography, 

and land use. Each ESIC is supported by the 

USGS with reference materials, technical 

assistance, training and outreach activities, and 

access to USGS data bases.

Mapping Partnerships

Wisconsin and the USGS have a long history of cooperative efforts in topographic 

mapping. The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey has maintained joint 

funding agreements with the USGS to revise 

and update topographic maps in the State. 

Maps that cover parts of eastern Wisconsin 

are being revised to reflect the rural development that has resulted in numerous changes to 

roads, buildings, and drainage features. These 

cooperative efforts were traditionally 

designed to revise printed map features. 

Efforts are underway to revise the map information digitally to provide a computerized 

map base. Revised digital map data enable 

State and local cooperators to display and 

manipulate cartographic data by using geographic information system technology to 

support numerous applications.

The USGS has several cost-sharing 

projects with Federal, State, and county agencies to produce digital orthophoto quads 

(DOQ’s), computerized aerial photographs 

that cover the same areas as specific topographic maps. These digital images provide 

“snapshots” of the Earth’s surface that may be 

displayed on a computer to extract various 

types of information and to update existing 

cartographic data layers. The USGS is producing DOQ’s in cooperative projects with the 

USDA, Natural Resources and Conservation 

Service for numerous counties in Wisconsin 

and in cooperation with the National Park Service for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway in western Wisconsin.

The USGS recently developed a new product called a digital raster graphic (DRG), 

which is a scanned image of a USGS topographic map. The DRG is an inexpensive digital product that can be combined with other 

digital products to provide additional visual 

reference for the extraction and revision of 

base cartographic data. The USGS has entered 

into cooperative agreements with both State 

and Federal agencies to initiate statewide 

DRG production for Wisconsin.

Sharing Spatial Data

The Competitive Cooperative Agreements 

Program (CCAP) was established by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) 

through the USGS to help form partnerships 

with the non-Federal sector that will assist in 

the evolution of the National Spatial Data 

Infrastructure (NSDI). This Program provides 

funding to State and local government agencies, academia, and the private sector to 

encourage resource sharing through the use of 

technology, networking, and interagency 

coordination. The WLIB was awarded a 

CCAP grant to establish an NSDI clearinghouse node for posting and accessing a variety 

of Wisconsin digital geospatial data that are 

cataloged in accordance with FGDC data content standards. As the data become available, 

they are entered into the Internet to all participating agencies as a new component of the 

established services in Wisconsin. Organizations collaborating with the WLIB include the 

Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office, the 

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History 

Survey; the Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources; the Wisconsin Department of 

Transportation; the Dodge County Survey and 

Description Department; the Marathon 

County Planning Department; and the USDA, 

Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Water-Resources Data

The USGS collected streamflow data at 96 

continuous-record sites and numerous lakestage sites, recorded ground-water levels continuously in about 170 wells, and measured 

water quality statewide at numerous points in 

1996.

Realtime streamflow data for the past 7 

days are available from the Wisconsin Home 

Page on the Internet. The Home Page can be 

accessed at the following address:

http://wwwdwimdn.er.usgs.gov/

After reaching the Home Page, any of more 

than 100 stations (with hydrographs) can be 

accessed by following two steps:

• Select “current streamflow” under the “Water 

Data” heading.

• Select “Station Number” (with reference to 

“Station Name”).

The USGS, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, 

has maintained an observation-well network 

since 1946. The purpose of this program is to 

determine trends in ground-water levels and to 

relate these trends to changes of ground-water 

storage.

In 1996, about 170 observation wells were 

measured periodically, and the measurements 

entered into a computer data base. These data 

are available on request. Selected water-level 

measurements representative of the water table 

are available on the Internet at:

http://wwwdwimdn.er.usgs.gov/gw/

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Along the lower reach of the Fox River, 16 

pulp and paper mills have historically discharged into the river PCB (polychlorinated 

biphenyl) wastes, which are associated with 

pulping and de-inking operations. Four other 

tributaries also contribute PCB’s to Green Bay. 

The toxicity of PCB’s is unusually high in 

some organisms.

The USGS collected water samples from all 

five major tributaries to Green Bay to determine the load of total PCB’s entering the Bay. 

Samples were collected from the mouths of the 

Escanaba, the Menominee, the Peshtigo, the 

Oconto, and the Fox Rivers where the rivers 

enter Green Bay. Six additional sampling sites 

were located upstream on the Fox River; the 

most downstream of the sites is situated just 

upstream from the De Pere Dam, which is 

almost 7 miles upstream from the mouth.

Numerous water-column samples of from 

80 to 100 liters were collected from April 1989 

through April 1990 and analyzed for dissolved 

and particulate PCB’s. According to these data, 

the total PCB load that enters the Bay for that 

period from the five tributaries was 169 kilograms. As the major source of PCB’s, the Fox 

River contributed 93 percent of this total PCB 

load. Additional samples from the lower part 

of the River identified that the concentration of 

PCB’s increased greatly from Lake Winnebago 

downstream to the De Pere Dam. The PCB 

load at the De Pere Dam was equal to 68 percent of the 157-kilogram load at the mouth of 

the Fox River. This lower part of the River 

extends for more than 39 miles from Lake 

Winnebago to Green Bay.
For More

Information

1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10

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NO DATA 

BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND

AMMONIA NITROGEN

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS

RUNOFF VOLUME

RUNOFF * STORM-MEAN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

UPSTREAM STATION

DOWNSTREAM STATION

STORM NUMBER

EXPLANATION

* Cubic foot per

 second-day, which

 is equivalent to

 86,400 cubic feet

Biological Resources

The USGS Biological Resources Division 

(formerly the National Biological Service) has 

major research facilities, several field offices, 

and cooperative research units in Wisconsin.

The National Wildlife Health Center in 

Madison provides information on national and 

international wildlife health issues and provides training and on-site information when 

there are wildlife disease outbreaks. Current 

studies include investigation of avain cholera 

in waterfowl that are nesting in Russia and 

Canada, lead poisoning in birds, and development of strategies to control avian botulism. 

Others focus on the effects of contaminants in 

the gender alteration observed in cormorants. 

For additional information about the Center, 

visit the Home Page at:

http://www.emtc.nbs.gov/nwhchome.html

The Environmental Management Technical 

Center in Onalaska, in cooperation with the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois, Iowa, 

Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, administers the Upper Mississippi River System Long 

Term Resource Monitoring Program 

(LTRMP). State-operated LTRMP field stations collect data on vegetation, water quality, 

fishes, and invertebrates. The USGS coordinates a regional effort to map current vegetation and terrestrial vertebrate distribution to 

identify significant ecological areas and gaps 

in biodiversity conservation in support of the 

Upper Midwest Gap Analysis Program

The Upper Mississippi Science Center 

(UMSC) in La Crosse provides information on 

topics associated with large-floodplain rivers. 

Current research includes studies of native 

mussel species; bird habitats; exotic species, 

such as zebra mussels and sea lampreys; fisheries; wildlife; plants; water quality for sport 

fishes; and environmental pollution. In addition, the UMSC coordinates the national program to gain the approval or registration of 

chemicals and medicinal drugs to control sea 

lamprey populations and develop alternative 

treatment models to reduce the amount of lampricide currently being used.

Other research includes studies on laketrout restoration, prey fishes, and nonindigenous species to document progress of restoration in the lake by the Lake Superior 

Biological Station of the Great Lakes Science 

Center and on the effects of the introduced 

zebra mussel on food web interactions and the 

biology of Great Lakes wetlands by the Northern Prairie Science Center.

Wisconsin has two cooperative research 

units. The Fisheries Unit, which is located at 

the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point 

specializes in fish-management-related 

research, especially trophic relations and 

community dynamics among fish species. 

The Wildlife Unit, which is located at the 

University of Wisconsin–Madison, studies 

migratory birds and avian ecology.

Nonpoint-Source Pollutant 

Monitoring 

In 1978, the Wisconsin Legislature created 

the Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program. The goal of this Program is to 

improve and protect water quality within 

selected priority basins by controlling nonpoint sources of pollution.

The USGS, in cooperation with the DNR, is 

monitoring water-quality changes that result 

from implementation of the DNR’s best management practices (BMP’s). The data collected 

are then compared with the basin plans by the 

DNR to assess progress and determine if goals 

have been reached.

Data were collected on a storm basis before 

and after implementation of BMP’s. These 

data indicate that (at each site), average downstream concentrations of total phosphorus, 

ammonia nitrogen, and biochemical oxygen 

demand were significantly greater than average upstream concentrations (fig. 3), before 

implementation of BMP’s.

USGS State representative

6417 Normandy Lane

Madison, WI 53719

608-274-3535

Fax: 608-276-3817

Email: dc_wi@usgs.gov

Additional earth science

information can be found by

accessing the USGS Home Page

on the World Wide Web at

http://www.usgs.gov/

For more information on

all USGS reports and products

(including maps, images,

and computerized data), call

1-800-USA-MAPS

The USGS provides maps,

reports, and information to help

others meet their needs to manage,

 develop, and protect America’s water,

energy, mineral, biological, and land

resources. We help find the natural

resources needed to build tomorrow,

and supply the scientific understanding needed to help minimize or mitigate the effects of natural hazards

and environmental damage caused

by natural and human activities. The

results of our efforts touch the daily

 life of almost every American.

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet FS-048-96

Figure 3. Concentrations and runoff volume for 

selected storms, Otter Creek, before 

implementation of best-management practices.