USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

Today’s Science

Scientists at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) provide resource managers and decision makers with scientific information that aid in the protection, enhancement, and restoration of natural resources.

Contaminant Effects on Wildlife

The UMESC studies the affects of pollutants on wildlife, by studying the patterns of contamination in terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Declining Species

The UMESC conducts a wide range of research on declining populations of birds, fish, amphibians and freshwater mussels.

Fisheries Management, Chemical and Drug Development and Registration

The UMESC conducts research to develop safe and effective aquatic chemicals and drugs, for use in fishery management and production.

Geospatial Sciences and Decision Support Systems

The UMESC develops maps (land cover, bathymetry, aquatic habitat, Mississippi River, National Parks), visualization tools, and decision aides, to help resource managers and engineers plan and implement habitat rehabilitation projects.

Invasive Species Control

The UMESC conducts research that increases our understanding of invasive species, focusing on the development of ways to control their expanding populations.

Large River Ecosystems

The UMESC conducts research on large river ecosystems and administers the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP), a partnership of Federal and state agencies. For more than 20 years the LTRMP has tracked the health of the Mississippi River, including water quality, aquatic vegetation, and fish populations.