Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
June 2013 Activity Highlights
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Topics covered in the June activity report.
Aquatic Ecosystem Health
- Jeffry Bernardy, Terrance Hubert, Larry Schmidt (UMESC), and Jacob Ogorek (WI WSC) published a paper on a Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) method used to determine the concentration of antimycin-A in water collected in lakes and streams. Antimycin-A is a chemical used by fisheries managers to control nuisance invasive fish species as part of fish restoration programs.
- Bernardy, J.A., T.D. Hubert, J.M. Ogorek, L.J. Schmidt. 2013. Determination of Antimycin-A in Water by Liquid Chromatographic/Mass Spectrometry: Single-Laboratory Validation. Journal of AOAC International. vol 96:2 pp. 413-329 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.12-286
Aquatic Invasive Species
- Mark Gaikowski, Terrance Hubert, Mike Jawson, and Randy Hines (UMESC) participated in a Mississippi River (La Crosse Area) Aquatic Invasive Species Partnership meeting held at UMESC in La Crosse, WI June 11. The Wisconsin Rivers Alliance hosted the scoping meeting to invite partners interested in AIS monitoring, containment and control to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate and coordinate efforts. The Alliance will develop a grant proposal for funding to the Wisconsin DNR to hire an AIS coordinator to work with partners along the Mississippi River which has now been labeled as a “super spreader” and a priority for the agency.
Geospatial Sciences and Technology
- Jenny Hanson and Erin Hoy (UMESC) conducted field reconnaissance of Mississippi River navigation Pool 3, June 26-27, for 2010/11 Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) Land Cover/Land Use (LCU) mapping project. The 2010/11 LCU mapping project is creating a third high-resolution LCU data set for the Upper Mississippi River System, for the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) element of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Upper Mississippi River Restoration-Environmental Management Program (UMRR-EMP). Hanson and Hoy compare ground vegetation to 8-inch per pixel digital color infrared aerial photography collected in for Pool 3 (located approximately 15-30 miles downstream from St. Paul, MN), and collect data points to develop a mapping model for this area.
News Media and Outreach
American Chemical Society
- Terrance Hubert, Jeffrey Bernardy and Randy Hines provided a tour and overview of UMESC science program on June 6 to approximately 100 adults visiting the Center as part of the 40th annual Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society held in La Crosse, WI June 5-8. The UMESC was chosen as a tour site to provide examples of environmental science and chemistry research and monitoring for meeting attendees.
Wisconsin Public Radio – Invasive Species
- Randy Hines (UMESC) was interviewed on June 4 by Maureen McCollum, Wisconsin Public Radio, about aquatic invasive animal species in the Mississippi River. Lisa Reid, wildlife biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Upper Mississippi River National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, was also a guest to talk about aquatic invasive plants. Interview will air on Thursday, June 6 at 5 P.M. CDT as part of the Newsmaker Series and can also be found under the WPR archives.
Environmental Explorers Camp
- The Environmental Explorers Camp, an annual outdoor hands-on event designed to introduce forty youth aged 4th-6th grades to natural resource research and Upper Mississippi River ecosystem discovery was held June 18-19. The USGS UMESC has partnered with the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse Continuing Education and Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to develop and provide outdoor research and discovery experiences in wetlands and forests with a variety of animal species. Through presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on-activities, USGS and Wisconsin DNR scientists provide opportunities to learn about amphibians, birds, and fish, as well as water quality, plant, invertebrate, and ecosystem research. (Contact: Randy Hines 608-781-6398 rkhines@usgs.gov)
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant
- Barry Johnson (UMESC) was recently featured in the article, “Barry Johnson: Where is he now?” by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. The Sea Grant Institute regularly interviews former graduate students to see if their experience with the Institute has helped them in their careers. Johnson credits his experience with learning to develop a research program that applies directly to management issues, and broadening his perspective of the fields of fisheries and aquatic ecology. The article is available at; http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/Home/AboutUsSection/PressRoom/Details.aspx?PostID=1629.
Upper Mississippi River
Long Term Resource Monitoring Program
- Michael Jawson, Jeff Houser, and Barry Johnson (UMESC) attended the second strategic planning meeting for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Upper Mississippi River Restoration-Environmental Management Program (UMRR-EMP), at the Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL, June 18-20. The meeting is a continuation of the planning process initiated in April, to develop strategies for increasing the effectiveness of the UMRR-EMP, including better integration of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) and Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Projects (HREP) components of the UMRR-EMP. Organizations participating in the planning meetings include; USACE, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS, Upper Mississippi River Basin Association, Illinois Natural History Survey, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Minnesota DNR, Missouri Department of Conservation, and Wisconsin DNR.
Acronyms
AIS – Aquatic Invasive Species
DNR – Department of Natural Resources
HREP – Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Projects
LC/MS – Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
LCU – Land Cover/Land Use
LTRMP – Long Term Resource Monitoring Program
UMESC – Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
UMRR-EMP – Upper Mississippi River Restoration-Environmental Management Program
UMRS – Upper Mississippi River System
USACE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’
USGS – U.S. Geological Survey
WI WSC – Wisconsin Water Science Center
URL: http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/outreach/highlights/2013_june_umesc_highlights.html
Page Contact Information: Contacting the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Page Last Modified:
July 25, 2013
