UMIS NAWQA

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National Water Quality Assessment in the Upper Mississippi River Study Unit

Studies have been conducted since 1994 in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMIS), which includes land draining to the Mississippi River downstream to Lake Pepin, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program.
Goals of the NAWQA Program are to describe the status and trends of the quality of the Nation's streams, rivers, and aquifers and to improve understanding of the natural and anthropogenic factors that affect the quality of these resources.

Major Findings 1995 to Present

Agricultural Activities Increase Nutrient and Pesticide Concentrations in Ground Water and Streams

UMIS nitrate concentrations in a national context.
Pesticides found in agricultural streams and shallow ground water.
Agricultural herbicide concentrations near Beauford, MN.
Pesticides found in urban streams and shallow ground water.

Water Quality and Aquatic Biological Conditions are Indicative of Dominant Land Uses

Chloride concentrations are greatest in Northern U.S. urban areas.
Urbanization affects fish communities and water quality in urban streams.
Concentrations of organic contaminants in fish tissues and bottom sediments are greatest in urban streams.
Invertebrates may reflect stream quality affected by urban development.

Riparian Characteristics Influence Aquatic Communities

Riparian cover and soil characteristics affect biological communities.
Riparian areas influence the quality of Midwestern streams and rivers.

NAWQA Program Changes

In 2001, the NAWQA Program begins its second decade of intensive water-quality assessments, which will build upon initial assessments of water-quality conditions and increase understanding of long-term trends and the factors that affect water quality.

What's New?

Status and Trends

Streams: Two surface-water sites continue for trend monitoring.
Groundwater: 17 existing wells continue to be sampled biennially as trend sites.
Source Water Quality: The objective of these assessments is to investigate ground and surface waters used for drinking water.

Nutrient Enrichment Effects on Streams

The study objective is to determine how nutrient conditions vary as a result of natural and human-related factors, and how nutrient conditions affect algae and other biological communities.

Regional Studies

Temporal trends in nutrients and suspended-sediments are being described for streams in the Upper Midwest.

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