Rainfall and runoff data were collected during non-winter months between 2018 and 2020 at 10 rain gages and 12 calibrated H-flumes located in Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) highway median-strip catchments. The data were used to compute event-based summary statistics of rainfall and runoff. A rainfall-runoff “event” was defined to begin at the time of the first measured rainfall and end when rainfall and runoff (if any) ceased and remained ceased for at least 3 hours. The summary statistics (along with selected metadata) are included in this data release.

This dataset is a 30-meter resolution raster of estimated extent of subsurface tile drains, developed from tabular data of state-level estimates of agricultural land drained by tiles combined with geospatial cropland and soils in 12 Midwest States (SD, NE, KS, MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, MI, IN, OH, and KY). This dataset was created from the following four sources: 1) state-level acreages of agricultural "land drained by tiles" from the 2012 Census of Agriculture; 2) the extent of cultivated cropland from the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 2011; 3) the extent of poorly and moderately drained soils from the State Soil Geographic Database (STATSGO) database Version 2; and 4) state administrative boundaries. The area of drained land was evenly allocated to potentially drained land for agriculture - cropland with poorly drained soil - except in Iowa. For Iowa, because the reported area of land drained by tiles exceeded the area of cropland on poorly drained soils, the additional area of subsurface tile drains greater than the area of cropland on poorly drained soils was assigned to land characterized as cropland with moderately drained soil. The estimated extent of subsurface tile drains in each cell is expressed in square meters.

This dataset is a 30-meter resolution raster of estimated extent of subsurface tile drains, developed from tabular data of state-level estimates of agricultural land drained by tiles combined with geospatial cropland and soils in 12 Midwest States (SD, NE, KS, MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, MI, IN, OH, and KY). This dataset was created from the following four sources: 1) state-level acreages of agricultural "land drained by tiles" from the 2012 Census of Agriculture; 2) the extent of cultivated cropland from the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 2011; 3) the extent of poorly and moderately drained soils from the State Soil Geographic Database (STATSGO) database Version 2; and 4) state administrative boundaries. The area of drained land was evenly allocated to potentially drained land for agriculture - cropland with poorly drained soil - except in Iowa. For Iowa, because the reported area of land drained by tiles exceeded the area of cropland on poorly drained soils, the additional area of subsurface tile drains greater than the area of cropland on poorly drained soils was assigned to land characterized as cropland with moderately drained soil. The estimated extent of subsurface tile drains in each cell is expressed in square meters.

This data release contains nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, and yields from a USGS subsurface-tile edge-of-field (EOF) agricultural monitoring site. Sampling and flow monitoring were performed at the outlet of a subsurface-tile that drains 14.7 acres of cultivated cropland. The site is located in South Central Michigan and discharges into a headwater stream of the Maumee watershed. Through a cooperative agreement between the USGS and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Michigan, data was collected from May 22, 2019, through March 19, 2023. Water quality and rainfall metrics are summarized by individual flow events to evaluate the contribution of EOF losses to a headwater stream. The methods used to collect this data followed USGS EOF monitoring methods (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/20081015/) and the contents of this data release are consistent with a related EOF data release (Komiskey et. al 2023). Flow data, including total flow volume, flow-weighted mean concentrations, total loads, and total yields, were computed for each flow event. A flow event was defined as any period of flow at a station that was classified as a storm and represents flow that was related to rainfall or snowmelt. In the combined flow and rain table, multiple flow events were combined if they occurred within 2 hours of each other, to account for similar rainfall/runoff characteristics. Linked to each flow event, rainfall metrics were computed (rain total, duration, intensity, erosivity, and antecedent rainfall). Rain metrics were also computed for the entire rainfall record, which are in the rain event table. Similar to the combined flow-related rain metrics, rainfall was combined into a single event if it occurred within 2 hours of the previous rainfall. There were occurrences of continuous flow between rain events, which were not associated with a period of rainfall or snowmelt, likely due to excessive soil saturation or shallow groundwater discharge. These periods of intermittent tile discharge were not classified as a storm. Monitoring was conducted year-round to evaluate flow characteristics among seasons and variation in weather, field conditions, and agricultural activities.

This data release contains nutrient and sediment concentrations, loads, and yields from a USGS subsurface-tile edge-of-field (EOF) agricultural monitoring site. Sampling and flow monitoring were performed at the outlet of a subsurface-tile that drains 14.7 acres of cultivated cropland. The site is located in South Central Michigan and discharges into a headwater stream of the Maumee watershed. Through a cooperative agreement between the USGS and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Michigan, data was collected from May 22, 2019, through March 19, 2023. Water quality and rainfall metrics are summarized by individual flow events to evaluate the contribution of EOF losses to a headwater stream. The methods used to collect this data followed USGS EOF monitoring methods (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/20081015/) and the contents of this data release are consistent with a related EOF data release (Komiskey et. al 2023). Flow data, including total flow volume, flow-weighted mean concentrations, total loads, and total yields, were computed for each flow event. A flow event was defined as any period of flow at a station that was classified as a storm and represents flow that was related to rainfall or snowmelt. In the combined flow and rain table, multiple flow events were combined if they occurred within 2 hours of each other, to account for similar rainfall/runoff characteristics. Linked to each flow event, rainfall metrics were computed (rain total, duration, intensity, erosivity, and antecedent rainfall). Rain metrics were also computed for the entire rainfall record, which are in the rain event table. Similar to the combined flow-related rain metrics, rainfall was combined into a single event if it occurred within 2 hours of the previous rainfall. There were occurrences of continuous flow between rain events, which were not associated with a period of rainfall or snowmelt, likely due to excessive soil saturation or shallow groundwater discharge. These periods of intermittent tile discharge were not classified as a storm. Monitoring was conducted year-round to evaluate flow characteristics among seasons and variation in weather, field conditions, and agricultural activities.

This data release provides computed rainfall (rain total, duration, intensity, erosivity and antecedent rainfall) and flow (flow volume, flow-weighted mean concentrations, total loads, and total yields) metrics from monitored precipitation, discharge, and water quality (nutrients and sediment concentrations) data collected at U.S. Geological Survey edge-of-field (EOF) monitoring sites located in five Great Lakes States (Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and New York). EOF monitoring sites are installed at the edge of agricultural fields, either on the field surface or using subsurface tiles, where runoff can be intercepted and channeled through monitoring equipment before it enters the natural stream system. The methods used to collect this data followed USGS EOF monitoring methods (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/20081015/). These EOF monitoring sites are located at private farms under a variety of farming systems, landscape settings, drainage areas, soil types, and climates. Site information is provided in the ‘EOF_Site_Table.csv’ data table. Rainfall metrics were computed for EOF site locations and are provided in the ‘All_EOF_RainEvents.csv’ data table. Rainfall was directly monitored at many, but not every EOF monitoring site. EOF monitoring sites without on-site rainfall data were associated to rainfall data measured at a nearby EOF monitoring site or meteorological site. Rainfall was combined into a single event if it occurred within 2 hours of the previous rainfall. Flow data were computed for each flow event at each EOF monitoring site and are available in the ‘All_EOF_StormEventLoadsFormatted.csv’ data table. A flow event was defined as any period of flow at a site that was classified as a storm and represents flow that was related to rainfall or snowmelt. There were occurrences of continuous flow between rain events, which were not associated with a period of rainfall or snowmelt, likely due to excessive soil saturation or shallow groundwater discharge. These periods of intermittent tile discharge were not classified as a storm. Multiple precipitation and flow events were combined if they occurred within two hours of each other to account for similar rainfall/runoff characteristics. Rainfall metrics and flow data were then calculated for these combined events at each EOF monitoring site and available in the ‘All_EOF_StormEventLoadsRainCalculated.csv’ data table.

This data release provides computed rainfall (rain total, duration, intensity, erosivity and antecedent rainfall) and flow (flow volume, flow-weighted mean concentrations, total loads, and total yields) metrics from monitored precipitation, discharge, and water quality (nutrients and sediment concentrations) data collected at U.S. Geological Survey edge-of-field (EOF) monitoring sites located in five Great Lakes States (Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and New York). EOF monitoring sites are installed at the edge of agricultural fields, either on the field surface or using subsurface tiles, where runoff can be intercepted and channeled through monitoring equipment before it enters the natural stream system. The methods used to collect this data followed USGS EOF monitoring methods (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/20081015/). These EOF monitoring sites are located at private farms under a variety of farming systems, landscape settings, drainage areas, soil types, and climates. Site information is provided in the ‘EOF_Site_Table.csv’ data table. Rainfall metrics were computed for EOF site locations and are provided in the ‘All_EOF_RainEvents.csv’ data table. Rainfall was directly monitored at many, but not every EOF monitoring site. EOF monitoring sites without on-site rainfall data were associated to rainfall data measured at a nearby EOF monitoring site or meteorological site. Rainfall was combined into a single event if it occurred within 2 hours of the previous rainfall. Flow data were computed for each flow event at each EOF monitoring site and are available in the ‘All_EOF_StormEventLoadsFormatted.csv’ data table. A flow event was defined as any period of flow at a site that was classified as a storm and represents flow that was related to rainfall or snowmelt. There were occurrences of continuous flow between rain events, which were not associated with a period of rainfall or snowmelt, likely due to excessive soil saturation or shallow groundwater discharge. These periods of intermittent tile discharge were not classified as a storm. Multiple precipitation and flow events were combined if they occurred within two hours of each other to account for similar rainfall/runoff characteristics. Rainfall metrics and flow data were then calculated for these combined events at each EOF monitoring site and available in the ‘All_EOF_StormEventLoadsRainCalculated.csv’ data table.

A new groundwater flow model was created for Dane County, Wisconsin, to replace an earlier model developed in the 1990s by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This modeling study was conducted cooperatively by the WGNHS, the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, and the USGS. Although the overall conceptual model of the groundwater system remains largely unchanged, the incorporation of newly acquired, high-quality datasets, recent research findings, and improved modeling and calibration techniques have led to the development of a much more detailed and sophisticated model representation of the groundwater system. The new model is three-dimensional and transient, and conceptualizes the county’s hydrogeology as a 12-layer system including all major unlithified and bedrock hydrostratigraphic units and two high-conductivity horizontal fracture zones.

A new groundwater flow model was created for Dane County, Wisconsin, to replace an earlier model developed in the 1990s by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This modeling study was conducted cooperatively by the WGNHS, the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, and the USGS. Although the overall conceptual model of the groundwater system remains largely unchanged, the incorporation of newly acquired, high-quality datasets, recent research findings, and improved modeling and calibration techniques have led to the development of a much more detailed and sophisticated model representation of the groundwater system. The new model is three-dimensional and transient, and conceptualizes the county’s hydrogeology as a 12-layer system including all major unlithified and bedrock hydrostratigraphic units and two high-conductivity horizontal fracture zones.

The detrimental effects of excess nutrients and sediment entering the Chesapeake Bay estuary from its watersheds have necessitated regulatory actions. Federally-mandated reductions are apportioned to bay jurisdictions based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Time-Variable Watershed Model (CBPM). The Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST version CAST-19; cast.chesapeakebay.net; Chesapeake Bay Program, 2020) is a simplified, on-line version of the Phase 6 CBPM that simulates watershed nutrients delivery to the estuary using the original model's annual land-surface nutrient source and removal inputs and time-averaged climatological forecasting. Because it runs much faster than the CBPM, CAST facilitates rapid generation and comparison of alternate input reduction scenarios. The purpose of this data release is to make the baseline annual nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment input data used by CAST available to the scientific community in a standardized, public-domain format, such that CBPM baseline predictions can be corroborated, or the model can be refined through independent scientific investigations. Because it constitutes the best available estimate, as of 2019, of past and projected future land-surface nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment inputs over the entire extent of the Chesapeake watershed, this data set also supports broader USGS Chesapeake Bay Studies through fiscal year 2025. Source-specific annual nutrient source and removal inputs for years 1985 through 2025 were downscaled from the CBPM land-river segment scale (2,049 segments; mean area 118 square kilometers) to the National Hydrography Dataset Plus version 2.0 (NHDPlus) 1:100,000 catchment scale (83,331 segments, mean area 2.1 square kilometers). Eleven source or removal categories are represented for all counties that intersect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These categories are listed below and further defined in the Purpose section. 1. Atmospheric deposition (atm. dep.) 2. Biosolids 3. Combined sewer overflow (CSO) 4. Direct deposit (manure directly excreted on pasture and in streams) 5. Fertilizer 6. Manure applied as fertilizer 7. Nitrogen fixation by agricultural crops (Nfix) 8. Rapid infiltration basins (RIB) 9. Septic systems 10. Nutrient uptake by agricultural crops that is removed from the field 11. Wastewater For most of these categories, nutrient source and removal inputs are tabulated for five species: ammonia, nitrate, organic nitrogen, phosphate, and organic phosphorus; sediment inputs are provided as total suspended sediment. Consistent with CBPM, plant uptake is specified only as total nitrogen and total phosphorus, and wastewater inputs are specified as biological oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen (Chesapeake Bay Program, 2020). In addition to these sources, annual proportional land-use layers used in the downscaling process are provided, also at NHDPlus 1:100,000 scale. Layers for each year represent proportional coverage of 14 Chesapeake Bay 2013 1-meter Land Use Data classes, interpolated (1985-2013) based on evolution of land-cover derived from NLCD 1992, 2001, 2006, and 2011 layers, and projected (2014-2025) using land use estimated for 2025 using the USGS Chesapeake Bay Land Change model (USGS, 2020). Best management practices (BMPs) are not included in this data release. BMPs have varying effects on nutrient inputs and runoff. These effects are best represented in CAST. Moreover, the BMP history is regularly revised by the states and the most current history is available as a downloadable file from CAST. Chesapeake Bay Program, 2020. Chesapeake Assessment and Scenario Tool (CAST) Version 2019. Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Last accessed November 2021.