The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. National Park Service, conducted a study to determine the presence of algal toxins and Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) within Pipestone National Monument located in Pipestone County in southwestern Minnesota. Three algal toxins (microcystins, saxitoxin, and anatoxin-a) were analyzed in 12 water-quality samples collected from 8 surface and 2 quarry-water sample sites by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Two of the three analyzed algal toxins (microcystins and anatoxin-a) were also analyzed using immunosorbent strip test methods. All analysis kits were provided by Abraxis Inc. (Warminister, Pa) and analyses were completed at the U.S. Geological Survey - Upper Midwest Water Science Center in Mounds View, Minnesota. MAP was analyzed in 16 water-quality samples and 8 sediment samples collected from 8 surface-water sample sites by multiple real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. These data are a part of a larger study and an associated report documented in the U.S. Geological Survey Investigations Report 2023-XXXX (http://doiXXXXXplaceholder).

In cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured cyanobacterial toxin concentrations (i.e., microcystin, anatoxin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin) and collected water-quality field data at 18 sites in North-central Tennessee from August 2022 to November 2024. Additionally, selected sites also were sampled once for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to confirm the presence of toxin producing DNA at the monitoring sites. The goal for the sample data was to better understand the occurrence and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in various freshwater reservoir types in North-central Tennessee. Sample collection was primarily during the growing season, when harmful algal blooms (HABs) are known to be most active. This data release documents the sites, toxin concentrations, water-quality data, and eDNA data produced from the study.

In cooperation with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), the U.S. Geological survey (USGS) collected cyanobacterial toxin concentrations (i.e., microcystin, anatoxin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin) and water-quality field data at 4 sites on the Clinch River from November 2020 to December 2023. The goal for the sample data was to better understand the occurrence and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in a section of the Clinch River. Sample collection was primarily during the growing season, when harmful algal blooms (HABs) are known to be most active. This data release documents the toxin concentrations and water-quality data produced from the study.

This data set is composed of all animals received as a diagnostic submission to the USGS-National Wildlife Health Center for which algal toxin testing was performed from November 1998 to January 2018. Birds with a histologic diagnosis of avian vacuolar myelinopathy, a disease caused by the algal toxin aetokthonotoxin, are also included. Algal toxins tested for include brevetoxin, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, microcystin, and saxitoxin. Case-accession number, species, state collected, month and year collected, and detection or non-detection of the algal toxin is reported.

This data set is composed of all animals received as a diagnostic submission to the USGS-National Wildlife Health Center for which algal toxin testing was performed from November 1998 to January 2018. Birds with a histologic diagnosis of avian vacuolar myelinopathy, a disease caused by the algal toxin aetokthonotoxin, are also included. Algal toxins tested for include brevetoxin, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, microcystin, and saxitoxin. Case-accession number, species, state collected, month and year collected, and detection or non-detection of the algal toxin is reported.

The EPA National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) is a nation-wide survey of coastal and estuarine water quality. During the 2015 EPA NCCA, samples were collected for analysis of algal toxins and cyanotoxins at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) at the U.S. Geological Survey Kansas Water Science Center (KSWSC) by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The 542 samples collected from the Great Lakes were analyzed for anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, 10 microcystin congeners, nodularin, and okadaic acid. A subset of samples were also analyzed for dinophysistoxin-1, dinophysistoxin-2, gymnodimine, pectenotoxin-2, and 13-desmethyl spirolide c.

This dataset consists of sensor profile and water sample results from monitoring campaign to investigate the effects of two dredged pits in eastern Lake Pontchartrain on dissolved oxygen conditions within the water column in and surrounding the pits over a three-year period. The borrow pits were excavated to provide soil material to nourish three nearby protected marsh sites: Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, Turtle Bayou Protected-Side Intermediate Marsh, and New Zydeco Ridge. The southern borrow pit occupies 418 acres and was monitored using a 9-point grid. The northern pit is 330 acres and was monitored using a 12-point grid. During 2021-2023, the U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers New Orleans District collected data in the lake. Pit areas were sampled monthly in March, April, September, October, and November and twice a month during May, June, July, and August when possible. A multi-parameter water quality sonde was used to measure dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, specific conductance, and salinity to monitor for the formation of hypoxic conditions. At each grid location, a 3-point vertical profile was measured. When hypoxic conditions were encountered (dissolved oxygen <2 milligrams per liter (mg/L)) measurements were made at 1 foot intervals to define the extent of the hypoxic zone. During each sampling event, a surface and sub-surface water sample were collected at each pit to analyze for the presence of chlorophyll, phycocyanin, and microcystin at Auburn University. Sample water was first filtered through a glass fiber filter. To measure chlorophyll, filters were extracted with 90% aqueous ethanol for 24 hours at 4°C in the dark prior to being filtered through a glass fiber filter and analyzed with a fluorometer with a non-acidification chlorophyll module. To measure phycocyanin, filters were extracted while grinding in 50mM phosphate buffer and allowed to extract in the dark for 4 hours at room temperature before extract was purified using centrifugation and passing through a 0.2 um membrane filter and analyzed with a fluorometer. To measure microcystin, filters were extracted twice for 1 hour in acidic 75% aqueous methanol prior to pooling extracts, filtered through a glass fiber filter, dried on a sample concentrator, and redissolved in a phosphate buffer prior to analysis via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for intracellular microcystin content. Further information on these methods can be found in Belfiore and others, 2021. In 2022-2023, at a subset of locations at each pit, additional sensor measurements for chlorophyll and phycocyanin were collected and water was sampled to measure turbidity and monitor for the presence of cyanobacteria and microcystin toxins at Tulane University. Turbidity was measured using an turbidimeter. A handheld Harmful Algal Bloom indicator was used to determine a Phycocyanin:Chlorophyll-a ratio and a fluorometer was used to measure chlorophyll-a fluorescence. Samples to monitor for cyanobacteria and microcystin toxins were collected using sterile bottles and stored at -80°C until DNA extraction and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed. Sample filtration followed protocol as described in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water, 19th edition. Further information on this method can be found in other published reports (Sipari and others, 2010, Rinta-Kanto and others, 2005, Rantala and others, 2004, and Doblin and others, 2007).

This dataset consists of sensor profile and water sample results from monitoring campaign to investigate the effects of two dredged pits in eastern Lake Pontchartrain on dissolved oxygen conditions within the water column in and surrounding the pits over a three-year period. The borrow pits were excavated to provide soil material to nourish three nearby protected marsh sites: Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, Turtle Bayou Protected-Side Intermediate Marsh, and New Zydeco Ridge. The southern borrow pit occupies 418 acres and was monitored using a 9-point grid. The northern pit is 330 acres and was monitored using a 12-point grid. During 2021-2023, the U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers New Orleans District collected data in the lake. Pit areas were sampled monthly in March, April, September, October, and November and twice a month during May, June, July, and August when possible. A multi-parameter water quality sonde was used to measure dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, specific conductance, and salinity to monitor for the formation of hypoxic conditions. At each grid location, a 3-point vertical profile was measured. When hypoxic conditions were encountered (dissolved oxygen <2 milligrams per liter (mg/L)) measurements were made at 1 foot intervals to define the extent of the hypoxic zone. During each sampling event, a surface and sub-surface water sample were collected at each pit to analyze for the presence of chlorophyll, phycocyanin, and microcystin at Auburn University. Sample water was first filtered through a glass fiber filter. To measure chlorophyll, filters were extracted with 90% aqueous ethanol for 24 hours at 4°C in the dark prior to being filtered through a glass fiber filter and analyzed with a fluorometer with a non-acidification chlorophyll module. To measure phycocyanin, filters were extracted while grinding in 50mM phosphate buffer and allowed to extract in the dark for 4 hours at room temperature before extract was purified using centrifugation and passing through a 0.2 um membrane filter and analyzed with a fluorometer. To measure microcystin, filters were extracted twice for 1 hour in acidic 75% aqueous methanol prior to pooling extracts, filtered through a glass fiber filter, dried on a sample concentrator, and redissolved in a phosphate buffer prior to analysis via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for intracellular microcystin content. Further information on these methods can be found in Belfiore and others, 2021. In 2022-2023, at a subset of locations at each pit, additional sensor measurements for chlorophyll and phycocyanin were collected and water was sampled to measure turbidity and monitor for the presence of cyanobacteria and microcystin toxins at Tulane University. Turbidity was measured using an turbidimeter. A handheld Harmful Algal Bloom indicator was used to determine a Phycocyanin:Chlorophyll-a ratio and a fluorometer was used to measure chlorophyll-a fluorescence. Samples to monitor for cyanobacteria and microcystin toxins were collected using sterile bottles and stored at -80°C until DNA extraction and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed. Sample filtration followed protocol as described in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water, 19th edition. Further information on this method can be found in other published reports (Sipari and others, 2010, Rinta-Kanto and others, 2005, Rantala and others, 2004, and Doblin and others, 2007).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) is a nationwide survey of coastal and estuarine water quality. During the 2015 EPA NCCA, samples were collected at 732 sites for analysis of algal toxins and cyanotoxins at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) at the U.S. Geological Survey Kansas Water Science Center (KSWSC) by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Samples from the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts of the conterminous U.S. were analyzed for anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, dinophysistoxin-1, dinophysistoxin-2, gymnodimine, 10 microcystin congeners, nodularin, okadaic acid, pectenotoxin-2, and 13-desmethyl spirolide c.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are overgrowths of algae or cyanobacteria in water and can be harmful to humans and animals directly via toxin exposure or indirectly via changes in water quality and related impacts to ecosystems services, drinking water characteristics, and recreation. While HABs occur frequently throughout the United States, the driving conditions behind them are not well understood, especially in flowing waters. In order to facilitate future national model development and characterization of HABs, this data release publishes a synthesized and cleaned collection of HABs-related water quality and quantity data for river and stream sites across the United States. It includes nutrients, major ions, sediment, physical properties, streamflow, chlorophyll and other types of water data. This data release contains files of harmonized data from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS). Continuous sensor data for 132 parameters (35 of which returned data) between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2022 were downloaded from NWIS programmatically. All data were harmonized into a shared format and grouped by generic parameters; data are in files named "daily_{parameter_grp}.csv", and the "pcode_group_xwalk.csv" maps parameter codes to parameter groups. Lastly, we include a "site_metadata.csv" containing site identification and location information for all sites with water quality and quantity data, and mappings to the National Hydrography Dataset flowlines where available. This work was completed as part of the USGS Proxies Project, an effort supported by the Water Mission Area (WMA) Water Quality Processes program to develop estimation methods for PFAS, harmful algal blooms, and metals, at multiple spatial and temporal scales.