During two seasonal sampling events in spring (June) and fall (August) of 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, collected benthos (benthic invertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) at three sites each in the Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern (AOC) in Illinois and in Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana, a non-AOC, in Indiana. Physical and chemical data were sampled concurrently (specific conductance, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, total and volatile suspended solids in water samples; particle size and volatile-on-ignition solids of sediment in benthic grab samples). Benthos were collected by using Hester-Dendy artificial substrate samplers and composite dredge grab samples of bottom sediment; zooplankton were collected by using tows from depth to the surface with a 63-micrometer mesh plankton net; phytoplankton were collected by using whole water samples composited from set depth intervals. The interpretive report based on these data is Scudder Eikenberry, B.C., Templar, H.A., Burns, D.J., Dobrowolski, E.G., and Schmude, K.L., 2017, Comparison of benthos and plankton for Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern, Illinois, and Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana non-Area of Concern, Indiana, in 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5039, 29 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20175039. QA/QC of the data is documented in this report.

The data being released were part of a project funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This study sought to identify the bacterial and planktonic communities (cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae) potentially contributing to eutrophication within the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern (AOC) in northern Indiana along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. In 2021, triplicate water samples were collected from five locations during three events, 4/19/21 and 4/20/21, 7/7/21, and 9/15/21. Water samples were processed and planktonic communities were determined by a DNA-based technology (algal metabarcoding). Sampling locations: 1. Columbia Avenue, Hammond, IN 2. Lake George drainage ditch, Hammond, IN 3. Indiana Harbor Canal at Canal Street in East Chicago, IN 4. Airport Road in Gary, IN 5. Marquette Park Lagoon in Gary, IN

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Lake Michigan. Vector polygons in this data set represent SAV. Species specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for Lake Michigan. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

Between 1900 and 1932, a copper (Cu) mine operated near Gay, Michigan, along the shore of Lake Superior, discharged approximately 22.8 million metric tons of waste material known as ‘stamp sands’ (SS) to a nearby beach. This pile of SS has migrated via wind and rain along the beaches in northern Grand Traverse Bay and into Buffalo Reef, an important spawning area for Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish. During their first summer, these newly spawned fish consume benthic invertebrates and zooplankton in nearby beach habitats. SS contain elevated concentrations of metals (especially Cu) that are toxic to many invertebrate taxa, and studies have observed very few benthic taxa in areas with very high SS. Here, we sampled the invertebrate community from four beaches: one near Buffalo Reef with very high SS, one in southern Grand Traverse Bay with moderate SS, one in the nearby Little Traverse Bay with very little SS and a beach ~58 km away with no SS (Big Bay). We also re-sampled the benthos at some sites that had been sampled as part of an earlier study. Both benthic invertebrates (in August 2021) and zooplankton (in June and July 2021) were sampled along the transects at these four beaches. Sediment samples were collected at the same time as the benthic invertebrate sampling and used to quantify SS and 12 metals at each site (including Cu).

Between 1900 and 1932, a copper (Cu) mine operated near Gay, Michigan, along the shore of Lake Superior, discharged approximately 22.8 million metric tons of waste material known as ‘stamp sands’ (SS) to a nearby beach. This pile of SS has migrated via wind and rain along the beaches in northern Grand Traverse Bay and into Buffalo Reef, an important spawning area for Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish. During their first summer, these newly spawned fish consume benthic invertebrates and zooplankton in nearby beach habitats. SS contain elevated concentrations of metals (especially Cu) that are toxic to many invertebrate taxa, and studies have observed very few benthic taxa in areas with very high SS. Here, we sampled the invertebrate community from four beaches: one near Buffalo Reef with very high SS, one in southern Grand Traverse Bay with moderate SS, one in the nearby Little Traverse Bay with very little SS and a beach ~58 km away with no SS (Big Bay). We also re-sampled the benthos at some sites that had been sampled as part of an earlier study. Both benthic invertebrates (in August 2021) and zooplankton (in June and July 2021) were sampled along the transects at these four beaches. Sediment samples were collected at the same time as the benthic invertebrate sampling and used to quantify SS and 12 metals at each site (including Cu).

These data describe the catch and biological data from 363 bottom-set gill-net lifts distributed throughout Lake Michigan (including main basin and Green Bay) between April and November in 1930–1932. Data collected from the R/V Fulmar were recorded in notebooks and are now archived at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center. Each lift included 1–7 gangs of linen gill nets. Each gang comprised 3–5 panels each having a length of 155 m, a height of 1.5 m, and a (stretch-)mesh size of either 60, 64, 67, 70, or 76 mm. The digitization of the Fulmar data notebooks was started in the late 1990s and finished in this study.

These data describe the catch and biological data from 363 bottom-set gill-net lifts distributed throughout Lake Michigan (including main basin and Green Bay) between April and November in 1930–1932. Data collected from the R/V Fulmar were recorded in notebooks and are now archived at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center. Each lift included 1–7 gangs of linen gill nets. Each gang comprised 3–5 panels each having a length of 155 m, a height of 1.5 m, and a (stretch-)mesh size of either 60, 64, 67, 70, or 76 mm. The digitization of the Fulmar data notebooks was started in the late 1990s and finished in this study.

This data release contains plankton sampling results collected in the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The data release will be updated with new results as they are collected. The samples in this data release were collected at USGS stations 453027122400000 (Willamette River below the Holgate Channel), 452913122394300 (Ross Island Lagoon – Willamette River), and 453833122462700 (Willamette River at RM 1.5) between May 14 and August 14, 2024. Time-series water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and chlorophyll and phycocyanin fluorescence data that were collected at 453027122400000 are available from the USGS National Water Information System (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis).

This data release contains plankton sampling results collected in the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The data release will be updated with new results as they are collected. The samples in this data release were collected at USGS stations 453027122400000 (Willamette River below the Holgate Channel), 452913122394300 (Ross Island Lagoon – Willamette River), and 453833122462700 (Willamette River at RM 1.5) between May 14 and August 14, 2024. Time-series water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and chlorophyll and phycocyanin fluorescence data that were collected at 453027122400000 are available from the USGS National Water Information System (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis).

This data release contains plankton sampling results collected in the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The data release will be updated with new results as they are collected. The samples in this data release were collected at USGS stations 453027122400000 (Willamette River below the Holgate Channel), 452913122394300 (Ross Island Lagoon – Willamette River), and 453833122462700 (Willamette River at RM 1.5) between May 14 and August 14, 2024. Time-series water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and chlorophyll and phycocyanin fluorescence data that were collected at 453027122400000 are available from the USGS National Water Information System (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis).