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Faith Fitzpatrick

Research Hydrologist, Fluvial Geomorphology

Contact Information

U.S. Geological Survey
Wisconsin Water Science Center
8505 Research Way
Middleton, Wisconsin 53562
Phone: 608-821-3818
Fax: 608-821-3817
Email: fafitzpa@usgs.gov

Education

• Ph.D. in Geography (Fluvial Geomorphology) University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1998
• M.S. in Geology, University of Illinois, 1988
• B.S. in Geology, Lake Superior State University, 1985

Areas of Expertise

• Historical fluvial geomorphology assessments, related to land-cover change, floods, restoration, and habitat
• Field-based watershed assessments of episodic sedimentation and erosion
• Aquatic habitat assessments, sediment sampling, sediment budgets

Current Projects

• Documenting the Floods of June 2008 in Southern Wisconsin (project website)
• Assessment and monitoring of gully erosion control, Bark River, WI
• Channel changes from submerged flow deflectors and large floods, North Fish Creek, WI (project webpage)
• Geomorphic assessment of erosion and sedimentation hot spots, Bad River, WI (project webpage)
• Effects of sand sedimentation, flooding, and base-flow on brook trout habitat, Whittlesey Creek, WI
• USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program, national trends in urbanization effects on stream geomorphology (project website)
• Effects of grazing on bank erosion in the Fever River, Pioneer Farm, Platteville, WI (project webpage)
• Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves
• National Water-Quality Monitoring Council, Methods and Data Comparability Board
• USGS National Training Instructor/Coordinator – Geomorphic Analysis of Fluvial Systems

Professional Licenses

• State of Wisconsin Professional Hydrologist (1999-present)
• Professional Geologist (1995-present)

Selected Publications

Fitzpatrick, F.A.; Peppler, M.C.; Walker, J.F.; Rose, W.J., Waschbusch, R.J., and Kennedy, J.L., 2008, Flood of June 2008 in southern Wisconsin: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5235, 24 p.

Juracek, K.E., and Fitzpatrick, F.A., 2008, Geomorphic Application of Stream-Gage Information: River Research and Applications 25:329-347.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Knox, J.C., and Schubauer-Berigan, J.P., 2008, Sedimentation History of Halfway Creek Marsh, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Wisconsin, 1846-2006: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5209.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., and Peppler, M.C., 2007, Changes in Aquatic Habitat and Geomorphic Response to Urbanization, with Implications for Assessing Habitat Degradation: American Society of Civil Engineers, World Environmental and Water Resources Congress Proceedings.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Peppler, M.C., DePhilip, M.M., and Lee, K.E., 2006, Geomorphic characteristics and classification of Duluth-area streams: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5029.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Peppler, M.C., Schwar, H.E., Hoopes, J.A. and Diebel, M.W., 2005, Monitoring Channel Morphology and Bluff Erosion at Two Installations of Flow-Deflecting Vanes, North Fish Creek, WI, 2000–03: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5272.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., 2005, Trends in Streamflow, Sedimentation, and Sediment Chemistry for the Wolf River, Menominee Indian Reservation, Wisconsin, 1850–1999: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5030.

Harris, M.A., Scudder, B.C., Fitzpatrick, F.A., and Arnold, T.L., 2005, Physical, Chemical, and Biological Responses to Urbanization in the Fox and Des Plaines River Basins of Northeastern Illinois and Southeastern Wisconsin, U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5218, 73 p.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Matthew W. Diebel, Mitchell A. Harris, Terri L. Arnold, Michelle A. Lutz, and Kevin D. Richards, 2005, Effects of Urbanization on the Geomorphology, Habitat, Hydrology, and Fish Biotic Integrity of Streams in the Chicago Area, Illinois and Wisconsin, in Brown, L.R., Hughes, R., Gray, R., Meador, M.R., The effects of urbanization of aquatic ecosystems: Bethesda, Maryland, American Fisheries Society.

Harris, Mitchell A., Scudder, Barbara C., Fitzpatrick, Faith A., Arnold, Terri L., 2005, Physical, chemical, and biological responses to urbanization in the Fox and Des Plaines River basins of northeastern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5218.

Peppler, M.C., and Fitzpatrick, F.A., 2005, Methods for Monitoring the Effects of Grazing Management on Bank Erosion and Channel Morphology, Fever River, Pioneer Farm, Wisconsin, 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2005-3134.

Groschen, G.E., Arnold, T.L., Harris, M.A., Dupre, D.H., Fitzpatrick, F.A., Scudder, B.C., Morrow, W.S. Jr., Terrio, P.J., Warner, K.L., and Murphy, E.A., 2004, Water Quality in the Upper Illinois River Basin, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, 1999-2001, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1230, 32 p.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Harris, M.A., Arnold, T.L., and Richards, K.R., 2004, Urbanization Influences On Aquatic Communities In Northeastern Illinois Streams: Journal of American Water Resources Association 40(2):461-475.

Lenz, B.N., Saad, D.A., and Faith A. Fitzpatrick, 2003, Simulation of ground-water flow and rainfall runoff with emphasis on the effects of land cover, Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, 1999-2001, U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 2003-4130.

Adolphson, Debbie L.; Arnold, Terri L.; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Harris, Mitchell A.; Richards, Kevin D.; Scudder, Barbara C.; Stewart, Jana S., 2001, Physical, Chemical, and Biological Methods and Data from the Urban Land-Use-Gradient Study, Des Plaines and Fox River Basins, Illinois, 1999-2001: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2001-459, 20 p.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Knox, J.C., and Whitman, H.E., 1999, Effects of Historical Land-Cover Changes on Flooding and Sedimentation, North Fish Creek, Wisconsin: Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4083.

Arnold, Terri L.; Sullivan, Daniel J.; Harris, Mitchell A.; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Scudder, Barbara C.; Ruhl, Peter M.; Hanchar, Dorothea W.; Stewart, Jana S., 1999, Environmental setting of the upper Illinois River basin and implications for water quality: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 98-4268, 67 p.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Scudder, B.C., Crawford, J.K., Schmidt, A.R., Sieverling, J.B., and others, 1995.  Surface-water-quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin:  Major and trace elements in water, sediment, and biota, 1978-1990:  U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4045, 254 p.

Fitzpatrick, F.A., Scudder, B.C., Lenz, B.N., and Sullivan, D.J., 2001, Effects of multi-scale environmental characteristics on agricultural stream biota in eastern Wisconsin, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA), 37(6):1489-1507.

Fitzpatrick, F. A.; Peterson, E. M.; Stewart, J. S., 1996, Habitat characteristics of benchmark streams in agricultural areas of eastern Wisconsin: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4038-B, 35 p.