Dr. Eric Peterson
Chair & University Professor of Geology
Office
FHS Felmley Hall Of Science 206c
Office Hours
MWF 9:00-10:00 am or by appointment
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Current Courses
GEO 361.001 Hydrology
GEO 461.001 Hydrology
GEO 499.002 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis
GEO 499.006 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis
GEO 499.101 Independent Research For The Masters Thesis Final Year
GEO 400.001 Independent Study
GEO 287.006 Independent Study - Geology
GEO 360.001 Hydrogeology
GEO 460.001 Hydrogeology
GEO 499.001 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis
GEO 499.101 Independent Research For The Masters Thesis Final Year
GEO 287.004 Independent Study - Geology
GEO 410.001 Seminar In Hydrogeology Research
Teaching Interests & Areas
Teaching: Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Karst Hydrogeology, Aquifer Systems, Principles of Geology, & Problems in Environmental Geology
Research Interests & Areas
Research Interests: Surface water – ground water interaction within the hyporheic zone of low gradient streams and in karst systems, fluid flow and thermal transport modeling, and physical processes of karst systems.
Ph D Geological Sciences
University of Missouri
Columbia
MS Geology
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville
MA Mathematics
University of South Dakota
Vermillion
BS Earth Science and Mathematics
University of South Dakota
Vermillion
Outstanding Scholarship Award
Illinois State University
2023
Outstanding Service Award
Illinois State University
2023
George Burke Maxey Distinguished Service Award
Geological Society of America Hydrogeology Division
2022
Outstanding Scholarship Award
College of Arts and Sciences
2022
Outstanding Service Award
College of Arts and Sciences
2020
Kenneth A. and Mary Ann Shaw Teaching Fellowship
College of Arts and Sciences
2018
Geological Society of America Fellow
Geological Society of America
2013
Outstanding College Teacher Award in Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
2011
Busy Bee
University Research Office
2008
Research Initiative Award
Illinois State University
2006
Service Initiative Award, Illinois State University
Illinois State University
2006
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellow
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2000
Grants and Contracts
2020 - 2022 - City of Bloomington: Understanding and monitoring local water quality
Catherine O'Reilly, William Perry, Eric Peterson, Wondwosen Seyoum
City of Bloomington. January 8 2020 - April 30 2022
2017 - 2019 - City of Bloomington: Understanding and monitoring local water quality
Catherine O'Reilly, William Perry, Eric Peterson, Wondwosen Seyoum
City of Bloomington. January 8 2017 - December 30 2019
Book, Chapter
Focus Group on Karst Resources and Other Applied Issues
D Vesper, G Schindel, B Beck, J V Brahana, J Cate, D Engler, R Ewers, J Falkenberg, T Halihan, P Idstein, N Krothe, Eric Peterson, L Toran, G Veni, E White, & S Williams
(2008), Frontiers of Karst Research, Karst Waters Institute
The use of regression analysis to predict nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in springs of Northwest Arkansas
Eric Peterson, Ralph K Davis, & Jon Van Brahana
(2000), 43-63, Groundwater flow and contaminant transport in carbonate aquifers, A.A Balkema
Conference Proceeding
ASSESSMENT OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATIONS IN CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION IN AN AGRICULTURAL TILE-DRAINED AREA IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Okiemute Commander, Eric Peterson, Catherine M. O'Reilly, Jonathan Thayn, William L. Perry, & Rick Twait
Geological Society of America, (2022), 10.1130/abs/2022am-380813
USING SEASONAL GROUNDWATER SHIFTS IN NITRATE ISOTOPES TO EXAMINE THE TRANSPORT AND FATE OF NITRATE WITHIN A SATURATED BUFFER ZONE
Ashley DiVincenzo, Eric Peterson, & Keith C. Hackley
Geological Society of America, (2019), 10.1130/abs/2019am-338626
Lithology as an Erosional Control on the Cave Branch and Horn Hollow Fluviokarst Watersheds in Carter County, Kentucky
Andrew Francis, Eric W Peterson, & Toby Dogwiler
National Cave and Karst Research Institute, 6, 279-288, (2018), 10.5038/9780991000982.1032
Temporal Stability of Cave Sediments
Eric Peterson & Kevin D Hughes
United States Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5031, 57-65, (2011)
Using GIS to identify cave levels and discern the speleogenesis of the Carter Caves karst area, Kentucky,
Eric Peterson, Toby Dogwiler, & Lara Harlan
United States Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5031, 94-103, (2011)
Map/Diagram/Artwork
Surficial Geologic of the 7.5-Minute Gibson City West Quadrangle, Champaign, Ford, and McLean Counties, Illinois
Hannah Wirth, Eric Peterson, & David Henry Malone
Illinois State Geological Survey EDMAP Series, (2018)
Surficial Geologic Map of Bloomington East, McLean County, Illinois
Jessica Ludwikowski, David Henry Malone, & Eric Peterson
Illinois State Geological Survey EDMAP Series, (2016)
Surficial Geologic Map, Colfax Quadrangle, McLean County, Illinois
Eileen L Maxwell, David Henry Malone, Eric Peterson, & Robert Stanley Nelson
Illinois State Geological Survey EDMAP Series, (2015)
Surficial Geology of Garden Prairie 7.5-minute Quadrangle, Boone and McHenry Counties, Illinois
Logan C Seipel, Jason Fleming Thomason, David Henry Malone, & Eric Peterson
Illinois State Geological Survey EDMAP Series, (2015)
Presentations
Impact of Floating Wetlands on Nitrate and Phosphate Reduction in Urban Waterways: A 5-Year case study of the North Branch Canal, Chicago.
Eric Peterson, Daniel Chukwudi
AGU25, New Orleans, LA, December 16, 2025
Transport and fate of chloride within the groundwater of mixed urban and agricultural watersheds
Eric Peterson
Colloquium Series, Milwaukee, WI, November 20, 2025
Gaining or Losing? The Complicated Interaction of a Low-Gradient Stream and the Underlying Aquifer in Central Illinois
Brunner Eric, Eric Peterson
Geological Society of America Connects 2025, San Antonio, TX, October, 2025
Long-Term Impact of Floating Wetlands on Nutrient Reduction in Urban Streams.
Daniel Chukwudi, Eric Peterson
National Association of Black Geoscientists 2025, Golden, CO, September, 2025
Environmental and Engineering Geoscience
Eric Peterson
Salt Symposium 2025, Online, August 5, 2025
Assessing the impacts of chloride concentration on nitrate loss in sediment using column studies
Zainab Suleiman, Eric Peterson, Lisa Tranel, Jonathan Boyd Thayn
GSA 2025 Joint Northeastern/North-Central Section Meeting, Erie, PA, March 30, 2025
Assessment of Floating Gardens to Improve the Water Quality of the Chicago River
Eric W Peterson
Brimfield (IL) Public Library, Brimfield (IL), March 24, 2025
Exploring nitrate reduction in a saturated riparian buffer through a three-dimensional reactive contaminant transport model: Implications for an optimized remedial design to improve water quality
Franklin Ijigade, Wondwosen Seyoum, Eric Peterson
AGU 2024, Washington, D.C., December, 2024
Sulfate sources in groundwater from an agricultural area in central Illinois
Christabel Obi, Eric Peterson
Geological Society of America Connects 2024, Anaheim, CA, September 23, 2024
Application of floating wetlands to improve urban stream quality
Daniel Chukwudi, Eric Peterson
Geological Society of America Connects 2024, Anaheim, CA, September 22, 2024
Exploring nitrate reduction in a saturated riparian buffer through a three-dimensional reactive contaminant transport model: Implications for designing better riparian buffers
Franklin Ijigade, Wondwosen Seyoum, Eric Peterson
Geological Society of America Connects 2024, Anaheim, CA, September 22, 2024
Investigating heterogeneity of hydraulic conductivity and its influence on groundwater dynamics within a saturated riparian buffer in central Illinois
Joseph Awuku, Eric Peterson
Geological Society of America Connects 2024, Anaheim, CA, September 22, 2024
Assessment of Floating Gardens to Improve the Water Quality of the Chicago River
Eric W Peterson
C-U Hydraulic Engineering Luncheon, Urbana, Illinois, September 12, 2024
Chlorides in Agriculture
Eric Peterson
Salt Symposium, Online, August 6, 2024
Influence of tile water on nitrate concentrations in the groundwater: A case study of a saturated riparian buffer zone, McLean County, central Illinois
Aminat Abdulsalam, Eric Peterson, Jonathan Boyd Thayn, William Perry
The Geological Society of America Connects 2023, Pittsburgh, PA, October 17, 2023
The influence of tile flow on the transport-fate of nitrate in the vadose zone of a saturated riparian buffer zone: A case study in central Illinois
Benedicta Akrofi, Eric Peterson, William Perry, Daniel Kpienbaareh, Wondwosen Seyoum
The Geological Society of America Connects 2023, Pittsburgh, PA, October 17, 2023
Assessment of spatial and temporal variations in chloride concentration in an agricultural tile-drained area in central Illinois
Okiemute Commander, Eric Peterson, Catherine O'Reilly, Jonathan Boyd Thayn, William Perry, Rick Twait
Illinois Groundwater Association Spring Meeting, Normal, IL, April 14, 2023
Effectiveness of saturated riparian buffers: A case study in central Illinois
Eric Peterson, A DiVincenzo, Patience Bosompemaa, Joseph Miller, Okiemute Commander, Alhassen Sahad
Illinois Groundwater Association Spring Meeting, Normal, IL, April 14, 2023
Effectiveness of saturated riparian buffers: A case study in central Illinois
Eric Peterson, A DiVincenzo, Patience Bosompemaa, Joseph Miller, Okiemute Commander, Alhassen Sahad
South-Central Section - 57th Annual Meeting - 2023, Stillwater, OK, March 14, 2023
Assessment of spatial and temporal variations in chloride concentration in an agricultural tile-drained area in central Illinois
Okiemute Commander, Eric Peterson, Catherine O'Reilly, Jonathan Boyd Thayn, William Perry, Rick Twait
The Geological Society of America Connects 2022, Denver, CO, October 10, 2022
Comparison of erosion potential in two agricultural dominated watersheds, central Illinois
Oghenevwede Efobo, Eric Peterson, William Perry, Catherine O'Reilly, Rick Twait
The Geological Society of America Connects 2022, Denver, CO, October 10, 2022
Evaluating the porosity and rock strength of Carter County, KY
Joseph Hoberg, Eric Peterson, Ethan Conley
The Geological Society of America Connects 2022, Denver, CO, October 10, 2022
Trends in nutrient load and driving factors in the Illinois River Basin
O Olaoluwa, Wondy Seyoum, Eric Peterson, Catherine O'Reilly, William Perry
The Geological Society of America Connects 2022, Denver, CO, October 10, 2022
Comparing the Utility of Rhodamine WT Dye as a Tracer in a Saturated Buffer Zone
Joseph R Hoberg, Eric Peterson, Eli Schukow, Alhassen Sahad, Rick Twait
Illinois Groundwater Association Spring Meeting, 2022, Online, April 22, 2022
Using a Tracer Test to Assess the Fate and Transport of Nitrate in a Saturated Buffer Zone
Alhassen Sahad, Eric Peterson, Catherine O'Reilly, Wondwosen Seyoum, Joseph R Hoberg, Eli Schukow, Rick Twait
Illinois Groundwater Association Spring Meeting, 2022, Online, April 22, 2022