Erin Bauer has over 25 years of experience in multi-scale watershed monitoring studies of hydrology, sediment, and nutrients in Illinois. She is principal investigator and field research coordinator for several year-round environmental monitoring and sampling projects. Monitoring and research efforts include hydrologic, precipitation, soil, nutrient, and sediment data and sampling collection and analysis in the Sangamon, Illinois, and Kaskaskia River watersheds. These investigations aim to provide high quality scientific analyses about watershed processes to decision-makers so that they can develop and implement sustainable watershed actions. Projects include long-term monitoring of nutrients and sediment in small watersheds for Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (IDNR), managing Imperial Valley Precipitation Network in Mason and Tazewell Counties, managing environmental monitoring to study the differences in critical zone processes between prairie and crop fields, and developing floating wetland structures for application in locations with varying stage and velocity conditions to reduce nutrients and target sedimentation. Her motivations are to help gain an understanding of the inflection points where best management practices will have a broad apparent effect in reducing loss of nutrients and sediment from Illinois in rivers and streams thereby conserving nutrients and sediment on agricultural and natural lands.