Learn about the different phases of restoration projects.
The projects fall into three categories:
Find the current status of each project below. You can find out more about each project on our project map.
Cleaned-up Waterways
- Milwaukee River Floodplains Cleanup
- Greater Milwaukee Estuary Cleanup
- South Marina Drive Sewer PCB Cleanout
Restored Ecosystems
- Burnham Canal Wetland Restoration – Phase II
- Kohl Park Wildlife Enhancements
- North Avenue Fish Passage
Swimmable Beaches
- Bradford Beach – Nourishment and Rain Garden Enhancement
- McKinley Beach – Bird Deterrence
Cleaned-up Waterways
- Dredged Material Management Facility
- Solvay Car Ferry Slip Cleanup
Restored Ecosystems
- Grand Trunk Wetland Restoration
- Havenwoods State Forest
- Lincoln Park Oxbow & Estabrook Falls (Milwaukee River Habitat Enhancement)
- Little Menomonee River Parkway Habitat Enhancements
- Milwaukee River Greenway
- Outer Harbor Aquatic Enhancements (Summerfest Lagoon)
Swimmable Beaches
- South Shore Beach Rehabilitation
Cleaned Up Waterways
Restored Ecosystems
Swimmable Beaches
For more detail and project timeline estimates download our full project process timeline.
Kohl Park Wildlife Enhancements
Kohl Park is a 266-acre property located on the far northern edge of Milwaukee County that provides an opportunity to improve habitat for wildlife populations …
Lincoln Park Oxbow & Estabrook Falls (Milwaukee River Habitat Enhancement)
Plan, design, and eventually, when additional funding is identified, implement improvements to fish habitat and migration at the Lincoln Park Oxbow and Estabrook Falls. Partner …
Cleaning Our Waterways – Sediment Removal
Great Lakes Legacy Act Contaminated Sediment Project Sediment Removal Overview: Over 12 miles of the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic rivers will be cleaned up to …
Swimmable Beaches
Public health officials use beach advisories and closings to let people know when the water may be unsafe for swimming and in-water recreation. The beaches …
Dredged Material Management Facility (DMMF)
Project Update: A Contractor Information and Outreach Meeting was held on August 9, 2023. The meeting focused on the Dredged Material Management Facility background, key …
Little Menomonee River Parkway
The six-mile section of Little Menomonee River managed by Milwaukee County Parks, known as the Little Menomonee River Parkway, contains a special collection of natural …
Kletzsch Dam Fish Passage
June 2023 Project Update: Construction has begun on the Kletzsch Dam Fish Passage. Watch the video to learn more about the Kletzsch Dam Fish Passage project, what …
Basin H Sewers PCB Cleanup
The Basin H work is underway! Watch the October 2022 Basin H video update to see how this work will impact you. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District …
Third Ward Milwaukee River Cleanup
April 2023 Project Update: Have you seen things popping up along the Milwaukee River downtown? After years of planning, permitting and outreach, We Energies, along …
Restored Ecosystems
Activities such as filling in wetlands, clear cutting forests, and polluting the waterways with sewage and toxic industrial chemicals have harmed fish and wildlife and …
Eutrophication
The Milwaukee Estuary AOC has historically experienced algal blooms and oxygen depletion due to high levels of nutrients entering the waterways from various sources including …
Havenwoods State Forest
The Havenwoods State Forest rehabilitation project includes 237 acres of urban land located on the far north side of the City of Milwaukee. This project …
Milwaukee River Floodplains
SAVE THE DATE: The first in a series of Public Information Meetings will be held at Gordon Park Pavilion on Thursday, November 2, 2023. More …
Milwaukee River Greenway
Restoring unique habitat and enhancing diversity along one of Milwaukee’s most vital ecological and recreational corridors. The landscape that surrounds the Milwaukee River, known as …
Burnham Canal Wetland Restoration
For thousands of years, the 1200-acre Menomonee River Valley was a wild rice marsh, home to Native Americans. By the mid-1800s, the settlement of Milwaukee …