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 protect our drinking water, lead to healthier fish and wildlife, and improve recreational opportunities. Years of heavy industrial use have polluted our waterways. Toxic chemicals and heavy metals have sunk to the bottom of our rivers, contaminating the sediment at the bottom. Removing this toxic sludge from the bottom of the river will make our waterways better for humans, wildlife, and the environment now and for future generations.
The Sediment Work will happen in multiple projects some of which are:
Recommended Alternatives for Cleaning Up Contaminated Sediment and Floodplain Areas Have Been Developed
EPA and project partners have completed comprehensive evaluations and assessments, known as a Focused Feasibility Study (FFS), of sediment contamination in Milwaukee’s waterways. The project areas or reaches include the Milwaukee River Floodplains, Milwaukee River Downtown, the South Menomonee Canal (SMC), the Kinnickinnic River (KK), and the outer harbor areas or Milwaukee Bay project area. The purpose of the study was to 1) determine the nature and extent of sediment contamination; 2) evaluate ways to address that contamination; 3) study the effectiveness of different proposed actions. As part of this work, Recommended Alternatives for the areas with remaining sediment contamination have been developed – these are the recommended options for how the cleanup will be completed.
Pre-Design Investigation and Remedial Design
EPA’s contractors have completed remaining data collection in 2024 and will be analyzing results and performing engineering evaluations in the Pre-Design Investigation Phase throughout 2025. The results will be applied to the Remedial Design phase, which will be initiated in December 2024 and proceed through 2025 and 2026.
Focused Feasibility Study Reports
The Focused Feasibility Study Reports below present the Recommended Alternatives which include areas to be dredged, capped and where habitat restoration will be performed.
Menomonee & Milwaukee Rivers Final Focused Feasibility Study
Kinnickinnic River Project Area Focused Feasibility Study; Kinnickinnic Poster
Milwaukee Bay Project Area Focused Feasibility Study; Milwaukee Bay Poster
Milwaukee River Downtown Reach Focused Feasibility Study; Downtown Poster
Milwaukee River Floodplains Focused Feasibility Study
South Menomonee Canal Focused Feasibility Study; South Menomonee Canal Poster
Partner Lead: US EPA GLNPO, DNR, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County Parks, MMSD, We Energies
Status: Planning and Design
Outcome: Cleaned Up Waterways and Restored Ecosystems
More Information: Sediment Cleanup Factsheet, Sediment Cleanup FAQ’s, Sediment Sampling Factsheet
Share your thoughts!
Please provide comments or questions on the sediment and floodplain cleanup. The FAQ documents will be updated throughout the project.