Summerfest Lagoon

EPA GLNPO is partnering with local and state agencies to clean up contaminated sediment and restore habitat within the Summerfest Lagoon to improve fish and wildlife habitat.

The Summerfest Lagoon is located within the Lakeshore State Park Inlet just north of the mouth of the Milwaukee River and directly east of the Summerfest Grounds. It is made up of two basins, a northern Maritime Basin and a southern Quiet Water Basin, for a total area of roughly 35 acres. The Lagoon supports a large number of fish species and is a known nursery habitat area for sunfishes such as bluegill, largemouth, and smallmouth bass. To maximize fish habitat and improve the spawning potential of the Lagoon, the creation of a new spawning bed, addition of a gravel bed, log structures, and inverted rootwads throughout the Quiet Water Basin are being proposed. 

In 2020, contaminated sediment was found within the lagoon. In response, a feasibility study was completed by EPA GLNPO and their consultant, Jacobs, to evaluate contaminated sediment remedial alternatives as part of the habitat restoration project. This project is on hold until the contaminated sediment project starts design in 2024. 

Partner Lead: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Status: Design

Outcome: Cleaned-up Waterways

More Information:

Sediment Cleanup Fact Sheet, Role of Habitat Structure, Outer Harbor Map