Impaired Water - Milwaukee River (Milwaukee River)
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
MI02, MI03
15000
0.00 - 2.90
2.90
Water is impaired due to one or more pollutants and associated quality impacts.
Notes
This segment of the Milwaukee River was put on the Impaired Waters List in the 1998 cycle for phosphorus, bacteria, unspecified metals in contaminated sediment, and PCBs in sediment and fish tissue. This water was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2012 to 2024; high phosphorus levels were confirmed. Chloride levels were at appropriate levels. The phosphorus and bacteria listings are covered by the Milwaukee River TMDL, approved in 2018.
Listing Details
Pollutant
Total Phosphorus
Listed For
Fish and Aquatic Life
Impairments
Low DO
Current Use
Unsupported Aquatic Life
Listing Status
TMDL Approved
Attainable Use
WWSF - Warmwater Sport Fishery
Priority
Not Applicable
Designated Use
WWSF - Warmwater Sport Fishery
303(d) ID
290
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
The Milwaukee River Watershed TMDL was approved by the EPA on March 9, 2018 and covers waters in the basin impaired for Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids, and bacteria (E. coli and Fecal Coliform).
Date
3/9/2018

Impaired Water Notes
This water was assessed during the 2014 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data exceed 2014 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, no biological data (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) were available to assess biological impairment).
Date
2/26/2014

 
Pollutant
PCBs
Listed For
Fish Consumption
Impairments
PCBs Contaminated Fish Tissue, PCB Contaminated Sediments
Current Use
Specific Restricted Fish Consumption
Listing Status
303d Listed
Attainable Use
General Fish Consumption Advice
Priority
Low
Designated Use
General Fish Consumption Advice
303(d) ID
290
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
This waterbody had a TMDL for PCBs approved by the EPA in 2008.
Date
9/23/2008

Impaired Water Notes
Milwaukee River is on the 303d list due to total phosphorus, E. coli, PCBs, and unspecified metals. The Milwaukee River in Milwaukee County downstream from the North Avenue Dam "shall meet the standards for fish and aquatic life except that the dissolved oxygen may not be lowered to less than 2 mg/L at any time, nor may the membrane filter fecal coliform count exceed 1,000 per 100 mL as a monthly geometric mean based on not less than 5 samples per month nor exceed 89 deg F at any time at the edge of the mixing zones established by the department under s. NR 102.05(3)."
Date
3/20/2011

 
Pollutant
Unspecified Metals
Listed For
Fish and Aquatic Life
Impairments
Unspecified Metals Contaminated Sediments
Current Use
Unsupported Aquatic Life
Listing Status
303d Listed
Attainable Use
WWSF - Warmwater Sport Fishery
Priority
Low
Designated Use
WWSF - Warmwater Sport Fishery
303(d) ID
290
Listing Date
4/1/1998
 
Pollutant
E. coli
Listed For
Recreation
Impairments
Recreational Restrictions - Pathogens
Current Use
Restricted Recreation
Listing Status
TMDL Approved
Attainable Use
Recreation
Priority
Not Applicable
Designated Use
Recreation
303(d) ID
290
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
The Milwaukee River Watershed TMDL was approved by the EPA on March 9, 2018 and covers waters in the basin impaired for Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids, and bacteria (E. coli and Fecal Coliform).
Date
3/9/2018