Kinnickinnic River Habitat Rehabilitation Design
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Purpose

MMSD completed the KK River I-94 to Becher St. Feasibility Study that describes the characteristics and performance of several alternatives developed to improve the habitat and water conditions. Several meetings with stakeholder groups, notably the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC) committee, were conducted to obtain final alternatives. Habitat rehabilitation within the KK has been identified as a necessary fish and wildlife habitat restoration project in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC. The final alternatives include both habitat improvement and the additional hydraulic improvements required to offset any potential floodplain elevation increase. Under this scope of work MMSD proposes to design and implement habitat improvements that would address degraded aquatic habitat conditions in the upper portion of the Milwaukee Estuary AOC on the KK River. This is one of the few stretches of the KK River that has natural bed and native banks remaining. The KK River Flushing Station Improvements Feasibility Study determined this section of the KK River does not sustain a viable aquatic habitat due to low dissolved oxygen levels, lack of flow and limited diversity of channel morphology. In addition, there are contaminated sediments within this stream reach. The design and implementation will follow the KK River I-94 to Becher St. Feasibility Study, which was partially funded by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant.

Objective

The goal of KK River Habitat Rehabilitation project is to provide design and implementation of the recommended alternative from the KK River I-94 to Becher Street Feasibility Study for habitat improvements from I-94 to Chase Avenue, evaluate the options for supplemental aeration upstream of W. Lincoln Avenue, and pilot test the preferred option.

Study Design

The project scope includes: • Develop and implement an invasive species removal plan along banks and the adjoining riparian areas and valley slopes; • Investigate suitability and implement a sturgeon or greater redhorse spawning reef. The spawning reef consists of placement of stable, appropriately sized well-graded rock along the bank and bottom of the channel; • Develop and implement a wood structures plan along banks for habitat. Wood structures are assumed to consist of anchored logs and root wads; • Evaluate the options and conduct a pilot study for supplemental aeration system between W. Chase Ave and W. Lincoln Avenue to further address the severe oxygen deficit (hypoxia) that forms a barrier to transit of aquatic species through the reach. The proposed aeration system would be located near the vicinity of the MMSD flushing Station and be designed to supply 6 kg/hr of oxygen into the river during intermittent periods of low in-stream oxygen levels.

Related Reports

Run Project Summary Report
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Toxics and Areas of Concern
GL00E01206_MKE1605_KKRiverHab
2017
Active
 
Reports and Documents
2017 Q4 Report & Invoice from MMSD
2017 Q3 Report & Invoice from MMSD
2017 Q3 Report & Invoice from MMSD
2017 Q2 Report & Invoice from MMSD
MMSD - Kinnickinnic River Habitat Rehabilitation Design - Scope of Work
Final Scope of Work for the Kinnickinnic (KK) River Habitat Rehabilitation project coordinated by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD).
 
Activities & Recommendations
Grant Awarded
 
Watershed
Kinnickinnic River
 
Waters
Kinnickinnic River
Monitoring Data