Project Detail

Cedar Creek & Milwaukee River TMDL

Purpose

Cedar Creek is a 28-mile, warm water stream that runs through Washington and Ozaukee Counties of Southeastern Wisconsin and flows into the Milwaukee River at river mile 28. The land use in the Cedar Creek Watershed is primarily rural including agriculture (49%), wetlands(16%), grasslands and forest (26%), while urban areas cover about 3.5% of the watershed (WNDR 2001). The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) placed the first 5 miles of Cedar Creek upstream of the confluence with the Milwaukee River on Wisconsin’s

Objective

Cedar Creek is part of the Great Lakes Basin, and ultimately the fate and transport of PCBs to the Milwaukee River and the Milwaukee River Area of Concern should be considered when exploring implementation actions for this TMDL. Despite the remediation efforts of Ruck Pond, human and ecological risks remain in effect downstream of the Ruck Dam in Cedar Creek to the Milwaukee River. Additional remediation is necessary in the Cedar Creek system to see a continual decline in sediment concentrations of PCBs, level of PCBs in fish tissue, and also exports of PCBs to the Milwaukee River17. Since Cedar Creek is a Superfund Alternative site, WDNR, EPA and the potential responsible parties are working together on a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Reports (RI/FS). However, the comments from EPA, in consultation with WDNR, should be adequately addressed in the RI/FS conducted by ARCADIS BB&L for the Mercury Marine Corporation. It is important that the RI/FS proceed to completion and in a timely manner. Model projections indicate system recovery is enhanced by removing contaminants from certain impoundments (Figure 2). In addition, after the Cedar Creek remedy is implemented, significant benefits could be expected including local and watershed-wide fish and wildlife bioaccumulation rate reductions, reduced human health risks associated with fish and wildlife consumption advisories, reduced ecological risk for fish eater animals, and elimination of the potential impacts associated with significant or catastrophic loading events (e.g. high flows or possible dam failure as experience in Hamilton Pond). For example, if the Wire and Nail dam would fail, approximately 70 kg of PCB stored could be released which is greater than the PCB transport estimated from Cedar Creek in the next 25 years (Baird and Associates 1997).

Outcome

After a full and complete review, EPA finds that the TMDLs for the Cedar Creek and Milwaukee River watershed satisfy all of the elements of approvable TMDLs. This approval is for 2 TMDLs, addressing 1 impairment each in 2 waterbody segments.

Project Type

TMDL/303d Projects

Project Sub Type

Implement TMDL

Project ID

Cedar Creek & Milwaukee TMDL

Year Started

2008

Status

Active

Reports and Documents

Volunteers Monitoring Cedar Creek

Cedar Creek at Covered Bridge Late Summer (Photo)

Late summer - foot bridge

Cedar creek at Division Rd (Photo 3)

Sample site

Cedar Creek at Division Rd (Photo 2)

Thermister under bridge

Cedar Creek Watershed (MI04) Goals and Priorities Image

MI04

Cedar Creek at Division Rd (Photo 1)

USEPA Decision Document for the Approval of the Cedar Creek and Milwaukee River TMDL Thiensville Segment 21300_35378

Cedar Creek USEPA TMDL Decision Document. 'After a full and complete review, EPA finds that the TMDLs for Cedar Creek and Milwaukee River watershed satisfy all of the elements of approvable TMDLs. This approval is for 2 TMDLs, addressing 1 impairment each in 2 waterbody segments.'

Cedar Creek & Milwaukee River PCBs TMDL 2008

Final TMDL Submitted on August 29, 2008. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Total Maximum Daily Load for Cedar Creek & Milwaukee River (Thiensville Segment) Ozaukee County, WI

Activities & Recommendations

TMDL Development

Cedar Creek is a 28-mile, warm water stream that runs through Washington and Ozaukee Counties of Southeastern Wisconsin and flows into the Milwaukee River at river mile 28. The land use in the Cedar Creek Watershed is primarily rural including agriculture (49%), wetlands(16%), grasslands and forest (26%), while urban areas cover about 3.5% of the watershed (WDNR 2001). The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) placed the first 5 miles of Cedar Creek upstream of the confluence with the Milwaukee River on Wisconsin's 2006 Impaired Waters List.

TMDL (USEPA) Approved

The Cedar Creek and Milwaukee River watershed was listed on the 2006 Section 303(d) list due to fish consumption advisories due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

TMDL Implementation

Cedar Creek & Milwaukee River TMDL Implementation. An Implementation Plan is needed.

TMDL Monitoring

Cedar Creek is a 28-mile, warm water stream that runs through Washington and Ozaukee Counties of Southeastern Wisconsin and flows into the Milwaukee River at river mile 28. Cedar Creek is part of the Great Lakes Basin, and ultimately the fate and transport of PCBs to the Milwaukee River and the Milwaukee River Area of Concern should be considered when exploring implementation actions for this TMDL. Despite the remediation efforts of Ruck Pond, human and ecological risks remain in effect downstream of the Ruck Dam in Cedar Creek to the Milwaukee River.

Watershed

Cedar Creek

East and West Branches Milwaukee River

Waters

Purpose

Objective

Outcome

Related Reports