Watershed - Menomonee River (MI03)
Menomonee River Watershed

Details

The Menomonee River Watershed covers 136 square miles in portions of Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee counties. The Menomonee River originates in wetlands near the Village of Germantown and the City of Mequon and runs south, southeast for about 32 miles where it meets the Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic Rivers in the Milwaukee Harbor. Nearly all of the land area in this watershed is within incorporated municipalities. Forty-two percent of the land is covered by urban uses. Grasslands (22%), agriculture (17%) forests (8%) and wetlands (7%) make up most of the remaining land uses. There are no named lakes within this watershed. Some park ponds provide for some recreational opportunities for urban fishing.

Date  2001

Nonpoint and Point Sources

Urban nonpoint pollution is a concern throughout the watershed. Sediment from construction sites and organic pollutants (leaves & grass clippings) from residential areas are two examples of urban runoff pollutants that wash into storm sewers where they contribute phosphorus to local waterways causing low oxygen conditions. All the communities in the watershed hold DNR Municipal Stormwater permits designed to reduce the nonpoint pollution that enters local waterways through their storm sewer system. Since 17 percent of the landscape remains agricultural, pollut­ed runoff due to farming activities remains a concern in this watershed.

Date  2010