Milwaukee River Basin Report Card 2018 Dear Friend of the River, Introduction...... ii On behalf of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, we welcome you to our Ninth Annual Milwaukee River Basin Report Card. This Report Card summarizes the water quality of the Milwaukee River Basin from 2018. Data is obtained by our dedicated group of Making the Grade...... 1 volunteer water quality monitors and our partner organizations, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), Wis- Volunteer Spotlight...... 2 consin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the Ozaukee County Parks and Planning Department. Milwaukee River Basin Map...... 3 By comparing collected data to water quality standards and targets, our Report Card interprets and summarizes the aquatic health of our Basin’s three major rivers and smaller subwatersheds. Through data analysis, we assign a grade rel- Milwaukee River Basin Grade...... 5 ative to river health. In 2018, the Milwaukee River Basin received an overall grade of D (65.77%). While reading the Report Milwaukee River Watershed...... Card, keep in mind our rivers were degraded through decades of pollution and continue to be affected by our behaviors 7 and land use practices. It will take time to restore water quality grades from D’s back to A’s. North Branch Milwaukee River Subwatershed...... 9 Nonetheless, it is an exciting time for our community. Progress is being made to restore our waterways using collaboration East & West Branch Milwaukee River Subwatershed...... 11 as well as regulatory enforcement. Here at Milwaukee Riverkeeper, our mission stems directly from the Clean Water Act. We work tirelessly toward swimmable, fishable, drinkable waters. We hope this Report Card is used by community mem- Cedar Creek Subwatershed...... 13 bers, political decision makers, educators and river advocates as a science-based tool to promote protection and sound About us: Milwaukee Riverkeeper...... 15 land use management within the Milwaukee River Basin. South Branch Milwaukee River Subwatershed...... 17 As always, Milwaukee Riverkeeper cannot thank our volunteer water monitors, our partners and all of our water advocates enough for all of their tireless hours and skillful talent! We could not do our mission work without their many contributions. Menomonee River Watershed...... 19 Thank you for reading, Kinnickinnic River Watershed ...... 21 The Milwaukee Riverkeeper Water Quality Team Milwaukee River Estuary...... 23 Stormwater Runoff...... 25 Emerging Contaminants...... 27 Ozaukee County Restoration ...... 29 Appendix i: Our Water Quality Parameters...... 31 Appendix ii: Summary of Grades...... 32
KATIE RADEMACHER JOHN NOONAN CHERYL NENN RIVERKEEPER WATER QUALITY MANAGER REPORT CARD INTERN
REPORT CARD CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
DATA CONTRIBUTION PARTNERS *
*Great Lakes Environmental Center, Inc. (GLEC) provided data under a limited term contract with MMSD for monitoring in the Mil- waukee River Watershed: Cedar, Pigeon, Ulao, and Mole Creeks. GLEC contractor staff collected samples and delivered to MMSD lab for processing. MMSD and GLEC performed quality control and assurance review of data according to quality assurance plans.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO GUEST AUTHORS: ANDREW STRUCK, TINA KROENING, & MATT AHO, OZAUKEE COUNTY PLANNING & PARKS i ii MAKING THE GRADE THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS
Milwaukee Riverkeeper's Volunteer Water Quality Monitors are the eyes and ears of our waterways and, often, are the first to detect and report water quality issues. Our work simply would not happen without the tireless efforts of these individuals.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper's 2018 Water Quality Program by the numbers: 82 97 542 813 volunteers sites monitored site visits volunteer hours
To learn more about Milwaukee Riverkeeper’s Monitoring Programs, or to become a Water Quality Monitor and help contribute to this report, visit: milwaukeeriverkeeper.org/protect
T E C I N E R E T E VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT E B A L L P P L M M M O O COMPLETE O O C C C C
A D
Volunteers and water quality professionals COLLECT physical, chemical and biological water quality data throughout the Mil- waukee River Basin year round. Collected data is submitted to the WDNR Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) We COMBINE data from all of our projects partners throughout the Milwaukee River Basin to produce the Annual Report Card.
We COMPARE water quality data for each parameter to the targets and assign a grade based on the percentage of data points that meet our goals. Targets are based on federal and state standards for water quality, as well as other available guidance. For more information about the water quality parameters, see pages 31 and 32. Overall watershed and subwatershed grades are computed by averaging their respective individual parameter grades. Dean Schultz Angela Vickio VOLUNTEER SINCE 2016 All water quality indicators meet desired targets 90 - 100% of the time. Streams or river segments are VOLUNTEER SINCE 2010 capable of supporting fish and other aquatic life. Why is volunteering with Milwaukee Riverkeeper im- Why is volunteering with Milwaukee Riverkeeper portant to you? important to you? Most water quality indicators meet desired targets roughly 80 - 89% of the time. Most areas are capa- ble of supporting fish and other aquatic life. The rivers in the Milwaukee River Basin are critical com- Volunteering with Milwaukee Riverkeeper is my small way ponents of what makes Milwaukee a fantastic city. Im- of giving back to the ecological communities I love. I’m Water quality indicators meet targets 70 - 79% of the time. These waters have fair conditions for fish proving water quality is so important. Maybe there will excited for every chance I get to strap on my waders! and most aquatic life. be places all along Milwaukee's three rivers where people can swim AND eat the fish they catch! What is your favorite spot in the Milwaukee River Basin? Water quality indicators meet targets 60 - 69% of the time. Water quality and wildlife habitat of I have really enjoyed seeing the transformations in Cedar What draws you to the river? these waters tend to be poor. Creek, the area surrounding the former Estabrook Dam In the evenings of June, Cedar Waxwings catch insects and the landscape changes along the Menomonee bor- Water quality indicators meet targets below 60% of the time. Poor water quality in these streams and that rise from the river. It is a stunning dance that ends in dering the Hank Aaron State Trail. river segments result in poor conditions for fish and aquatic life. a meal for the bird! If you were a macroinvertebrate, which one would you If you were a macroinvertebrate, which one would you be and why? To COMPLETE the report, we calculate the overall Milwaukee River Basin grade by averaging all grades for the three major water- be and why? A caddisfly larvae. I like to have my alone time hiding from sheds. A snapshot of river health is determined by water quality throughout the Basin for 2018. This Report Card provides us with I'd be a leech--I can exist in most conditions and I live off people, but can be outgoing and goofy when I want to be! general information on stream health, challenges in meeting water quality goals, and opportunities for implementing projects and the lives of others without doing them much harm!! changing practices and policies. Long term trends are also important, and touched on throughout the report.
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Temperature S h e b o y g a n mi. mi. 18 403 99.43% of trout streams of impaired waters 1. Dissolved Oxygen 92.20% 2018 BASIN SUMMARY Milwaukee Riverkeeper worked with partners to pH expand the Milwaukee Urban Water Trail Map MILWAUKEE RIVER WATERSHED (68.21%) 1. to include new access points in Ozaukee County. 99.72% Turbidity D o d g e O z a u k e e 74.38% 2. MENOMONEE RIVER WATERSHED (63.12%) Phosphorus 42.01% 3. KINNICKINNIC RIVER WATERSHED (61.87%) Chloride 80.82%
Milwaukee Riverkeeper ensured participants were Specific Conductivity safe by sampling and testing bacteria levels before Milwaukee's first open river swim. 6.78% BASIN-WIDE CHALLENGES: Bacteria • CHLORIDE: 9.23% drop in grade ( A- to B-) 39.61% W a s h i n g t o n • BACTERIA: 12.51% drop in grade • PHOSPHORUS: All three watersheds failed to meet phosphorus standards for the 3rd year MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX 2. FAIR 2.18 The Milwaukee River Basin received an overall grade of a D (65.77%) based on Milwaukee Riv- W a u k e s h a erkeeper’s analysis of water quality data from the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds. Phosphorus, chloride and bacteria exceedances continue to persist as major issues in the Basin. Land use practices, failing infrastructure, and other human activities send pollutants to sur- rounding rivers and streams in both rural and urban areas. The Basin saw a grade decline of 5.63% from 2017 to 2018. A large contributor to the decline 3. could be the historic amount of rainfall the Milwau- kee area received. For reference, 2017 was a rather Milwaukee Riverkeeper worked with the Village Milwaukee Riverkeeper with support from thousands of individuals over dry year, compared to 2018, which was the wettest of Menomonee Falls and several other munici- the past decade, advocated for removal of the Estabrook Dam. In 2018, year on record since 1877. palities to restore a failing streambank along the the dam was finally demolished, opening this section of the river for M i l w a u k e e Menomonee River. recreation. 5 66
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S S 4 Kiel 5 Kiel Van Dyne MILWAUKEE RIVER WATERSHED | D+ 2018 DATA SUMMARY Howards 2018 WATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES St. Peter Elkhart Lake Mount Calvary St. Grove In 2018, the Milwaukee River Watershed re- North Fond Taycheedah Cloud ceived a D+ (68.21%) for overall water quali- Rosendale du Lac Glenbeulah TOTAL GRADE Rosendale Sheboygan ty. This grade is due to watershed-wide water CHANGE Fond du State Hwy 23 Greenbush quality trends, specifically declines in bacteria
Lac QUICK FACTS 6
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d S phosphorus concentrations are directly linked Horicon State Hwy 33 l
U Newbu!rg Phosphorus !! O State Hwy 33 W ! State R!d 33 E .! to increased agricultural activity. In the more Horicon Allenton 4 W!est Bend Grassland/Forest 40.54% 4 1 !! ! ! 31% densely populated, southern region, we find Juneau U d Port Iron Ridge S R H e $ more impervious surfaces resulting in greater Chloride t #Washington w * Urban/Developed a y t $.! S .! 16% 4 $ amounts of stormwater run-off carrying pol- 1 5 # !. Saukville 92.51% 4 *.! y .! $.! $ lutants into the rivers and streams. Hustisford ! w ! E .! State Hwy 60 Hw S H .! !.! $ $$ Specific Conductivity S 3 t ! e ! ! a !
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47.18% e overall water quality grade, it should be men- t e Hwy 167 ! a Sta d167 Stat ! Lebanon t te R S Thiensville tioned that bacteria and chloride are not yet Richfield Germantown !.!! 4 Meq.!uon monitored in all parts of this Watershed. 2018
LEGEND 6 S W H
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Watertown y e 127 894 was the first year bacteria and chloride data w H !R!iver
North Branch total sites total site visits e
t Bayside were collected in the East & West Branch by a !Hills MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX Watertown t y 74 ! East & West BranchS w ! H Brown !Deer!Fox Milwaukee Riverkeeper volunteers. Going for- e Data Contributors: St t !! ate ta ! 2.24 Rd S *#Point ward, Milwaukee Riverkeeper plans to expand FAIR 16 Cedar MCreekerton Lannon Lac La Belle Chenequa ! Ixonia Sussex Menomonee Gl!en!d!ale monitoring in these data poor areas to fill criti- SouthHar Branchtland Falls !Whitefish Bay cal data gaps and gain a better understanding Okauchee Lake S ! tate Butler !*# Milwaukee RiverHwy Basin ! S!horewood of these pollutants in our waterways. Oconomowoc Lake 16 y 190 State Hw ! Oconomowoc Nashotah Milwaukee Johnson Creek DelafielMilwaukeed Brookfield 0 1.5 3 6 State There is a need for more monitors in the Pewaukee Miles DID YOU KNOW? Johnson Creek Riverkeeper Site Elm Hwy Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: Wauwatosa 145 northern parts of the Milwaukee River Wa- Grove The Clean Water Act requires states to designate waters that do not WDNR Site tershed. As a result, some of the tributaries Jefferson West meet water quality standards as impaired. To improve water quality, US Hwy 18 West sites go unmonitored, limiting our ability to inter- Helenville Dousman Waukesha Allis Milwaukee 52% 70% the U.S. EPA requires that a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or Sullivan WalMMSDes Site pret water quality in certain subwatersheds. pollution budget for an impaired watershed be created. Jefferson St. Francis Recruiting more volunteers in the northern Rome Ozaukee County59 Parks New Berlin site visits y Greenfield 43% In 2018, the WDNR received official approval from the EPA for three Rome & PlanningHw Dept. Site region of this Watershed is critical to offer a State Hales Corners Cudahy more comprehensive picture of water quality Milwaukee River Basin TMDLs (phosphorus, bacteria and total sus- Hwy 1 GLEC Site Greendale Fort State 06 North Prairie South throughout the Milwaukee River Watershed pended solids). These plans will be a critical tool for developing and Atkinson Hebron Milwaukee and the Milwaukee River Basin as a whole. implementing restoration plans and activities to improve water quali- Hebron Big ty throughout the Basin. Muskego Franklin Oak Creek Palmyra A C F Bend State Hwy 100 volunteers Eagle 6 53 y 3 Hw State Hwy 99 Mukwonago te 8 7 Sta Whitewater Wind Caledonia Potter St Whitewater at Lake e S 9 State H t Lauderdale Lake Tichigan a 5 w t H e Rd wy y
State H
1 Lakes 8 Caledonia 2 w 9 State Rd 3 Wind Point 8 East Troy Waterford y y 20 3 w Lauderdale East Troy 8
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y 3
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NORTH BRANCH MILWAUKEE RIVER SUBWATERSHED5 | C Sheboygan d 2018 SUBWATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES wy 67 R
State H Falls e
t In 2018, the North Branch Milwaukee River Sub-
a t S watershed received a C (76.32%) for overall water TOTAL GRADE !# quality. The parameter that improved the most CHANGE from 2017 was dissolved oxygen, rising from 82% Waldo to a perfect grade of 100% in 2018. Every dis- solved oxygen measurement met the standard of F o n d 5 mg/L during the 2018 monitoring season. Tur- SUBWATERSHED ! Gibbsville C S h e b o y g a n h 2 bidity improved a notable 5%. Although the overall d u L a c am A 3 del Hingham y 76.32% l T w b ri bu H grade improved slightly from a C- to a C, not every e ta r e
y t
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t S parameter contributed to this grade improvement.
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e
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cold water game fish) occasionally failed to meet Temperature C a S !
s t U u S k li e e the cold temperature standard, resulting in a lower e M 91.30% r C r G grade for temperature. Temperature and dissolved e oo k v se n ! i v i ille R oxygen have an inverse relationship; as temperature Dissolved Oxygen M k Cr ia Cree e ee Batav e k ! k increases, oxygen generally decreases. Note that Campbellsport au 100.00% w il Cedar oxygen can increase without cooling water tem- M Grove Lake Michigan h perature. For example, when there is a lot of photo- pH c n a
r 7 synthesis. Although, some temperatures exceeded
B 5 k 100.00%
e y h e t Hwy 144 r
r State the cold water standard, this did not correspond to a w C H o ! r Random e e N v t Turbidity l Lake a
i t lower grade for dissolved oxygen due to the general S S high quality of many of these streams. There are a
S 100.00%
t
a
LEGENDt e limited number of cold water streams throughout H Stony w Creek y # # the Basin, and maintaining these habitats is essen- Phosphorus 4 Milwaukee River Basin5 tial for keeping fish and fishermen happy. Kewaskum 32.35% State Rd 28 Milwaukee In 2018, the North Branch Subwatershed received Belgium Chloride Riverkeeper Site the best macroinvertebrate index score in the ! ek Basin (2.56 out of 4). Finding groups of macroin- 100.00% WDNR Site re C O z a u k e e W a s h i n g t o n er vertebrates unable to tolerate pollution provide us rl E 1
4 Specific Conductivity
k Waubeka 1
e good biological clues of the long-term, good water y e Fredonia
r
w H
C quality conditions of many of our streams, which S 6.90%
e
U
Miles d A C ac l F l complements our chemical data. Diverse and abun-
l O a 0 1 2 4 W dant macroinvertebrates are necessary to support Bacteria fish populations. N/A West Bend Newburg R Port State d Similar to other parts of the Basin, the North 3E Washington QUICK FACTS 3 Branch struggled to meet phosphorus and spe- cific conductivity standards. The record breaking 5% RIVER MILE FACTS LAND USE BREAKDOWN precipitation in 2018 likely increased agricultural MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX runoff, a major contributor to phosphorus levels in Agriculture 2.56 mi. this area. Phosphorus threatens the health of stream FAIR 147 ecosystems, causing compounded effects down- Wetland 45% total miles 34% stream. Harmful algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and fish kills can all be attributed to high levels of Grassland/Forest phosphorus. For these reasons, phosphorus remains mi. mi. Urban/Developed a major concern and is heavily monitored throughout DID YOU KNOW? 7 87 15% the Basin. The geology of the streambed can impact of cold streams of impaired waters Milwaukee Riverkeeper is looking for volunteers in this Subwater- NOTE: 1% of land use is not included. the water’s conductivity, or ability to hold an electric shed. Contribute to this report, become a Water Quality Monitor. charge, but often times human activities influence this parameter. A common ion impacting conduc- Learn more: www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org/protect 2018 MONITORING tance is chloride. Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: Increased chloride monitoring in this part of the Basin will allow us to explore the relationship between specific conductivity and chloride, especially during winter months. sites 70% 70% Nutrients in different forms are also charged and can affect conductivity, as well as heavy metals. There is no federal or state 10 60 conductivity standard; our target is based on federal guidance for all streams. Our urban streams would be better assessed total sites total site visits site visits 6 volunteers using a different target, which we hope to use in our next report following more research. The North Branch Subwatershed 75% contains the fewest monitoring locations in the Milwaukee River Basin. We continually work to recruit monitors in this area to 9 better fill the gaps in our understanding of this Subwatershed. 10 Mount Calvary Howards Grove North Taycheedah St. Elkhart Lake Fond du Lac Cloud S Glenbeulah ta Rosendale t e H w y 4 State Hwy 23 Greenbush 2 Fond 2018 DATA SUMMARY EAST & WEST BRANCH MILWAUKEE RIVER SUBWATERSHED | B- Sheboygan du Lac Plymouth 2018 SUBWATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES 1 15 The East and West Branch Milwaukee River y w p 7 y 5 Kohler H 1 B k Subwatershed received a B- (81.69%), the best
e d US US Hwy 15 e r R C Sheboygan TOTAL GRADE e overall water quality grade of all subwatersheds ss t e a r # t Falls CHANGE
c * S Brandon er in the Milwaukee River Basin. This year’s grade at F o n d d u L a c W is 2.7% less than 2017 and follows a trend of Eden steady but slow decline over the past few years. M U Oakfield S Waldo SUBWATERSHED i H The Subwatershed has relatively low levels of lw w au y 4
5 impermeable surfaces, and retains good soils and
7 5 1
W k Gibbsville 81.69%
y e e e S extensive natural areas and wetlands, particularly s k Hingham t
a w H t R e ! t ! B e
e i e
t r v r in the Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit. H
a an e
r t C w r Oostburg S c e h e y Oddly, turbidity and phosphorus, two parameters Waupun v Adell i M k 3 a 2 i R Temperature State Hwy 49 lw L that normally decline with heavy rainfall, im- Brownsville au e n k r e proved from 2017, which may be a result of better 91.57% Waupun e k e u ! b S h e b o y g a n R ! ! au land use practices and less agricultural use than Lomira State Hwy 67 iv u e A w Dissolved Oxygen l Cedar Campbellsport r i areas like the North Branch. Despite the Basin’s
M Grove 96.43% h State Hwy 144 Random Lake general trend of worsening phosphorus levels, c 8
2
7 5 this Subwatershed improved by more than 7% an ! y ! r D o d g e Kewaskum w y pH H ! B
e and no longer has a failing grade for phosphorus. w
t H t ! a
t e
S t 98.82%
k as
a t Kekoskee e E S tat S Theresa e ! e R The designated cold water streams in this r ! d 28 C Belgium Turbidity O z a u k e e Branch failed to meet the temperature stan- Burnett m Mayville u 1 k 4 dards over 50% of the time (meeting standards 92.21% LEGEND 1 s a y Temperature emerged Waubeka w only 41.67% of the time). w Fredonia
e H S Phosphorus K as a major contributor to declining grades in
Milwaukee River Basin U d S l this Subwatershed. Similar to the North Branch, t
O 60.72% a W a s h i n g t o n t e Milwaukee k e H Newburg the East & West Branch’s designated cold water Horicon State Hwy 33 e West w ! Riverkeeper Site r Chloride y C !! Bend M streams are held to a more stringent tempera- 2 State Hwy 33 W r ! 6 WDNR Site e !y N/A ! r Horicon Allenton lv ture standard than other designated warm water 100.00% i k! ! a S e ! Juneau Iron re C streams found throughout the majority of the U r C e S Port Specific Conductivity Ridge e H as Basin. Although this Subwatershed did receive w 4 u k Saukville y 4 Washington A C F 1 Q 4 5 the best overall grade, it does have the most 21.05%
1 d 4
R y e t miles of impaired waters (100 miles) in the Mil- 3 a
8 t Miles
w H
S
y
S waukee River Watershed. The state cites elevat- Bacteria
w
U 0 1 2 4
H d l 100.00% e ed water temperature that does not support Fish N/A t Hustisford O a t
Hartford S Slinger and Aquatic Life use as the type of impairment. 3 e Jackson t S Grafton
State Hwy 60 8
a t t a
QUICK FACTS y t This impairment is a reminder that despite other-
S e
S R w Neosho H d 1 4 75 Cedarburg wise good water quality, one aspect of poor wa-
Clyman 6 7 9%
RIVER MILE FACTS 1
6 S
LAND USE BREAKDOWN
y
t
d ter quality can impact a stream’s usage. The 2018
a
1
R
t
8
MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX
w H e
1
e
S
3
t e H t listing cycle added new impairments for water
a y
t 8 a Agriculturet w
t e a
t H d S mi. 36%
y
w H
S w 2.42
R Mequon temperature in this Subwatershed, despite an FAIR Richfield Germantown e 1 233 y
6 e t
t
1 a
a total miles Wetland 4 t t 5 overall good grade for temperature. Impairment y 167 S S State Rd 167 State Hw 35% Thiensville Lebanon listings should limit allowable pollutant discharge Grassland/Forest levels (e.g. heat) with the goal of improving mi. mi. water quality for various uses. Other practices like 11 100 Urban/Developed 19% of trout streams of impaired waters planting trees could help address this impairment. DID YOU KNOW? NOTE: 1% of land use is not included. In recent years, the extent of our monitoring in Dragonflies, damselflies, dobsonflies and caddisflies (among oth- this Subwatershed has grown immensely, and ers) all spend the majority of their lives in-stream prior to growing 2018 MONITORING each year we gain a more complete picture of its wings and emerging from the river for reproduction. The adult Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: water quality. 2018 is the first year since our chlo- life stage on dry land can be so short that they do not even grow ride and bacteria monitoring projects have been mouth parts. Macroinvertebrates that emerge are important food 95% sites70% expanded into this Subwatershed. In the future, sources for both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. we plan to increase the amount of data collected 21 117 Learn More: bit.ly/MRKmacros total sites total site visits to paint a more comprehensive picture of bacteria 91% site visits 13 volunteers and chloride in this Subwatershed. 11 12 Fredonia
Waubeka 1
4
1
y
w H
S
U
d
l
O
7
5
CEDAR CREEK SUBWATERSHED | D+ y 2018 DATA SUMMARY
w H
e
D o d g e t 2018 SUBWATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES a
t In 2018, the Cedar Creek Subwatershed received
Newburg S
State Rd an overall grade of a D+ (68.25%), a significant State Hwy 33 W State Hwy 144 33 E GRADE West Bend decline of 12.5% from 2017, or a B- grade. Cedar TOTAL CHANGE S Allenton ta te Creek’s phosphorus grade improved by 10%, the Hw y 33 most improvement of all the watersheds this year.
k Dissolved oxygen and specific conductivity both e
e r improved as well in this watershed. Turbidity and SUBWATERSHED C 4 3 4 W a s h i n g t o n r 3 Port 1 k bacteria Rd grades dropped significantly in 2018, e Saukville tate d re S Washington 68.25% R da C e t e d with 13% and 34% fewer sites meeting the recom- a u t C S M h mended standards, respectively. These figures are c
E n
v O a part of a larger trend of declines in turbidity and e l .! d r
r ! 5 gr B S
4 t
*#.! bacteriaa grades throughout the Basin likely due Temperature y e h t e e
Hw w
H n rt
S to 2018’s intense rainfall. Increased turbidity is not o 100.00%
C y U
r 5
U N
d !
.! e 7 l
S e unusual during periods of high precipitation due ! O k H k ree w .! r C Dissolved Oxygen y eda
C to increased levels of polluted runoff.
4
5 ! .! ! .! 96.14% E ! ! Hw S ta In 2018, with the help of our contributors, we y t Ce 1 e k da 7 e rbu 5 re .! rg analyzed over 400% more data than we did in pH Slinger U C ! Jackson State Hwy .!60 Cre S .! .! e H r k Hartford w e ! ! y n ! Grafton 2017. This increase in data is spread across all the
4 99.53%
3 h
e 1 t
8 e
a L t
y parameters, except for the bacteria grade, which S
Creek
S w H g LEGEND Polk Sprin .! had 1000% more data points analyzed in 2018 Turbidity Cedarburg
.! than in 2017. The increase in bacteria data con- 80.60% Milwaukee River Basin 1
S ! . 8 t tributes significantly to the decline in the overall
a 1
t e y R Phosphorus
d h w Milwaukee nc H grade for this Subwatershed, as it does for other a 1 Br
7 n e i t 5 k .! ess Riverkeeper Site ee Kr a Cr t watersheds and subwatersheds across the Basin. edar .! S 47.03% ittle C ! L S While the East and West Branch has a passing ta WDNR Site te 3 S
H 2 Chloride
8 t a w 3
t y bacteria score on paper, the lack of data may be e y 1 y w H 4 5 O z a u k e e
H w
w H
y 100.00%
e MMSD Site the reason for a better grade.
e
t
4 1 t
a 7
6
a t
1 5
t
S S
y 0 1 2 4
w H GLEC Site State Hwy 167 Miles Specific Conductivity
State Rd 167 e
t
a t S MILWAUKEE RAINFALL TOTALS Thiensville 7.73%
S Richfield t
a t Germantown e
R A C F d Bacteria
Mequon
8 3 48.58% Average (35 in.)
QUICK FACTS S t 2018 (45 in.) a t e
H
w
y
RIVER MILE FACTS LAND USE BREAKDOWN W 16% MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX Another explanation for the drastic decline of Ce- AgricultureMenomonee Milwaukee Brown Deer River Hills Bayside 92 mi. Falls 34% dar Creek’s overall water quality grade could be FAIR 2.52 total miles Wetland the addition of new data, which focuses on areas 31% that were not monitored in the past. Much of the Grassland/Forest 2018 data comes from the Milwaukee Metropoli- mi. 18% tan Sewerage District’s (MMSD) project with the DID YOU KNOW? 0mi. 41 Urban/Developed of trout streams of impaired waters Great Lakes Environmental Center (GLEC), which Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of man-made NOTE: 1% of land use is not included. focuses a large part of its efforts in the Cedar chemicals traditionally used in manufacturing. In 1979, PCBs Creek Subwatershed. Before the addition of the were banned due to their carcinogenic effects. However, PCB GLEC data to the 2018 data, the overall grade for contamination still lingers in sediment. 2018 MONITORING the Cedar Creek Subwatershed was comparable Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: to that of 2017. In 2016, Cedar Creek’s grade was Cedar Creek has significant PCB contamination and is a desig- 67.18%, and only 50% of the bacteria samples met nated Superfund site. From 2016-2018, large amounts of PCBs 40% sites70% the recommended standard. 2017 was a relatively were removed from the Ruck Pond raceway, Columbia Pond 30 249 dry year, which may explain why we saw fewer ex- and the Wire and Nail Pond. This marks a significant step in total sites total site visits ceedances and the watershed received a B- grade. improving water quality in this Subwatershed, but more work is site visits volunteers 27% 17 needed.
13 14 We hope you enjoy this edition of our Annual River Report Card. Our work would not be possible without the support of people like you. Milwaukee Riverkeeper works to protect, PROTECT improve and advocate for water quality, riparian wildlife habitat, and sound land management in the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds. We envision a future in which people from all walks of life can enjoy the healthy waterways of the Milwaukee River Basin.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper serves as a voice for the Milwaukee, RESTORE Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers and works tirelessly for swimmable, fishable, drinkable waters. Our core programming involves water quality monitoring and advocating on behalf of the rivers. We also coordinate hands-on river restoration projects and organize thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups. We connect people to water through river-focused events and educate our community about water quality and river health.
Help achieve swimmable, CONNECT fishable, drinkable rivers.
DONATE: www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org/donate STAY CONNECTED:
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ADVOCATE 15 16 Cedar Grove Random 2018 DATA SUMMARY SOUTHState Hwy 144 BRANCH MILWAUKEE RIVER SUBWATERSHED | D 8 Lake 2018 SUBWATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES 2 y The South Branch Milwaukee River Subwater- w H e t shed received a grade of a D (66.07%) in 2018. a 7 GRADE
t 5 TOTAL
S
y QUICK FACTS Dissolved oxygen and turbidity improved, 3.5% CHANGE w St H ate and 7%, respectively, while phosphorus declined k Rd 28 e
t LEGEND
e a e Kewaskum t Belgium r by over 5%. S RIVER MILE FACTS C
a i Milwaukee River Basin n O z a u k e e The South Branch Milwaukee River Subwatershed SUBWATERSHED
o
1 d 4
1 mi.
is over 51% urban or developed. When rain falls e Milwaukee r Fredonia y 232
! F Riverkeeper Site in urban areas it is unable to soak in to sidewalks, 66.07% w
! H total miles
!!! S
U roads, and cement parking lots, which leaves its
Waubeka WDNR Site
d l
O only path to storm drains. In most cases, storm MMSD Site mi. mi. drains are piped directly to our rivers. Water trav- Temperature Newburg 0 89 eling along hard or impermeable surfaces picks up State R 100.00% State Rd 144 d 33 E St GLEC Site of trout streams of impaired waters a M te .!.! trash, pollutants, and organic matter, all of which H o West Bend w l y e can have impacts on water quality and the life Dissolved Oxygen 33 C ! Ozaukee County r e Planning & Parks Site within the river. A “fair” macroinvertebrate biotic e 92.21% W a s h i n g t o n $ k Port index score of 2.17 in this Subwatershed suggests *# pH
$Sau.!kville Washington A C F LAND USE BREAKDOWN that water quality and habitat could be better, as
5 4 we found fewer aquatic organisms that are not
$ 99.81%
y tolerant to pollution.
w H
Turbidity
S $
U ! $ Agriculture !. Other challenges related to stream habitats d 19% l 71.64% O $ ! $$ Wetland in the South Branch Milwaukee River include $ legacy pollution and historic modifications, Jackson State Hwy 60 $.! Phosphorus Grafton $ 8% such as the dams on the Milwaukee River. Over ! Grassland/Forest 51% 31.28% the years, approximately 11 major dams have Slinger Cedarburg ! r e k Urban/Developed been removed on the Milwaukee River including Chloride .!v
1 e i 21%
8 e
1 R r
a significant number in the South Branch. Many
y C e 95.57% S S t !e o t a
!k w a te H a dams were built as a way to provide jobs during t l H u
e e
U w t a
R y a d 1 t w $.! the Great Depression; some for timber purposes Specific Conductivity
4 l S i 1 5 P 7 i 5 g M Lake Michigan and others for woolen mills. Throughout the years, e !!o 2 NOTE: 1% of land use is not included. 5.85% State Rd 167 !n 3 many dams have fallen into disrepair due to age
C y r w S e t Thiensville e H and lack of maintenance. Degraded dams can be a U Bacteria Richfield t k Germantown e e S !.! H ! t H a dangerous obstacles for recreational users and w t w 46.67% y S State Hwy 167 .! y 4 1 Mequon have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems. 17 2018 MONITORING 5 eek Beyond the physical impediment of a wall, dams U y Cr S Trinit H !! indirectly impair aquatic habitat. For example, w Bayside y eek 45 ver Cr k stagnant water behind dams leads to siltation and Bea ee ! Cr 74 State Hwy 100 !River n MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX Hwy Brown ia increased water temperature that is often inhospi- e ! d t Hills In 84 640 a t Dee!r table to aquatic life. S ! total sites total site visits 2.17 ! ! ! Fox Point FAIR Lannon This Subwatershed has more than 2 times as Menomonee *# G!lendale many data points as the rest of the Milwaukee L Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: Falls inc Sussex ol ! River subwatersheds combined, and therefore n C !ree data from this Subwatershed weighs into the !k ! DID YOU KNOW? ! Whitefish overall grade heavily. The South Branch has After more than ten years of public meetings and several lawsuits, Butler !Bay !*# 33% sites70% become the most heavily monitored of all the the 80-year old Estabrook Dam was removed in 2018. Dam remov- ! Shorewood subwatersheds and watersheds in the Basin due in y 190 al will improve water quality and fish passage, and restore natural Hw Milwaukee ! State part to additional data from special projects. This ecological function to this portion of the Milwaukee River. M i l w a u k e e 25% site visits includes Ozaukee County Department of Parks and Pewaukee Brookfield Planning’s Fish Passage Program, which is con- Learn More: bit.ly/MRKestabrookdam Wauwatosa Elm ducting extensive monitoring in association with Grove fish passage and stream restoration work on Ulao Miles e Creek, Mole Creek and other waterways in Ozaukee County. In addition, MMSD contracted with the Great Lakes Environ- t 8 y 1 a y 0 1 2 4 t W a u k e s h a 4 w S H Hw 6 US S mental Center to conduct several years of baseline monitoring in several subwatersheds—including the South Branch 1
t West a State Hwy 59 t e Milwaukee River and Cedar Creek--where watershed planning efforts are ongoing. This monitoring work will likely end in Waukesha Milwaukee H 22 volunteers West Allis w y 2019. 3 17 8 18 New Berlin 4 te 2 a y t y S Hw St. e Hw 6 at 3 Greenfield St Francis Cudahy Allenton Sta te H w West y 33 Bend Port O Washington 4 Saukville ld 4 1 S
t 5
d a U 4 R t S e 1 S e y U 2018 DATA SUMMARY 4 t H | MENOMONEE RIVER WATERSHED 1 D- H
w d a l t w y w
H O
S
y y The Menomonee River Watershed received a D-
S Hw 5
4
U 7
2018 WATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES
5
d (63.12%) for overall water quality, a grade over l O 5% lower than last year. While specific conduc- GRADE Slinger tivity improved from 2017, only 6% of the specific TOTAL Jackson State Hwy 60 CHANGE Hartford U Grafton QUICK FACTS conductivity measurements met water quality S S ta Hw te H y standards. Defining a target for specific conduc- wy 4 W a s h i n g t o n RIVER MILE FACTS
175 1 Cedarburg tivity has proven to be a challenge due to a lack
1
8 1
of federal or state standards, and the natural vari- WATERSHED S t y mi. a
t O z a u k e e ability of many of our waterways. For the sake w e H 134
R e 63.12%
d t total miles a 2 of continuity, we maintained the target used in
1 t
7 3
5 S
y previous years but are researching a new target.
w H
167 e Parameters with significant grade declines in-
State Rd t
a t Germantown r S mi. mi. clude bacteria and chloride, both declining more Temperature e $ Thiensville Richfield ! v 0 71 ! i $$ of trout streams of impaired waters than 10%. The Menomonee River Watershed is 100.00% R $ State Hwy 57 e State$ Hwy 167 one of the most developed watersheds in the
e $ Mequon S Dissolved Oxygen 4 $ t on $ a entire Basin, next to the Kinnickinnic. Similar to
6 ! $ t
1 e H y ! $
r other urban watersheds, this watershed struggles 89.17% om
w
w e LAND USE BREAKDOWN
n
y
H v e
$i ! W with stormwater runoff and contaminants related e !
t
M
R pH a Bayside t Brown
e to human uses.
S
e River n Deer M!enomonee 11% 100.00% ! o Hills Fox Point The Menomonee River Watershed’s failing bac-
Falls Agriculture m ! ! o 9% teria grade reflects a trend that pervades the Turbidity n ! Lannon e ! A grade of 34% M Wetland whole Milwaukee River Basin.
Merton ! 67.01% e l indicates serious impairment going far below an t 12%
k t e i Glendale
L Phosphorus e Grassland/Forest F grade. This means the majority of sites sam- Sussex r 67% C W a u k e s h a ! Whitefish pled exceeded the recreational use water quality S 44.73% y ! t l a l ! i Bay t ! Urban/Developed standards for the State of Wisconsin. Collected e ! L Butler S Hartland t H ! a te Chloride S w surface water data, as well as other studies un- tate Hw Hw y y 1 Shorewood 6 7 y
4 dertaken by Milwaukee Riverkeeper and partners 78.11% y 190 14 Hw 5 State ! NOTE: 1% of land use is not included. at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that Brookfield ! ! tested stormwater outfalls, suggest that the river Specific Conductivity !Unde Pewaukee rwood Cr!ee!k is often contaminated with sewage from failing 5.29% Elm Wauwatosa! 2018 MONITORING infrastructure. Grove ! !! Bacteria Delafield 18 ! Milwaukee Chloride is another pollutant in this Watershed US Hwy ! ! ! that declined in 2018, and reflects an over- 34.17% ! West 63 589 all negative trend throughout the Milwaukee Milwaukee total sites total site visits Waukesha West Allis River Basin. Road salt, more specifically the key Wales 4 ! 2 ingredient of chloride, can find its way into our y Data Contributors: H Hw o te S streams. Chloride pollution is more common MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX a t n t a S t e e y in urban landscapes like the Menomonee River
R
1 2.36
C t 4 e FAIR
New Berlin r 2 St. Francis
e 7 Watershed where higher levels of winter deicing
e y
9 Greenfield 9 k 4
y 5 occur. The Menomonee River Watershed has w w H
State H e LEGEND t Cudahy
a more than twice as many chloride data points as t Hales S Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: any other watershed. Out of all the watersheds Corners Greendale
3 Milwaukee River Basin
8 in the Basin, this Watershed saw the greatest
DID YOU KNOW? y
South decline in the chloride grades from 2017 to 2018. w H Milwaukee M i l w a u k e e sites From 2016-2018, Milwaukee Riverkeeper partnered with the e Big Bend 38% 70%
t Riverkeeper Site 0 1 2 4 Milwaukee Almost half of the chloride exceedances in the a
t Village of Menomonee Falls and several other communities to S Miles Menomonee River Watershed were at the acute MMSD Site 20% site visits stabilize 500 feet of eroded streambank on the Menomonee River level. This high level or “spike” in chloride con- that was historically sending 22.5 tons of sediment and associated Muskego Franklin Ozaukee County Parks Oak Creek centration can result in fish mortality during a pollutants into the river each year.
& Planning Dept. Site State Hwy 100 short time of exposure. Poor specific conductivity
8
3
Mukwonago y grades and declining chloride grades reaffirm the
w H
need for better winter deicing application and updated best management practices that reduce the amount of road salt e Mukwonago 6 t A C 3 a y F t being put onto roads during winter months. Milwaukee Riverkeeper holds annual chloride workshops for public and pri- w S H Caledonia te volunteers vate contractors to help educate them on best practices for reducing salt application while still protecting public safety. a 22 t S Tichig19an Caledonia 20 Potter Lake Wind Lake Tichigan
Shorewood
7
5
y
w H S
t e
a t t e a
Hw t S y 14
5
1
8
1
Brookfield y
w H
e
t
a t
Wauwatosa S
Elm Grove
KINNICKINNIC RIVER WATERSHED | D- 2018 DATA SUMMARY US Hwy 18 2018 WATERSHED PARAMETER GRADES The Kinnickinnic River Watershed received a D- (61.87%) for overall water quality in 2018. It TOTAL GRADE West retains its title as the watershed with the lowest Hwy 59 r CHANGE State e Milwaukee v water quality grade in the Milwaukee River Ba- i R
c sin. In 2018, the grade dropped 5% lower than i M i l w a u k e e Milwaukee n n i 2017’s D grade of 65.83%, and just barely earned a 4 k c WATERSHED 3 i Lake Michigan passing grade. In this Watershed, turbidity plays a rd n S n t i critical role in determining its overall water qual- re K 61.87% West Allis e t D ity grade. In 2018, the turbidity grade fell by 10%, i tc ! h contributing greatly to the decline in the overall ! water quality grade in the Kinnickinnic River L ! Watershed. Record breaking precipitation levels Temperature y ! o ! n in 2018 (45.08 inches in Milwaukee) likely played a 100.00% s !
0 P
0 !
a role in the decline of turbidity grades throughout 1
r
y Dissolved Oxygen k
C the Basin. In addition, phosphorus, specific con-
w H
r
e e
t 93.00%
e ductivity, and bacteria remained far below a pass- a
t ! k S ing grade; this Watershed historically has received pH 4 2 St. Francis F grades for those 3 parameters. The Kinnickinnic y 4
k 9 7 Hw e 8 99.48%
New Berlin e e 3 Watershed is almost completely urban (97% of
t e
a !r t
t y S 6 C R !3 land use), and stormwater runoff, compounded
n e w y H Turbidity t n
w a e a t H t
S e M a by failing infrastructure and concrete channelized t t ta la S 77.78% S il streams, heavily impacts the poor water quality LEGEND V Edgerton Ditch Greenfield grade in this Watershed. Phosphorus
1 W
4 il
Milwaukee River Basin 2 s o The Kinnickinnic River Watershed is the most 40.44%
y n P
ar w H k developed of all the watersheds in the Milwau-
C e
MMSD Site t re Chloride a e Beginning in the 1960’s, the t k kee River Basin. S Cudahy 60.91% Milwaukee 119 river was straightened and lined with concrete to wy Riverkeeper Site tate H reduce flooding in surrounding neighborhoods. S Specific Conductivity Hales Corners However, flooding persisted and got worse in
5 Greendale 4 0 0.3 0.6 1.2 many areas. These modifications as well as ex- 10.26%
y Miles w
A C F 1
4 H
tensive urban development increased runoff and
y
S w U Bacteria
H streamflow. Habitats were dramatically altered,
S
U both in-stream and in adjacent areas, leading 24.54% to diminished water quality and conditions for QUICK FACTS aquatic life. It is not surprising given these mod- ifications that this Watershed received a “poor” South 0.7% RIVER MILE FACTS LAND USE BREAKDOWN Milwaukee macroinvertebrate biotic index score, the lowest MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX Muskego 0.3% biotic index score in the Basin. Franklin Oak Creek 1.94 Agriculture S POOR mi. t a
t However, exciting changes are redefining the 37 e 2% total miles Wetland H w Kinnickinnic River Watershed as part of a large 97% y 3 flood management project under the direction of 2 Grassland/Forest MMSD. Stretch by stretch, concrete channels are being removed and the river is being remeandered DID YOU KNOW? 0 mi. 20mi. Urban/Developed of trout streams of impaired waters to allow the stream to more naturally flow and spill During the 1960s, much of the Kinnickinnic River was channelized NOTE: 1% of land use is not included. over onto riverfront land or floodplains that absorb and lined with concrete as a best practice of flood management at water. This project is creating improved conditions the time. Stormwater managers now know concrete contributes 2018 MONITORING for fish and aquatic life, and improving safety for to flooding and increased runoff downstream. In 2018, to improve neighboring communities. Given the urban nature flood management, habitat and public safety, 1,900 feet of con- Milwaukee Riverkeeper Data Contribution: of the watershed and need to protect structures crete was removed from the River at Pulaski Park. This project is from current and future flooding, the river will part of MMSD's long-term flood management work in the Kinnick- 15 211 47% 70%sites never be fully restored back to its natural state; innic River Watershed. total sites total site visits however, efforts are underway to restore some site visits 7 volunteers natural function and bring back more life to this Data Contributors: 21% urban river. 21 22 River Hills Fox Point
Glendale
Whitefish Bay
MILWAUKEE RIVER ESTUARY | D+ 2018 DATA SUMMARY S ta 2018 ESTUARY PARAMETER GRADES te The Milwaukee River Estuary received a D+ Hw y Shorewood 14 (68.93%) for overall water quality in 2018, a 5 1 te Hwy 190
8 Sta GRADE
1 TOTAL more than 10% decline or full letter drop from
y CHANGE w H QUICK FACTS
last year’s grade. Most notably, we saw declines
e
t
a
t S in turbidity, phosphorus, and bacteria grades. RIVER MILE FACTS
7 The Estuary comprises parts of the South Branch 5
ESTUARY
y of the Milwaukee River, the Menomonee River w
H mi.
e 9
t 68.93% a Watershed, and the Kinnickinnic River Water-
t total miles S shed. The Estuary includes the portion of these Watersheds designated by the EPA as the Milwau- mi. kee River Estuary Area of Concern. It has deeper Temperature mi. 9 water compared to the rest of the Basin and is M i l w a u k e e 0 100.00% of trout streams of impaired waters regularly dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for navigational purposes. It is a highly Dissolved Oxygen developed section of the Milwaukee River Basin, 86.90% ! LAND USE BREAKDOWN where the surrounding land does little to abate
Wauwatosa r e runoff and other water quality threats. pH
v
i
R The Estuary receives all the pollutants from the 100.00% e
e 3%
k entire Milwaukee River Basin, before discharg- Turbidity
u
8 !
a US Hwy 1 ing into Lake Michigan. One positive influence on
w 70.74%
l
i water quality in the Estuary is Lake Michigan itself, !Menomonee River !M Other* which mixes with and dilutes water from the rivers Phosphorus ! ! 97% based on wind and a “seiche” or sloshing of water Urban/Developed 56.94% into the Estuary. For these unique reasons, in 2016, Milwaukee ! ! ! we began to grade the Milwaukee River Estuary Chloride y 59 !r State Hw e separately from the rest of the Basin. While the v i 94.42% R Estuary contains parts of the South Branch of the
c *Includes grassland and other unidentified land uses i ! Milwaukee River Watershed, the Menomonee Riv- Specific Conductivity n n i Lake Michigan Lake er Watershed, and the Kinnickinnic River Water- k West c 10.92% i shed, it has a distinct character that can be seen in Milwaukee n 2018 MONITORING n West Allis i the water quality grades. K ! Bacteria Record breaking precipitation in 2018, and 44.07% worse water quality upstream, are some of the 13 229 likely causes for declining water quality grades S ta te total sites total site visits Hw in the Estuary. Turbidity and phosphorus are di- y 32 rectly impacted by runoff into our rivers, contrib- MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOTIC INDEX Data Contributors: uting to the declines of 10% in turbidity and 17% in phosphorus grades. The Estuary is also heavily N/A 0 0.3 0.6 1.2 influenced by MMSD’s combined sewer service Miles area. In this area, all stormwater and sanitary sewage are combined, and stored in a deep tunnel to be sent to Jones Island for treatment. During DID YOU KNOW? 24 dry weather, a combined sewer system is an asset;
y 4
Hw 9 The Milwaukee River Estuary was officially named a Great 1
te 7 St. Francis however, during times of excessive rain, the deep 4
ta 8
e 2
S 3
t
y Lakes Area of Concern in the 1980's due to historical pol- y R tunnel cannot handle all of the flows from Mil-
e
t
w
LEGENDH
w H
a
t lution. This designation helps align community partners,
e e
t waukee and its 28 other municipalities, and often
S
t
a
a
t
t S S untreated sewage and stormwater overflows into state and local agencies, and everyday people around res- 6 Milwaukee River Basin 3 y local waterways. Many of these discharge points Greenfield w toration efforts. Learn more: milwaukeestuaryaoc.com H Milwaukee Riverkeeper does not monitor in e are in the Estuary and in the downstream portions t a MMSD Site t S this area due to deep river depths that make of the river system. In 2018, following weeks of it unsafe or inaccessible for volunteers. MMSD intense rain, there were 6 overflow events, sending a total of 1,271 million gallons of raw sewage and stormwater into our A C F primarily monitors this area from their re- rivers. In 2018, the bacteria score in the Estuary was nearly 30% worse than in 2017, which was a relatively dry year. Water search vessel, the Pelagos. quality data directly links the failing bacteria grade for the Estuary to the intense rain events of 2018. Cudahy 23 19 24 1 y 1 4 Hw
y e tat w S
Hales Corners H
S U
Greendale
Oak Creek South Franklin Milwaukee M i l w a u k e e Basin, which can send short-term loads of bacteria to our area tion plans that target bacteria, phosphorus, and total sus- STORMWATER CONTAMINATION waterways. pended solids (or sediment) in the three rivers, were approved When a contaminant is present is just as significant as where in 2018. An Implementation Plan is being devised to identify it is present. Phosphorus varies throughout the Basin, largely the best management practices and policies that best carry due to differing land uses and management practices, but also out pollution reduction goals. These reduction plans will help tends to spike during summer months when more fertilizers us achieve fishable, swimmable rivers if implemented strongly are being applied. Likewise, in-stream chloride concentrations and effectively. spike during the winter months as roadway deicers make their way into our rivers, but are generally fairly low during other 2018 BASIN PARAMETER GRADES times of the year. This is why we often have overall fair to good chloride grades, which is somewhat misleading. Ex- TOTAL GRADE tremely high levels of chloride associated with these spikes CHANGE of runoff can kill aquatic life almost instantly. These spikes happen exclusively during the winter months. Aging infrastructure and “illicit” connections can also con- Phosphorus taminate stormwater. Our homes, offices and any building 42.01% with running water, are connected to an intricate network of underground infrastructure. Water flowing from our toilets, Chloride sinks and showers should be piped directly to a wastewater 80.82% facility for treatment. However, this is not always the case. Illicit connections are situations where the sanitary pipe has Bacteria been illegally connected to a stormwater pipe or drain, lead- Many leading water experts agree that stormwater is one neighboring subwatershed, the Cedar Creek, saw over 12% ing contamination directly to our rivers. Lateral transfer can 39.61% of the greatest threats to water quality in this region. more exceedances. This sediment is often nutrient-rich and occur when sanitary pipes have degraded and sanitary waste Record-breaking precipitation in 2018 was a major factor can alter stream chemistry. Phosphorus, typically found in transfers to a nearby stormwater pipe, where it is discharged in the 5% decline in the overall water quality grade from agricultural runoff, is an essential nutrient that plants need to into the river. Failing sanitary sewers can also contaminate 2017 to 2018. So, what is stormwater, how does it threaten grow; however, in excess it can lead to excessive plant growth. groundwater that recharges streams. Milwaukee Riverkeeper water quality, and how can we mitigate it? When large populations of plants die, the decomposition has worked with Dr. Sandra McLellan’s lab at UWM School of takes available oxygen out of water. Phosphorus exceedances Freshwater Sciences to monitor bacteria inputs into our local WHAT IS STORMWATER? increased by over 6% in the Basin from 2017 to 2018. Another rivers via stormwater outfalls in the Menomonee and Kinnick- pollutant contributed by stormwater is chloride. Brief severe innic Rivers. This work identified problem areas of the storm Stormwater is the precipitation or snowmelt that is not ab- spikes in chloride can kill a wide range of organisms, including sewer system, and was provided to municipalities so that they sorbed by the soil, evaporated, or taken up by plants, but plants, macroinvertebrates, and fish. Chloride exceedances could better prioritize “find and fix” efforts. Over the years, rather the water that flows off of land into surface waters, in the Basin increased by over 9% in 2018. Stormwater also many problematic stormwater pipes were repaired and illicit also referred to as runoff. Stormwater threatens water quality contains bacteria, which can come from pets, wildlife, or aging connections were discovered and addressed, but there is because it sweeps across the landscape and gathers all types and failing infrastructure. Bacteria exceedances increased by much more work to be done. It is collaborations like this that of contaminants, including dirt, dust, fertilizer, litter, and other over 12.5% from 2017 to 2018. Bacteria from human sources are strengthen the region’s claim as a water hub. pollutants. The soils of Southeastern Wisconsin are naturally of particular concern in our local waterways, because they are silty and very permeable and plant life is abundant. In a pris- more likely to cause illnesses in humans. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS tine environment, most of the rainwater and snow melt would Stormwater definitely poses a threat to water quality, aquatic infiltrate through the soil and into our groundwater, evapo- Rivers are intertwined with our daily lives. The impact of SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION life, and even human health, but how can we help? The solu- rate, or be transpired through vegetation, leaving little runoff. your morning commute can be felt by our waters. tion lies in how we treat precipitation and snow melt. When However, in reality, much of this region has been developed Land use plays a major role in the quantity and quality of cities were initially designed, the objective was to get rid of for human uses, such as agriculture, housing, and transporta- stormwater. Water bodies near cities and developed areas face all the water as fast as possible to reduce flooding. While tion, which reduces plant cover and creates hard surfaces that threats from stormwater due to their many impermeable or this strategy mitigates flooding and was good intentioned, prevent absorption. As a result, our cities in the Milwaukee non-absorbing surfaces, which send large quantities of water it dumps all the contaminated water in our lakes, rivers, and River Basin deal with substantial stormwater runoff every time and pollutants to waterways after rain or snow melt events. streams. As we have become more cognizant of how our it rains, presenting a constant threat to water quality. Water bodies near agriculture fields face threats from storm- water too, because of all the loose dirt, fertilizer, and other activities impact water quality, we have realized that the best IMPACTS ON WATER QUALITY chemicals that often wash into waterways from this land use. strategy to reduce flooding and avert surface water contam- Stormwater is exceedingly difficult to control because it comes ination is to reduce stormwater runoff and promote infiltra- Stormwater can carry excessive sediment into surface waters, from so many sources. Stormwater in Milwaukee’s combined tion of rain and snowmelt. One of the most popular forms of which can lead to low water transparency that blocks sunlight sewer area heavily influences combined sewer overflows stormwater management is green infrastructure, which inte- from making its way to aquatic plants, and can prevent pho- (CSO). In the combined sewer area, all sanitary waste and grates small-scale natural landscapes into developed ecosys- tosynthesis from happening. Even dirt, which seems benign, stormwater enters into the same deep tunnel system and waits tems. This infrastructure increases local water infiltration and can increase water turbidity and harm, stress, or kill aquatic to be processed by our two wastewater treatment plants. slows water down to limit runoff of stormwater, and allows life in our streams at high levels. Overall, turbidity exceedanc- When there is too much stormwater runoff, the tunnels can fill more water to infiltrate or evaporate. Other solutions aim to es increased by 1.7% in the Basin in 2018 but varied greatly up and overflow. Overflows can release untreated sewage and address the contaminants themselves by promoting better from watershed to watershed. From 2017 to 2018, the South stormwater from pipes throughout the lower Milwaukee River land use practices or establishing more stringent regulatory You can be a part of the solution by catching water Branch Subwatershed had 6.5% fewer exceedances, while its limits. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), pollution reduc- where it falls. Consider installing a rain barrel. 25 26 monitoring efforts that have documented widespread areas of EMERGING CONTAMINANTS failing storm and sanitary sewers in many of our urban water- sheds. CLEAR is also working to develop educational materials to COMMONLY FOUND inform the public about the problem of emerging contaminants and how we can change our behaviors and activities to minimize CONTAMINANTS this source of pollution. HERBICIDES HOW YOU CAN HELP Atrazine We are not suggesting that you stop taking your medications or Frequently found in agricultural weed killers cut coffee completely out of your diet. However, there are ways to lessen your impact by paying more attention to the products that Weed killer for broadleaf weeds for agricultural you use and buy in your everyday life and making small changes. crops, turf grass and residential lawns. Atrazine has For example, consider not using or minimizing herbicides and pes- been most commonly found in the Kinnickinnic Wa- ticides, and purchasing more products with natural ingredients. In tershed during our sampling efforts. addition, Milwaukee Riverkeeper is a member of the Take Back My Meds Coalition, which is leading the fight against emerging con- PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS taminants by solving the problem at the source. This group aims Triclosan & Triclocarban to recover leftover medications before they enter the water sup- Frequently found in household cleaners and soaps ply by providing drop off boxes throughout the Greater Milwaukee Area. So instead of throwing your meds away or flushing them Both of these chemicals were common ingredients down the toilet, you can drop them off at one of many locations to used in soaps, lotions and toothpastes due to their be disposed of properly. antibacterial properties. In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned Triclosan & Triclocar- Find these locations at: www.takebackmymeds.com ban from over-the-counter personal care products. However, Triclosan is still present in our samples in Emerging contaminant is an umbrella label used to describe of fecal bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Other effects of SOURCES: the Menomonee, Kinnickinnic and Milwaukee Water- any chemical compound that our water treatment facilities emerging contaminants can include declines in fertility rates in Kappell, DeNies, Ahuja, Ledeboer, Newton, & Hristova, 2015. sheds. generally do not yet monitor or treat for, and that pose a po- people, a rise in certain cancers, and the presence of intersex tential risk to human health and the environment. As the name fish in some watersheds. The presence of these contaminants University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, 2016. suggests, these contaminants are not fully understood, and are in our waterways serves as a reminder of how our treatment of RECREATIONAL DRUGS a relatively new focus in the water quality world. the environment can impact our health. Caffeine Frequently found in coffees and teas WHAT, WHERE, HOW? COMMUNITY LEADERS ENGAGED IN AQUATIC RESEARCH Naturally occurring stimulant found in products such The main sources of emerging contaminants are wastewa- Researchers are looking to understand the impacts of these as coffee and tea. Most commonly found emerg- ter and stormwater runoff. While industrial, commercial, and contaminants on water quality, aquatic life, and human health. ing contaminant compound in our watershed and agricultural activities contribute significantly to water pollution In the Milwaukee River Basin, Community Leaders Engaged around the world. and overall water quality, our daily routines may also impact in Aquatic Research (CLEAR) is leading efforts to research water quality. Products we wash down the sink, flush away, or emerging contaminants in our local waterways, and to con- Other recreational drugs found in the Basin: apply to lawns enter our waterways through treated wastewa- duct public outreach and education around how our person- Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine ter and stormwater drains. Emerging contaminants can include al behavioral choices impact water quality and aquatic life. prescription drugs, antibiotics, recreational drugs, herbicides, CLEAR is a collaboration between UWM School of Freshwater ANTIBIOTIC pesticides, and even personal care products. Our understand- Sciences, UWM Zilber School of Public Health, Carroll Univer- Sulfamethoxazole ing of the harm these compounds cause to the environment is sity, UW-Madison School of Medicine & Public Health, Urban somewhat limited, but will develop as monitoring and research Ecology Center, and Milwaukee Riverkeeper. CLEAR has Medication used to treat ear, urinary, respiratory and continues. At the moment, there are few, if any, regulations or hosted three monitoring events per year focusing on emerging intestinal bacterial infections. Found in about half of safety guidelines pertaining to these compounds. contaminants since 2016. Community scientists collect water CLEAR project partners awarded $30,000 from Wisconsin samples collected in a concentration an order mag- samples at 20 locations in the Milwaukee River Basin and Lake Coastal Management. Pictured: Cheryl Nenn, Milwaukee nitude lower than a dangerous level. Research from our own backyard sheds light on the fact that Riverkeeper and Ken Leinbach, Urban Ecology Center with Michigan, as well as several sites in the Root and Fox River emerging contaminants are all around us. One compound Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, Rep. Jonathan Brostoff, and Other antibiotics found in the Basin: Trimethoprim Watersheds. Samples are analyzed by Dr. Todd Miller’s Lab at that many of us use every day, caffeine, can be found literally Mike Friis of the Wisconsin Coastal Managment Program. the UWM Zilber School of Public Health for a laundry list of everywhere we are, to the point where scientists have started 60+ contaminants. PHARMACEUTICAL to use the drug as an anthropogenic (human) marker of fecal CLEAR is a collaborative initiative of: Carbamazepine contamination in waterways. A far-reaching consequence CLEAR is working to understand if concentration levels found Common prescription medication of more medications in our waters could be the potential to in our waterways for these chemical compounds are reaching create “drug-resistant bacteria” and other pathogens that can significant levels that could pose a risk to aquatic life, water Medication used to treat seizures and some types of cause disease. For example, a study published in 2015 iden- quality, or public health. Interim results show fairly widespread pain. Commonly found in water samples, it has little tified multi-drug resistant E. coli strains, a bacteria that can distribution of many emerging contaminants at sampled sites, effect on the ecosystem at detected concentrations. cause illnesses in humans, in Milwaukee’s waterways. The fol- including contamination of rivers that do not have wastewater Other pharmaceuticals found in the Basin: lowing year, a study by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant treatment plants (e.g., the Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Riv- Metformin Institute labeled the city’s harbor a “hot spot” for the growth ers). This was somewhat unsuspected, but corroborates other 27 28 improvements to fish and wildlife habitat, specifically aquatic ABOUT THE AUTHORS OZAUKEE COUNTY RESTORATION habitat available to resident and migratory fish species (both ANDREW STRUCK, M.S. is the Director of the native and introduced) in the Milwaukee River Watershed and Planning and Parks Lake Michigan Basin, and can also provide for improvements to Department for Ozaukee water quality and impaired species populations. County and specializes in regional planning, The Department has implemented a comprehensive moni- natural resource plan- toring program that includes water quality, sediment charac- ning, management, terization, and avian, fish, herptile, and wildlife monitoring to protection and resto- better understand baseline ecological and water quality con- ration, education, park ditions and the effects of these projects. Fisheries monitoring and open space design has shown significant increased northern pike (target species) and implementation. reproduction at many project sites. An underwater camera He has lead collabora- located in the Mequon-Thiensville fishway has recorded dozens tions with numerous of species of fish and other wildlife moving upstream of the governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations dam, allowing upstream access for some species for the first and private sector firms on planning and natural resource time in over 100 years. design, management, protection, education and restoration Water quality monitoring (e.g. chemical constituents) within projects. He is the Program Director for the Ozaukee Fish the project streams has become an important component of Passage Program and currently serves as a member of the the Program to provide information about location and rele- WDNR Fish and Wildlife Technical Team and Citizen Advi- vant pollutant contribution, and as well as pre and post stream sory Committee Leadership Team for the Milwaukee River and ecological restoration conditions. The Department is trying Estuary AOC. to demonstrate that these comprehensive stream and ecolog- is Ozaukee County Planning and ical restoration projects can provide both biological and water TINA KROENING Parks Department's quality improvements over time and therefore can be used Conservation Biologist. as best management practices (BMPs) to manage pollutants, fishway at the Bridge Street Dam in the Village of Grafton, and Her responsibilities particularly in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) designated removal of the Newburg Dam in the Village of Newburg, all on include stream im- watersheds like the Milwaukee River Watershed. Likewise, the mainstem of the Milwaukee River. The Department has also pediment identifica- the Department is also monitoring fisheries and aquatic life replaced or remediated over 300 small and large impediments tion and assessment, (partnering with the WDNR on macroinvertebrate sampling) to fish and aquatic life passage in streams, such as improperly fisheries and wildlife to demonstrate a linkage between key water quality param- placed and/or sized culverts, log jams, stonefill and invasive monitoring, forestry eters, habitat quality and impaired fisheries and aquatic life. vegetation throughout Ozaukee County. To date, the Program and land management The intent is to monitor biological communities (e.g. fisheries has reconnected over 150 stream miles to fish and aquatic life implementation, water and macroinvertebrates) in the future as a direct measure of an passage and provided access to thousands of acres of exist- quality monitoring, data WATER QUALITY BENEFITS THROUGH ECOLOGICAL RES- impairment similar to other Midwestern States, in addition to ing wetland and floodplain habitat throughout the Milwaukee management and analy- TORATION: THE OZAUKEE COUNTY FISH PASSAGE PRO- monitoring chemical water quality parameters to show im- River Watershed, including 87 stream miles directly tributary sis, review of restoration plans, grant writing, and outreach by Andrew Struck, Tina Kroening, Matt Aho provements from these restoration projects. GRAM MODEL to the Milwaukee River Estuary Area of Concern (AOC). and education to the public, volunteers and conservation In 2008, the Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department Water quality monitoring efforts thus far have been concen- The Department is now working toward improving other issues corps teams. Tina provides knowledge and experience in (Department) began the development of the “Ozaukee Fish trated on the comprehensive habitat restoration project sites that allow aquatic species to be better connected to adja- wildlife biology, natural resources management and habitat Passage Program” (Program) with a goal and motto of “mak- at Mole (cool-cold headwater) and Ulao (cool-warm headwa- cent habitat through projects such as re-connecting adjacent restoration implementation. ing connections across our watersheds” using federal, state, ter) Creeks (2016-current) and the Little Menomonee River floodplain and wetlands to streams that have become discon- local, and private funding. Since its inception, the Department (cool-warm headwater) (2017-current). Additional data collec- MATT AHO As Program Manager with the Ozaukee nected as a result of channelization or deepening of streams, has been refining and implementing the Program to recon- tion over the course of project implementation (prior, during County Planning and dredging, and impacts from surrounding land uses. The nect, restore, and enhance existing, high quality habitat in the and post restoration) will be necessary to understanding water Parks Department, Department completed an initial wetland enhancement and Milwaukee River and its tributaries, the Milwaukee Estuary, quality trends associated with restoration efforts, as these Matt Aho is involved stream connectivity project adjacent to Sandhill Creek in the and direct tributaries to Lake Michigan. The identification large-scale projects can take several years to show changes in in project planning Town of Fredonia and is currently managing several success- and removal of impediments to aquatic organism passage both the biological and chemical impairments. This data will and implementation, ful, large-scale habitat restoration projects to improve stream increases available habitat through stream reconnection, and offer comparison of water bodies with different temperature high-level reporting function, habitat connectivity and ecological value on Ulao benefits resident and migratory fish populations, including regimes and also assist with the prioritization of location and on Department and Creek (Village and Town of Grafton) (approximately 2.5 miles), several species of concern. The Program has also forged new type of future restoration projects. Preliminary monitoring of grant progress, envi- Mole Creek (Village and Town of Saukville) (approximately connections between Ozaukee, Milwaukee, and other counties, several impairments including phosphorus, E. coli, chloride and ronmental monitoring 1.5 miles), and the Little Menomonee River (City of Mequon) municipalities, businesses, schools, NGO’s, citizens, volunteers, conductivity are demonstrating direct correlation with land use activities, aquatic (approximately 0.50 miles) in partnership with multiple agen- and organizations through innovative collaborations and proj- within the watershed such as urban development and agricul- connectivity initiatives, cies, non-profit organizations, private landowners, and many ect implementation. tural use as well as potential source contributions. The Depart- construction and res- other organizations. These habitat restoration projects include ment is continuing the long-term monitoring of both biological toration oversight, and is the QA/QC Manager/Officer for Through the Program, the Department and its partners have restoring multiple stream reaches through stream remeander- communities and water quality parameters at these sites and all QAPP-approved activities under multiple USEPA/Great addressed several large-scale impediments to aquatic life ing, floodplain and wetland reconnection, wetland restoration all data is submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Lakes Restoration Initiative and National Fish and Wildlife movement including development of a nature-like fishway at and enhancement, invasive vegetation control, native plant Resources for addition to the Surface Water Integrated Moni- Foundation federal grants. Matt also has experience with the Mequon-Thiensville Dam in the City of Mequon and Village community restoration, and installation of bird, fish and wild- toring System (SWIMS) database available to the public as well brownfield restorations, stormwater management facilities, of Thiensville, removal of the Lime Kiln Dam and design of a life habitat structures. These projects provide direct, tangible as Milwaukee Riverkeeper for use in the River Report Card. and coordinating community clean-ups and events. 29 30 OUR WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS & DATA SUMMARY Water quality data is assessed against a set of ideal targets to determine the health of our waterways. Where there is a regulatory standard or federal guidance for a parameter, that is generally listed as the goal. In some cases, we created our own targets based on what we feel is the reasonable potential of our streams to support fish and recreational activities. LOCATION WATER WATER TEMPERATURE DISSOLVED OXYGEN PH OVERALL TURBIDITY PHOSPHORUS MACRO- INVERTEBRATES CHLORIDE BACTERIA CONDUCTIVITY WATER TEMPERATURE: Each aquatic cm transparency tube indicates healthy organisms. Road salt runoff constitutes a organism’s survival is limited by its toler- water. A turbidity level of <10 NTU is large source of chloride. Elevated levels ance to changes in water temperature. As ideal for aquatic life, and was used as the of chloride can disrupt an organism’s MILWAUKEE RIVER D A A- A C F FAIR B- F F a result, temperature ranges can be used target for stream health. This is equivalent ability to maintain a natural internal water BASIN to classify aquatic ecosystems. Drastic to 54.7cm or greater. MMSD does not use balance, which leads to impaired survival, changes in water temperature can have transparency tubes but instead uses sen- growth, and/or reproduction. High levels significant impacts on aquatic life and sors to directly test the turbidity values of of chloride can be acutely or instantly biodiversity of streams. It is also import- water in units of FNU (a similar turbidity toxic to fish, lower levels of chloride over MILWAUKEE RIVER ant to note that temperature impacts the unit to NTU). A turbidity level of <10 FNU a longer period of time or chronic expo- D+ A A A C+ F FAIR A- F F WATERSHED amount of dissolved oxygen water can was used as a target for MMSD data. sure can be just as toxic. hold. <10 NTU Chloride (Acute) <757 mg/L Warm Stream < 31.7°C <10 FNU Chloride (Chronic) <395 mg/L Cold Stream < 22.0°C North Branch Milwaukee PHOSPHORUS: Phosphorus, measured CONDUCTIVITY: Conductivity is a C A- A A A F FAIR A F - River Subwatershed - DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Dissolved oxy- as Total P, is an essential nutrient for measure of the ability of water to pass an gen (DO) is a measure of the amount of plants, animals, and aquatic life. Phospho- electrical current. Conductivity in water oxygen dissolved in a volume of water. rus is typically low to absent in natural is affected by charged particles (ions), The amount of oxygen found in our rivers freshwater systems. Human activities which can be both positive (cation) and is influenced by stream velocity, substrate, have led to large inputs of phosphorus negative (anion). Anions include chloride, Cedar Creek Subwatershed D+ A A A B- F FAIR A F F and water temperature. Generally speak- into our rivers and lakes. These activities nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate. Conduc- ing, as temperature increases, dissolved include fertilization of lawns and agricul- tivity in streams is naturally affected by oxygen decreases and vice versa. Oxygen tural fields, sewage treatment discharge, geology. Bedrock streams tend to have is essential for every organism’s survival and the addition of phosphorus into our lower conductivity whereas streams pass- East & West Branch Milwaukee in some concentration. Therefore, not water supply as an anti-corrosion inhibi- B- A- A A A- D- FAIR A F A ing through clay soils tend to have higher River Subwatershed only is DO an important water chemistry tor for old, lead pipes. Excess phosphorus conductivity. Human originated dis- parameter, it can be a limiting feature for entering our waterways causes growth charges to streams -- such as discharge aquatic life. of nuisance algae as well as a cascade of of industrial waste (e.g., heavy metals), Warm Stream > 5.0 mg/L water quality problems. Monthly water sewage, or other “charged” contaminants samples are shipped to the State Lab of Cold Stream > 6.0 mg/L such as chloride, phosphate, and nitrate South Branch Milwaukee D A A- A C- F FAIR A F F Hygiene for total phosphorus analysis. -- can raise conductivity. River Subwatershed pH is a measure of the pH LEVEL: Large Streams < 0.1 mg/L 150 – 500 μS/cm* amount of hydrogen (H+) ions in wa- Small Stream <0.075 mg/L ter. pH ranges from 0 to 14 (0 being the *Milwaukee Riverkeeper acknowledges that the current target for conductivity contained in U.S. EPA most acidic, 14 being the most basic) MACROINVERTEBRATES: To grade river guidance is too stringent; however, for consis- MENOMONEE RIVER D- A B+ A D+ F FAIR C+ F F with a value of 7 representing a “neutral” health based on aquatic macroinverte- tency with previous years analysis, the target has WATERSHED solution. Milwaukee River Basin streams brate surveys, Milwaukee Riverkeeper remained the same. Further research needs to be generally run on the basic side of neutral, volunteers use a simple biotic index. This done to determine an appropriate target moving forward. with values typically between 7 or 8 on survey was developed by a group of the pH scale Wisconsin scientists, which is specifically BACTERIA: High bacteria concentrations KINNICKINNIC RIVER D- A A- A C+ F POOR D- F F pH 6 - 9 designed for streams in Wisconsin. Index impact not only stream health, but also WATERSHED score classifications range from Good- public health. Regulatory agencies such TURBIDITY: Turbidity, or water clarity, Fair-Poor. Due to macroinvertebrates as MMSD and WDNR regularly test for fe- affects both the light and energy inputs relative immobility, they provide a good cal coliform and E. coli bacteria in surface available to aquatic ecosystems. Our overall indicator of the health of a certain waters. In 2018, Milwaukee Riverkeeper MILWAUKEE RIVER volunteers measure turbidity using trans- stream segment and tend to be classi- trained a pilot group of volunteers to D+ A B+ A C- F A F F ESTUARY - parency tubes. These are clear, plastic fied per tolerance to a range of oxygen monitor bacteria using a low cost method. tubes that are filled and/or emptied of conditions. Future plans include monitoring bacteria stream water until they reveal a black and “Good” (2.6 – 3.5) in areas outside of MMSD’s service area. white pattern on the bottom of the tube Fecal coliform <200 CFU/100mL NOTE: WDNR and Milwaukee Riverkeeper volunteer baseline data was only analyzed from May – November. MMSD collects data year round. This heavily (similar to a lake secchi disc). A height of CHLORIDE: High chloride concentrations impacted our final chloride and conductivity grades. MMSD only monitors sites in the Menomonee and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds, and the southern portion at least 54.7 cm of stream water in a 120 in rivers and streams are toxic to aquatic E. coli <235 CFU/100mL of the South Branch Milwaukee River Subwatershed. Hence, the grades in the southern half of the Basin are heavily skewed towards MMSD data. Also, grades 31 for the upper half of our Basin had comparatively fewer data points. 32 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Milwaukee, WI Collaborative Office Space Permit #3679 600 E. Greenfield Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53204
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