Milwaukee River Report Card 2012 www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org
Milwaukee River Basin Grade: C-
East and West Branches Milwaukee River The Milwaukee River Basin, consisting of the Milwaukee, Menomonee, Subwatershed
and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds, scored a disappointing (but slightly North Branch improved) overall grade of C- (Fig. 1). The year 2012 was a tumultuous B+ Milwaukee River Subwatershed year in weather, contributing to continued poor grades for several parameters across all watersheds. An early thaw coupled with a wet B Milwaukee River a near halt, if not completely drying up in spots. Low water conditions Watershed led to high turbidity, phosphorus, chloride, conductivity and bacteria concentrations in the Kinnickinnic and Menomonee River watersheds, with these parameters earning seven F’s, one D and two C’s. C
The Milwaukee River Watershed, consisting of the North Branch, East Cedar Creek Subwatershed & West Branch, and South Branch Subwatersheds of the Milwaukee River, and the Cedar Creek Subwatershed, maintained a C average B from 2011. All subwatersheds received A’s for pH, water temperature and dissolved oxygen. Turbidity remained a problem in the South Branch and phosphorus, conductivity, and bacteria received across the Menomonee C- River board D’s and F’s in all Milwaukee River subwatersheds. Watershed Milwaukee River South Subwatershed What Do the Grades Mean? D All water quality indicators meet desired targets 90- 100% of the time. Streams or river segments have A “good” water quality, which are capable of supporting
Most water quality indicators meet desired targets Kinnickinnic C- roughly 80-89% of the time. Quality of these streams River B and river segments tends to be good; most areas are Fig. 1 Watershed
There is a mix of healthy and unhealthy water quality indicators, or indicators are only meeting water quality targets 70-79% of the time. Water quality of these Report card grades for the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers and their tributary streams in 2012. C and aquatic life. Grades are largely based on water quality data collected by Milwaukee Riverkeeper volunteer stream monitors at 100 Few water quality indicators meet desired targets, or sites throughout the Milwaukee River Basin. The Milwaukee only meet water quality targets 60-69% of the time. Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) also collected data at 22 sites in the Menomonee River Watershed, 18 sites in D Water quality and wildlife habitat of these waters the Milwaukee River South Subwatershed, and 8 locations in tends to be poor. the Kinnickinnic River Watershed. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) monitored 16 sites in the Very few or no water quality indicators meet desired Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds. targets. Quality of these streams and river segments is More information on water quality grades and targets for F watershed health can be found on pages 3-5 and on our and aquatic life. website at www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org.
1 Introduction
Dear Friend of the River,
Welcome to our third annual Milwaukee River Report Card. This year’s report card summarizes the 2012 water quality of the Milwaukee River Basin, which includes the Kinnickinnic and Menomonee River Table of Contents Watersheds, in addition to the Milwaukee River Watershed (consisting of the Cedar Creek, East & West Branch, North Branch, and South Branch Subwatersheds). Water quality grades are based on data Basin Grades...... 1 from our dedicated cadre of Milwaukee Riverkeeper citizen stream monitoring volunteers, as well as data from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Introduction...... 2 Sewerage District (MMSD) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). How Do We Grade?...... 3 This annual report card keeps you informed of our progress towards envisioned under the Clean Water Act. It provides a snapshot of the The Big Picture...... 5 health of the river at subwatershed, watershed, and basin levels, as measured by basic water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, Milwaukee Watershed...... 6 temperature, turbidity, pH, and macroinvertebrates (aquatic organisms). This year’s report card also includes data for contaminants such as Kinnickinnic and Menomonee Watersheds..8 bacteria, phosphorus, chloride, and conductivity, which are major Bacteria...... 10 Lastly, the report card provides ideas for what you can do to help improve the water quality of our watersheds. If we are serious about achieving clean water and healthy communities, we must change Turbidity/Transparency...... 12 the way we live on the land. By all working together, we can be the solution to the pollution affecting our waterways! Phosphorus, Chloride/Road Salt...... 14
Sincerely, Conductivity...... 16
.18
What You Can Do...... 19 Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper Joe Rath, Water Quality Specialist
P.S. If you are interested in becoming a citizen stream monitor, please About Us/Contact Us...... 20 contact us!
1845 N. Farwell Ave., Suite 100 Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-287-0207 www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org
2 How Did We Grade Water Quality Parameters?
To determine water quality grades Our citizen water quality monitors collected conductivity data, as well for the Milwaukee River Basin, a use standard, calibrated monitoring as collected water samples that were combination of Milwaukee Riverkeeper equipment to measure DO, water sent to the State Lab of Hygiene volunteer stream monitoring data temperature, and pH on a monthly for chloride and total phosphorus and water quality data from two basis between May and October. analysis. WDNR water quality data for government agencies, WDNR and Volunteers use transparency tubes to 16 sites and MMSD data from 48 sites MMSD, were analyzed. test for turbidity. Most volunteers also was analyzed to supplement volunteer deploy continuous water temperature data. Data collected by Riverkeeper loggers called thermistors, which volunteers was assessed for several record hourly water temperature Below is a description of water quality water quality parameters to determine readings throughout the monitoring parameters assessed for the report grades for this report, including season. Macroinvertebrate data was card, and the targets or goals that dissolved oxygen (DO), water used to assess aquatic ecosystem water quality data was assessed temperature, pH, turbidity (or water health. A subset of volunteers also against to determine health and clarity), and macroinvertebrate life. condition of waterways.
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (DO) maximum standard of 31.7°C. Both aquatic life, and this was used as the instantaneous water temperatures target for stream health. Dissolved oxygen is crucial for aquatic (measured monthly using meters) life. Some streams and steam and continuous water temperatures PHOSPHORUS segments in the Milwaukee River Basin (measured hourly by thermistors) were Phosphorus is an essential nutrient have regulatory variances (per State analyzed against this standard. of Wisconsin Administrative Code) for plants, animals, and aquatic life. allowing DO concentrations as low as pH LEVEL Phosphorus is typically low to absent 2 mg/L, which is suitable only for the in natural freshwater systems. Human pH is a measure of acidity, or the activities have led to large inputs of However, we believe all streams and amount of hydrogen (H+) ions in the phosphorus into our rivers and lakes. stream segments in the Milwaukee water. pH ranges from 0 to 14 (0 being These activities include fertilization of River Basin can reach at least the most acidic, 14 being most basic) with Warm Water Sport Fishery (WWSF) a value of 7 representing a “neutral” discharge; and the addition of concentration of 5 mg/L (most streams solution. Milwaukee River Basin phosphorus into our water supply as in the watershed are designated streams generally run on the basic side an anti-corrosion inhibitor for old, lead WWSF), and this was the target we of neutral, with values typically between pipes. Excess phosphorus entering our used to determine if waterways could 7 or 8 on the pH scale. It is generally waterways causes growth of nuisance accepted that a pH range of 6-9 can algae as well as a cascade of water aquatic life. There are many streams in support a healthy aquatic ecosystem. quality problems (see phosphorus the basin already meeting or capable article on pg. 14). Milwaukee TURBIDITY of meeting cool or cold water standards Riverkeeper advanced volunteers (or Level II) take monthly water samples Turbidity, or water clarity, affects both that are shipped to the State Lab of the light and energy inputs available TEMPERATURE Hygiene for total phosphorus analysis. to aquatic ecosystems. Our volunteers These sample results are assessed measure turbidity using transparency Water temperature also greatly affects against Wisconsin phosphorus tubes; clear, plastic tubes, which are standards, which are generally 0.075 streams and stream segments in the mg/L for smaller streams and 0.1 mg/L until they barely reveal the black and for larger rivers and the Milwaukee white pattern on the bottom of the tube existing or attainable WWSF streams, Estuary. we believe the water temperature (similar to a lake secchi disc). A height target should at least remain below the of at least 54.7 cm of stream water in MACROINVERTEBRATES WWSF continuous water temperature a 120 cm transparency tube indicates a healthy water turbidity acceptable for To assess macroinvertebrates, Continued on next page 3 Water Quality Parameters continued
Milwaukee Riverkeeper volunteers CONDUCTIVITY units/100 milliliter sample) and the EPA use a simple biotic index developed established an E. coli standard of 235 by a group of Wisconsin scientists and Conductivity is a measure of the ability CFU/100 mL (colony forming units/100 of water to pass an electrical current. milliliter sample). The percentage of Conductivity in water is affected by samples meeting these targets was range from Excellent-Good-Fair-Poor. charged particles (ions) which can be used to determine water quality grades Our target for sites in the Milwaukee both positive (cation) and negative for bacteria. (anion). Anions (negative ions) Because macroinvertebrates can’t include chloride, nitrate, sulfate and HUMAN BACTEROIDES phosphate, and positive ions (cations) Historically high levels of bacteria good overall indicator of the health of a include sodium, magnesium, calcium, along stretches of the Menomonee certain reach of stream, and tend to be iron, and aluminum. Conductivity and Kinnickinnic Rivers in Milwaukee in streams is naturally affected by and Wauwatosa led Milwaukee of oxygen conditions geology; for instance bedrock streams tend to have lower conductivity Riverkeeper (along with the School of CHLORIDE whereas streams passing through clay Freshwater Sciences of the University soils tend to have higher conductivity. of Wisconsin - Milwaukee or UWM- High chloride concentrations in Anthropogenic discharges to streams- SFS) to investigate the possibility rivers and streams are toxic to -such as discharge of industrial waste that failing sewer infrastructure was aquatic organisms. Road salt runoff (e.g. heavy metals), sewage, or other the culprit. Sandra McLellan’s Lab at constitutes a large source of chloride. “charged” contaminants such as UWM-SFS has developed techniques Elevated levels of chloride can disrupt chloride, phosphate, and nitrate--can to identify and quantify the presence an organism’s ability to maintain a raise conductivity. A conductivity and concentration of human bacteria natural internal water balance, which reading of 150 - 500 umhos/ in stormwater using a genetic test leads to impaired survival, growth, and/ cm provides for a healthy aquatic called qPCR, which can count DNA or reproduction. The Environmental sequences in a sample that are Protection Agency (EPA) has set an this threshold was used as the target associated with human sewage. After acute chloride standard at 860 mg/L for determining water quality grades and a chronic chloride standard of 230 for this parameter. have found large concentrations of mg/L as targets for healthy streams. human waste entering the Menomonee These levels recognize that high levels BACTERIA and Kinnickinnic Rivers as well as of chloride can be acutely or instantly Honey Creek and Underwood Creek, High bacteria concentrations impact major tributaries to the Menomonee. chloride over a longer period of time not only stream health, but also human We graded the streams based on the or chronic exposure can be just as health. Regulatory agencies such as presence of human waste (percentage toxic (see chloride article on pg. 15 MMSD and WDNR regularly test for of samples testing negative for human for more information). Chloride data fecal coliform and E. coli bacteria. strains of Bacteroides) entering the was assessed against these targets According to State of Wisconsin stream from stormwater outfalls. to determine grades. Grades for acute Recreational Use Standards, fecal and chronic criteria were averaged to coliform levels should never exceed determine an overall grade. 200 CFU/100 mL (colony forming
NOTE: Grades for each water quality parameter are based on the percentage of time that the data points for the monitoring stations in each subwatershed meet our targets relating to overall aquatic ecosystem health. Grades were assigned on a typical percentage basis (90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D and below 60%=F). Overall grades for each subwatershed were determined based on averaging grades for each individual parameter, and the overall watershed grade was determined by averaging the overall grades for each subwatershed. The overall Milwaukee River Basin grade was determined by averaging overall grades for the three watersheds.
4 The Big Picture in 2012
Looking at the individual grades for the water quality parameters that Basin. In order to get a sense of the repellents, fertilizers, pesticides, and we monitor and analyze for each of “big picture” of stream health, we need other toxins are having a major impact on the subwatersheds in the Milwaukee to look not only at basic water quality River Basin, there is cause for some parameters (which tell us if streams can substances are unregulated and do not celebration as well as some alarm. have water quality standards or material Grades for dissolved oxygen, pH, and but also at issues that are not factored safety or disposal criteria associated with temperature continue to be pretty good in into our grading system, such as legacy them. Some of these chemicals have most areas, and these are key indicators contamination levels, emerging pollution concerns, and stream condition. well as to cause hormonal changes that Removal of the North Avenue Dam in 1997, as well as upstream dams such The Milwaukee River Basin is still home male organs, or have other reproductive as the Chair Factory Dam, Woolen to many legacy contaminants that were issues or deformities. Mills Dam, and Lime Kiln Dam on the discharged to the river before the Clean Milwaukee River, have led to large water Water Act was in place, and when Finally, we could have pristine water Milwaukee was considered the “machine quality, but that water could still not shop to the world”. Due to this industrial aquatic life, and improved conditions for history, we still have some high levels of creek is lined with concrete or dams, PCBs (an industrial contaminant), heavy for example. The good news is that metals, and other contaminants in many concrete is currently being removed However, we continue to see subpar of our urban streams. These toxins can from the Menomonee River upstream grades for turbidity (the amount of be present in water, sediment, or tissues of Wisconsin Avenue, downstream of suspended solids or sediment in the of aquatic organisms, where they can 6th Street on the Kinnickinnic River, water), bacteria, phosphorus, and cause deformities and even death. The and there are plans for many more of conductivity/chloride levels. Many of our bad news is that PCBs are still high in these projects in 2014 and beyond. Fish rivers don’t meet acceptable standards portions of Cedar Creek downstream passage impediments are being removed for these pollutants, and are considered from downtown Cedarburg (this is a throughout Ozaukee County, the “impaired”. The good news is that many Federal Superfund site), as well as in Campbellsport Dam is out, and several partners have come together-- from Milwaukee River sediments upstream MMSD, WDNR, and the Southeastern from Estabrook Dam. removed from the lower Menomonee in Wisconsin Watersheds Trust (SWWT), of which we play an active part--to craft The good news is that much of this quality spawning habitats upstream and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for three of our biggest pollutants of addressed. Contaminated sediments concern: bacteria, phosphorus, and total upstream of Estabrook Dam are slated suspended solids. These plans can be and swimmable rivers depends on thought of as pollution diets that establish levels of PCB-contaminated sediments improving our water quality, addressing loading reductions for entities discharging have already been removed from the legacy contaminants and emerging these pollutants to ensure our impaired Blatz Pavilion area of the Milwaukee chemical challenges, and rehabilitating streams can eventually achieve water River (2008), Kinnickinnic River (2009), many of our urban rivers through actions and Lincoln Creek and portions of the such as concrete removal, removal of and aquatic life, as well as a variety of Milwaukee River in Lincoln Park (2011). recreational uses. These TMDLs should Likewise, contaminated sediments ecological function in the stream. There be complete in early 2014, and we will containing PAHs (a petroleum byproduct) is still a lot of work ahead, and it can be create an Implementation Plan to ensure and copper were removed from the daunting. But as AA Milne (of Winnie that these reductions are achieved. Burnham Canal in 2012, and removal of the Pooh fame) states “Rivers know PAH contaminated sediments from the this: there is no hurry, we shall get there It’s also important to understand that someday.” even if all of the water quality parameters 2010 after 37 years as a Superfund site. that we monitor came back as “straight A’s” on our report card, there could still There is also increasingly more be barriers for meeting our swimmable, information that pharmaceuticals and personal care products, industrial
5 How Healthy is the Milwaukee River & its Tributaries?
Our 2012 water quality data analysis Creek and the Milwaukee River conductivity, and chloride routinely results from the Milwaukee River receiving failing grades, we hope to Watershed are in! As much as we’d like parameters which have scored well in investigate these parameters more in to say, “we win!,” unfortunately the best the past (dissolved oxygen, pH and depth and with a greater geographic we can say is, “we’re holding steady.” water temperature) continue to fare distribution in the future. Currently, the The Milwaukee River Watershed well, and those parameters which have Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage earned an overall grade of “B-” in 2010. done poorly (turbidity in some areas, District monitors for conductivity and In 2011, we added additional data conductivity, chloride, phosphorus, bacteria, but only in their service area parameters (conductivity/chlorides, bacteria, and macroinvertebrates) which falls in the Milwaukee River phosphorus, and bacteria), which continue to do poorly (Fig. 2). South Subwatershed. brought the overall grade down to a “C.” In 2012, the watershed showed Volunteer monitor data, which serves With regulatory agencies not no overall improvement, retaining our as the backbone of this report card, monitoring these pollutants, Milwaukee average “C” grade. currently focuses on the favorable Riverkeeper continues to strive for parameters, with the exception of available funds that will enable us to After 3 years of analyzing water quality turbidity. A large subset of volunteers continue to monitor these troubling for the Milwaukee River Watershed also measure phosphorus, and a parameters: bacteria (especially and it’s subwatersheds, the North few have participated in conductivity/ human bacteroides); phosphorus; and Branch Milwaukee River, East & West chloride monitoring during the winter conductivity and chloride linked to road Branches Milwaukee River, Cedar road salt season. With phosphorus, salt.
Instantaneous Continuous Water Subwatershed Year DO pH Turbidity Water Temperature Phosphorus Conductivity Chloride Bacteria Temperature (Thermistors) 2012 93.0% 99.5% 59.4% 100.0% 99.8% 30.0% 5.3% 55.6% 68.5% A- A F A A F F F D+ Milwaukee 2011 97.4% 100.0% 67.0% 100.0% 99.0% 40.0% 7.5% 89.7% 53.1% River South A A D+ A A F F B+ F 2010 96.0% 99.0% 67.0% 99.0% 99.9% 10.0% 48.0% A A D+ A A F F
2012 100.0% 100.0% 87.9% 100.0% 100.0% 50.0% 0.0% A A B+ A A F F North Branch 2011 70.0% 100.0% 85.0% 100.0% 99.0% 38.9% 0.0% Milwaukee C- A B A A F F 2010 64.7% 100.0% 76.5% 100.0% 100.0% D A C A A
2012 90.0% 100.0% 83.3% 100.0% 100.0% 62.1% 0.0% A- A B A A D- F 2011 94.9% 100.0% 93.9% 94.9% 99.8% 62.5% 4.8% 100.0% Cedar Creek A A A A A D- F A 2010 95.0% 100.0% 92.5% 100.0% 99.8% A A A- A A
2012 98.1% 98.0% 92.2% 100.0% 99.7% 58.5% 0.0% A A A- A A F F East & West 2011 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 46.2% 0.0% Branches A A A A A F F 2010 100.0% 100.0% 91.7% 100.0% A A A- A Fig. 2 Three year comparison of water quality grades in the Milwaukee River Watershed. Numbers displayed are the % of monitoring data meeting water quality goals. Parameters measured by volunteer stream monitors, with supplemental bacteria and conductivity data provided by MMSD.
6 2012 Milwaukee River Subwatershed Water Quality Grades by Parameter
# Sheboygan Fond du Lac North Branch Milwaukee County # County # Overall Grade = B * Dissolved Oxygen Grade =A # (N = 33 values, 100% Values Meet Target) # # pH Dodge B+ # Grade =A County (N = 29 values, 100% Values Meet Target) Turbidity ## Grade =B+ East and West Branches # B (N = 33 values, 87.9% Values Meet Target) Overall Grade = B+ # Instantaneous Water Temp Grade =A # # (N = 33 values, 100% Values Meet Target) Dissolved Oxygen ##*# Ozaukee Grade =A County Continuous Water Temp (N = 54 values, 98.1% Values Meet Target) ### Grade =A pH *# (N = 17098 values, 100% Values Meet Target) Grade =A # Conductivity (N = 53 values, 94.3% Values Meet Target) # * Grade =F # (N = 1 values, 0% Values Meet Target) Turbidity # # Grade =A- # # Phosphorus (N = 51 values, 92.2% Values Meet Target) # # # # Grade =F Instantaneous Water Temp # # # (N = 38 values, 50% Values Meet Target) Grade =A # # (N =53 values, 100% Values Meet Target) # Continuous Water Temp Washington B # Lake Grade =A County Michigan (N =28463 values, 99.8% Values Meet Target) ## # Conductivity ## Grade =F Milwaukee River South (N = 3 values, 0% Values Meet Target) # *# ## Phosphorus Overall #C-## Overall Grade = C- Grade =F ####*## (N = 41 values, 58.5% Values Meet Target) Watershed # # Dissolved Oxygen # * Grade =A- Grade # ### (N = 440 values, 93% Values Meet Target) Cedar Creek Waukesha ### ## pH County # *#* Grade =A Overall Grade = B C #*# (N = 439 values, 99.5% Values Meet Target) Dissolved Oxygen ### Turbidity Grade =A- # Grade =F # (N = 438 values, 59.4% Values Meet Target) (N = 30 values, 90% Values Meet Target) Macroinvertebrates for the ## pH Milwaukee River Watershed Instantaneous Water Temp Grade =A (Citizen Monitoring Biotic Index) Grade =A (N = 30 values, 100% Values Meet Target) (N = 471 values, 100% Values Meet Target) Grade = F Turbidity Continuous Water Temp (14 of 24 values fail to meet Grade =B Grade =A (N = 30 values, 83.3% Values Meet Target) "good" classification) (N = 65686 values, 99.8% Values Meet Target)
Instantaneous Water Temp Chloride Grade =A # MRK Monitoring Location Grade =F (N =18 values, 55.6% Values Meet Target) (N = 34 values, 100% Values Meet Target) * MRK Macroinvertebrate Sampling Location Continuous Water Temp # WDNR Monitoring Location Milwaukee Conductivity Grade =A # MMSD Monitoring Location County Grade =F (N = 11409 values, 100% Values Meet Target) (N = 339 values, 5.3% Values Meet Target) Stream Conductivity Subwatershed Phosphorus Grade =F Grade =F County Boundary (N = 6 values, 0% Values Meet Target) (N = 80 values, 30% Values Meet Target) Lake Michigan Phosphorus Bacteria Grade =D- 0 2.5 5 10 Grade =D+ (N = 29 values, 62.1% Values Meet Target) Miles ± (N = 292 values, 68.5% Values Meet Target)
Fig. 3
7 Health of Kinnickinnic & Menomonee Rivers
The Kinnickinnic River and Turbidity, phosphorus and chloride/ Milwaukee Riverkeeper along with Menomonee River Watersheds are conductivity also remain a problem. our partners at Southeast Wisconsin once again plagued by poor water As in the Milwaukee River South Watershed Trust are proactively quality. 2012 was the second year that Subwatershed, we suspect stormwater working with municipalities and we analyzed water quality in these two runoff to be the main culprit in regulatory agencies to establish Total heavily urbanized and suburbanized increased turbidity, with sediments and Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for all watersheds for the report card. Even debris being swept from the land to of Milwaukee’s watersheds. A TMDL allowing for excellent marks in pH and the storm sewers and directly into the is an allocation for allowable pollutant water temperature, and slightly above streams. In addition, massive stream levels released from municipalities and average marks in dissolved oxygen, other dischargers. The intention is that there were a resounding 9 failing water levels rising quickly (also known using a watershed-wide approach to grades leading to overall grades of implementing TMDLs will prove more C- for the Kinnickinnic River Watershed massive amounts of sediment from effective in ratcheting down and/or and a D for the Menomonee River stream banks. Examples of this are eliminating certain pollutants from our Watershed in 2012 (Figs. 4, 5). widespread across our watersheds and impaired streams. one only needs to visit the Kinnickinnic Bacteria continues to be a major River Parkway between 47th and 60th Another Milwaukee Riverkeeper issue. MMSD monitors E. coli and streets to observe the horrible impacts project started in 2012 should also fecal coliform bacteria, which could of erosion. help to improve water quality and be sourced to either human or other aquatic connectivity in the Menomonee animal waste. Milwaukee Riverkeeper High loads of phosphorus and road salt River Watershed - the Fish Passage has taken it a step further by working are also found in stormwater runoff and Impediment Project. Milwaukee with Dr. Sandra McLellan at the UWM have been an issue in our more urban Riverkeeper staff and volunteers School of Freshwater Sciences, who watersheds. Milwaukee Riverkeeper walked miles of streams including the has developed a technique to identify has tested for both chloride and Menomonee River, Little Menomonee conductivity, the latter can be used River, Little Menomonee Creek, Nor- High levels of human bacteria concern as a suitable substitute for chloride X-Way Channel, Dretzka Park Creek, us due to the likely presence of viruses when a relationship or correlation Butler Creek, and Lily Creek, searching and pathogens more dangerous to curve has been established. MMSD human health, and also indicate that measures conductivity as well and they The next stage will be to secure we have issues with sanitary sewage funding to remove and remediate contaminating our stormwater. Please guidelines for a freshwater stream. the most severe barriers in order to see our section on bacteria in this year’s report card for more information hopefully improve overall water quality. (page 10).
Continuous Instantaneous Water Subwatershed Year DO pH Turbidity Water Phosphorus Conductivity Chloride Bacteria Temperature Temperature (Thermistors) 2012 82.6% 98.5% 64.2% 100.0% 98.6% 42.1% 27.0% 0.0% 49.6% Kinnickinnic B- A D A A F F F F River 2011 76.7% 100.0% 51.4% 100.0% 100.0% 77.8% 12.6% 35.7% 34.9% C+ A F A A C+ F F F
2012 84.5% 99.7% 70.1% 100.0% 99.8% 36.9% 2.8% 75.0% 44.3% Menomonee B A C- A A F F C F River 2011 93.8% 100.0% 53.2% 100.0% 100.0% 42.0% 5.2% 65.8% 39.6% A A F A A F F F F Fig. 4 Two year comparison of water quality grades for the Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers. Numbers displayed are the % of monitoring data meeting water quality goals. Parameters measured by volunteer stream monitors, with supplemental bacteria and conductivity data provided by MMSD, and human bacteria data provided by Milwaukee Riverkeeper, MMSD and UWM-SFS.
8 2012 Menomonee and KK River Watersheds Water Quality Grades
Washington Menomonee River Kinnickinnic River County Overall Grade = D Overall Grade = C - Ozaukee County Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen Grade =B Grade =B-
(N = 394 values, 84.5% Values Meet Target) (N = 201 values, 82.6% Values Meet Target) k
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e r D(! # Grade =A Grade =A #(! (N = 41651 values, 99.8% Values Meet Target) (N = 10946 values, 98.6% Values Meet Target) #(! # # Chloride Chloride (! Grade =C Grade =F #(! (N = 12 values, 75% Values Meet Target) (N = 2 values, 0% Values Meet Target) Conductivity Conductivity Waukesha County # Grade =F Grade =F (!# (N = 359 values, 2.8% Values Meet Target) (N = 159 values, 27% Values Meet Target) # Phosphorus Phosphorus * Grade =F Grade =F #(! M (N = 65 values, 36.9% Values Meet Target) (N = 38 values, 42.1% Values Meet Target) en o #(! m o n Bacteria Bacteria D e # e R Grade =F Grade =F
i # v U e (N = 537 values, 44.3% Values Meet Target) (N = 127 values, 49.6% Values Meet Target) # n r d *#(! # e r w k # * # e o r e o C #(! d #* *# # ##(! *#(! #(! # # # #
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o ic R H nn (! icki # ##(! K inn #(! # # # #(! KK W i River ls o n Watershed #(! #(! P # #(! ark Cre *# ek Milwaukee C- County # MRK Monitoring Location * MRK Macroinvertebrate Sampling Location !( MRK Phosphorus-only Monitoring Location # WDNR Monitoring Location # # MMSD Monitoring Location Menomonee River Watershed KK River Watershed Stream Macroinvertebrates Macroinvertebrates Subwatershed (Citizen Monitoring Biotic Index) (Citizen Monitoring Biotic Index) County Boundary # Lake Michigan Grade = F No Data 0 1 2 4 (4 of 8 values fail to me#et Miles ± "good" classification)
Fig. 5
9 Spotlight: Bacteria and Human Bacteroides Do You Like to Swim, Paddle, or Drink Water? If Yes, Bacteria Levels Matter!
2008-2012 Menomonee River Watershed Since 2008, Milwaukee Riverkeeper Human Bacteroides Sample Results has partnered with Sandra McLellan at 50 UWM-SFS to identify unknown sources 45 of human bacteria to area waterways. We
40 completed our initial stormwater monitoring goals for the Menomonee River Watershed 35 focus area in 2012 (Fig. 6), collecting up 30 to 4 samples for each stormwater outfall ach rangeach
e on 10.5 miles of the Menomonee River, 25
les les in Honey Creek, and Underwood Creek. We mp 20 collected 3 samples during rain events
# of sa 15 weather, we collected a fourth. Why do 10 5 no rain? Unfortunately, a large portion of Bacteria Counts 0 our sanitary and stormwater sewers are (Copy Number / 100 mL) Honey Creek Menomonee River Underwood Creek Watershed Low (CN < 1,000) 16 4 20 40 aging and in disrepair, hence leaks and Medium (CN 1,000 - 10,000) 9 6 13 28 High (CN > 10,000) 1 25 9 35 cross-mixing occur. When stormwater Total Samples 26 35 42 103 Fig. 6 Chart shows # of samples testing positive for human bacteroides in each range for the Menomonee River and its tributaries Honey Creek & Underwood Creek, and the wastewater discharge from industry. watershed as a whole. However, a more serious explanation may be at play--cross-contamination from sanitary sewers. 2012 Kinnickinnic River Watershed Human Bacteroides Sample Results We remain greatly concerned about the 10 amount of human waste entering our 9 streams through stormwater conveyance. More than 1/3 of our outfall samples 8 (where the storm sewer dumps directly 7 into the stream) contain medium to high
6 amounts of human bacteria. It should be noted that the results for the Menomonee 5 River samples are a bit skewed, as they 4 include detailed investigations of an area
# of # samples in eachrange 3 with strongly suspected sanitary sewage contamination; needless to say, the results 2 proved our suspicions that bacteria was 1 entering our rivers through stormwater
Bacteria Counts 0 conveyance systems! (Copy Number / 100 mL) Kinnickinnic River Wilson Park Creek Watershed Low (CN < 1,000) 2 5 7 Medium (CN 1,000 - 10,000) 0 4 4 Milwaukee Riverkeeper staff also surveyed High (CN > 10,000) 1 2 3 Total Samples 3 11 14 large portions of the Kinnickinnic River Fig. 7 Chart shows # of samples testing positive for human bacteroides in each range for streams in the Kinnickinnic River Watershed and for the watershed as a whole. Park Creek had several, with roughly
10 Milwaukee Stormwater OutfaMlilwsa u&ke eHistoric Urban GMirlwoawuktehe : Highest Recorded Human Bacteroides / Outfall
Human Bacteroides Historic Urban (! High Count (2012) Growth (CN / 100 mL) Other (! Milwaukee 0 - 1,000 1850 - 1899 River South ! 1,000 - 10,000 ek Watershed r 1900-1919 re (! ive C (!(! R 10,000 - 100,000 e 1920-1939 d (! e o (!(! k 100,000 - 1,000,000 o (! u 1940-1949 (! a w
r w over 1 million (!(! il e (! (! 1950-1959 (! (! (! M d (!(!(! U n (! Wauwatosa Municipal Boundary 1960-1969 (! k (! e (! (! (! (! Watershed Boundary 1970-1979 e(! r (! Stream C (! (! 1980-1989 y (! Street (! e (! Menomonee River 1990-1999 n (! Lake Michigan Menomonee o (! H 2000- River (! (! Watershed 0 0.3 0.6 1.2 ± Miles
West Allis
ver Ri ic (!(! n kin Kinnic (! Kinnickinnic (! River (! Watershed
Wil St. Francis so n P H ar o Greenfield k C n ree e k y Edgerton Ditch Creek Cudahy (! Oak Creek (! Watershed Fig. 8 half of them containing medium to for each stormwater outfall. darker the symbol, the greater the high amounts of human bacteria. amount of human bacteroides found. When considering “wet weather” The map above (Fig 8) depicts Unfortunately, for 2012 data alone, samples from the Kinnickinnic River stormwater outfalls compared to we have found samples with over Watershed, 50% ranked in the historic urban growth. The growth 100,000 counts of human bacteroides medium or high range for human layer helps us to determine how much on four different stream reaches, bacteria. aging infrastructure plays a role in two each for the Menomonee and sewer systems with high levels of Kinnickinnic River Watersheds. Milwaukee Riverkeeper will expand human bacteria. While we do see our bacteria monitoring efforts in the a strong correlation, historic urban MMSD tests for E. coli and fecal Kinnickinnic River Watershed for growth is not the only indicator. coliform, which can be either human 2013 (weather and rain permitting) or animal waste. When looking at all so as to gain a fuller picture of the Results depict samples collected of their bacteria data, only 68.5%, sanitary sewage contamination in from outfalls between 2008 and 2012, 44.3%, and 49.6% met standards this watershed. We will employ the with the highest recorded bacteria for the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and same regime of collecting 3 rain event levels for each outfall shown in Kinnickinnic Rivers, respectively. samples and one dry weather sample graduated symbols. The larger and
11 Turbidity/Transparency/Water Clarity: No Matter What You Call It, It’s a Problem for Our Basin!
Turbidity, transparency, and water dissolved oxygen essential for aquatic species, lose their advantage when clarity are all terms that describe the life. Turbid water also hinders the visibility is impaired. amount of suspended material in sunlight’s ability to penetrate the water a body of water such as a stream. column, lessening the ability of aquatic Milwaukee Riverkeeper volunteer Increased turbidity not only indicates vegetation to undergo photosynthesis, monitors use a transparency tube poor and degrading land use, it also a process which contributes dissolved to measure water quality. The tubes leads to poorer conditions for both oxygen to the stream ecosystem. are clear plastic with a metric (cm) aquatic organisms and the stream Eventually, the suspended sediment measuring tape running along the itself. causing the turbidity will settle out side and a black and white disc at on the stream bottom, covering the bottom, alternating colors in 4 Poor tilling practices on farmland, small rocks and other spaces that poor buffer management in riparian house macroinvertebrates, the small completely with stream water, then environments, dirty streets, and high organisms that compose an integral slowly release the water through a levels of erosion all contribute to lower link of the aquatic food chain. valve and hose connected near the increased turbidity in our streams bottom of the tube. As the water drains through erosion and stormwater runoff. Turbidity also affects individual from the tube, the monitor peers organisms directly. Sediments can straight down into the tube and stops Generally, as turbidity increases, the release of water when they can water temperature rises, which in turn see a distinction between black and leaves the stream less capable to store white on the disk. MMSD uses more
Fig. 9
12 2012 Turbidity Results by Watershed / Subwatershed % Samples Meeting Standard 100
90
80
70
60
50
40
% Samples meeting standard 30
20
10
0 E&W Br Milw Riv NB Milw Riv Cedar Creek Milw Riv S KK Riv Wtshd Men Riv Wtshd
F D C B A Pct Meet Standard
Fig. 10 sophisticated (and much more expensive) equipment to measure transparency in units Milwaukee River Turbidity by Subwatershed of Nephelometric Turbidity (NTU). Volunteer 2010 - 2012 monitors can do a simple conversion from their 100 readings in cm to those of NTU’s for a useful comparison. 90 80
The Milwaukee River Basin as a whole 70
struggles with turbid waters (Figs. 9, 10, 11). tandard S 60
The northern subwatersheds fare a bit better, with the North Branch improving from a C 50 in 2010 to a B in 2011 to a B+ in 2012, and 40 the East & West Branches maintaining an % Samples Achiev 30 A/A- grade the past 3 years. Cedar Creek 20 dropped from an A to a B from 2011 to 2012. The Milwaukee River South had the worst 10 0 readings dropping from a D+ in 2011 to an F E&W Branches N Branch Cedar Creek Milwaukee River South in 2012 with samples meeting the standard 2010 92 76.5 92.5 67 2011 100 85 94 67 only 59.4% of the time. The Menomonee and 2012 92.2 87.9 83.3 59.4 Kinnickinnic Watersheds fared no better, though each improved from F’s in 2011 to a C- and D, Fig. 11 respectively in 2012. See the “What You Can Do” section for tips on helping address this major issue in our watershed!
13 Nutrients: Aren’t They Supposed to Be Good For Us? Phosphorus
While the ingestion of certain Watershed Phosphorus Compliance Comparison nutrients is critical for human health, 2011 - 2012 overloading our local streams with 90.0% excess nutrients is another matter. 80.0% As you may have noticed from our watershed grades for 2012, 70.0%
phosphorus once again did very poorly in our water quality analysis, 60.0%
with 5 F’s and a D-. Phosphorus 50.0% results for 2012 managed to be even worse than 2011, which 40.0%
actually saw 4 F’s, a D, and a C 30.0% (Figs. 12, 13). % Samples Meeting Standard 20.0% Once again, the culprit is stormwater and increased alteration 10.0% of natural environments. Urban 0.0% Milw River Menomonee stormwater loads local sewer Cedar Creek E&W Branch North Branch KK River South River systems with leaves and other % Meet Stndrd 2011 57.0% 60.0% 39.0% 47.0% 78.0% 42.0% phosphorus-containing plant debris, % Meet Stndrd 2012 63.0% 57.5% 47.4% 29.3% 43.2% 36.4% residual fertilizers, and animal Fig. 12 additives to our drinking water, waste. Rural areas supporting which prevent corrosion of lead agriculture also contribute contribute fertilizers, manure and soil itself to phosphorus runoff from poor area streams. Other sources of phosphorus pipes. in our local waterways include detergents and management techniques and lack As mentioned in previous report of riparian buffers, which can both cards, excessive phosphorus leads to several problems for aquatic 2012 Monthly Phosphorus Compliance organisms, especially in streams by Watershed / Subwatershed with warmer waters, concrete 120% Such stream conditions, with the 100% addition of excess phosphorus, often accelerate and foster the 80% growth of algae blooms, which
60% are not only unsightly but can also 40% closings. % Samples in Compliance
20% What can you do to help? Farmers can take more care in applying
0% fertilizers and manure, and create E & W Branch North Branch South Branch Menomonee Cedar Creek Kinnickinnic River Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee River and better manage buffers along May 100% 71% 33% 38% 50% 53% streams and ditches. Homeowners June 60% 29% 33% 8% 33% 8% can use non-phosphorus fertilizers, July 20% 29% 33% 0% 43% 0% August 75% 43% 50% 23% 29% 38% and remove leaves and other September 50% 100% 40% 55% 57% 46% debris from street gutters and storm October 50% 86% 100% 50% 75% 70% grates. Fig. 13
14 Chloride and Road Salt
Chlorides, aka salts, are another 2012 Milwaukee River Basin Chloride Results essential compound for human life. 3000 Too much salt in one’s diet can lead to 2730 2450 health issues. Likewise, too much salt 2500 in our waters can harm the health of our streams. The culprit? Road salt, and to 2000 a lesser extent the water softeners used 1480 to treat hard drinking water. 1500 1140 Chloride levels can impact aquatic 1000
life in two major ways, chronically and ChlorideConcentrations (mg/L) acutely. Acute levels of chloride have 448 484 500 410 374 275 221 193 109 128 97.3 123 131 organisms instantly, whereas chronic 0 levels over a longer period of time can have the same effect.
For the third winter in a row, Milwaukee Riverkeeper monitored the effects of road salt at various locations in the Chloride Result EPA Acute Std (860 mg/L) EPA Chronic Std (230 mg/L) metro Milwaukee area. Our monitoring Fig. 14 consists of collecting samples to have chloride issues, as concentrations analyze for chloride, and measuring Figure 14 includes samples taken in 2012, which includes two road salt are diluted due to a greater volume conductivity, which research has shown of water. The suburban streams (Lily, to correlate well to chloride levels when application seasons, January - March and October - November. We can Willow, and Ulao Creeks and the Little assessing the impact of road salt. This Menomonee River), while less in chloride year, chloride samples were collected see that the more urban and smaller streams, the Kinnickinnic River and concentration, are vulnerable to chronic only at sites lacking an adequate levels of salt. number of samples to establish a Lincoln Creek, have serious issues correlation curve with conductivity. with chloride whereas the urban Figure 15 depicts the urban, concrete- Conductivity was measured at all sites. Milwaukee River location does not lined, Kinnickinnic River, with samples taken throughout the year, from 2011 Kinnickinnic River @ 11th St Chloride Results - 2013. When observing the sample 2011 - 2013 date and related chloride concentration, 4890 5000 one notices the trend very easily; late 4500 spring, summer and early fall have fairly
4000 consistent concentrations (which usually exceed standards for chronic toxicity for 3500 3170 wildlife), but as soon as road salt season 3000 arrives, the concentrations leap into 2450 2500 acute levels of toxicity. 2080 2000 1710 As we noted earlier in the report card,
ChlorideConcentration (mg/L) 1500 even though we may have average to
1000 excellent grades for dissolved oxygen, EPA Acute 525 546 pH, and water temperature, having 500 316 309 307 toxic chloride levels could negate these 0 EPA Chronic positive conditions for aquatic life, prohibiting healthy populations of aquatic life in our local streams. Chloride Lab Results EPA Acute Std (860 mg/L) EPA Chronic Std (230 mg/L) Fig. 15 So please, season lightly this winter!
15 Spotlight: Conductivity, It’s Electric!
Conductivity measures the ability besides the realization that chlorides high side of average, with absolutely of water to conduct electricity. and conductivity are having a none of them falling in the optimal Many charged pollutants have this seriously deleterious impact on our 150 - 500 uhmos/cm range. capability, and in our local streams local waterways, changing them it tends to be metals and salts, both from freshwater to quasi-marine Figure 16 compares monitoring naturally occurring as well as those environments for large portions locations for upstream and contributed by humans. of the winter, was that there is a downstream locations on the strong correlation between chloride mainstem Milwaukee River as well Unfortunately, our local streams and conductivity in our streams. as for smaller tributary streams of have a legacy of heavy metal Hence, conductivity may be used the Milwaukee. As we saw in our pollution (no, not AC/DC or Led as a dependable surrogate when chloride results, a few major trends Zeppelin) that can be traced back measuring the impact of road salt exist. Tributary streams exhibit a to the industrial juggernaut that on our local streams, and serves as more dynamic variation throughout once was Milwaukee, whereas a less expensive alternative. the year and have overall higher nutrient pollution in the form of readings of conductivity, most phosphorus and chloride appear to Studies show that the optimal range be increasing each year. for a healthy aquatic ecosystem is volume. In addition, all three stream 150 - 500 uhmos/cm; none of our categories show three basic trends: Beginning in the winter of 2010- locations achieved that range, with spikes during the road salt season; 2011, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, in values much higher. An average a major dip during the spring when conjunction with UW-Extension, range for rivers in the US is 50 - streams are swollen from rainfall; USGS and the WDNR, began 1500 uhmos/cm. and increasing conductivity in the monitoring chlorides and summer and early fall due to lower conductivity in Milwaukee metro Milwaukee area streams tend to area streams. One major outcome, have conductivity readings on the winter spike.
Upstream / Downstream Conductivity Comparisons Milwaukee River Monitoring Locations - 2012 2000 * Jan = 4055 Feb = 2470 1800 Apr = 2028
1600
1400 )
1200
1000 1000 800 Conductivity (uhmos/cm 600 500
400
200 200 150 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Aquatic Life Optimum (150 - 500 uhmos/cm) USA Stream Norm (200 - 1000 uhmos/cm) Milwaukee River Upstream Sites Milwaukee River Downstream Sites * Milwaukee River Tributaries Fig. 16 Comparing monthly conductivity readings for three categories of monitoring locations: upstream and downstream locations on the Milwaukee River main stem and Milwaukee River tributary streams. 16 2012 Monthly Conductivity - Milwaukee River Downstream Sites Fig. 17 Milwaukee River downstream 1400 conductivity monitoring locations. Downstream sites tend to have a 1200 which at times can dilute pollutant concentrations. In this case, conductivity readings followed a
1000 somewhat seasonal progression, with higher readings in the later winter - early spring, no doubt linked 800 to road salting and melting spring runoff saturated with road salt. Late 600 summer and early fall saw levels 500 uhmos/cm spike moderately, most likely due to Conductivity Conductivity (uhmos/cm) lower water volumes increasing the 400 Optimal Aquatic Life Conductivity Range concentration of contaminants. No (150 - 500 uhmos/cm) recorded values for these sites met the optimal range for conductivity, 150 uhmos/cm 200 with all values falling above the upper limit.
0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Milw Riv @ North Ave Milw Riv @ Walnut St Milw Riv @ Wells St Milw Riv @ Water St
2012 Monthly Conductivity - Milwaukee River Upstream Sites Fig. 18 Milwaukee River upstream 1400 conductivity monitoring sites show an even stronger relationship relating to seasonality and stream 1200 spring spikes at the beginning of the 1000 year, followed by a dip mid-spring A more gradual increase ensues 800 as summer gives way to fall and water levels gradually recede. Interestingly, water volume may be 600 500 uhmos/cm
the main factor affecting these sites (uhmos/cm)Conductivity with swollen spring streams diluting 400 the conductivity temporarily before Optimal Aquatic Life Conductivity Range they return to their characteristic (150 - 500 uhmos/cm) annual levels. 200 150 uhmos/cm
0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Milw Riv @ Pioneer Rd Milw Riv @ Brwn Deer Rd Milw Riv @ Silv Spr Rd Milw Riv @ N Pt Wash Rd
17 Volunteer Monitor Spotlight
Milwaukee Riverkeeper is grateful to the more than 250 citizens who have actively participated in our volunteer stream monitoring programs since 2006. Two groups of current monitors are highlighted below. Matt & Angela
Matt & Angela Wolter began Level 1 waterways.” Angela initially became aware river cleanups, staffed our educational stream monitoring in the spring of 2012. of the program through her husband Matt: table at local events, participated in a local We set them up to monitor a pretty little “Matt was interested in pursuing stream morning tv shoot about water quality, and creek earlier in the spring ... a week or so monitoring and I thought it would be an took some beautiful pictures at our annual later we got a message that they could activity we could share together without bash this fall. They make a great team knowing what I was getting myself into.” and a great contribution to our monitoring didn’t help Matt & Angela’s data collection, network! it did teach us something new about that Matt’s passion for angling and his “itch to particular intermittent stream. Undeterred, get outside on a monthly basis” (Matt’s Thanks Matt & Angela! Matt & Angela agreed to stray a bit quite often in “the lab” conducting public further from home to take over a different health research at UWM School of monitoring location. Freshwater Sciences) led to his interest in volunteer stream monitoring. Matt In 2013, they immediately jumped at the also feels that “Not only is the volunteer chance to move up to Level 2 monitoring, work educational, but I get a sense of and even took on an additional monitoring satisfaction when I see that I made a site. Angela, a self-described novice positive difference on the community.” regarding water quality said, “I prove that In addition to volunteer stream monitoring, become involved and help out our local Matt & Angela have participated in several Team KK
Bill and Sheila Isakson, Christine and enthusiasm to the table. a lot of talking about water issues, it Rundblad, and Brian Breider were four Brian hopes his efforts to improve is now time for us to DO something!” disparate strangers at our 2010 spring water quality in his neighborhood will Their interactions with the river stretch training (ok, there is one couple in the inform others about respecting “the back to their kids youth, “Our children bunch and they all hail from Bayview, unique environment we have here in but they didn’t know it at the time) the Great Lakes region and [inspire] who took it upon themselves to team work to improve and protect it.” the KK River are now very polluted... Our monitoring can provide data to Kinnickinnic River Watershed. Four Christine likewise strives to improve help.” We obviously concur. her surroundings, “I love the message years later, they are still together and Thanks Team KK! have become good friends; we call that [Milwaukee] Riverkeeper is them “Team KK!” about making rivers swimmable and Brian learned about stream monitoring water that I can’t jump into.” She goes training after attending a river cleanup. on to note, “I like that it [Milwaukee Christine found herself cheering Riverkeeper] looks at the water up- on Milwaukee Riverkeeper from a newspaper story and then noticed the direct evidence, and is willing to both mention of stream monitoring training. cooperate (and sue if necessary) to Bill & Sheila just showed up to cause achieve results. Go Riverkeeper!” trouble (kidding, of course). Bill & Sheila both have strong backgrounds Sheila and Bill, both trained in the sciences and bring experience biologists, began monitoring upon retirement, realizing “we have done
If you are interested in joining Team KK & the Wolters as volunteer water quality monitors, please contact Milwaukee Riverkeeper. We hold trainings for Level 1 and Level 2 monitors each spring in late April or early May. For more information, see our website at www. milwaukeeriverkeeper.org, or contact Joe Rath at [email protected] or call 414-287-0209.
18 What YOU Can Do
Below are some easy things you can do to help restore the health of the Milwaukee River Basin. Thank you for your help and support!
Reduce erosion and sediment entering the rivers 1) Adopt a River -- keep an eye on a section of river near you. Contact us to learn how.
2) Educate and participate in land stewardship activities such as tree planting and invasive species removal.
3) Report potential sources of pollution from construction sites or stormwater outfalls, eroding areas, and other problems to Milwaukee Riverkeeper at 414-287-0207 or to the WDNR at 1-800-TIP-WDNR.
Reduce nutrients and polluted runoff 1) Prevent stormwater runoff by catching and encouraging cisterns, and planting of native vegetation.
2) Pick up after pets -- pet waste is a major source of bacteria to our rivers.
3) Use water wisely both inside and outside the home. Minimize use of water during heavy rain storms to reduce stress on local sewers and protect rivers from sewage
4) Minimize or eliminate use of fertilizers and pesticides on your property.
5) Reduce or eliminate your use of salt on paved surfaces.
Stay engaged and help inform and educate others
1) Stay up-to-date on current issues affecting water quality and wildlife habitat. Sign up for Riverkeeper News.
them know that the health of the rivers and Lake Michigan is important to you.
3) Become involved in river cleanups, volunteer water quality monitoring, and other community events to protect our rivers and the land that drains to them.
19 Milwaukee River Report Card 2012
Our Mission Milwaukee Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect water quality and wildlife habitat in the river corridors and to advocate for sound land use in the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper serves as an advocate and voice for the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers. Our core programming involves patrolling, 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. Milwaukee Riverkeeper is a licensed member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international coalition
dedicated to clean water and healthy communities.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE RETURN
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