The Milwaukee
River Watershed drains a diverse region extending from Kettle Moraine
State Forest in its northern headwaters to its mouth at Lake Michigan
in downtown Milwaukee. The watershed encompasses approximately 850 square
miles including portions of Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Ozaukee,
Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. The Watershed includes
six subwatersheds: Milwaukee River North, Milwaukee River East-West,
Milwaukee River South, Menomonee River, Kinniccinic River and Cedar
Creek. A total Watershed population of approximately 1.3 million people
reside in 13 cities and 24 villages.
Early efforts
to alleviate flooding, resulted in many portions of the stream network
being channelized, paved or diverted underground. These modifications
resulted in a marked decline in biological diversity.
To reverse
these effects, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is currently
restoring the meandering flow of the river system and returning natural
flood storage capacity within the watershed, including removal of eight
dams in the last twelve years. The Lincoln Creek Environmental Restoration
and Flood Control Project is one such example were approximately 2,000
homes and businesses were removed from the 100 year (one percent flood
reoccurrence) floodplain by restoring the natural flow regime of this
tributary.
--Adapted
from information provided by the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources.