Kletzsch Dam Fish Passage

Project Overview

Fish passage on the Milwaukee River at the Kletzsch Dam is critical for native fish, such as northern pike and lake sturgeon, to reach higher-quality spawning and nursery habitat in the upper reaches of the Milwaukee River. These native fish are weak jumpers and unable to move past the dam to complete their travels upstream to spawn. When man-made barriers like dams prohibit or delay fish movement in our waterways, fish passage facilities can be used to help fish move through or around the barrier to get where they need to go. 

The Kletzsch Dam Fish Passage project was intended to address required dam repairs and to provide fish passage for native species within the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC). Kletzsch Dam was the largest remaining fish passage barrier on the Milwaukee River between Lake Michigan and Grafton. Restoring this fish passage allows native fish in the Milwaukee Estuary to move from Lake Michigan to upstream areas encompassing 25 miles of river, 29 miles of tributary streams, and 2,400 acres of wetlands – reconnecting river habitats and allowing the fish to migrate throughout the region. This project was done in partnership with Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Milwaukee County Parks. 

This project is part of a larger initiative to restore the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC). Learn more about the AOC by watching this John Gurda video or visiting the Waterway Restoration Partnership website.
 

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