Lincoln Park Oxbow aquatic habitat enhancement

Project Overview

The Milwaukee Estuary, where Milwaukee’s three rivers meet, was once covered in thousands of acres of marsh and wet meadows. These areas were critical for various fish and wildlife to thrive. As Milwaukee grew, many of these wetlands disappeared, but today there are opportunities to re-create habitat in and near the estuary. This project is done in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Milwaukee County Parks.

As part of a Great Lakes Legacy Act cleanup project, contaminated sediment was removed from the Lincoln Park Oxbow in 2012 and 2015. Following the removal of sediment, the river channel was stabilized, but little attention was placed on how to enhance the fish and wildlife populations in the area.  

The goal for this project is to plan, design, and eventually, when additional funding is identified, implement improvements to fish habitat at the Lincoln Park Oxbow. This project will build on numerous other initiatives in Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties to improve habitat and migration in the Milwaukee River.

Project Map