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Lincoln Park

Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern

The sediment cleanup of Lincoln Park is complete!

At 310 acres, Lincoln Park  is one of the largest in Milwaukee. Managed by Milwaukee County Parks, it offers a golf course, an aquatic center, athletic fields, bike trails, picnic areas, and open natural spaces to neighboring communities. The Milwaukee River flows through the park. Thanks to a recently completed set of Great Lakes Legacy Act cleanups in the river, along with ongoing habitat restoration, Lincoln Park can now reach its full potential as an environmental and neighborhood asset.

Before the sediment cleanup work began,  the sediment found here contained 70 percent of the river's PCB contamination. Investigations revealed that other contaminants include PAHs and NAPL, and the source is believed to be former industrial activity in Lincoln Creek.

Location

The Milwaukee River flows through Milwaukee County's Lincoln Park. Phase 1 of the sediment cleanup included a portion of Lincoln Creek and the West Oxbow, and Phase 2 included the East Oxbow and the river upstream of the Estabrook Park Dam. The Blatz Pavilion sediment cleanup location is also shown below.
Lincoln Park is located in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. The park is in the northern part of Milwaukee and borders the City of Glendale.
Picture

Cleanup Process

Phase 2
Sediment remediated
: 52,000 cubic yards
Contaminants: PCBs, PAHs, and NAPL
Method: Dry excavation and hydraulic dredging
When: 2014 and 2015
Partners: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Milwaukee County Parks
Cost: $18 Million
Note: This portion included the restoration of 1.5 acres of habitat.
Phase 1
Sediment
remediated
: 119,000 cubic yards
Contaminants: PCBs, PAHs, and NAPL
Method: Dry excavation
When: 2011 and 2012
Partners: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Milwaukee County Parks
Cost: $24.6 Million
Note: This portion included the restoration of 11 acres of habitat.
Blatz Pavilion
Sediment
remediated
: 4,000 cubic yards or 300 pounds
Contaminants: PCBs
Method: Dredging
When: 2008
Partners: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Milwaukee County Parks
Cost: $1.3 Million

Note: This project was not performed under Great Lakes Legacy Act.

Long-term Benefits

  • The cleanup removed contaminated sediment from the river. Levels of contamination in fish populations will decrease over time, but it may take years before fish advisories in Lincoln Park are less restrictive.

  • Habitat enhancements have improved fish and wildlife habitat, providing better food and shelter for native species.

  • Landscape views of the park have also gotten better, through the removal of weedy, invasive plants and the installation of native plants and flowers.
Click here to see where the Before and After pictures were taken in Lincoln Park.
Take a virtual tour of the remediated Lincoln Park and Milwaukee River by drone. The river looks like a patchwork grid because sediment in Phase 2 was removed from targeted zones of contamination, rather than a mass removal from bank to bank. The grid is made more noticeable by the low water levels in the park, which cause vegetation to grow on exposed sediment. Construction areas have been restored to original condition, including turf grass and park amenities. Video credit: Duane Thomas

More Information

Documents
Urban environmental equity in Milwaukee research reports
Community needs assessment for stewardship and outreach (PDF, 21p, 1MB) August 2014
Remedial design public meeting poster (PDF, 1p, 1.86 MB) May 2014
Design report (PDF, 242p, 39MB) May 2014
Feasibility study report (PDF, 122p, 4MB) October 2013
Sediment deposits poster (PDF, 1p, 1.39 MB) August 2013
Lincoln Park Great Lakes Legacy Act handout (PDF, 2p, 257 KB) August 2013
Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern fact sheet (PDF, 2p, 3MB) Summer 2013 
Stakeholders
Friends of Lincoln Park
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Wisconsin Department of Health Services Eating Safe Fish
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
IISG and GLR logos
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Contact Us

Great Lakes Mud c/o Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Purdue University
195 Marsteller Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2033

​Email: abelle@illinois.edu
© 2019 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, All Rights Reserved.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant strives to ensure equal access and an
​inclusive environment.
Website last updated December 14, 2022
  • Home
  • Pollution
    • Dioxins
    • Heavy Metals
    • NAPL
    • Oil and Grease
    • PAHs
    • PCBs
    • TBT
    • TPH
  • Partnership
    • Great Lakes Legacy Act
    • Cost-Sharing
  • Cleanup Process
    • Project Stages
    • Dredging
    • Dry Excavation
    • Caps and Covers
    • Habitat Restoration
  • Waterbody
    • Indiana >
      • East Branch - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • East Branch Phase II - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • East Chicago Waterways - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Indiana Harbor Canal TSCA - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Lake George Canal Middle & East - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Roxana Marsh - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Stateline - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • West Branch - Grand Calumet River AOC
    • Michigan >
      • Black Lagoon - Detroit River AOC
      • Centennial Park - Detroit River AOC
      • Division Street Outfall - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Former MGP Site - St. Marys River AOC
      • Lower Rouge River Old Channel - Rouge River AOC
      • River Raisin - River Raisin AOC
      • Riverwalk - Detroit River AOC
      • Ruddiman Creek - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Ryerson Creek Outfall - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Tannery Bay - St. Marys River AOC
      • Torch Lake - Torch Lake AOC
      • Upper Trenton Channel - Detroit River AOC
      • Zephyr Site - Muskegon Lake AOC
    • Minnesota >
      • Azcon/DSPA Slip - St. Louis River AOC
      • Minnesota Slip - St. Louis River AOC
      • Munger Landing - St. Louis River AOC
      • Scanlon Reservoir - St. Louis River AOC
      • Slip 3 and Slip C - St. Louis River AOC
      • SLR Interlake/Duluth Tar - St. Louis River AOC
      • Spirit Lake Site - St. Louis River AOC
    • New York >
      • Buffalo River - Buffalo River AOC
    • Ohio >
      • Ashtabula River - Ashtabula River AOC
      • Cuyahoga River Old Channel - Cuyahoga River AOC
      • Gorge Dam - Cuyahoga River AOC
      • Jack's Marine North Slip - Ashtabula River AOC
      • Ottawa River - Maumee AOC
      • Otter Creek - Maumee AOC
    • Wisconsin >
      • Greater Milwaukee Estuary - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Hog Island Inlet - St. Louis River AOC
      • Howards Bay - St. Louis River AOC
      • Kinnickinnic River - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Lincoln Park - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Sheboygan River - Sheboygan River AOC
      • Tyco - Menominee River AOC
    • More coming soon...
  • Education
    • Grade School Curriculum
    • High School Curriculum
    • More Resources >
      • Indiana
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Ohio
      • Wisconsin
  • Contact