Lincoln Park

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.

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