GREAT LAKES MUD
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Sheboygan River

Sheboygan River Area of Concern
After almost 30 years, having the Sheboygan River cleaner and deeper will add significant benefits both recreationally and financially to our local economy that already provides almost a $9 million waterfront economic impact.

- Terry Van Akkeren, Mayor of Sheboygan, 2012  

The sediment cleanup at Sheboygan River is complete!

The Sheboygan River was cleaned up in 2012 and 2013, transforming "a black eye on the community" into a tremendous asset. The removal of PCB-contaminated sediment from the lower river and harbor has led to a reduction of pollution in the food chain and over time should lessen restrictions on fish consumption. The river can now act as a thoroughfare for boaters to Lake Michigan without worry of boat damage from contaminated sediment deposits. Community leaders look forward to increased tourism as well, as the stigma of pollution lifts with the passage of time.

Location

Many sediment cleanups took place nearby on the Sheboygan River and at the same time of the Great Lakes Legacy Act project. This included two Superfund projects, a former manufactured gas plant at Camp Marina and another cleanup upstream of the 8th Street Bridge, as well as a navigational dredging project by U. S. EPA from the 8th Street Bridge to the river mouth. The Legacy Act project targeted sediment between the C&NW Bridge and the 8th Street Bridge.
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The Sheboygan River is located in the Sheboygan River Area of Concern in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Cleanup Process

Legacy dredging was coordinated alongside three Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) habitat restoration projects, as well as three sediment remediation projects in 2011-2012. Sediment projects were administered under Superfund and the GLRI, remediating an additional 250,000 cubic yards of sediment. The University of Wisconsin-Extension played a large outreach role in cooperation with Sea Grant and the municipalities.
Sediment remediated: 148,000 cubic yards
Contaminants: PCBs and PAHs
Method: Mechanical dredging and a sand cover
When: 2012 and 2013
Partners: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Sheboygan County, the City of Sheboygan, Pollution Risk Services, and Wisconsin Public Service
Cost: $59.1 million

Note: The cost figure includes funding match generated under activities performed for Superfund remediation.

Long-term Benefits

  • Enhanced the river as a recreational asset for the community and a thoroughfare to Lake Michigan
  • Citizen reports of a higher quality of life, increased recreational opportunities, and improved perceptions of the river overall
  • Removal of shallow deposits of contaminated sediment that caused extensive boat damage and perpetuated a fear of the river
  • Reduction of PCBs in the food chain, which could lead to lessened restrictions on fish consumption over time

Public Service Announcement

A public service announcement produced by Sea Grant programs at Illinois-Indiana and Wisconsin provided the community with information on what to expect during and after dredging on the Sheboygan River.

More Information

Documents
Sheboygan River AOC Beneficial Use Impairment Report (PDF, 2p, 1.95MB) Summer 2015
​Sheboygan outreach evaluation (PDF, 18p, 2.2MB) December 2013
Sheboygan outreach needs assessment (PDF, 28p, 1.9MB) September 2012
Sheboygan River fact sheet (PDF, 2p, 293 KB) August 2012
Sheboygan River FAQs: Cleaner and Deeper (PDF, 8p, 2.73 MB) June 2012
Focused Feasibility Study: Lower River and Inner Harbor of the Sheboygan River (PDF, 115p, 8.20 MB) February 2012
EPA public meeting presentation (PDF, 12p, 2.97 MB) March 2011
Stakeholders
City of Sheboygan
Sheboygan County
Sheboygan River Basin Partnership
Camp Y-Koda
University of Wisconsin-Extension
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