Project name:  Milwaukee River and Lincoln Creek Sediment Cleanup.

Location: Milwaukee, Wis.

The cleanup transformed parts of Lincoln Creek and the Milwaukee River. The photo above shows a stretch of river that was walled off so that contaminated sediments could be dredged from the channel. The photo below shows a restored oxbow after the cleanup was completed. (U.S. EPA photos)

Description: Historic pollution contaminated parts of the Milwaukee River estuary with PCBs and other toxins that pose health threats to aquatic organisms, wildlife and humans. The contaminated sediments prompted warnings urging people to limit their consumption of fish caught in the river; the pollutants also were the main reason the Milwaukee River estuary was listed as a Great Lakes Area of Concern. In 2008, state and federal agencies began working on a plan to clean up the contaminated river bottom sediments, which were located in Milwaukee and nearby Glendale. The first phase of the cleanup, completed in January 2012, removed nearly 10,000 dump trucks of contaminated material that contained 5,000 pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 4,000 pounds of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Crews also restored native fish and wildlife habitat where the cleanup took place, stabilized stream banks and re-shaped the bottom of the river channels. More dredging could take place after scientists complete a study characterizing the extent of contaminated sediments remaining in the river and creek. Any cleanup activities resulting from that study would take place in 2013.

Approximate cost of project: $24.6 million. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative provided $16 million for the project and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources contributed $8.6 million.

Resource challenges addressed: Contaminated sediment, fish consumption advisories and the loss of fish and wildlife habitat.

Key partners (public and private): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Milwaukee County Parks.

Types of jobs created: Toxicologists, ecologists, biologists, excavators and other heavy equipment operators, general laborers and chemists.

Results and accomplishments: Removed about 140,000 cubic yards of sediment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Web site: www.epa.gov/glla/lincolnpark/index.html