Cooperatove Conservation Project
COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

Managing Flooding in Metropolitan Milwaukee

Managing Flooding in Metropolitan Milwaukee

Location: Midwest/Northern High Plains Region: Wisconsin

Project Summary: The Conservation Fund partnered with the Milwaukee Sewerage District is implementing flood management programs that protect wetlands and wildlife habitat.
Click for Full Size
A restored seasonal pond at a property in Franklin, Wisconsin.
Resource Challenge
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Area, as is common in many parts of the country, is seeing rapid development in the urban fringe.  According to the US Census of Agriculture the Milwaukee area lost 18% of its farmland to development between 1987 and 1997. Continued suburban development has only added to the losses while increasing the amount of impervious surfaces and stormwater runoff.  As runoff fails to drain naturally, flooding problems throughout the area are exacerbated.  The efforts of The Conservation Fund and MMSD are essential for the preservation of wetland ecosystems that are necessary to help manage the increasing flows of runoff.
Examples of Key Partners
 The Conservation Fund, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, US Fish and Wildlife Service, River Revitalization Foundation, Milwaukee Community Service Corps, Milwaukee County Parks Department, Ozaukee County Planning and Land Management, Ducks Unlimited, Ulao Creek Partnership, Pheasants Forever, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy, Waukesha Land Conservancy, as well as the local municipalities of Germantown, Mequon, Franklin, Brookfield and Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Results and Accomplishments

Through the real estate expertise of The Conservation Fund, the Conservation Plan and Greenseams have preserved 700 acres of open space through easements or fee simple purchases at a cost of $5.24 million dollars.  Many of these acres have been in highly developable areas where encroaching residential development threatened to eliminate natural habitat.  The two programs also seek to restore agricultural fields to native prairies and wetlands. Ongoing restoration of 179 acres has reintroduced native species of vegetation such as big and little bluestem, switch grass, compass plant and purple prairie clover.

 

 

 

 

 

Sites in this project have also preserved key habitat for migratory birds, the endangered Butlers garter snakes, pheasants, deer and numerous other wildlife species.  Ultimately, the preserved open space has added to riparian buffers in four area watersheds and protected multiple environmental corridors.
Innovation/Highlight

These programs focus on acquiring and preserving land that contains wetlands or hydric soil and stream corridors throughout a four county service area in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Project Contact
Peg Kohring
Director, Midwest Office, TCF
The Conservation Fund
PO Box 506
Sawyer, MI 49125
(269) 426-8825
pkohring@aol.org 		Meg Kelly
Program Manager
The Conservation Fund
c/o Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District260 West Seeboth
Milwaukee, WI 53204
(414) 225-2124
mkelly@conservationfund.org
Website: www.conservationfund.org

To request additions or corrections to this case study email the Administrator

Affiliated Sites: