Milwaukee Riverkeeper is pleased to report that the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board took an important step toward reducing unsightly algae blooms and cleaning Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers and streams by voting to strengthen rules that reduce phosphorus pollution from farms, factories and sewage treatment plants.

Nearly one-half of Wisconsin’s waterways are so polluted due to runoff that the federal government lists them as impaired, and reports of human illness and dog deaths resulting from blue-green algae blooms have been rising in recent years.

For more information see the recent Journal Sentinel article below:

Water Use Rules

To implement the Great Lakes Compact and associated statewide water use regulations, administrative rules are needed in several areas. Three proposed rules, Water Conservation and Water Use Efficiency, Water Use Registration and Reporting and Water Use Fees are now available for public comment.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper worked for several years with the DNR, Trout Unlimited, and MMSD to initiate the removal of an 1000 foot stretch of concrete on the Menomonee River.  Next summer, most of the concrete in that area between Miller Park and Miller Brewery will finally come out and fish will be able to migrate an additional 17 miles up river to the Lepper Dam at Mill Pond Park.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper will be organizing volunteers to cleanup the area, perform water quality monitoring, and habitat restoration.  Watch your RK News for upcoming opportunities on how to get involved.

We are in congruence with the DNR's assessment that Waukesha's recent application for Great Lakes water did not include enough alternatives or return flow options.Milwaukee Riverkeeper and other environmental groups continue to monitor Waukesha's application for Lake Michigan water.

This is the first application of its kind since the Great Lakes Compact was passed.

The DNR recently returned the City of Waukesha's application for a diversion of Lake Michigan water because the application did not include alternative options for potential future municipal water sources, nor did they include return flow options for their three proposed withdrawal sources.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper supports the DNR's decision and urges the City of Waukesha to further research possible alternatives. 

WAUKESHA—Today the Department of Natural Resources returned the City of Waukesha ’s application for a diversion of Lake Michigan water. The Department identified a number of deficiencies in the application relating to key requirements under the Great Lakes Compact.