City of Milwaukee - File #: 141707

• File #: 141707
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 3/3/2015
• In control: JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
• Final action: 5/12/2015
• Title: Substitute resolution expressing the City of Milwaukee’s support for the removal of the Estabrook Dam.
• Sponsors: ALD. KOVAC, ALD. BOHL, ALD. PEREZ
• Indexes: RIVERS

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
5/13/2015	1	MAYOR	SIGNED
5/12/2015	1	COMMON COUNCIL	ADOPTED	Pass	13:1
5/4/2015	1	JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE	Minutes note: Appearing: Sponsor - Ald. Kovac Cheryl Nenn - Riverkeeper Jennifer Bolger Breceda - Exc Director Riverkeeper
4/29/2015	1	JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE	HEARING NOTICES SENT
3/16/2015	1	CITY CLERK	DRAFT SUBMITTED
3/3/2015	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number
141707
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference

Sponsor
ALD. KOVAC, BOHL AND PEREZ
Title
Substitute resolution expressing the City of Milwaukee’s support for the removal of the Estabrook Dam.
Analysis
This resolution expresses the City of Milwaukee’s support for the removal of the Estabrook Dam as soon as practicable.
Body
Whereas, The Estabrook Dam on the Milwaukee River has been in decline for the past several years, and there are numerous outstanding maintenance and repair requirements per State Dam Safety regulations that have not been addressed to date; and

Whereas, The dam is a crumbling “public nuisance” that hasn’t operated since a 2008 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources order to shut it down; and

Whereas, The owner of the dam, Milwaukee County, is currently under a DNR order to repair or remove the Estabrook Dam by the end of 2016; and

Whereas, Years of neglect have caused major structural issues for the Estabrook Dam; and

Whereas, Industrial pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls, have been accumulating near the dam for decades, mostly from industrial sources upstream in the Lincoln Creek watershed; and

Whereas, There is no viable reason to maintain the dam and keep it permanently open as the short-term repair costs and long-term maintenance costs of that scenario would far exceed removal costs; and

Whereas, The dam removal alternative means the complete removal of the dam, including the gated control structure and fixed crest spillway, and the creation of a free-flow condition; and

Whereas, Removing the dam would yield the greatest positive impacts on river ecology, flood management, water quality, sediment management, fish and aquatic life, terrestrial wildlife and recreation; and

Whereas, Free-flow conditions would support natural wetland hydrology and, therefore, not negatively impact herptiles and invertebrates, and may result in a net gain of wetland acreage; and

Whereas, Removal of the dam would also allow for u...