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Collaborating to secure healthy and sustainable water resources in the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds

Our Watersheds

 

A watershed is an area of land that catches rain or snow and drains it into the same location. Every drop of water that falls on parks, farms, forests, parking lots, and even your front lawn is channeled into soil, groundwater, creeks, and streams. Eventually this water makes its way to rivers, lakes, and finally the ocean.

What we do on land affects our water! Sweet Water works with stakeholders to resolve the following threats to our waterways:

  • NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION

    According to US EPA, NPS pollution is the leading cause of water quality issues in the United States. It includes urban runoff (chemicals, oils, construction sediment), residential runoff (road salt, fertilizers/pesticides from yards/gardens), & agricultural runoff (fertilizer, manure, etc).

  • POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

    Point source pollution is defined by the US EPA as "any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack." Common types of point source pollution include factories, sewage treatment plants, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), & paper mills. Point sources must obtain permits from the state & US EPA to discharge into waterways.

  • PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS

    Physical impairments refer to physical obstructions or alterations to a waterway that negatively impact water quality. Such impairments include dams, channelization, and other impediments to water flow and fish passage.

Sweet Water works in every major watershed throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. These include the Milwaukee, Menomonee, Kinnickinnic, Root, and Oak Creek, as well as Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's Inner Harbor.  

 
 

Milwaukee River Watershed

 

Milwaukee River Watershed 

The Milwaukee River is over 100 miles long with a watershed that approaches 900 square miles. Its tributaries spread throughout Fond Du Lac, Sheboygan, Washington, and Ozaukee Counties, collecting runoff from hundreds of farms and towns as it flows south before emptying into Lake Michigan. 

For more information about the Milwaukee River basin, click here.

Check out the MIlwaukee River 9 Key Element Plans here.

 
 

Menomonee River Watershed

 
 

Menomonee River Watershed

The Menomonee River is approximately 30 miles long, flowing from Waukesha County east into Lake Michigan. Its 140 square mile watershed is home to more than 300,000 people and the valley it forms through downtown Milwaukee is heavily industrialized. 

For more information about the Menomonee River Watershed, click here.

Check out the Menomonee River 9 Key Element Plan soon!

 

Kinnickinnic River Watershed

 

 

Kinnickinnic River Watershed

The Kinnickinnic, or KK, is a heavily channelized and urban river approximately 10 miles long. Its watershed is contained entirely in Milwaukee County and covers only 25 square miles but is home to 145,000 people. 

For more information about the Kinnickinnic River Watershed, click here.

Check out the Kinnickinnic 9 Key Element Plan here. 

 
 

Oak Creek Watershed

 
 

 Oak Creek Watershed

Oak Creek Watershed is contained entirely in Milwaukee County and its watershed drains about about 26 square miles. Much of its flow comes from urban runoff, as the watershed is covered by much urban land use.

For more information about the Oak Creek Watershed, click here.

Check out the progress on the Oak Creek 9 Key Element Plan here.

 

Root River Watershed

 

 Root River Watershed

The Root River Watershed contains parts of Waukesha, Milwaukee, and Racine counties. The river and its tributaries combined stretch 117 miles throughout the watershed, ultimately ending in the City of Racine as it enters into Lake Michigan. Land use in the watershed varies between heavily urbanized at the headwaters and mouth and agricultural use in the central areas.

For more information about the Root River Watershed, click here.

Our partner, Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network, also works in this watershed. Access their site here, and access the Root River 9 Key Element Plan, also on their site.

 
 

 Still not quite clear what a watershed is?

Check out the following video for a lesson in watersheds!