It’s been over 175 years since the Mill Pond was created in South Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County Parks wants your input on its future.
An informational meeting was held by the parks department in South Milwaukee on Dec. 3 to present options for both the Mill Pond ― also known as the South Milwaukee lagoon ― and dam.
The pond is west of the Oak Creek Parkway and Mill Road intersection.
What’s the main issue with the South Milwaukee Mill Pond?
The pond is in need of dredging (the removal of sediment/debris from the bottom of a body of water) and a functioning drainage system needs to be reestablished, according to Milwaukee County Parks.
The sediment in the pond will need to be disposed of offsite and permits will be required for any “dewatering activities,” according to the county website.
The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission released a restoration plan for the Oak Creek Watershed in December 2021. In that report were numerous options to address these issues with the mill pond and the dam.
What are the options for the Mill Pond in South Milwaukee?
Three main options were presented at the Dec. 3 meeting. The estimated costs provided by Milwaukee County Parks are in 2019 dollars.
OPTION 1: Partial Pond Restoration
This option would include repairing the sluice gate ― a type of lock that manages water flow and level ― along with dredging the southern pond lobe (southwestern portion of the pond) creating a depth between 7 and 9 feet, filling the northern pond lobe and offering 1.7 acres of open water and a single fishing platform.
The construction cost with a 35% contingency is just over $2.2 million.
Maintenance requirements for this option include regular exercising of the sluice gate, inspecting the dam, periodic dredging of the pond and maintaining the vegetation. Ongoing maintenance costs are estimated to be $3.1 million ― including dam inspections and dredging for a 50-year period.
OPTION 2: Full Pond Restoration
This option returns the pond to its full former glory including sluice gate repair, dredging the full pond area and recreational enhancements to include 5.7 acres of open water and two fishing platforms.
Construction costs with the same 35% contingency could be $6.9 million.
Ongoing maintenance costs would increase to $5.5 million to include the same elements as the first option but with a larger pond space to maintain.
OPTION 3: Dam Removal and Channel Restoration
This option would, in essence, remove the pond and replace it with a water channel.
The major construction elements include dredging the pond, lowering the pond area and creating a flood plain, removing the dam, establishing vegetation, creating a riffle-pool channel (a stream which alternates between areas of deep and shallow water) and offering recreational elements such as a walking path near the warming house ― located along the southwestern portion of the pond ― and an optional skating pond area with an additional walkway.
The upfront cost for this option is about double that of the second option at nearly $12 million, but ongoing maintenance, consisting of vegetation maintenance for a five-year period, would be much less, at $61,000.
How would the project be funded?
Milwaukee County Parks is still pursuing and evaluating potential funding for the project including possible grant opportunities, according to the Parks website.
How can residents give their input?
Milwaukee County Parks has on online survey which residents can find at https://l8yr2vhtrxh.typeform.com/to/FIq4m4Dj.
The survey should take approximately two minutes to complete. It asks questions such as how far you live from the pond, how long you’ve lived in the area and the typical activities you take part in at the pond, including bird-watching, fishing, ice skating and walking.
Other questions ask residents to rank in order of importance what they value most about the pond as well as what improvements are most important to them.
Those who take the survey can also submit their email address to get updates on the Mill Pond from Milwaukee County Parks.
What is the history of the South Milwaukee Mill Pond?
The pond was formed in the early 1840s, according to the Friends of the Mill Pond, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing the area which the organization said has seen “years of neglect and abuse” including trash, invasive species, goose droppings and vandalism.
The dam was built to power a grist mill and later a sawmill.
“The mill’s primary function was to grind corn, wheat and barley which provided flour throughout southeastern Wisconsin and ran successfully until 1932 when it was torn down,” the Friends website said.
The pond itself was home to ice skating, row boating, and more over the years.
More information on the Friends of the Mill Pond can be found at smfomp.com.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: These are the 3 options for the Mill Pond’s future in South Milwaukee