WHAT IS A TMDL?

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards. A TMDL analysis is required by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for all impaired water bodies. The result of a TMDL is the load and wasteload allocations by pollutant source that must be met to achieve water quality standards and targets for a pollutant. That is, TMDLs establish the pollutant reductions needed from each pollutant source to meet water quality goals.

MMSD is developing TMDLs as a third party on behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the Menomonee River, Kinnickinnic River, and Milwaukee River Watersheds, and for the Milwaukee Harbor Estuary. The pollutants of interest are fecal coliform bacteria, phosphorous, and sediment.

  2020/Water Quality Initiative

MMSD's 2020 Facilities Plan (2020 FP) identifies the facilities, programs, operational improvements, and policies (FPOPs) required by the year 2020 to meet the existing regulatory framework and permitting requirements.  

2020 Facilities Plan Addendum No. 3 - Landfill Gas Utilization Project   (2.5MB)

Detection of the human specific Bacteroides genetic marker provides evidence of widespread sewage contamination of stormwater in the urban environment


REPORTS

• Use of Real-Time Monitoring to Predict Concentrations of Select Constituents in the Menomonee River Drainage Basin, Southeast Wisconsin, 2008–9
• Graywater Assessment: Final Report 2011
• Identifying Major Phosphorus Pathways in the Lake Michigan Nearshore Zone, January 2012
• Phosphorus Speciation and Loads in Stormwater and CSOs of the MMSD Service Area (2000 - 2008)
• Water-Resources-Related Information for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Planning Area, Wisconsin, 1970-2002
• Biological Water Quality Assessment of Selected Streams in the MMSD Planning Area of Wisconsin, 2007 (8MB)
• A Fresh Look at Road Salt: Aquatic Toxicity and Water-Quality Impacts on Local, Regional, and National Scales: July 22, 2010 Environmental Science & Technology  (2MB)
• Underwood Creek Water Quality Baseline Report 2003-2005 (4.1MB)
• MMSD Corridor Study Phase II Report- Water-Quality Characteristics for Selected Sites within the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Planning Area- SiR_2007-5084 (15MB)
• An Evaluation of Surface Water Quality in the Menomonee River Utilizing the MMSD Water Quality Index - 1994 to 1999 (412kb)
• Cladophora Abundance and Physical / Chemical Conditions in the Milwaukee Region of Lake Michigan - Feb 2006(670kb)
• Cladophora Abundance in Milwaukee Region of Lake Michigan- Study Overview - May 2005
• Water Quality Management Options to Control Cladophora Growth in the Milwaukee Region of Lake Michigan-May 2008 (682kb)
• Lincoln Creek - Water Quality Baseline and Interim Monitoring Report, 1997 to 2001(3.5MB)
• Milwaukee Harbor Sediment Oxygen Demand Study - 2004 (782kb)
• Table A - Sediment Oxygen Demand figures (2.27MB)
• Table Z1 - Mean dissolved oxygen demand in replicate cores (337kb)
• MMSD Stormwater Monitoring Program - 2000 to 2004 (3.2MB)
• Southbranch Creek 1999 Water Quality Baseline Monitoring Report (583kb)
• Stormwater Runoff Reduction Program Interim Report(2.9MB)
• Stormwater Runoff Reduction Program Final Report - 2007 (3.2MB)
• Trophic State and Chlorophyll in the Milwaukee Harbor and Surrounding Nearshore Waters, October 2001 (701kb)

WQM Data Summary Statistics 2010 

WQM Data Summary Statistics 2009

WQM Data Summary Statistics 2008