Wilson Park Creek Project Phase 1 Rendering

Wilson Park Creek Reach 3

Project Update

The construction work for the Wilson Park Creek – Reach 3 project is underway! The notice to proceed for Phase 1A construction on the basin, was provided to Michels Construction, Inc. in April 2022. This construction contract includes excavation of most of the flood storage basin behind Alro Steel (west of South 6th Street and south of I-43), along with a driveway entrance to the site, a temporary outlet pipe from the basin to the creek, and vegetation restoration of the site.

To build the flood storage basin, MMSD plans to remove about 200,000 cubic yards (about 15,000 dump trucks) of clean soil. Through a partnership with the City of Oak Creek, the soil has found a new home! The anticipated truck haul route will be on South 6th Street and West Layton Avenue

Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 Project Overview

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is partnering with the City of Milwaukee and others to construct the Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 flood management project.  The project is located between West Layton Avenue at South 1st Street and the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPRR) tracks near I-94/43, on the southside of the City of Milwaukee. It drains approximately 3.7 square miles of highly urbanized land uses, including the majority of General Mitchell International Airport.

Approximately half of this section of Wilson Park Creek channel (4,750-feet) is concrete-lined and in poor condition.  The creek fills quickly during rain events, and occasionally, these flood flows spill over the banks. New information now indicates that approximately 60 structures within the project area are at a high risk of flooding.

The Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 project is one part of a larger Kinnickinnic River Watershed Flood Management Plan, with the goal of reducing flood risk, improving public safety, improving riparian and aquatic habitat, and enhancing stream channel aesthetics. This is achieved by designing and constructing a flood storage basin, replacing the concrete lining and non-concrete lined stream channel with more natural stream design, and increasing the culvert capacity under South 5th and 6th Street.

A printable overview for the Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 project can be found here.

Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 Project Map

  

Project Benefits

The Wilson Park Creek project will help to address issues related to floodwater management by:

  • Reducing Flood Risk
  • Increasing Public Safety
  • Improving Riparian (area adjacent to the river) & Aquatic Habitat
  • Enhancing Stream Channel Aesthetic
  • Leveraging Additional Community Objectives

Drone footage was completed in November 2022 of Wilson Park Creek Reach 3. The ride begins at W. Layton Avenue and flys downstream (Phase 2), circles the flood storage basin (Phase IA) under construction, and flys back upstream. 

  • Construction in April 2022

    Construction in April 2022

  • Construction in April 2022

    Construction in April 2022

  • Construction in November 2022

    Construction in November 2022

  • Construction in November 2022

    Construction in November 2022

 

Project Phases

Preliminary engineering was completed in July 2018 for the recommendations above within Wilson Park Creek Reach 3. The final design has been divided into two phases:

  • Phase 1A:  Design and construction of a portion of the flood storage facility located downstream of South 6th Street. There will be no Wilson Park Creek flow diversion structure upon completion of this construction phase.
  • Phase 1B & Phase 2: Design and construction of Phase 1B (channel widening and naturalization downstream of South 6th Street, including the flow diversion structure into the flood storage facility), concrete removal and channel naturalization from South 6th Street to West Layton Avenue, and South 5th Street and South 6th Street culvert replacements.

 

Project Timeline

The project timeline is subject to change.

  • Summer 2019 – Completion of Preliminary Design
  • Summer 2021 – Phase 1A Partial Flood Storage Basin Design
  • 2021 - 2023 – Phase 1B and Phase 2 Final Design
  • 2022 - 2023 – Phase 1A Partial Flood Storage Basin Construction
  • 2023 – Preliminary Engineering (other watershed projects)
  • Future – Floodplain Permitting and Remaining Phase 1B and Phase 2 Construction
Wilson Park Creek Project Phase 1 Rendering Map MMSD

  

Get Involved 

MMSD will conduct a number of stakeholder and public outreach activities throughout the entirety of the project to provide information, obtain project input and feedback.

Sign-up for email updates, and stay tuned to our website and MMSD social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) for upcoming Wilson Park Creek outreach activities.

Project Partners

MMSD is partnered with the following entities on the Wilson Park Creek project:

Additional Resources

 

 

Project Photos

  • Channel Rendering

    Channel Rendering

    Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 – Phase 2 preliminary channel rendering looking west toward South 5th Street.

  • Looking West Downstream of South 6th Street.

    Looking West Downstream of South 6th Street.

    This section of channel will be widened to increase its flow capacity during extreme events and the turf grass will be replaced with trees, shrubs and prairie plantings.

  • Wilson Park Creek Channel Looking West Toward South 5th Street

    Wilson Park Creek Channel Looking West Toward South 5th Street

    The section of concrete channel will be replaced with a wider and naturized section.

  • Wilson Park Creek Channel looking west toward South 6th Street

    Wilson Park Creek Channel looking west toward South 6th Street

    This existing culvert will be replaced with a larger structure to increase its flow capacity during extreme events.

  • Stakeholder Meeting

    Stakeholder Meeting

    MMSD Project Manager Courtney Allen giving a stakeholder presentation to Gateway to Milwaukee board of directors (spring 2019) on the Wilson Park Creek Reach 3 project.

Comments/Questions

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Other MMSD Flood Management Projects

 

MMSD 30th Street Corridor

30th Street Corridor

With extensive input from neighbors and nearby businesses, a project is underway to capture and store 40 million gallons of stormwater to reduce the risk of flooding when storms roll over the area

County Grounds MMSD Flood Management

County Grounds

This project captures and stores potential floodwater in one large basin that covers about 65 acres and holds 315 million gallons of water. 

Greenseams Flood Management MMSD

Greenseams

Greenseams® helps prevent future flooding and water pollution while supporting and protecting MMSD's structural flood management projects - infrastructure investments worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Greenseams® is an innovative flood management program that permanently protects key lands containing water absorbing soils.