The document summarizes a flood management and watercourse rehabilitation project along the Kinnickinnic River between South 6th Street and I-94 Bridge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project aims to reduce flooding, rehabilitate unstable sections of the river, and add bike and maintenance paths. Proposed improvements include replacing the South 6th Street Bridge with a clear span bridge, realigning and stone lining the upstream channel with retaining walls and pools, and adding native vegetation and stone work to stabilize the downstream channel. Construction is scheduled to be completed by December 2011.

1. Kinnickinnic River
Flood Management and
Watercourse Rehabilitation
Achieving Multiple Design Objectives
Thomas R. Sear, PE, CFM
Short Elliott Hendrickson
Patrick C. Elliott, MMSD

2. Kinnickinnic River (KKR) Watershed
KKR S. 6th St. to
I-94 Bridge
Project Location

3. Updated Floodplain
(SEWRPC, 2008)
6th St Bridge

4. KKR FM S. 6th St. to I-94 Bridge
Project Area Characteristics
• South 6th Street Bridge
• Upstream Watercourse Segment
– 500 feet of concrete lined channel
– Confined cross-Sections
– Steep northern embankment
– MMSD CSO Facility on south
• Downstream Watercourse Segment
– 500 feet of earthen / rock lined channel
– Eroded north embankment, south of 5th Street
– Heavily vegetated north embankment
– South embankment instability

5. KKR FM Project Limits
South 5th Street
Bridge
Downstream WC Segment
South 6th Street
Kinnickinnic River

6. KKR FM Project Limits
South 5th Street
Bridge
South 6th Street
Downstream WC Segment
Kinnickinnic River

7. KKR 6th St. Bridge – Upstream (West Side)

8. KKR 6th St. Bridge – Downstream (East Side)

9. KKR Upstream Watercourse Segment
• Concrete Lined Channel
– Constructed in 1983
– 500 ft. length, 2:1 side slopes
– 60 ft top width, 24 ft bottom width
• Northern Embankment
– Buried (300 ft. long) WPA Wall
– Railroad trestle remnants
– Steep and unstable side slopes
• Southern Embankment
– Maintenance Ramp
– MMSD CSO facility and outfall

10. KKR Upstream Watercourse Segment
Unstable
Embankment End of
with Sand and Concrete
Gravel Fill Lined
Material Channel
MMSD KK1
Combined
Facility
Sewer Outfall
Maintenance Ramp
South 6th Street

11. KKR Upstream Watercourse Segment
Unstable
Embankment
with Sand and
Gravel Fill
Material
MMSD CSO
Control Facility
Combined
Sewer Outfall
Maintenance
Ramp

12. KKR Upstream Watercourse Segment

13. KKR Upstream Watercourse Segment

14. KKR Downstream of South 6th Street Bridge
June 7, 1961

15. WPA Revetment Wall Buried in 1983

16. Existing KKR Concrete Lined Channel
Constructed 1983
WPA Wall
Weep Hole Buried WPA
Revetment
Wall
84” Diameter
RCP Storm
Sewer Outfall
Combined
Sewer Outfall

17. Existing KKR Concrete Lined Channel and
Buried WPA Revetment Wall, 1983
Buried WPA
Revetment
Wall
WPA Wall
Weep Hole
18 feet 24 feet 18 feet
Approx. 15 ft

18. KKR Downstream Watercourse Segment
• Earthen / Rock Lined Channel
– 500 ft. length
– Channel scour and deposition
– Embankment erosion
– Storm sewer outfalls
• Northern Embankment
– Failing Gabion Structure
– Embankment erosion south of 5th Street
– Vegetated riparian areas
• Southern Embankment
– Steep / unstable side slopes
– Collapsing stone revetment walls
– Exposed watercourse flushing pipeline

19. KKR Downstream Watercourse Segment
End of Concrete
Lined Channel Eroded Side Slope due to
5th Street Runoff
Failing Revetment Wall
KKR Earthen / Rock Lined Channel
Storm Sewer Storm Sewer
Outfalls Outfall
Exposed Abandoned
Flushing Pipeline
Steep and
Unstable Side
Slopes

20. KKR Downstream Watercourse Segment
Storm Sewer Eroded Side Slope due to
Outfalls 5th Street Runoff
Storm Sewer
Outfall
KKR Earthen / Rock Lined Channel
Failing Revetment Wall
Steep and
Unstable Side Exposed Abandoned
Slopes Flushing Pipeline

21. KKR Downstream Watercourse Segment

22. KKR Downstream Watercourse Segment

23. Stakeholder Involvement
• KK River Neighborhood Plan
– Plan for overall KK River Flood Management
Project
– Coordination with local government agencies
and community groups
– Successfully accommodated various design
requests from stakeholders
• Public Meetings

24. Proposed Improvements
KKR S. 6th Street Bridge
• Design Objectives
– Significantly reduce upstream WSE’s
– Maintenance / bike path beneath bridge
• Proposed Design Features
– Clear span concrete girder bridge
– Functional, durable and attractive bridge
• Final Design Complete
– Currently Under Construction
– Scheduled for Completion in Dec. 2010

25. Proposed Bridge

26. 11-02-10 Bridge Construction

27. Proposed Improvements
KKR Upstream Watercourse Segment
• Design Objectives
– Rehabilitated Main Channel
– Maintain stable side slopes / hydraulic capacity
– Maintenance / bike path alignment
• Design Features
– Realigned channel centerline
– Stone lined channel with riffles and pools
– Tiered retaining walls, both sides
– Recycle WPA wall limestone blocks
– 15 ft. wide maintenance / bike path

28. Upstream KKR Improvements
Minimum 2:1
Side Slopes
Retaining
Walls
Future KKR
Bike Trail

29. Upstream KKR Cross-Sections

30. Proposed Improvements
KKR Downstream Watercourse Segment
• Design Goals
– Rehabilitated main channel and floodplain
– Stable embankment slopes
– Native vegetation plantings
– Promote watercourse sediment continuity
• Design Features
– Stone lined channel with riffles and pools
– 2:1 to 4:1 native vegetated side slopes
– Reuse of limestone blocks / streambed stone
– 15 ft. wide maintenance / bike path

31. Downstream KKR Improvements
Repair erosion Five Pools within
from 5th St. Main Channel
runoff
3:1 Side Slope,
where space
allows
Future KKR
Bike Path

32. KKR Downstream Cross-Section
Typical Riffle Section

33. KKR Main Channel Cross-Sections
Typical Pool Section

34. KKR Watercourse Rehabilitation
Improvements Schedule
• Advertisement – May 2010
• Construction Start – Oct. 2010
• Construction Completion – Dec. 2011
• Upstream Improvements
– Finishing Preliminary Engineering
– Starting Home Acquisition/Deconstruction

35. Kinnickinnic River Project Team
Acknowledgements
• Dale Miller, Mainstream Restoration
• Rose Chmielewski, Ecological Services
of Milwaukee
• Doug Bath, Gestra Engineering