Kenosha County officials outline plan to restore South Branch of Pike River, seek funding

Kenosha County supervisors heard an informational presentation on the proposed South Branch Pike River restoration that county staff and partners said would restore wetlands, reduce sediment, and add a 1.5‑mile multi‑use trail while relying on a mix of federal, state, philanthropic and county funding.

County Planning and Development Director Andy Buehler introduced the project and noted the Army Corps of Engineers completed a feasibility study and 60% design that established federal interest under the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program (Section 206). Captain Tom Kinney of the U.S. Army Corps’ Chicago District said the Corps supports the county as a project partner and that the work falls within the Corps’ ecosystem restoration authority: “We’re excited to be here.”

The project area runs roughly between Highways K and S on the South Branch and targets a long‑ditched, agricultural reach of the stream. Project partners described outcomes the design would seek to achieve: restoring about 215 acres of floodplain, creating roughly 200 acres of wetlands in the corridor, meandering about 1.5 miles of straightened channel…