Kenosha County hears plan to restore South Branch Pike River; funding and flood benefits remain uncertain

Kenosha County supervisors received an informational presentation on the proposed South Branch Pike River restoration, a project that project partners say would re-meander about 1.5 miles of channel, restore roughly 215 acres of floodplain and wetlands, create about 1.5 miles of multi-use trail, and reduce an estimated 1,000 tons of sediment entering the waterway.

The project team, led by Kenosha County planning staff and partners from Root Pike Win, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Chicago District and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, described a long-running effort that the Corps deemed to have federal interest under the Corps' Continuing Authorities Program, Section 206. "The restoration of the South Branch is not just an environmental project, though. It's a promise to the next generation," said Dave Giordano of Root Pike Win.

Why it matters: presenters said the South Branch has been straightened and tiled for agriculture over the last century, contributing to high erosion and poor water quality in the Pike River watershed and Lake Michigan. Restoring meanders, creating wetlands and establishing native vegetation are intended to reduce sediment and improve habitat and recreational access.

Project details and partners

Andy Buehler, Kenosha County director of planning and development, summarized the location as the corridor between Highway K and Highway S and said the Corps completed a feasibility study and advanced plans to roughly 60%…