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Blatz Pavilion Lagoon Sediment Remediation Project

Many areas in the Great Lakes Basin have sediments polluted with Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs were once used as common coolants and insulating fluids, but their production was banned in the 1970s due to their toxicity. The toxicity of PCBs to animals was first noticed nationally in the 1970s when emaciated seabird corpses with very high PCB body burdens washed up on beaches. We now know that locally caught fresh water fish and shellfish are also contaminated with PCBs, and human consumption is restricted.

Blatz Pavilion Lagoon Selected as First Phase of Lincoln Park Cleanup

Wisconsin has set a goal of restoring all contaminated sediment sites in the state by 2020. An important step towards meeting this goal was accomplished with the completion of the Blatz Pavilion Lagoon Sediment Remediation Project in Milwaukee. The purpose of the project was to remove the PCB-contaminated sediment from a lagoon on the Milwaukee River in Lincoln Park.

The Blatz cleanup was the first phase in the Department’s effort to restore the Milwaukee River at Lincoln Park. The Blatz site was selected by the Department, Milwaukee County, and local residents for the first phase of the cleanup because the lagoon is the location of the popular Blatz Pavilion Community Center which brought park visitors in close proximity to the contaminated sediment.

PCBs in the Blatz Lagoon

The PCB’s in the Blatz lagoon were a: 1) risk to people wading and splashing in this urban recreational area; 2) source of PCBs to the fish in the Milwaukee River Area of Concern (AOC); and 3) source of PCBs to Lake Michigan. The origin of the PCBs are not known, and were likely transported to the river 40+ years ago prior to the federal ban on the use of PCBs.

Restoration Work Removes PCBs in Lincoln Park, Milwaukee

The efforts of the many individuals involved in the project allowed the state to eliminate this source of PCBs within the watershed. Approximately 300 pounds of PCBs were removed from the lagoon area. Nearly 4,000 cubic yards of sediment, with PCB concentrations as high as 800 parts per million, were removed from the lagoon and safely disposed of in landfills. United States Environmental Protection Agency staff; Milwaukee County staff; the oversight consultant, Natural Resource Technology; the contractor, Veolia Environmental Services; and DNR staff all played cooperating roles in the restoration effort.

Lessons learned from the cleanup project include:

• Mother Nature always has the last word. The project was delayed significantly by the 2008 spring rains.
• Good project design, planning and oversight are crucial in being able to adapt to the complexities of sediment remediation projects.
• Having a team of DNR regional and central office staff makes a project run smoothly.

Long-term Funding Source is Needed for Future Projects

The total cost of the Blatz Pavilion Lagoon Sediment Remediation Project was $1.2 million. Design and permitting of the site took about 1.5 years from Fall 2006 through Spring 2008. Remediation of the lagoon took about 6 months from March through August 2008.

Wisconsin has identified its critical sediment restoration sites; and we know how to evaluate, plan, and design cleanup projects. The critical component is funding. The Blatz Pavilion Lagoon site benefited from the groundwork that was done more than 10 years ago by the Department's Great Lakes Program in securing bonding to pay for sediment cleanups in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Continued progress in sediment remediation will only be possible if we receive designated funding for statewide sediment remediation projects.