Fish and other aquatic species need to be able to swim up river in order to access food sources, reproduce, and establish healthy, stable populations. When man-made barriers like dams prohibit or delay fish movement in our waterways, fish passage can be designed to help fish move through or around the barrier to get where they need to go.
At Kletzsch Dam, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District designed and built a passage channel that goes around the dam on the east side of the river. The Kletzsch Dam Fish Passage project addressed required dam repairs and provides fish passage for native species within the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern.
Prior to this project, Kletzsch Dam was the largest remaining fish barrier on the Milwaukee River between Lake Michigan and Grafton.
Creating the passage allows fish to explore an additional 25 miles of river north of the dam, 29 miles of tributary streams that feed into the river, and 2,400 acres of wetlands – reconnecting river habitats and allowing the fish to migrate throughout the region.
Partner Lead: MMSD, Milwaukee County Parks
Status: Monitoring
Outcome: Restored Ecosystems
More Information: Project Info, FAQ’s, Kletzsch Dam Factsheet, June 2023 Project Update Video, Nov 2021 Project Update Video