capable of extremely high velocities. Description Watershed The Kinnickinnic River is long, with a watershed that covers of drainage area. Along with the main river, many of the tributaries have been extensively modified through concrete channeling. Roughly 145,000 people live in the watershed, making it the most densely populated in the region. Almost the entire watershed is built out, and the vast majority of its land use is urban. High levels of industrial pollutants, diminished access for public use, and lack of a vegetative buffer have caused much of the community to perceive the waterways as nothing more than a network of municipal sewage drainage channels. The river's estuary empties into Lake Michigan at the Milwaukee harbor, along with the Milwaukee River and Menomonee River. Pollution problems The lowermost portion of the Kinnickinnic River is included in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern, which is one of the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. In the Kinnickinnic, this is due to high levels of PCBs and PAHs found in the river. For this reason, in 2007, the Kinnickinnic was also listed as the 7th most endangered river in the U.S. by American Rivers. Revitalization Future plans and recent activity has started to reshape the river. In the fall of 2009, dredging removed of sediment contaminated with PCBs and PAHs near the harbor. In addition to improved environmental conditions, the dredging created a safer, deeper, and more navigable river. Plans to remove the concrete in the river channel are already underway as part of a flood mitigation project under the direction of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD). A new river channel alignment will accommodate excessive rainwater, slow its velocity, and restore the river back towards a natural state with accessible green space and unobstructed passage for aquatic habitat. In 2009, a neighborhood plan was developed to improve conditions in the river corridor by building off the flood mitigation work. In addition to the river, areas of focus include adjacent and nearby parks, open space, housing, businesses, transportation, and education opportunities. References External links Milwaukee Riverkeeper Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Kinnickinnic River Project Kinnickinnic River Corridor Neighborhood Plan The State of the Kinnickinnic River, Milwaukee, WI (PDF) Milwaukee River Basin Partnership Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, Inc. Geography of Milwaukee Rivers of Wisconsin Tributaries of Lake Michigan Rivers of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin