Municipal Services

Innovative Channel Design
Village of West Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The results were amazing in the Village of West Milwaukee after a 100-year rainfall event put a unique channel rehabilitation design alternative to the test. Even though more than 4 inches of rain fell in just 35 minutes and there was no growing vegetation on the recently rehabbed section, there was little or no damage to the riverbank.

A 1,400-foot section of an urban channel along the Kinickinnic River had serious overgrowth and erosion problems. The channel required rehabilitation as part of a 42-acre retail development adjacent to the channel. Rather than using standard design methods to install a stone armored riverbank with large riprap and a fabric mat, a more cost-effective, low maintenance solution was proposed -- the use of two products, Pyramat and Flexterra, with a stone riprap anchor toe feature. Once the plants are well established, the Village anticipates minimal mowing and maintenance of the riverbank.

[ Back to Municipal Services Projects ]