“biological hotspots” of the lower milwaukee estuary · eric leaf, tom hansen, eric geisthardt,...

Brennan Dow “Biological Hotspots” of the Lower Milwaukee Estuary Adviser: John Janssen http://city.milwaukee.gov/port#.WIjklFw8q6g Technical Habitat Map Grand Trunk Black-Crowned Night-Heron Bluegill South Shore Terrace Acknowledgements: Funding and support for this research project was provided by the Fund for Lake Michigan (FFLM) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR). Thanks to John Janssen, Eric Leaf, Tom Hansen, Eric Geisthardt, Chris Goff, Mark Lausten, Tom Hansen, Tom Simmons, Jeff Cable, Jeff Zinuticz, Nathan Tennies, Captain Greg Stamatelakys, and the Neeskay R/V crew. Smallmouth Bass Nests Rock Bass Nest Discovery World Summerfest Lagoon Rock Bass Spawning Largemouth Bass Nest Pumpkinseed Nest North Avenue Dam Largemouth Bass Spawning South Menomonee Canal Largemouth Bass Fry Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Jeff Zinuticz & Cheryl Masterson Tom Burzynski Lake Sturgeon Walleye The North Avenue Dam spawning reef was reconstructed in 2014 to provide better spawning habitat for Lake Sturgeon, Walleye and redhorse. Stocking efforts for Lake Sturgeon in Milwaukee started in 2003. Return of Lake Sturgeon for spawning in the Milwaukee River will occur when they reach maturity (25 to 30 years for females and about 15 years for males). This section of the river also provides much needed rocky habitat for other fish species. The Summerfest Lagoon is a biological hotspot that acts as a separate entity to other locations in the area and is most likely a small lake in terms of dynamic structure. Both shorelines provide spawning habitat for fish and allow diverse habitat for a large variety of fish species. The South Shore Terrace provides a lot of habitat and macrophyte cover for nearshore fishes in Milwaukee. It also provides important shoreline habitat for spawning fishes (Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass). Figuring out how to protect this shoreline from wave action and prominent shoreline currents is essential to have better recruitment success. The seiche dominated inlet, which is attached to the Grand Trunk wetland, is an important area for spawning bluegill. This gravel spawning habitat was accidentally introduced through the construction of docks and parking lots. There are plans currently underway to create spawning habitat further into the wetland area for Northern Pike. The Burnham Canal is a good example of “accidental” spawning habitat. Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and Largemouth Bass that displayed spawning characteristics, occupy small sections of collapsed dock walls with overhanging cover. In 2018, the west side of the canal is to undergo a large remediation and ecosystem restoration project. Burnham Canal 1:3,000 1:450 1:2,500 1:2,000 1:2,500 1:800 Lake Sturgeon Dave Schindelholz, Jeff Zinuticz, Pradeep Hirethota Hemimysis anomala Green Breakwall With the invasion of the round goby in 1994 and more recently Hemimysis anomala in 2006, an established, abundant, nearshore forage base for littoral zone predators was created. While this forage biomass is comprised of mostly invasive species, predators do not know the difference and are now more localized than they have been in the past. Smallmouth Bass (meters) Bathymetry 0.50 - 0.75 0.76 - 1.00 1.01 - 1.25 1.26 - 1.50 1.51 - 1.75 1.76 - 2.00 2.01 - 2.25 2.26 - 2.50 2.51 - 2.75 2.76 - 3.00 3.01 - 3.25 3.26 - 3.50 3.51 - 3.75 3.76 - 4.00 4.01 - 4.25 4.26 - 4.50 4.51 - 4.75 4.76 - 5.00 5.01 - 5.25 5.26 - 5.50 5.51 - 5.75 5.76 - 6.00 6.01 - 6.25 6.26 - 6.50 6.51 - 6.75 6.76 - 7.00 7.01 - 7.25 7.26 - 7.50 7.51 - 7.75 7.76 - 8.00 8.01 - 8.25 8.26 - 8.50 8.51 - 8.75 8.76 - 9.00 9.01 - 9.25 9.26 - 9.50 9.51 - 9.75 9.76 - 10.00 10.01 - 10.25 10.26 - 10.50 10.51 - 10.75 10.76 - 11.00

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Page 1: “Biological Hotspots” of the Lower Milwaukee Estuary · Eric Leaf, Tom Hansen, Eric Geisthardt, Chris Goff, Mark Lausten, Tom Hansen, Tom Simmons, Jeff Cable, Jeff Zinuticz, Nathan

Brennan Dow

“Biological Hotspots” of the Lower Milwaukee EstuaryAdviser: John Janssen

http://city.milwaukee.gov/port#.WIjklFw8q6g

Technical Habitat Map

Grand Trunk

Black-Crowned Night-Heron

Bluegill

South Shore Terrace

Acknowledgements: Funding and support for this research project was provided by the Fund for Lake Michigan (FFLM) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR). Thanks to John Janssen, Eric Leaf, Tom Hansen, Eric Geisthardt, Chris Goff, Mark Lausten, Tom Hansen, Tom Simmons, Jeff Cable, Jeff Zinuticz, Nathan Tennies, Captain Greg Stamatelakys, and the Neeskay R/V crew.

Smallmouth Bass Nests

Rock Bass Nest

Discovery World

Summerfest Lagoon

Rock Bass Spawning

Largemouth Bass Nest

Pumpkinseed Nest

North Avenue Dam

Largemouth Bass Spawning

South Menomonee Canal

Largemouth Bass Fry

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Jeff Zinuticz & Cheryl Masterson Tom Burzynski

Lake SturgeonWalleye

The North Avenue Dam spawning reef was reconstructed in 2014 to provide better spawning habitat for Lake Sturgeon, Walleye and redhorse. Stocking efforts for Lake Sturgeon in Milwaukee started in 2003. Return of Lake Sturgeon for spawning in the Milwaukee River will occur when they reach maturity (25 to 30 years for females and about 15 years for males). This section of the river also provides much needed rocky habitat for other fish species.

The Summerfest Lagoon is a biological hotspot that acts as a separate entity to other locations in the area and is most likely a small lake in terms of dynamic structure. Both shorelines provide spawning habitat for fish and allow diverse habitat for a large variety of fish species.

The South Shore Terrace provides a lot of habitat and macrophyte cover for nearshore fishes in Milwaukee. It also provides important shoreline habitat for spawning fishes (Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass). Figuring out how to protect this shoreline from wave action and prominent shoreline currents is essential to have better recruitment success.

The seiche dominated inlet, which is attached to the Grand Trunk wetland, is an important area for spawning bluegill. This gravel spawning habitat was accidentally introduced through the construction of docks and parking lots. There are plans currently underway to create spawning habitat further into the wetland area for Northern Pike.

The Burnham Canal is a good example of “accidental” spawning habitat. Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and Largemouth Bass that displayed spawning characteristics, occupy small sections of collapsed dock walls with overhanging cover. In 2018, the west side of the canal is to undergo a large remediation and ecosystem restoration project.

Burnham Canal

1:3,000

1:450

1:2,500

1:2,000

1:2,500

1:800

Lake Sturgeon

Dave Schindelholz, Jeff Zinuticz, Pradeep Hirethota

Hemimysis anomala

Green Breakwall

With the invasion of the round goby in 1994 and more recently Hemimysisanomala in 2006, an established, abundant, nearshore forage base for littoral zone predators was created. While this forage biomass is comprised of mostly invasive species, predators do not know the difference and are now more localized than they have been in the past.

Smallmouth Bass

(meters)

Bathymetry

0.50 - 0.75

0.76 - 1.00

1.01 - 1.25

1.26 - 1.50

1.51 - 1.75

1.76 - 2.00

2.01 - 2.25

2.26 - 2.50

2.51 - 2.75