Kinnickinnic (Milwaukee trib)

Scouting this section at marginal/minimal boatable flow of 145 cfs.

As of Autumn, 2018, work has begun to remove cement from a stretch of river in Pulaski Park. A very short cofferdam pools the usual/normal flow to allow pumps to put all flow into pipes on shore to bypass the riverbed, allowing heavy equipment to work in the channel.

As shown by the on-site signage, this work has a planned cost of $8.6 Million! (And, far as I can tell, that is just for the initial brief phase within Pulaski Park ... there is a next phase for similar work from 16th Street down to 6th Street.)

Zooming in, one can see a somewhat significant cement 'jump' between Bennett Avenue & Stack Drive. This could (at some flows) cause a significant stopper (hole), or . . . perhaps (at other, perhaps at most or all) flows, water may just 'sheet' quickly downstream from its base.

Looking upstream one sees a few minor (just more than 'curb block' height) obstructions. With anything but lowest flows, these are likely to be nearly completely immersed and cause virtually no surface feature nor disturbance

After passing under 20th Street (and an Aurora Pharmacy), the river takes a roundhouse left (and as it nears 16th Street). You will see a defunct rail trestle ahead, followed by a double set of active tracks. Just before encountering those, the river drops over about a 3' hydraulic jump (ledge). The river is quite wide here, and the cement landing is quite uniform (and shallow), so one should expect water to sheet downstream quite well from the base. Which is to say I wouldn't expect a wicked reversal to form here at almost any flow, but that is purely supposition, unsupported by actual observation.

Immediately downstream of a pedestrian bridge at 8th Street (which dead-ends either side of the river), a very interesting hydraulic jump occurs. For whatever reason, this one is not like all others I've seen in town. It is not straight perpendicular to the flow and does not have a sheer vertical face. Instead, all faces are sloping, and it stays high on the right half for about 12' further than on the left half, making for VERY contorted currents when flows are elevated.

Just downstream of 43rd (after a swing left/north, then back right/east), the river jumps off a 5' steel-plate dam. Immediately from the left (at the base) a significant tributary enters via large culverts (passing under railroad tracks on river-left).

Take out is at a steep embankment, up a muddy fishing-access trail, immediately east of a beautifully carved-wooden sign.

As the KK River comes out of a L-O-N-G underground (gated at top end), it enters a V-shaped cement-walled area which is largely fenced off from backyards and properties along it to preclude anyone accidentally getting too close and falling in at times of significant flow.

At 43rd Street, under the downstream edge of the bridge, there is a rounded cement dam which is very likely to form a uniform hole at very many flows. At some flows there may be some play possible here, but only well-experienced boaters are likely to be able to distinguish what those 'safe' flows might be.

A cement drop immediately precedes Cleveland Avenue. With flow, from river level, this is likely to look like the river just flows straight into a wall and disappears! (I.E., the drop would not be apparent.) From closer up, one sees a slightly stepped-drop into the box culvert. The river goes underground here for 295'.

After leaving the cement ditch the next mile of river is more natural bed and banks. Unfortunately it is subject to embeded timbers and deadfall, making any boat travel an absolute nightmare.

All too shortly after the 5' dam, the river encounters four huge culverts and goes underground for 656' (1/8th of a mile). These culverts accumulate a lot of wood (rather high up, showing how high the flows get!), likely preventing safe passage.

The exit from the culverts has earthen berms dividing the outflow.

The pond in Jackson Park has an overflow channel which drops down a cute little man-made stepped falls to drop into the Kinnickinnic River.

Just above a pedestrian bridge over the river at 11th Street (which dead-ends on either side), a very short ledge is found. It is likely that (at anything more than minor flows) this will be entirely engulfed and likely create virtually no disturbance.

Just a view of progress on the 'remediation' in Pulaski Park. They've removed the cement-bottom/cement-sides, placed rocks in the streambed, and armored the banks with steps of quarried block/rock.