Milwaukee’s Watersheds EarthCache

"Milwaukee's identity is wrapped up in water. When you explore history you look at how identity emerges and evolves. Milwaukee's here because of its harbor and it grew because of its rivers. It's really simple. Very elemental. The rivers and waterways are essential to understanding who we are as a city."

John Gurda, Milwaukee Writer and Historian

You may have figured out that this is not your usual type of geocache. For one thing, there is no physical geocache for you to find. Rather, this is a special type of virtual cache known as an EarthCache.

To claim a find on this Earthcache, you must message or email the cache owner with the answers to the questions below, preferably before you log the find.

The Geological Society of America defines an EarthCache site as “a specific geological location that people can visit to learn about a unique geoscience feature or aspect of Earth. Visitors to EarthCache sites can see how our planet has been shaped by geological processes, how we manage resources, and how scientists gather evidence. . . . [A]n EarthCache adventure is treasure hunting for geological and geographical caches that Earth itself has stored. The treasure is the lessons people learn about our planet.”

An EarthCache teaches an earth science lesson. The cache page must include logging tasks that help teach the same lesson. Geocachers must complete the tasks before they log the EarthCache as found.

For more information on EarthCaches, see the Geological Society of America's website.

“Finding” this EarthCache

This is a multi-location EarthCache. I also have rated this a bit higher for difficulty than you generally see for an EarthCache as the logging tasks are a somewhat more onerous than is usual.

At the given coordinates, you will note at least two things. First, there is an informational sign, and second, there is a body of water before you.

The subject of this EarthCache is Milwaukee’s Watersheds. In order to get credit for finding the cache, it is not enough to log it below. You also must answer the following questions and EMAIL your answers to the Cache Owner. DO NOT place your answers in your log entry!!!

NOTE: Perfection is not required. A good faith attempt to fulfill the logging requirements should be sufficient.

Based on the information and your observations at the given coordinates:

1. The marker at the given coordinates refers to the final watershed listed there as a "drainage" rather than a "watershed." Compare what you can see of the Menomonee River Watershed before you at the given coordinates with the "drainage" area identified on the marker. What, if any, differences do you notice that might justify using the different terminology? Do you think the different terminology is useful, and if so, why?

2. Although not saying so specifically, the marker identifies two types of runoff - one natural and one man-made - as major causes of concern for water quality as it flows through a watershed to the watershed outlet. Based on your observations of the water from the given coordinates, does it appear to suffer from either or both type of runoff? What makes you think so? Do you think that merely looking at the water is adequate to make that assessment? Why or why not?

3. Immediately south of the given coordinates is an artificial stream forming part of the Global Water Technology Park Water Feature. Given what you see and the general definition of a watershed given below, do you think this stream could be considered a watershed? Why or why not?

Travel south along the “stream” to another informational sign, this one regarding the Reed Street Railroad Yards (N 43° 01.773 W 087° 54.897), and then answer the following questions:

4. Compare the imagined satellite-type map on the marker to what you see around you. Describe at least two landform differences you observe? For each difference, do you believe it resulted from natural forces or was manmade, and why?

5. Based on what you see and have learned about watersheds, do you think that the area covered by a given watershed could be changed (i.e., expanded or contracted) by human conduct? And if so, how?

OPTIONAL: Although not required, your photographs of the surrounding area (but not the informational sign itself) are welcome in your "Found It" log.

Watersheds

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines a watershed (sometimes called a drainage basin or catchment) as “a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.”

Some watersheds can be as small as a small inland lake. Others encompass thousands of square miles and may contain streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and underlying groundwater that extend hundreds of miles inland. The Mississippi River Watershed is the largest watershed in the United States. It drains 1.15 million square miles from all or parts of 31 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.

Larger watersheds, moreover, generally encompass a number of smaller watersheds. The Missouri River, draining a huge watershed in its own right, flows into the Mississippi River and thus is part of that river’s watershed as well.

Hydrologic Units

The U.S. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S) has organized watersheds in this country into what it calls “hydrologic units.” The United States is divided and sub-divided into successively smaller hydrologic units which are classified into six levels: regions, sub-regions, basins, sub-basins, watersheds, and subwatersheds (note that “watershed” as used here has a specific legal meaning different than the more general meaning defined above). The hydrologic units are arranged or nested within each other, from the largest geographic area (regions) to the smallest geographic area (subwatersheds).

Each hydrologic unit is identified by a unique hydrologic unit code (HUC) consisting of two to twelve digits based on the six levels of classification in the hydrologic unit system. In addition to the HUCs, each hydrologic unit is assigned a name corresponding to the unit's principal hydrologic feature or to a cultural or political feature within the unit.

The U.S.G.S. Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) currently identifies 22 “regions.” Each of these regions covers either the drainage area of a major river, such as the Missouri region, or the combined drainage areas of a series of waterways that all drain into the ocean.

Each of the remaining levels subdivides the regions into progressively smaller hydrologic units:

SOURCE: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/home/?cid=nrcs143_021617

By providing each hydrologic unit a unique code, the WBD provides a means of precisely identifying hydrologic units for use in planning and describing water use and related land use activities, such as

watershed protection
flood mitigation
water quality improvements
soil erosion reduction
rural, municipal and industrial water supply
irrigation
water management
sediment control
fish and wildlife enhancement
hydropower

An interesting website on Integrated Watershed Management is available here.

For more information on HUCs:

U.S.G.S.: Hydrological Code
Hydrological Code

Wisconsin Watersheds

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) identifies 32 Basins in the state and over 330 watersheds. The DNR webpage on Watershed and Basins contains much information on Wisconsin’s watersheds.

Milwaukee Watersheds

Milwaukee’s three primary watersheds are the Milwaukee River, the Menomonee River, and the Kinnickinnic River.

According to the DNR, the Menomonee River Watershed covers 136 square miles in portions of Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee counties, The Kinnickinnic River Watershed covers 33 square miles,

The Milwaukee River Basin, which incorporates both the Menomonee River and the Kinnickinnick River, as well as other waterways, extends into parts of seven Wisconsin counties.

The Milwaukee River Basin (technically, a “sub-basin”- HUC 04040003)) is part of the Great Lakes Region (HUC 04), Southwestern Lake Michigan Subregion (HUC 0404), Southwestern Lake Michigan Basin (HUC 040400).

Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC)

In the 1980’s the US and Canada signed an agreement to improve water quality in the Great Lakes. A major focus is to target “Areas of Concern,” like the Milwaukee Estuary, which suffer from a long history of toxic contamination. An estuary is the transition area between a river and a large body of water such as the ocean or one of the Great Lakes.

The Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC) is located in the Milwaukee River watershed and originally included: the lower 5 km of the Milwaukee River downstream of North Avenue Dam; the lower 4.8 km of the Menomonee River downstream of 35th Street; the lower 4 km of the Kinnickinnic River downstream of Chase Avenue; the inner and outer Harbor and the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan. However, the area was extended in 2008 to include the Little Menomonee River north to Brown Deer Road and the Milwaukee river and its tributaries north to Cedarburg.

The Milwaukee Estuary suffers from a history of human modifications (such as the straightening of the Menomonee River), and both historic and ongoing pollution. The AOC acts as both a source of pollution to Lake Michigan and as a sink or collecting spot for pollutants generated throughout the watershed. Consequently, water quality is affected by pollution sources associated with land use from the entire Milwaukee River drainage basin.

The main priorities for the Milwaukee Estuary AOC include: remediation of contaminated sediments in tributaries and nearshore waters of Lake Michigan, prevention of eutrophication (excessive richness of nutrients, often caused by fertilizer or sewage runoff, that causes excess plant growth), nonpoint source pollution control, improvement of beach water quality, enhancement of fish and wildlife populations, and habitat restoration.

Sources:

Milwaukee Estuary AOC Wiki
EPA Milwaukee Estuary AOC
Milwaukee Estuary AOC

Other Information:

Placement of this Earthcache was authorized by Linda Gorens-Levey on behalf of the Reed Street Yards.

This cache placed by a member of the: (click to visit our website)