Wisconsin's Contaminated Sediment Program

Welcome to Wisconsin's home page for contaminated sediment management. See the links at left to view projects in process, sampling and assessment guidance, sediment quality objective technical documents, and the locations of remediation sites.

The goal of the contaminated sediment program is to restore surface waters to assure the applicable water quality standards are achieved where resource uses have been impaired or damaged by the presence of contaminated sediments and soils. Managing contaminated sediments and floodplain soils associated with Wisconsin's inland and Great Lakes waters is a multi-program effort within the Bureau of Watershed Management and other Bureaus, such Remediation and Redevelopment. The integrated work of the scientists and engineers involved is designed to:

1. Develop a consistent and holistic contaminated sediment strategy,
2. Integrate contaminated sediment issues with other program efforts,
3. Ensure consistency in evaluating and assessing contaminated sediment sites, and
4. Ensure the most current and applicable technology is used in remediating contaminated sediment sites.

Key elements of the integrated effort

Key elements of the integrated effort for managing contaminated sediments include:

Evaluation, development, and application of appropriate sediment quality assessment tools that will yield a weight-of-evidence approach to demonstrate actual or potential effects to biota including humans from contaminated sediments.

Development of site-specific sediment quality objectives to be used with other balancing factors in making management decisions at contaminated sediment sites, applying controls on wastewater dischargers, and abating discharges from non-point sources to surface waters.

Understanding and integrating sediment issues into various regulatory programs such as Superfund, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), and State Environmental Repair Program sites (includes Manufactured Gas Plant Sites) and other programs including Great Lakes Remedial Action Plans.

Maintaining a statewide sediment data base from all sediment related sampling projects. For information contact Jim Killian, 608-264-6123.

Developing, maintaining, and updating a statewide inventory of sites with contaminated sediments, floodplain soils, and wetland soils.

Development of a site ranking and prioritization system to be used in the decision making process for selection of contaminated sediment sites for remediation based on available funding and resources.

Investigating and keeping up to date on remedial and treatment technologies including dredging, capping, in situ and ex situ treatment, and handling and disposal of sediments.

For questions about this page and/or the contaminated sediments program contact Bill Fitzpatrick in the Bureau of Watershed Management.