Menomonee River North Bank

This project restored 1,000 linear feet of eroded riverbank and created a multi-use trail along the north bank of the Menomonee River between 33rd and 35th Street. The scope of the design work included a site investigation and vegetation analysis, planting plans, river access planning, native species selection, river access planning, green infrastructure — including a tamarak-lined bioswale, and development of a long-term restoration and management plan. We worked with a highly diverse and integrated team of civil engineers, fisheries ecologists, and fluvial geomorphologist, to implement a fabric-encapsulated soil (FES) system to reform and stabilize the riverbank. Positive outcomes included, contamination clean-up, infrastructure protection, water quality improvement, and balancing of the adjacent aquatic ecosystem. The highly diverse riparian plant community was designed to withstand tough urban conditions which will aid in the stabilization of the river bank, and benefit wildlife and fisheries ecology as well as surrounding neighborhoods.

“We put the bio in bio-engineering”