A $700,000 grant will provide critical funding for the final phase of the Pike River Restoration
project within Petrifying Springs Park. The project is aimed at reducing the amount of sediment,
phosphorus and nitrogen entering the river system, ultimately helping to protect Lake Michigan
water quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Program grant
was awarded to the Kenosha County Division of Parks in support of Phase III of its restoration
effort, Congressman Bryan Steil announced recently.
“Our state’s natural resources are an important part of what makes Wisconsin a great place to
live and work,” Steil said. “This funding will help ensure that our rivers remain stable and
vibrant for future generations to enjoy.”
County Executive Samantha Kerkman said the award exemplifies what is possible through
collaboration of local government, state agencies, environmental organizations and the federal
government.
“I would like to thank Congressman Bryan Steil and the EPA for recognizing the importance of
this project,” Kerkman said. “This is the largest grant awarded to the project and will help us
bring it across the finish line this fall.”
Support for Phase III of the Pike River watershed restoration project has also come from
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Sustain Our Great Lakes, and the Fund for Lake
Michigan.
Phase I and II of the project are already complete. Kerkman and Wyatt Moore, Kenosha County
Parks Director, expressed their gratitude to the EPA in addition to other project sponsors, the
support of which has sustained all three phases of the project, reducing the impact on local
taxpayers.
19600 75th Street • Bristol, WI 53104 • 262-653-1899
wyatt.moore@kenoshacountywi.gov • www.kenoshacounty.org
“This has been an incredibly impactful project for Petrifying Springs Park, enhancing both the
park itself and the water quality of the Pike River,” Moore said. “The completion of this section
of the river marks a major milestone in a restoration effort that has been underway since 2017.”
The EPA also assisted with Phase I in of the restoration in 2017, which focused on a 3,145-foot
section of the river where erosion had become a serious issue.
Phase III continues the momentum established by the previous stages. Crews are restoring 3,280
feet of streambank and more than five acres of riverbank habitat, along with 12,040 square feet
of in-stream habitat.
This phase also includes targeted planting of native species to support pollinators like the
endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee and migratory birds such as bluebirds, helping to boost
biodiversity in the area.
Beyond ecological improvements, Phase III includes new upgrades to park infrastructure. The
current pedestrian bridge located between Area 2 and the Biergarten parking area will be
removed and replaced with a new ADA pedestrian bridge. Additionally, the existing playground
in Area 3—situated in an area prone to flooding—will be replaced with a new playground across
the street, outside of the river’s floodplain.