Bender Park Boat Launch - Sediment Abatement

Sediment accumulation has been an ongoing maintenance issue at Bender Park since the park first opened in 1999. $820,500 in Capital Funds have been appropriated, which will allow Parks staff to perform dredging at the Bender Park Boat Launch. This sediment abatement will allow the public to safely access and navigate the harbor.

This project to dredge the launch is being planned to remove 2 to 3 times as much sediment as was done in 2007, 2011, and 2013. The plans call for the dredged sediment to be removed from the boat launch, hauled up the Bender Park Roadway, and placed in the area of the upper gravel lot. The dredged sediment will be covered with topsoil and vegetated.

Project plans were developed and submitted throughout 2024 to the WDNR and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure several required permits for the dredging activities. As of April 2025, the final permit was granted from the WDNR for low hazard exemption for disposal of dredged sediments at the park. Additional permits secured for the project include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permit, five WDNR permits (General Permit, Water Discharge Permit, Waiver to Dredge Seasonality Exemption, Wetland Exemption, and Stormwater Permit), and County Lakebed Permit. The project is currently being Advertised to Bidders, with bids due May 7, 2025. The Advertisement to Bid can be found at the following location: https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Administrative-Services/Bids-and-RFPs/Active/WP077801-Bender-Park-Sediment-Abatement

Following bid award and contracting, dredging and construction activities are anticipated to be completed in Summer 2025.