The Pike River Improvements Project is a multi-phase project to control flooding, restore habitat, and develop recreational areas along the Pike River in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. The project is divided into 9 phases stretching over 5 miles. Construction began in 2001 and phases 1-5 are complete, with phase 6 currently under construction. The primary goals of the project are flood control, restoration of the riverine corridor and aquatic habitat, and development of a multi-use trail for recreation.

1. Village of Mount Pleasant – Storm Water Utility
Pike River Improvements Project

2. Pike River Improvements Project
• Project is divided into 9 phases
• Each Phase is approximately ½ mile in
length, stretching over 5 miles through the
Village of Mt. Pleasant
• Construction began in 2001
• Phases 1-5 are complete
• Phase 6 is currently being constructed

3. Pike River Improvements Phasing
• Municipal Boundary
• Phase Limits
• Watershed Boundary
• Major Roadways

4. Pike River: Pre-project Conditions
Phase 8

5. Primary Goals
• Flood Control with Expansion of Flood
Channel to Keep Flooding within Corridor.
• Restoration of Riverine Corridor with
Buffer Strips.
• Restoration of Aquatic Habitat with In-
Steam Habitat Structures and Improved
Substrate.
• Recreational Corridor Development with
Trails
• Water Quality/TSS Removal

6. Flood Control
• Each Phase involves expansion of the
flood channel to control floodwaters.
• Three Phases (Phase 1, 4 & 9) also
include large flood storage areas.
• Construction of Phases 1-3 resulted in
complete or partial release of floodplain
restriction on over 120 properties.

7. Phase 1 Before & After

8. Flooding on Willow Road
August 2007

9. Residential Flooding
August 2007

10. Phase 4a Construction – Aug. 2007
Flood Storage Area

11. Phase 4a Construction – Aug 2007
Flood Storage Area - Flooded

12. Habitat Restoration
• Village works closely with various biologists and
DNR staff to restore habitat within the Pike River
corridor.
• Native prairie and wetland plantings are typical
throughout the corridor with annual monitoring
and invasive species control.
• Reconstructed stream provides more natural
habitat (meanders, fish habitat structures, etc.).
• Annual monitoring of stream conditions (UWM)
conducted to monitor impact of to-date
construction and plan for future Phases.

13. Prairie Restoration

18. Pike River Pathway

19. Recreational Corridor Development
• Over 4 miles of multi-
use, off-road bike trail
constructed to-date
throughout the corridor.
• Trails are open to the
public year-round.
• River corridor provides
wealth of additional
passive and active
recreation opportunities.
• Unlimited access to the
river.

20. Water Quality/TSS Removal
• Water quality ponds constructed throughout
the corridor at points of in-flow of runoff.
• Newly constructed flood channel banks with
gentle (4:1) slopes and upland vegetated
buffers.
• New development and re-development
must meet NR 151 requirements.

21. Phase 4 Water Quality Ponds

22. Typical New Channel Section

23. Phases 8 & 9

24. Prescribed Burn

25. Pike River
Fish Monitoring

26. Pike River Restoration:
Fish Improvement
40
0 80%
%
Non-Restored
d Phase 1
Restored
d
35
5 Completed 70%
%
Improvement t
30
0 60%
%
Rela ve Improvement (%)
t )
25
5 50%
%
Fish Bio c Inegrity (IBI)
)
20
0 40%
%
y
e
15
5 30%
%
10
0 20%
%
h
5 10%
%
0 0%
%
1990
0 1993
3 1994
4 2000
0 2001
1 2002
2 2003
3 2004
4 2005
5 2006
6 2007
7 2008
8 2009
9
Year
r
r

30. 2011 and Beyond
• Phases 6-9 are scheduled for completion
within the next 5-6 years
• Over $3 million in grant monies have been
received to date for construction, land
acquisition, etc.
• Project costs to date are approximately
$11 M with total projected cost about $18
M.
• Currently 300 acres acquired, projected
total corridor about 450 acres.

32. Pike River Contact Information
• Mount Pleasant Storm Water Utility: 3 Members
Sonny Havn – Village Trustee & President,
George Vanhaverbeke, Joe Mandala
• Storm Water Contact: Mr. Tony Beyer, Water
Systems Engineer (262-664-7849 or
tbeyer@mtpleasantwi.gov ).
• Engineering Department: Mr. Bill Sasse, P.E.,
Director of Engineering (262-664-7833 or
bsasse@mtpleasantwi.gov ).