ably due to increased urbanization of the tribu-
tary drainage area. The improved wastewater
management practices instituted at the Cooper-
Dixon Duck Farms were reflected in improved
water quality conditions in the Root River Canal
in 1975. Despite these improvements, the water
quality conditions of the streams of the Root
River watershed did not meet the applicable
water quality standards for dissolved oxygen,
ammonia-nitrogen, and fecal coliform, while the
total phosphorus levels in all the streams were
also found to be higher than the recom-
mended level.
Sauk Creek Watershed: A slight decline in dis-
solved oxygen levels in Sauk Creek over the
decade, and generally stable levels of chloride,
phosphorus, and fecal coliform indicated rela-
tively stable overall water quality conditions
within the watershed. However, the water
quality standards for dissolved oxygen,
ammonia-nitrogen, and fecal coliform, and the
recommended level for total phosphorus, were
not met within the watershed in 1975.
Sheboygan River Watershed: Water quality condi-
tions in Belgium Creek in the Sheboygan River
watershed remained essentially unchanged over
the decade. The fecal coliform standard was
frequently violated in Belgium Creek.
Index Site Sampling Program: A mathematical
water quality simulation model was used in the
regional water quality management planning
program to help assess existing water quality
conditions during all seasons of the year, rather
than only during summer, and under both dry-
weather and wet-weather flow conditions. The
model was also used to evaluate anticipated water
quality conditions under alternative water pollu-
tion abatement programs. Because the model
included mathematical approximations of com-
plex natural phenomena, before it could be used
to reliably simulate water quality conditions it
was necessary to calibrate the model by compar-
ing simulation results to measured data and by
making the necessary adjustments in the model
parameters. The model was calibrated using data
collected during the Commission's water quality
index site sampling program undertaken by the
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
under contract to the Commission.
Under the program, approximately 30 samples
were collected at each of 36 stations and ana-
lyzed for 15 water quality indicators. The

sampling was conducted during both dry-
weather and wet-weather periods. The samples
were collected over the period of September 1976
through April 1977.
The water quality simulation modeling con-
ducted under existing conditions and calibrated
against the index site sampling data indicated
that water quality standard violations may be
expected to be widespread in the Region during
all seasons, and under both dry-weather and wet-
weather conditions. As summarized in Table 50,
most watersheds may be expected to violate
applicable dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, and
phosphorus standards. Three watersheds, the
Menomonee and Rock Rivers and Oak Creek,
and may occasionally experience violations of
the un-ionized ammonia-nitrogen standard, and
portions of the Menomonee River may occasion-
ally violate the temperature standard.
Milwaukee Harbor Estuary Study: In 1982, the
Commission, in cooperation with the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources, the Milwau-
kee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and the
U. S. Geological Survey, undertook a major
effort to develop a sound and workable plan for
the abatement of water pollution within the
Milwaukee Harbor estuary.10 The estuary con-
sists of the estuarine portions of the Milwaukee,
Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers, and the
Milwaukee outer harbor within Lake Michigan.
An intensive monitoring program was carried
out from 1981 through 1983 to provide the data
needed to develop and evaluate the means of
abating the complex water quality problems
within the estuary. The surface water quality
monitoring program for the estuary consisted of
a weekly and monthly baseline sampling pro-
gram throughout the year, intensive sampling of
stormwater runoff events, continuous automatic
water quality monitoring, sampling of runoff
from estuary direct drainage areas, and recon-
naissance sampling of toxic metals and organic
substances. In all, a total of 10,310 baseline and
storm event runoff samples were collected and
10SEWRPC Planning Report No. 37, A Water
Resources Management Plan for the Milwaukee
Harbor Estuary Volume One, Inventory Find-
ings March 1987; and Volume Two, Alternative
and Recommended Plans December 1987.

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