Estabrook dam:

MMSD, DNR to hear input on Estabrook Park project Sept. 13

Demolition of the 1930s-era Estabrook Park dam on the Milwaukee River likely will begin in the spring of 2018. The public is invited to two meetings Sept. 13 to discuss the work and restoration of the river shoreline.

Demolition of the 1930s-era Estabrook Park dam on the Milwaukee River likely will begin in the spring of 2018, officials said.

The public is invited to two public meetings on Sept. 13 to discuss the work and restoration of the river shoreline.

Both the dam with floodgates north of an island in the river and a serpentine concrete and stone wall south of the island will be removed down to the riverbed, according to project documents.

Before demolition, an estimated 250 cubic yards of sand and muck will be scooped out of the riverbed immediately upstream of the wall.

About 2,000 cubic yards of concrete debris — at least 200 truckloads — will be removed from the river during demolition.

Access to the Oak Leaf Trail through Estabrook Park will remain open during the project.

Cost of demolishing the dam is estimated at $1.7 million. Total project costs — including engineering design, post-demolition restoration of river banks and removal of a temporary access road on the south shoreline — could amount to $2.7 million, officials said.

Dam gates have been open since state inspections in 2008 found numerous safety problems and confirmed the need for extensive repairs. In 2009, the state Department of Natural Resources ordered former owner Milwaukee County to remove or repair the dam.

In January, MMSD temporarily purchased property at the park from the county for $1 for the purpose of demolishing the dam.

MMSD representatives will review project plans and answer questions from the public at a meeting scheduled from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 13, at the Holiday Inn — Milwaukee Riverfront, 4700 N. Port Washington Road.

A DNR meeting immediately follows and is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. DNR staff will accept public comments on the project.