The Return of the Sturgeon
Innovative, decades-long effort brings extirpated species back to the Milwaukee River. Second in a series.
Innovative, decades-long effort brings extirpated species back to the Milwaukee River. Second in a series. Back to the full article.
Holleback stands on Riveredge’s accessible pier on the Milwaukee River in August 2023. This is the river water that generations of young sturgeon have imprinted on inside the trailer before being released every fall into downstream waters connected to Lake Michigan. From here the Milwaukee River flows 19 miles east and south to Grafton, where it flows over the Bridge Street Dam, then another 19 miles downstream to Kletzsch Dam and fishway, then another 11 miles to Lake Michigan. Fifteen to 25 years after their release, the smell of these waters will call those fish that survive upstream to spawn
Holleback stands on Riveredge’s accessible pier on the Milwaukee River in August 2023. This is the river water that generations of young sturgeon have imprinted on inside the trailer before being released every fall into downstream waters connected to Lake Michigan. From here the Milwaukee River flows 19 miles east and south to Grafton, where it flows over the Bridge Street Dam, then another 19 miles downstream to Kletzsch Dam and fishway, then another 11 miles to Lake Michigan. Fifteen to 25 years after their release, the smell of these waters will call those fish that survive upstream to spawn. Photo by Michael Timm.
