Where is Schoonmaker Creek?

Schoonmaker Creek encompasses roughly 1,100 acres (1.7 square miles) in the City of Wauwatosa and the City of Milwaukee. Much of the original Schoonmaker Creek now flows underground through stormwater sewer systems, except for a short reach in the City of Wauwatosa where it flows in an open channel. 

The watershed has experienced numerous heavy storm events since 1986, causing flooding to streets, homes, and businesses due to undersized storm sewer capacity, a confined open channel, and inadequate enclosure capacity at the downstream end of the watershed.

Analysis and Options to Address Flood Risk

The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) evaluated existing flood risk in the Schoonmaker Creek watershed and developed alternative stormwater management plans to mitigate those flood risks. Read the full analysis of Schoonmaker Creek.

Next Steps

City staff has evaluated all 16 alternatives and is recommending a detailed alternative analysis of two alternatives.

City staff will draft and issue a request for proposals to hire a consulting engineer to begin work on the detailed alternative analysis. This process will include a public input process that will allow all property owners to have direct conversations with the city regarding the proposed alternatives and their potential impacts. 

Ways to participate:

• Read about the three options to mitigate flooding in the Schoonmaker Creek area. City staff is recommending a detailed analysis of these two options.