Glendale Kletzsch Park fish passage open to native species

GLENDALE, Wis. - A fish passage built along the Milwaukee River in Glendale's Kletzsch Park is now open to help native fish move upstream.

It's a boon for fishermen – and for fish, especially for those trying to breed. 

"Spawning, nursery habitat for juveniles, and of course access back out to the lake," said Stacy Hron, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources program manager.

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Fish like bass, trout and even lake sturgeon move upstream each spring to spawn. But the dam at Kletzch Park, while scenic, was forcing fish to exert more energy getting up stream than getting busy. 

"We used to come and watch them when they would jump – jump real high and there would be guys in the water," said Milwaukee resident Susie Watson. "It’s beautiful. I didn’t even know about this."

The solution: a fish pathway that still allows them to get upstream but in a much easier way. Think of it as a mini Highway 794 but for salmon. 

"This fish passage opens up miles of spawning habitat for our native fish," said Jim Uhrinak of the Milwaukee Audubon Society.

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Twenty-five miles north of the dam to be exact, not to mention the tributary streams and wetlands now available to them. 

Originally slated for the west side of the river, environmental groups convinced the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to use the east side instead, thus saving some trees older than the state. 

As for when the pathway will get visitors, the answer is soon.

"We will probably see more (fish) in the spring, but certainly the fishway is open as of today and fish could be migrating there at any point," Hron said.

The fish passage is on property owned by Milwaukee County Parks, MMSD and Glendale.