Milwaukee Estuary Lake Sturgeon
Project Title
Milwaukee Estuary Juvenile Sturgeon Habitat Use
Project Code
MELKS
Project Duration
September 2023 - December 2025
Project Description
The Milwaukee Estuary is a designated Area of Concern (AOC) and there is significant dredging and habitat remediation projects that have been proposed. Although surveys targeting juvenile sturgeon are being conducted, the sampling is randomized and covers a wide range of habitats. It is unknown what type of habitats the juvenile lake sturgeon are utilizing during their time in the estuary. It is also unknown if the utilization of estuary habitats changes seasonally. Habitats and movement trends will be determined to protect and enhance juvenile sturgeon habitat in the Milwaukee Estuary. Prior projects have mapped the habitat that is currently available in the estuary. The next step toward identifying the habitat use is to track the movements of juvenile sturgeon among these habitat sections. A combination of active and passive acoustic telemetry techniques will be used to identify trends in habitat use. The passive tracking will consist of an array of receivers at habitat transitions and pinch points to determine seasonal movements and time spent in the Estuary. The active tracking will achieve fine scale movements among habitat sections within the estuary.
Investigators