Posted on April 8, 2026
As a Wisconsin-based energy and infrastructure contractor, Michels Corporation pursues opportunities that allow us to significantly improve our state’s resources. Few projects match the scale, complexity, and long-term environmental significance of Milwaukee’s Dredged Material Management Facility (DMMF).
This project is not only a largescale construction effort in a high-profile location, but also a critical milestone in restoring the health of the Milwaukee Estuary and protecting Lake Michigan for future generations. Like many projects, the DMMF provides opportunities for Michels’ employees to perform meaningful work in office, field, engineering, project management, and other supporting roles. Supporting these projects and Michels’ consistent growth provides many opportunities for people at all experience levels, geographic locations, and areas of concentration to join our team.
Milwaukee’s three main rivers—the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic—have been part of the city’s industrial legacy for more than a century. Contaminated sediments, including chemicals and other industrial byproducts, have accumulated along the riverbeds and into the estuary, contributing to its designation as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area of Concern in 1987. Addressing the contamination was determined to be a necessary step for restoring fish populations, improving water quality, and supporting recreation and public health throughout the region.
Because existing storage sites for contaminated sediment, including a confined disposal facility north of the Lake Express ferry dock, are nearly full, the region needed a modern, engineered containment structure with enough capacity to support largescale dredging and cleanup efforts. The DMMF fills that gap by providing storage for 1.9 million cubic yards of dredged material, equivalent to filling 13 football fields 50 feet deep.
