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Officials breaking ground on the restoration project

Environmental corridor restoration underway next to Microsoft datacenter site

December 10, 2025  |  Topics: Places, Stories

By Dave Giordano

With a photo essay by Eddee Daniel

“The sun shines not on us, but in us.
The rivers flow not past, but through us.” ~ John Muir

The talk is over. The design is complete. The work has begun.

On September 12, 2025 the partnership of Racine County, Village of Mount Pleasant, Department of Natural Resources, Microsoft and Root-Pike WIN marked the start of the restoration of the Lamparek Creek environmental corridor. 

This ambitious endeavor began in 2017 when Root-Pike WIN introduced the idea of an improved environmental corridor within the Lamparek Ditch sub-watershed. In 2023, Microsoft agreed to support and be part of this journey.

Foreground to background, Kristi Heuser, Nick Keefer (Stantec), and Monte Osterman jump start the native planting process.
Foreground to background, Kristi Heuser, Nick Keefer (Stantec), and Monte Osterman jump start the native planting process.

To commemorate the start of construction, the partners gathered on-site to see the initial work being done by Stantec and plant natives from Johnson’s Nursery. The restored area will take about three years to fully vegetate. Neighboring the datacenter site, native bumble bees in the ATC restored prairie are already checking out the new habitat…

Who needs F-16s for a ceremonial flyover when you have the Common Eastern bumble bee!
Who needs F-16s for a ceremonial flyover when you have the Common Eastern bumble bee!

Planting the Lamparek Creek corridor with native plants is just the beginning. 

Significant work has also begun to re-meander the straightened stream course and reshape the banks to better interact with the newly redeveloped wetlands. The wetlands process pollutants as “nature’s kidneys”, which get us closer to a clean creek.

Map of Lamparek Creek sub-watershed showing restoration site.
Map of Lamparek Creek sub-watershed showing restoration site.
Fish-loving pools and riffles have been reintroduced.
Fish-loving pools and riffles have been reintroduced.
Stream banks are reshaped to better accommodate stormwater flows.
Stream banks are reshaped to better accommodate stormwater flows.
Crews from Stantec prepare the next series of instream habitat structures.
Crews from Stantec prepare the next series of in-stream habitat structures.

The revitalization of the Lamparek Creek corridor will improve water quality to the Pike River’s North Branch and cultivate a stronger sense of place within the surrounding community.

The restoration of the Lamparek Ditch is recommended in the 2014 EPA/DNR-approved Pike River Watershed Restoration Plan. The Plan prescribed wider stream buffers and stream channel improvements to filter pollutants, reduce storm water impacts, and provide rich habitats for diverse native wildlife.

Lamparek Creek suffers from significant streambank erosion from flashy flows and lack of native plants in the riparian zones.
Lamparek Creek suffers from significant stream bank erosion from flashy flows and lack of native plants in the riparian zones.
Lamparek Creek is also rated as the most impaired stream in the Pike River Plan due to phosphorus, E.coli, and sediment.
Lamparek Creek is also rated as the most impaired stream in the Pike River Plan due to phosphorus, E.coli, and sediment.

The voluntary Lamparek Creek restoration currently in-progress near Microsoft’s data center site in the Village of Mount Pleasant is being 100% funded by Microsoft. 

The effort to move from implementation took many dedicated leaders, passionate experts, and concerned citizens. We are grateful to all of you who are making this transformation happen.

We hope this partnership will inspire other corporations and municipalities to do more than the status quo when developing here in the Root-Pike basin—or any other watershed. It’s good for the environment and good for business… and great for the next generation!

It’s now time to ditch the Ditch and welcome the newly restored Lamparek Creek.

Photo essay

I want to thank Dave Giordano of Root-Pike WIN and Josh Arrigoni of Stantec for inviting me to document a moment in time during the restoration of the creek. That moment (in October) was about midway through the project, which meant I was able to view the original ditch at one end and the completed creek restoration at the other, with the work ongoing in between.  ~ Eddee Daniel

The east end of the restoration site shows initial brush removal in progress. The Microsoft datacenter is visible in the background at left.
The east (downstream)end of the restoration site shows initial brush removal in progress. The Microsoft datacenter is visible in the background at left.
The as-yet-unrestored ditch viewed from the east end of the site at 90th Street.
Massive earth-moving equipment is used to widen the narrow ditch.
Massive earth-moving equipment is used to widen the narrow ditch.
The widened stream channel enables the crew to establish a new meandering route for the restored creek.
The widened stream channel enables the crew to establish a new meandering route for the restored creek.
At the center of the project site the creek runs unditched through a small woodlot, which is allowed to remain.
At the center of the project site the creek runs unditched through a small woodlot, which is allowed to remain.
The new, meandering creek channel is stabilized with burlap to allow newly seeded native vegetation to take root.
The new, meandering creek channel is stabilized with burlap to allow newly seeded native vegetation to take root.
Stream banks are buttressed with woody vegetation reclaimed from the site.
Stream banks are buttressed with woody vegetation reclaimed from the site.
A small tractor moves cleared brush into position.
A small material hauler tractor moves cleared brush into position.
A Stantec crew working on stream bank stabilization.
A Stantec crew working on stream bank stabilization.
New vegetation beginning to grow along the restored creek.
New vegetation beginning to grow along the restored creek.
The effort is already paying off as cleaner water and natural habitats return.
The effort is already paying off as cleaner water and natural habitats return.
The view from the west (upstream) end of the project site at CTH H showing the re-naturalized stream channel.
The view from the west (upstream) end of the project site at CTH H showing the re-naturalized stream channel.

This story was originally published as a Root-Pike WIN newsletter article on October 29, 2025. It is reprinted with permission. Except for the photo essay, all photos courtesy Root-Pike WIN.

Related stories:

Pike River restoration: Enhancing the watershed for a cleaner Lake Michigan

The Seed Idea: Smolenski Park Prairie Restoration

Re-meandering Mason Creek

Touring restoration sites on the Milwaukee River in Ozaukee County

Kinnickinnic River restoration in Pulaski Park

Dave Giordano is Executive Director of Root-Pike WIN. Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit that restores, protects and sustains the Root-Pike basin by building partnerships, finding funding, and managing projects to improve some of the most impaired Lake Michigan tributaries in the state of Wisconsin.

Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks, the Project Director of A Wealth of Nature, and editor of The Natural Realm blog.

The Natural Realm blog is part of A Wealth of Nature, which is a project of Preserve Our Parks.

About Preserve Our Parks

Preserve Our Parks, Inc. is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of parks and green spaces.  Our mission: To advocate for and promote Milwaukee area parks and open spaces and to strive to protect the tenets of Wisconsin’s Public Trust Doctrine. 

For more than 25 years, we have been a leader in advocating for the protection of Milwaukee County park lands, halting many proposals to develop, privatize, or sell local parkland and lakefront spaces.  More information about POP, including past accomplishments, is available at www.preserveourparks.org.

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