With grants from the U.S. EPA and the WDNR, the City of Milwaukee removed the dam in 1997. According to a WDNR report, the dam's impoundment suffered from elevated water temperature and bacteria, low dissolved oxygen, excessive turbidity and algae, and sediments contaminated by PCBs and heavy metals. Benefits of removal include extending a recreational trout and salmon sport fishery, minimized contaminated sediments, a new link with the downtown river walk and restored aquatic habitat. Site construction started in August, 1997. Ruck Pond, part of the Cedar Creek watershed, is located in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, approximately 25 miles north of Milwaukee.
Cedar Creek has a series of five small millponds and dams.
Four out of the five impoundments have been impacted by PCB contaminated sediment. An emergency removal action agreement was signed with Mercury Marine, the source of the PCBs, as a result of enforcement action. The area was remediated by dry excavation of the contaminated sediments. It was dammed off and the sediment was allowed to dry to a mud consistency. The contaminated sediment was then removed and landfilled.