The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) was awarded a $794,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) to complete this “Community-centered Final Design” phase. This project is being collaboratively facilitated by the Little Calumet River Conservation Collaborative.
The West Branch of the Little Calumet River corridor covers a ten mile stretch of the river attenuated with wetland of varying quality and connectivity, adjacent communities and high density urban development. The restoration potential are related to the complex engineering associated with levees and other flood control structures that have been put in place for itโs protection.
As you can see on these maps, downstream wetlands that flow into the West Branch of the Little Calumet River, include DNR Nature Preserves, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, DNR Nature Preserve, US National park Services, and Izaak Walton League, all located in Hobart Indiana.
Congressman Frank Mrvan stated, โThank you to all of the leaders and Northwest Indiana partners with the Wetlands Initiative for successfully securing this federal funding for restoration efforts along the Little Calumet River in Gary. I am grateful for your dedicated work and this exemplary collaboration that is instrumental in attracting new people and economic activity to our region.โ
The ultimate goal of the Collaborativeโs work on the West Branch is a connected and publicly accessible network of green spaces that builds climate resiliency for the community, creates habitat for wildlife, and benefits local residents.
About the Wetlands Initiative
The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) designs, restores, and creates wetlands. We innovate, collaborate, and employ sound science in pursuit of our vision of a world with plentiful healthy wetlands improving water quality, climate resilience, biodiversity, and human well-being. Visit www.wetlands-initiative.org for more information.
About the Little Calumet River Conservation Collaborative
The Little Calumet River Conservation Collaborative (LCRCC) is an active partnership of regional nonprofits and municipal entities that now includes TWI, Audubon Great Lakes, Calumet Collaborative, Lake County Parks & Recreation Department, The Nature Conservancy of Indiana, NIPSCO and NiSource, and the City of Gary. The LCRCC has been active since 2019 with the longโterm goal to restore the West Branch floodplain basin to diverse, functional habitats while pursuing a shared community vision that improves multipleโuse opportunities at this key local resource.
Disclaimer: The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government, or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or its funding sources.
Sources: Various Press Releases
Site Maps, Graphics, and Photos:
All figures and appendices can be found here: TWI Chase Street Complex RFP Figures & Appendices.
Figure 1. Site Outline: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z3HZ8SJj6rplgZq6m0g4gbW0_WyzB_UX/view?usp=drive_link
Figure 2. West Branch Corridor Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FTCRmZ8DDu_wuKvs7hcaCAAn6eQSBiIg/view?usp=drive_link
Figure 3. Original Channel Alignment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tRDD2wTpWiXV533Ct5yQfl54fZOUkWDQ/view?usp=drive_link
Figure 4. Land Ownership Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GlyiPQu_kX5Ph-CqbOdhr-aXHOIY0BZb/view?usp=drive_link
Figure 5. Proposed Remeandering Options: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UkyOKme3_yb8ZX5wZ731vmkYdk-yQQRp/view?usp=drive_link
Figure 6. Chase St. Complex Conceptual Plan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oiQEgfi_qg5I0SvZEBoEVAtDFfytNnNU/view?usp=drive_link
(Note – this is the pdf that has a lot of maps, that are useful for other areas)
Appendix 1. Little Cal. Wetlands PAS Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wc4NANHkJ_-UZFbKfPVf8JlmFlqQdWMx/view?usp=drive_link
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- The Wetlands Initiative (TWI): Co-facilitator and founding member of the collaborative.
- Audubon Great Lakes: Co-facilitator focusing on marsh bird habitat and community engagement.
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Indiana: Provides on-the-ground ecological restoration and resource management.
- City of Gary: Municipal partner assisting with local urban wetland projects like Hatcher Park and Marshalltown Marsh.
- Lake County Parks and Recreation: Oversees public land tracts and floodplain management within the corridor.
- Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission: Coordinates structural water management and regional funding support.
- Calumet Collaborative: Enhances cross-border sustainable development initiatives.
- NIPSCO / NiSource: Provides utility corridor land management, corporate volunteer support, and foundational grant funding.
Supporting Entities & Agencies
Additional project assistance, academic research, and federal funding are provided by Indiana University Northwest, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and the Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Federal Partnership.
OTHER REFERENCES YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
(these are not very searchable) . . .
2017 – NIRPC – 377 Pages. Deep River Portage Burns Waterway Final
Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway watershed (Figure 1). It is the largest of six watersheds located within the Little Calumet-Galien sub-basin, draining approximately 180 square miles of north central Lake and Porter Counties to Lake Michigan. Some the major streams located within the watershed include Deep River, Main Beaver Dam Ditch, Turkey Creek, and the Little Calumet Riverโs West Branch. This watershed management plan is the result of numerous communities and organizations coming together to establish a framework to restore the nearly 125 miles of impaired stream within its boundaries.
2024 – Save the Dunes Conservation Action Plan – 50 pages Hobart Marsh And Deep River Conservation Area was designated a Priority 1 Conservation Area by Save the Dunes Executive Summary of 2023
2016 – IDEM – 373 Pages – Deep River Watershed Plan, Click here
The Deep River/Portage Burns watershed, identified as the hydrologic unit code (HUC) watershed 0404000105, covers a drainage area of approximately 180 square miles in northwestern Indiana, of which 104 square miles are located in Lake County, and 20 square miles are located in Porter County. There are approximately 125 miles of impaired streams within the watershed boundary.
2025 EPA Urban Waters Federal Partnership Work Plan: Restoring Duck Creek Tributary, Hobart Marsh Properties Managed by the Indiana DNR, Division of Nature Preserves, and Hobart Marsh Conservation Area known as NIPSCO Row.
(2025) UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: Gerald Ford School of Public Policy:
What Happens When Data Centers Come To Town : Current technologies force a tradeoff between energy and water efficiency, limiting sustainable solutions. Data Centers Do Not Bring in High Paying Jobs; Data Center Tax Breaks Only Benefit Corporations; Reduces Tax Revenue for School Districts; Higher Energy Rates for Consumers; Higher Resource Consumption; And Much More.
In a CWP Reports, Center for Watershed Protectionโs There Are 100 Scientific Studies On How Urban Development Leads To Habitat Loss, Altered Water Levels And WaterโFlow systems, Changing Sediment buildup And Nutrient Cycles, And Thereby Degrading Wetland Functions. (Center for Watershed Protection)
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Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
