URBANWATERS
FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP
Restoring Urban Waters. Revitalizing Communities
Northwest Indiana (NWI) Urban Waters Partnership -
2019 Work Plan with 2018 Accomplishments
Executive Summary
Since 2011, the Northwest Indiana (NWI) Urban Waters
Partnership has been working to protect, restore, and
revitalize urban waterways in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte
counties. Co-led by the US Forest Service (USFS), National
Park Service (NPS) and US Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA), the Partnership includes more than 70 federal, state,
and local partners (Appendix A). 2018 was a great year for the
NWI Urban Waters Partnership as many years of hard work
on key initiatives came to fruition! Highlights include:
•	Local partners secured over $2 million in grants, demonstrating their increased capacity to
successfully obtain funding for key water initiatives.
•	More than 2,000 trees were planted and maintained through the CommuniTree Program.
•	Three new canoe/kayak launches were installed on waterways across NWI, bringing the total to
eight, six of which are fully accessible.
•	Over 4,500 students and residents paddled and learned about local waterways as part of
educational programs featuring Canoemobile.
•	NWI partner, Nicole Messacar received the Urban Waters Learning Network Expert Award for
Environmental Education for her Trail Creek education work.
•	Partners made substantial progress addressing beneficial use impairments in the Grand
Calumet River AOC, including habitat restoration at Jeorse Park Beach.
Developed with input from NWI Urban Waters partners, this work plan highlights key projects that
advance Urban Waters goals in Northwest Indiana, including those directly initiated by Urban Waters,
as well as those driven by local partners with Urban Waters playing a supporting role. It also identifies
tasks for moving existing and new initiatives forward in 2019. In 2019, NWI Urban Waters partners will
build on past successes to sustain and enhance existing programs while fostering new initiatives to
improve NWI communities and waterways. Contact Jennifer Birchfield at ibirchfield(5)pnw.edu with
suggestions or requests for assistance.
NWI residents and visitors enjoy Lake
Michigan at Indiana Dunes National Park.
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Urban Waters - NWI Partnership Background
Since 2011, the Urban Waters- NWI partnership has
been working to protect, restore, and revitalize urban
waterways in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties. NWI
was one of the original Urban Waters Federal
Partnership locations and follows the national guiding
principles: working to promote clean urban waters
and to reconnect people to their waterways. NWI
Urban Waters partners work together to build
organizational capacities, strengthen existing water-
related projects, and spur new initiatives to address
challenges.
The NWI Urban Waters partnership pursues the following primary goals:
•	Coordinate among partners, including local, state, federal, and regional agencies and
organizations to promote collaboration and reduce duplicative efforts.
•	Increase organizational capacities by assisting with project design and implementation,
identifying potential funding sources, and seeking expert advice.
•	Foster open and timely communications by sending monthly e-newsletters with project updates,
funding opportunities, partnership meetings, local events, and useful resources.
•	Assess how federal partners can provide support, including technical assistance.
•	Promote efforts to engage residents of all ages in educational, recreational, and volunteer
activities that foster connections to - and stewardship of - local waterways.
NWI Urban Waters partners collaborate on a variety of initiatives to protect and restore our urban waterways.
Left: Volunteers plant one of more 2,000 native trees planted in 2018 through the CommuniTree program.
Center: USACE and partners restored habitat, one of many partner efforts to improve Jeorse Park Beach, once but no
longer, among the most polluted beaches in the country.
Right: Students paddle on their local waterways as part of Canoemobile educational experiences, which served over
4,500 students and residents in 2018.
NWI Urban Waters is 70 Partners Strong!
Co-led by the US Forest Service (USFS),
National Park Service (NPS), and US
Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA), the NWI Urban Waters
Partnership includes more than 70
nonprofit organizations, community
groups, and local, state and federal
government agencies (Appendix A),
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NWI Partnership 2018 Accomplishments and 2019 Tasks
Funding
2018	Accomplishments: Local Urban Waters partners secured grants totaling over $2 million. Federal
partners provided direct assistance in preparing proposals that secured over $400,000. (These
estimates are conservative and do not include the substantial in-kind and cash match leveraged by
partners.) Funds benefited more than 15 communities throughout the NWI region. This increase in
grant funding from previous years reflects years of Urban Waters effort to communicate opportunities
and priorities, increase organizational capacities, and encourage higher quality grant applications. NPS,
USEPA, and USFS were able to secure agency funds to support local priority projects, such as
Canoemobile and habitat restoration in the Deep River Watershed.
2019	Tasks: Urban Waters will continue to share information about funding opportunities and help
partners develop strong projects and successful proposals. Urban Waters will convene working groups
address funding opportunities that require cross-organization collaboration. Urban Waters partners
will support the work of the Calumet Collaborative to develop additional grant database tools.
Communication
2018	Accomplishments: The Ambassador compiled
and distributed a monthly e-newsletter (plus
special alerts as needed). The subscriber list grew
to 425. Full partnership meetings were held
quarterly, and the federal partners met once. In
2018, Urban Waters convened a series of meetings
between university faculty and Urban Waters
partners to encourage improved collaboration on
research and student engagement. Several
partners participated in regular Urban Waters national calls. At the request of several local partners, a
local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) representative attended a quarterly partnership
meeting and described NRCS funding opportunities.
2019	Tasks: Urban Waters will continue to facilitate communication among partners through monthly
e-newsletters and quarterly partnership meetings. Partners will continue working to increase
engagement with the NRCS as technical advisors for local projects. The university conservation
partners group will meet as needed. The Partnership will continue to participate in Urban Waters
national calls and assist with specific tasks as needed.
Attendance at NWI Urban Waters quarterly meetings
continued to grow in 2018.
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CommuniTree and Urban Forestry
2018 Accomplishments: Over 2,000 trees were planted by
many partners through the CommuniTree program, an
outgrowth of NWI Urban Waters with significant support
from USFS. Communities planted nearly 800 trees and
received training through a grant program administered by
the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
(NIRPC). Young adults from NWI gained valuable urban
forestry skills, working to plant and maintain 1,200 trees
with the help of hundreds of local volunteers as part of the
Student Conservation Association (SCA) Calumet Tree
Conservation Corps. Nearly 400 volunteers contributed over
1,000 hours of service. Wildlife Habitat Council planted
hundreds of trees on industrial lands with the help of
industry employees and volunteers.
The SCA Crew helps volunteers plant a tree.
NWI partners also received trees through the Indiana
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Community and
Urban Forestry (CUF) program. CommuniTree organized a
series of free workshops to increase urban forestry capacity
and expertise in NWI. Lindsay Darling, Chicago Region Trees
Initiative GIS and Data Specialist presented a tree Inventory
workshop, and Carrie Tausher, IDNR CUF Coordinator,
,	..	. .	Participants practice using tree inventory
presented a tree ordinance workshop.	, r	r
software as part of a CommuniTree workshop.
I couldn't have asked for a more
impactful and prodigious 8 months
of my life. From working with
future conservationists in the
elementary schools, to local
politicians...from industry veterans,
to every day local citizens...the
work the crew, the leaders, the
locals, and the volunteers made will
have a ripple effect for decades, if
not a century.
-Bre'shaun Spikes, SCA Crew Leader
2019 Tasks: Tree planting will continue through NIRPC's
CommuniTree grants, the SCA Calumet Tree Conservation
Corps, and Wildlife Habitat Council. NWI Urban Waters
partners will continue to seek sustainable funding for the
CommuniTree program. Urban Waters partners will help
recruit volunteers, especially through universities. Two
Purdue University Northwest (PNW) interns will work to
increase community engagement. Partners will work with
IDNR CUF to host a Tree Steward program in NWI and
coordinate additional learning opportunities. USFS will assist
stakeholders in developing a CommuniTree work plan. The
group will explore interest in IDNR's Tree Campus program
with local universities.
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Public Access
2018 Accomplishments: Dozens of
partners continued to implement
NIRPC'S Greenways/Blueways plan
and increase access to waterways
across NWI. Partners are opening
the East Branch of the Little Calumet
(EBLC) River to paddling after
decades of limited access. Three
canoe/kayak launches were installed
on local waterways, including two on
the EBLC and one on Deep River.	Partners celebrate the opening of an ADA-compliant canoe/kayak
launch on Deep River, funded by the Legacy Foundation and others.
Many Urban Waters partners, including DLC, LaPorte
County SWCD, NPS, and the Northwest Indiana Paddling
Association (NWIPA) utilize the launches to provide water
recreation programs, such as Canoemobile and regular
public paddles on area waterways.
IMPS hosts regular sunset paddles on
Marquette Park lagoons.
2019 Tasks: Urban Waters will continue to assist
partners in implementing NIRPC's Greenways/Blueways
plan and to increase public access to urban waterways
across NWI. A canoe/kayak launch is planned on the
EBLC in the Indiana Dunes National Park at DLC's campus.
Partners will also work to install several priority launches
on other waterways, including Deep River and Trail Creek.
Urban Waters, NPS, and other partners will work to provide
American Canoe Association certification training for local
paddlesport facilitators. Additional training opportunities will be
provided to ensure NPS and partners can maximize use of the new
launches and the Canoemobile hub. Partners will also work to
identify and communicate priority locations for non-motorized
boat launches. The LMCP will work with partners to develop an
Indiana Coastal Communities Natural Area ADA Assessment. Urban
Waters will work with partners to assess and meet the needs for
other accessibility projects.
Northwest Indiana's Urban
Waters Are for Everyone!
Since 2011 eight canoe/kayak
launches have been installed
on five waterways throughout
Northwest Indiana, six of
which are ADA-compliant.
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Watershed Education and Canoemobile
2018	Accomplishments: 2018 marked the sixth year of
Wilderness Inquiry's Canoemobile in NWI. More than
4,500 students and residents experienced their urban
waters from the seat of a 24-foot voyageur canoe.
Dunes Learning Center (DLC) incorporates Canoemobile
into their watershed education experiences, and
LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District
(SWCD) incorporates Canoemobile into Trail Creek
Week and Kankakee River Days. Many partners worked
to secure funding, coordinate logistics, and provide
environmental education stations on topics such as
fisheries, urban forestry, water safety, and more. NPS
and LJSEPA provided partial funding for Canoemobile.
The Michigan City High School Environmental
Restoration Team, an outgrowth of the Trail Creek
Week, continued restoration efforts at Hansen Park,
including invasive species removal and native plantings
in a swale.
Many other partners provided water-related education to local youth and residents. For example,
about 9,500 students participated in Porter County SWCD educational programs. Izaak Walton League
Porter County Chapter sponsored several family nature nights at various Porter County elementary
schools, engaged volunteers in citizen science through the Save Our Streams water testing program,
and provided educational booths at local events. The Lake Michigan Coastal Program (LMCP)
coordinated Coastal Awareness Month in June, featuring 70 events hosted by 26 organizations,
including many Urban Waters partners. Urban Waters partners also participated in several educational
events and festivals, such as the Hobart Water Festival. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and partners
developed the Master Watershed Steward program, which will recruit and train volunteers for local
efforts. Several Urban Waters partners contributed to curriculum development and planning.
2019	Tasks: Urban Waters will continue to contribute land-based educational stations and support
partners in seeking sustainable funding for Canoemobile. Wilderness Inquiry will continue working
with partners to establish a permanent Canoemobile hub to serve southern Lake Michigan with
funding from NPS. Partners will support the City of Gary in efforts to increase nature connection for
youth through stewardship as part of their Cities Connecting Children to Nature project. NWI Urban
Waters will continue to work with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to recruit participants and pilot the Master
Watershed Steward program in 2019.
Students paddle on Deep River.
USEPA Biologist, Peg Donnelley helps students
assess Trail Creek water quality.
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Watershed Management Planning and Implementation
iLittle Calumet River ,
River
Valparaiso
Memlly
Crawn-Po/nf-
Whiting
Grand Calumet
Hammond
Legend
NW1 Watersheds of Interest
Subwatershed Boundaries
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshor
Indiana
~
liv
Efforts to protect arid
improve waterways in
Northwest Indiana are
generally led by local
watershed groups with
Urban Waters performing a
supporting role. For
example, NRCS provided
nearly $200,000 in 2018 for
water quality protection in
Porter County.
Map of Northwest Indiana watersheds.
DEEP RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP:
2018	Accomplishments: The Deep River Watershed Partnership, coordinated by NIRPC, installed two
ravine stabilizations and a vegetated swale though their IDEM 319 cost-share program, conducted
outreach, and completed an engineering feasibility study on modification of the Deep River dam. The
City of Hobart continued work five green infrastructure projects funded through GLRI.
2019	Tasks: Urban Waters will continue to
support implementation of the Deep River
Watershed Management Plan, installation of
green infrastructure, and improved public
access to Deep River. The City of Hobart will
seek funding to install an outdoor learning
center and to complete a green infrastructure
master plan. Partners will support efforts to
modify the Deep River dam following the
recommendations of the feasibility study. Lake
County Parks will convert a 40-acre agricultural
field to grassland with funding from USEPA,
A rain garden installed in the City of Hobart.
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EAST BRANCH OF THE LITTLE CALUMET RIVER (EBLC):
CAROL COOK WETLAND OVERLOOK
LITTLE CALUMET CONSERVATION
AREA
CONTINUING THE VISION
PORTER COUNTY
CHAPTER
2018 Accomplishments: Partners, including DLC,
NPS, NWIPA, Save the Dunes, and Shirley Heinze
Land Trust (SHLT) continued collaborating to
protect and restore the EBLC and to promote
paddling access. In 2018 the partners installed
two canoe/kayak launches. Porter County IWLA
continued wetland restoration at their Frame
Property, purchased the McCloskey ravines
property, and partnered with a Boy Scout troop
to build an observation platform at the Carol
Cook Wetland Overlook. SHLT and partners
Porter County Izaak Walton League opened the Carol Cook
Wetland Overlook, a new unit of the Little Calumet	developed a strategy for protecting and
Conservation Area.	restoring of wetlands along the EBLC.
2019 Tasks: Partners will continue to collaborate on a Chi-Cal Rivers Fund project to protect and
restore the EBLC River and promote paddling access. Urban Waters will continue to support the
implementation of the EBLC River Watershed Management Plan, the Salt Creek Watershed
Management Plan, the River Use and Management Plan for the EBLC, the Wetland Protection and
Restoration Strategy, and other efforts as requested by partners. SHLT will continue to acquire and
restore land along the corridor and to explore a partnership with ACOE to further restoration efforts.
TRAIL CREEK WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP (TCWP);
2018 Accomplishments: The TCWP connected hundreds
of youth to Trail Creek as part of the Trail Creek Week,
Kankakee River Days, and the Michigan City High School
(MCHS) Environmental Restoration Team, described under
'Canoemobile and Watershed Education' above. LaPorte
County SWCD Education Coordinator, Nicole Messacar
received the Urban Waters Learning Network Expert
Award for Environmental Education. The award came with
a scholarship to attend River Rally in California and
professional graphic design consulting services.
Michigan City finalized its 2040 comprehensive plan, and the TCWP provided input on sections relevant
to Trail Creek. The Michigan City Department of Parks and Recreation completed a demonstration
project at Winding Creek cove, including streambank stabilization, a bioswale, and a launch/fishing pad
URBAN lb Waters
LEARNING NETW<
Nicole Messacar accepts the Urban Waters
Learning Network Expert Award for
Environmental Education.
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featuring permeable pavers. The Michigan City Sanitary District and Alliance for the Great Lakes began
convening a Storm Water Advisory Group (SWAG) to better inform stormwater management efforts;
several Urban Waters partners participate in the group. The SWAG worked to recommend a green
stormwater streets policy for Michigan City. Michigan City Sanitary District also worked with the
Alliance for the Great Lakes to plan for the Cheney Run Wetland project to infiltrate and treat water
before it enters Trail Creek and develop a land acquisition strategy to acquire land for stormwater
management, conservation, and recreation.
2019 Tasks: Partners will continue to support implementation of the Trail Creek Watershed
Management Plan as requested by the TCWP. Urban Waters will continue to participate in the SWAG
and support partners in finalizing the design and securing the funding for the Cheney Run Wetland
project and implementing the land acquisition strategy.
WEST BRANCH OF THE LITTLE CALUMET RIVER AND GRAND CALUMET RIVER:
2018 Accomplishments: The City
of Gary continued planning and
engagement for the Gary Green
Infrastructure Plan. USGS
continued conducting real-time
monitoring in the Grand Calumet
River and studying the water
quality impacts of a rain garden at
Gary City Hall. Local partners have
long expressed concern that the
USFWS Biologist Dan Sparks helps students examine fish and other wildlife
near the Grand Calumet River. Photo courtesy of Diana Mally/EPA.	official Watershed Boundary
Dataset (WBD) has inaccurate
boundaries for some NWI waterways - which could have important ramifications for management
efforts and project funding eligibility. In 2018 the Indiana Geographic Information Council (IGIC)
obtained a LMCP grant to correct the WBD.
2019 Tasks: The City of Gary's Green Infrastructure/Watershed Management Team will continue to
implement and update the Little Calumet River West Branch Watershed Management Plan and to
explore developing a watershed management plan for the Grand Calumet River. The Gary Green
Infrastructure Plan will be completed in early 2019. Urban Waters partners will work with the City of
Gary on a LMCP-funded project to provide green infrastructure maintenance training to municipal
staff. IGIC will work with stakeholders and contractors to correct the WBD in NWI in 2019. Urban
Waters will help IGIC connect to appropriate partners and stakeholders.
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Septic System Maintenance and Care Awareness
2018	Accomplishments: The Indiana DNR Lake Michigan
Coastal Program (LMCP) obtained a Section 319 Grant.
Through this grant, the LMCP in partnership with the
Septic System Coordination Work Group (SSCWG) and
others performed mapping of septic systems in the
Coastal Region in partnership with NIRPC; coordinated
the Good Neighbor: Neighborhood Ambassador Program,
a septic system maintenance outreach and education
initiative in partnership with Save the Dunes; and began
preliminary work on molecular source tracking research
The Northwest Indiana for Healthy Septic Systems
in partnership with Indiana University Northwest.	logo developed by Save the Dunes, LMCP, and
Additionally, the LMCP continued to coordinate SSCWG partners.
and 319 Grant Advisory Committee meetings throughout the year. In September, the LMCP facilitated
and participated in SepticSmart Week with the help of partners across the Coastal Region.
2019	Tasks: The LMCP and partners will continue work on septic system outreach and education and
molecular source tracking. The Neighborhood Ambassador Program will launch in early 2019, and will
enlist the help of representatives from 20 neighborhoods in the Coastal Region in an effort to raise
awareness about septic system maintenance and related water quality issues. This program is of
particular importance for the completion of the LMCP's 6217 Nonpoint Source Pollution Program, the
success of which has important implications for not only the LMCP, but statewide.
Grand Calumet River Area of Concern (AOC)
2018 Accomplishments: Federal, state, and local partners continue to restore ecosystems and address
the 12 remaining beneficial use impairments (BUIs) applicable to the Grand Calumet River AOC. Indiana
Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the Citizens Advisory for the Remediation of
the Environment (CARE) held three public learning sessions about the AOC Program and convened
eight CARE Workgroup meetings, which as of July, were open to the public.
IDEM developed, and IJSEPA accepted, a list of sediment management projects anticipated to result in
removal of six BUIs impacting the AOC. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dredged 162,592
cubic yards of sediment from the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal. Project partners worked to complete a
Great Lakes Legacy Act project agreement required to dredge and cap portions of the Lake George
Branch, as well as preliminary design work for an East Branch, Phase II Sediment Management Project.
^SthwestinBKSj
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Project partners continued to implement the habitat management actions anticipated to lead to
removal of two BUIs impacting the AOC. This included the Dune, Swale, and GLLA Wetland Restoration
Project, the Lake George Branch Wetlands Project, and the prescribed fire project, which will
collectively restore nearly 1,000 acres of critical habitat by 2021,
Partners continued work to address high bacteria levels and improve habitat at Jeorse Park Beach in
East Chicago. USAGE and partners completed most of the planting and habitat construction for a
restoration that will improve habitat and reduce nonpoint source pollution. Modeling results shared by
Michigan State University and USAGE experts led partners, including USGS, to study ways to E. coli
concentrations without modifying the shoreline. To control bacteria levels, IDEM expanded a USEPA-
funded gull exclusion project to Whiting beaches and implemented additional best management
practices at the Hammond and Whiting beaches.
2019 Tasks: Urban Waters will continue to support
restoration along the Grand Calumet River and help
promote community engagement efforts such as an
annual stewardship day and CARE public learning sessions.
IDEM and CARE will draft management actions to address
the remaining BUIs, including Beach Closures. Up to
250,000 additional cubic yards of sediment are expected
to be dredged from the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal (IHSC) in
2019. Initial project work is expected to begin on the Lake
George Branch of the IHSC between the BP land bridge
and Indianapolis Boulevard. Project partners will continue
to implement the habitat projects listed in the AOC habitat
management action list and work to plan and develop the
remaining sediment projects listed in the AOC sediment
management action list. USACE and partners will finalize
planting and habitat construction at Jeorse Park and the
monitoring and maintenance. Urban Waters will continue
to help partners identify and implement best practices to
restore habitat and improve water quality at Jeorse Park
and other AOC beaches.

Habitat Restoration at Jeorse Park Beach
completed by USACE and other partners.
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Appendix A. Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partners as of 2018.
Federal Partners
State, Local, and Regional Government
Corporation for National and Community Service
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
U. S. Department of Agriculture
Indiana Department of Health
-U. S. Forest Service
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
-Natural Resource Conservation Service
- Community and Urban Forestry
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Lake Michigan Coastal Program
U.S. Department of Interior
City of East Chicago
- Bureau of Reclamation
City of Gary
- Fish and Wildlife Service
City of Hammond
- U.S. Geological Survey
City of Hobart
- National Park Service
City of Michigan City
U. S. Department of Transportation
City of Valparaiso/Valparaiso City Utilities
U. S. Department of Commerce
Indiana Dunes Tourism
- Economic Development Administration
Lake County Health Department
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric
LaPorte County Parks and Recreation
Administration
LaPorte County Soil & Water Conservation District
- National Weather Service
Porter County Soil & Water Conservation District
U. S. Department of Defense
Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
- Army Corps of Engineers
Porter County Health Department
U. S. Department of Homeland Security
Porter County Parks and Recreation
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
Town of Chesterton/ Stormwater Utility
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Town of Highland

Town of Lake Station

Town of Munster

Town of Merrillville
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Miller Spotlight
Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative
National Parks Conservation Association
Audubon Society
Northwest Indiana Forum
Blue Green Alliance
Northwest Indiana Paddling Association
Cardno
Northwest Indiana Public Service Company
Chicago Wilderness
Northwest Indiana Steelheaders
Coffee Creek Watershed Conservancy
Openlands
Davey Resource Group
Purdue University/ Purdue University Northwest
Delta Institute
Save the Dunes
Dunes Learning Center
Shedd Aquarium
Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
Shirley Heinze Land Trust
Graf Tree Care
Student Conservation Association
Haas and Associates Engineering
Gabis Arboretum
Hodge Tree Care
The Field Museum
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
The Nature Conservancy
Indiana Geological Information Council
Unity Foundation
Indiana University Northwest
Wilderness Inquiry
Izaak Walton League of America
Wildlife Habitat Council
Legacy Foundation

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