Once dubbed “the filthiest stream in the world,” we now stand at the Indiana Harbor Canal. This waterway is an artificial canal. It connects the Grand Calumet River to Lake Michigan. Imagine the scene back in 1967. An oily film coated these waters. Bacterial water quality was terrible.
The Indiana Harbor Canal’s story began in 1901. Inland Steel Company struck a deal. They got free land from Lake Michigan Land Company. In return, they built a steel mill. This mill cost at least one million dollars. A new railway connected the area. It became the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad.
The Indiana Harbor Canal itself consists of two branches. The Lake George Branch is 1.25 miles long. The Grand Calumet River Branch stretches 2 miles. These branches join to form the main canal. The Indiana Harbor Canal also serves as a harbor. Ships enter from Lake Michigan. They are guided by lights on the breakwaters. The entrance is near Indiana Shoals. The water there can be surprisingly shallow.
For decades, the Indiana Harbor Canal was a hub of industry. Steel mills and refineries lined its banks. They transported iron ore, limestone, and other materials. The canal became one of the busiest harbors on Lake Michigan. It ranked high for tonnage on the Great Lakes.
However, this industrial activity came at a cost. Ninety percent of the water flowing through the canal was industrial outflow. Stormwater runoff also contributed. The canal became heavily contaminated. PCBs, PAHs, and heavy metals polluted the waterway. The EPA listed it as an Area of Concern. It was impaired in all 14 beneficial use categories.
Sediment contamination was so severe that dredging stopped in 1972. The old method of open water disposal in Lake Michigan was no longer acceptable. Over time, the canal accumulated a million cubic yards of contaminated sediment. This reduced shipping capacity by 15%. It also increased shipping costs. The pollution spread to Lake Michigan.
In the 1990s, efforts began to clean up the Indiana Harbor Canal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers partnered with the East Chicago Waterway Management District. They planned a dredging and disposal project. A confined disposal facility or CDF was built. It would safely contain the contaminated sediment.
Despite some local concerns, construction began in 2002. Dredging finally started in 2012. It was forty years after the last dredging. The project aimed to restore the harbor to its authorized depths. It included ongoing maintenance dredging. Phase 1 was completed in 2020. Phase 2 began in 2021.
Today, the Indiana Harbor Canal is still a busy waterway. It handles millions of tons of cargo each year. Ongoing efforts aim to balance industrial use with environmental protection. The goal is to restore the canal’s ecosystem. It’s a long journey. The Indiana Harbor Canal’s story is one of industry, pollution, and eventual cleanup.