Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Department of Natural Resources are joining forces in a $33-million effort to restore approximately one mile of the Grand Calumet River. The plan calls for the cleanup of 91,000 cu yd of contaminated sediment from a 1.1-mile stretch of the river between Columbia and Hohman avenues in Hammond, Ind., followed by the placement of a cap over the dredged area.
"State, local and federal agencies are collaborating to remediate the contaminated sediment that has long been in the river," said IDEM Commissioner Tom Easterly. "This cleanup will lead to increased use of the Grand Calumet and improved quality of life for residents and visitors alike."
Work will be coordinated with a combined sewer overflow removal by the Hammond Sanitary District that also will result in contaminated sediment being removed from the river.
The Grand Calumet River originates in the east end of Gary, Ind., and flows 13 miles through the cities of Gary, East Chicago and Hammond. Today, 90 percent of the river's flow starts as municipal and industrial discharges, cooling and process water and storm water overflows. Although discharges of pollution have been reduced, a number of contaminants in the sediment continue to harm the river environment. The river runs through one of the most heavily industrialized areas in the nation, and the sediment contains elevated levels of heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides such as DDT. The majority of the river's flow drains into Lake Michigan via the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, sending about 1 billion gal of water into the lake per day.
