Stateline

With the contamination removed and capped, we ought to see dragonflies and mayflies come back in earnest.
This will give the fish something to eat, which will give the birds something to eat.

-Dan Sparks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2012 press event

The sediment cleanup on the Stateline is complete!

The sediment cleanup on the Stateline of the Grand Calumet River is complete! About 14,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed from the river. An additional 30,000 cubic yards of sediment were contained in place by a cap that will also provide a foundation of clean habitat for sediment-dwelling organisms. Invasive plants were removed from the shoreline and river, and native shrubs, trees, and other plants were added in their place. The funding for the project came from a Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) partnership between EPA, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company.

Location

This project cleaned up sediment and restored habitat on the Grand Calumet River between the state line and Hohman Ave, labeled #1 on the map.

The Stateline of the Grand Calumet River is located in the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern in Hammond, Indiana.

Cleanup Process

The first two feet of sediment were dug out and replaced with capping material at an equal depth.

Many sections of the river have been or are getting cleaned up through the GLLA. In addition, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is dredging 1.4 million cubic yards from the canal, and a U. S. Steel enforcement dredging project removed 788,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment in 2007.

Sediment to be remediated: 46,000 cubic yards
Contaminants: Heavy metals, PAHs, and PCBs
Method: Dredging and capping
When: 2016
Partners: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and NIPSCO
Cost: $14 million

Long-term Benefits

Sediment removal and capping creates a healthier habitat foundation for sediment-dwelling critters that form that base of the river's food chain.
The cleanup is removing contamination from the food chain, lowering exposure for those who eat fish from the Great Lakes and helping to bring back fish populations in the Grand Calumet River.
Improvements to the shoreline like the removal of weedy invasive plants help landscape views and provide fish and wildlife habitat.