UPDATE to Comprehensive Watershed Plan
Little Calumet River – Lake County Basin

Little Calumet River Watershed Study
The watersheds covered by this study consist of the West Branch Little Calumet River, Deep River, and Willow Creek. The Little Calumet River includes areas to the east in the City of Portage and west in the City of Hammond and the Town of Highland. This river segment is crossed by the continental divide. From this point, the river flows both east toward the Great Lakes and west toward the Mississippi River.

The Little Calumet River and its tributaries in this study flow through the borders of Hammond, Highland, Griffith, Gary, Hobart, Lake Station, and Portage in Indiana. Portions of this watershed are also located in unincorporated Lake and Porter Counties.

Fast Facts:

• Lake Michigan water levels are running at near-record high water levels this summer thanks to a longer term wet pattern, especially within this past year.
• The lake was near record low levels in early 2013, then in the past six and a half years the water levels have increased nearly six feet.
• Lake level records at Calumet Harbor go back through 1903 and are based on monthly averages. The record was observed in October, 1986.
• Impacts of the high lake levels have already been felt, with multiple minor lakeside flooding episodes this spring and summer in wind speeds that would normally not cause minor flooding. This included flooding of parts of the Chicago bike path.