Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway Watershed

The Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway Watershed is identified as a priority area in the Northwest Indiana Watershed Management Frame. The purpose of this watershed template is to provide stakeholders with a “jump start” in the watershed management planning process. To the greatest extent possible it follows the format of the most current IDEM Watershed Management Planning Checklist. It focuses on the resource intensive watershed inventory elements that provide a snapshot of current watershed conditions. Much of this includes desktop analysis and gathering of existing reports and information. Watershed management plan sections that require a public involvement process are left for local groups to complete. Examples of elements that should include a public process include developing a list of stakeholder concerns, identification of critical areas, setting goals and choosing best management practice (BMPs) to apply.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has created a webpage for the Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway watershed TMDL study.   http://www.in.gov/idem/nps/3893.htm.

The website includes information about:

  • The watershed’s location
  • History
  • Parameters to be addressed
  • Project timeline and upcoming meetings
  • Supplemental information about TMDLs, impaired waters (e303d), and the Deep River-Portage Burns Waterway Watershed template.

Additional content will be added as the project develops.