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  1. Home
  2. Urban Waters Partnership
  3. 21 Designated Urban Waters Locations

Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partnership

NWI residents and visitors enjoy Lake Michigan at Whihala Beach
Whihala Beach at Lake Michigan 
(Photo credit: Eric Allix Rogers)

Photo Gallery for Northwest Indiana Area (Indiana)

Located along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, NWI contains a range of both rural and urban land uses.  The region juxtaposes heavy industry with natural treasures and includes, for example, both the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern and the Indiana Dunes National Park.  Like its diverse communities, NWI’s waterways each have unique characteristics, assets, and challenges.

Since 2011, the Urban Waters - NWI Partnership has been working to protect, restore, and revitalize urban waterways in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties. Co-led by the US Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the NWI Urban Waters Partnership includes more than 70 local, state, and federal partners.NWI was one of the original Urban Waters Federal Partnership locations and follows the national guiding principles which include working to promote clean urban waters and connect people to their local waterways.


Partnership in Action Report

Local Partnership Workplan


Resources
  • Background Information
  • News
  • Meetings & Events
  • Program Updates
  • Maps
    • Watershed Map
  • Related Links
  • Program Contacts
  • Accomplishments
  • USGS and Urban Waters

List of Partners

Federal Government

  • U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • U.S. Forest Service
    • Natural Resource Conservation Service
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • U.S. Department of Interior
    • Bureau of Reclamation
    • Fish and Wildlife Service
    • U.S. Geological Survey
    • National Park Service
    • National Weather service
  • U.S. Department of Transportation
  • U.S. Department of Commerce
    • Economic Development Administration
    • National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
  • U.S. Department of Defense
    • U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    • Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Non-Federal Partners

  • Indiana Department of Environmental Management
  • Indiana Department of Health
  • Indiana Department of Natural Resources
    • Community and Urban Forestry Dept.
    • Division of Nature Preserves
    • Division of Fish and Wildlife
    • Lake Michigan Coastal Program
  • City of East Chicago
  • City of Gary
  • City of Hammond
  • City of Hobart
  • City of Michigan City
  • City of Valparaiso
  • Lake County
    • Health Department
    • Parks and Recreation
    • Soil & Water Conservation District
  • LaPorte County
    • Health Department
    • Parks and Recreation
    • Soil & Water Conservation District
  • Porter County 
    • Health Department
    • Parks and Recreation
    • Soil & Water Conservation District
  • Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Porter County Health Department
  • Town of Dune Acres
  • Town of Beverly Shores
  • Town of Chesterton
  • Town of Highland
  • Town of Lake Station
  • Town of Munster
  • Town of Merrillville
  • Town of Ogden Dunes
  • Town of Schererville

NGO Partners

  • Alliance for the Great Lakes
  • Audubon Great Lakes
  • American Rivers
  • Brown Faces Green Spaces
  • Calumet Collaborative
  • Causes for Change International
  • Cardno Resources Group
  • Chicago Wilderness Alliance
  • Cleveland-Cliffs
  • Coffee Creek Watershed Conservancy
  • Davey Resource Group
  • Delta Institute
  • Dunes Learning Center
  • Earth Charter Indiana
  • Gabis Arboretum of Purdue University Northwest
  • Gary Advocates for Responsible Development
  • Highland Neighbors for Sustainability
  • Hoosier Environmental Council
  • Indiana Dunes Tourism
  • Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
  • Indiana Geological Information Council
  • Indiana University Northwest
  • Izaak Walton League of America
  • Legacy Foundation
  • National Parks Conservation Association
  • Northwest Indiana Forum
  • Northwest Indiana Paddling Association
  • Northwest Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO)
  • Northwest Indiana Steelheaders
  • Openlands
  • Porter County Community Foundation
  • Purdue University 
  • Purdue University Northwest
  • Save the Dunes
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • Shirley Heinze Land Trust
  • Stantec
  • Student Conservation Association
  • The Field Museum
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • The Wetlands Initiative
  • Unity Foundation
  • Wilderness Inquiry
  • Wildlife Habitat Council
  • Wild Ones Gibson Woods Chapter
  • Wild Ones South Bend Chapter

Urban Waters Partnership

  • About the Urban Waters Partnership
  • 21 Designated Urban Waters Locations
    • Anacostia Watershed (DC/MD)
    • Blue River (Kansas City, MO)
    • Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds (NY)
    • Caño Martín Peña (PR)
    • Grand River / Grand Rapids (MI)
    • Greater Philadelphia Area / Delaware River Watershed (PA, NJ, DE)
    • Green-Duwamish Watershed (Washington)
    • Lake Pontchartrain Area / New Orleans (LA)
    • Los Angeles River Watershed (CA)
    • The Meramec River and Big River (Missouri)
    • Middle Rio Grande / Albuquerque (NM)
    • Mystic River Watershed (MA)
    • Northwest Indiana (IN)
    • Passaic River / Newark (NJ)
    • Patapsco Watershed / Baltimore Region (MD)
    • Proctor Creek Watershed / Atlanta (GA)
    • Rio Reimagined-Rio Salado Project
    • San Antonio River Basin within Bexar County (Texas)
    • South Platte Watershed, Headwaters to Denver Metropolitan Area (CO)
    • Walnut Creek Watershed / Raleigh (NC)
    • Western Lake Erie Basin, near Toledo (OH)
  • Federal Partners
Contact Us About the Urban Waters Partnership
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on March 27, 2025
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