Brief Overview of What We’re Doing
Delta Institute partnered with the Michigan City Sanitary District (MCSD) and the Alliance for the Great Lakes to make stormwater, ecological restoration, and recreation improvements at Michigan City’s Cheney Run. A 40-acre site surrounded by wetlands, Cheney Run is a primary source of stormwater-related pollution that ends up in the Trail Creek, a major tributary that feeds into Lake Michigan. The partnership implemented improvements that reduce the amount of pollution transferred from Cheney Run to Trail Creek, restoring the wetlands, and creating trails on site for residents. The goals of the project included:
- Reducing urban runoff impairments through the design and installation of approximately five acres of constructed wetlands
- Capturing and treating more than 190 million gallons of stormwater annually
- Convening stakeholders in an authentic and inclusive dialog, to maximize community development project impact, achieve meaningful stewardship, seek opportunities for connectivity of wetlands to surrounding areas, attract community amenities, and align with regional plans.
- Expanding the scope and impact of the project, through procurement of additional resources and partnerships.
- Building local municipal and contractor capacity, through project implementation, coordination, and ongoing stewardship.
- Nearly 40,000 lbs. of sediment and more than 900 lbs. of nitrogen and 200 lbs of phosphorus will be reduced in the Trail Creek tributary that drains directly into Lake Michigan.
Cheney Run project wins the 2023 Indiana Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence
Delta Institute and the Michigan City Sanitary District won the Indiana Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for Land Use/Conservation on Wednesday, September 20th, 2023. The Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence are Indiana’s most prestigious environmental recognition awards. They are reserved for the most innovative, sustainable, and exemplary programs or projects that positively impact Indiana’s environment and demonstrate measurable environmental, economic, and social benefits. The selection process is highly competitive, and only one award per category is presented each year.
Partners
Our many partners on this project include:
- Michigan City Sanitary District
- City of Michigan City, Indiana
- Alliance for the Great Lakes
- V3 Companies
- HRP, Inc.
- Geosyntec Consultants
- Weaver Consultants
- Woodruff & Sons
Funding
This project was supported by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative under grant number 00E02232-0 as well as the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Sustain Our Great Lakes program.