Kankakee River Basin, Indiana: Report on the Water and Related Land Resources

Excerpts from the report: The Kankakee River Basin is located in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois. This entire area encompasses 5,165 square miles of which 2,169 are in Illinois and 2,996 are in Indiana. Adjacent river systems are the Elkhart River Basin to the east, the Wabash River Basin to the south, and Illinois River Basin to the west, and the Calumet River Basin to the north. This study is directed primarily toward the Indiana portion of this area which includes portions of 13 counties in northwestern Indiana. The Kankakee River Basin Study was authorized in July 1970 for cooperative federal-state technical assistance to the Basin residents because of a keen interest of local and state authorities in consolidating planning efforts to analyze the water and land related resources of the area. The study provides physical and economic information about the Basin including problems and needs, identification of alternative projects and programs to meet those needs, evaluation of alternatives, and the application of multiple-objective planning within the limitations of the data available. To assure compatibility with objectives of citizens within the Basin, the Citizens' Advisory Group, representing local individuals, organizations and units of government, was organized as part of the study structure. The Citizens' Advisory Group participated in nine public meetings within the Basin. These meetings provided opportunities for the citizens to express opinions or ideas and provide information about resource problems and needs. This report is not intended to be an all-encompassing problem-solving effort. Rather, to the extent that data are available, alternative actions are provided to help meet major problems which require cooperative effort among local, state, and/or federal agencies and the Basin residents. The alternatives show ways in which requirements for water and land-related goods and services can be provided, as well as meeting specific demands for satisfying environmental quality considerations.