Dunes Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dunes Creek |
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Dunes Creek
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 Location of the mouth within Indiana
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| Other name(s) | Fort Creek |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| Region | Porter County |
| City | Chesterton, Indiana |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 670 ft (200 m) 41°37′53″N 087°03′49″W / 41.63139°N 87.06361°W |
| River mouth | Lake Michigan 620 ft (190 m) 41°39′47″N 087°03′42″W / 41.66306°N 87.06167°W |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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Dunes Creek is a small stream, about 4.3 miles (6.9 km) long, located in Porter County, Indiana, United States. It flows northwards, draining an important wetland area called the Great Marsh. This marsh is part of both Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park. After winding through sandy coastal dunes, Dunes Creek eventually empties into Lake Michigan.
Contents
History of Dunes Creek
Early Settlements and Names
From about 1750 to 1790, a small fort called Petit Fort was built at the mouth of Dunes Creek. Back then, the creek was known by a different name: Fort Creek.
Later, in 1837, a town named City West, Indiana was started right where Fort Creek met Lake Michigan. This town was about ten miles west of Michigan City.
The Sawmill and Town's End
To help the new town grow, a dam was built on the creek. A sawmill then used the creek's water power to cut lumber. There were many large pine trees growing on the bluffs nearby, providing plenty of wood.
However, the town of City West didn't last long. It was abandoned soon after it started because of a big financial crisis in 1837. This crisis, known as the panic of 1837, caused many businesses and towns to fail.
Dunes Creek's Path and Water Area
Where the Creek Starts and Flows
Dunes Creek begins west of Interstate 49 and south of U.S. Highway 20. As it flows north, it picks up water from other smaller streams. First, it gets water from the Great Marsh tributary, which comes from the east. Then, it's joined by the West Branch tributary, which drains an area called Cowles Bog.
The Dunes Creek Watershed
The entire area of land that drains water into Dunes Creek is called its watershed. This watershed is quite large, covering about 7,407 acres (2,997 hectares). It stretches from the Mittal Steel plant in Portage in the west to Beverly Shores in the east.
Long ago, the Dunes Creek watershed was even bigger, including much of Michigan City. Dunes Creek is one of three streams that flow all year round from the Great Marsh system into Lake Michigan. The other two are man-made ditches. These ditches were dug through the dunes to help with farming, industry, and building homes. They divided the eastern part of the original Dunes Creek watershed, creating new smaller watersheds for Kintzele Ditch and Derby Creek.
Restoring the Great Marsh
Starting in 1998, efforts began to restore the Great Marsh. One big step was closing Derby Ditch and bringing back about 500 acres (200 hectares) of the marsh to its natural state.
In 2012, a part of Dunes Creek that had been buried under a parking lot for 80 years was uncovered and restored. This process is called "daylighting" a stream, and it helps the creek flow more naturally.
The West Branch of Dunes Creek
The West Branch of Dunes Creek flows east-northeast from Cowles Bog for about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) before joining the main Dunes Creek. Its original source used to be even further west, but now some of that water is sent to the East Arm Little Calumet River.
Creek Life and Challenges
Water Quality Concerns
Dunes Creek sometimes has problems with E. coli bacteria. This contamination likely comes from the ditches and drained wetlands, rather than from specific pollution points caused by people.
When there's too much E. coli, the creek's water flowing into Lake Michigan can cause nearby beaches to close. This happens often to protect people's health. Other nearby creeks, like Derby Ditch (which also drains the Great Marsh) and Painterville Creek in Warren Dunes State Park, Michigan, also show similar widespread E. coli issues.
