The Environmental Integrity Project has reported that Indiana has the most miles of impaired rivers and streams in the United States. Photo provided by the Maumee River Basin Commission.

By Jeremy Price
Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

Editor’s Note: Environmental Integrity Project states Indiana has the most miles of contaminated rivers and streams than any other state. Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams was contacted to help understand that statement and what it means for Kosciusko County.

WINONA LAKE — According to a 2022 report by the Environmental Integrity Project, Indiana has the most miles of contaminated rivers and streams in the United States. While this statement may be alarming, the report shows that nearly every state in the country has work to do to assess and improve impaired streams.

Unlike other states that have assessed less than 10% of their total stream miles, Indiana has assessed almost 70% of its streams. Indiana has assessed thousands of miles of streams to determine whether a stream is impaired. A stream could be impaired if it cannot sustain aquatic life, if it is unsafe for recreation, if there is a fish consumption advisory, or if it cannot serve as a drinking water supply.

Viewed at a high level, the report’s rankings place Indiana as the state with the most miles of streams known to be impaired. Some other states are likely to have more, but lagging assessment rates leave their true numbers unknown.

The rankings become more nuanced when each state’s methodology is considered. According to the report, “Under the Clean Water Act, states set their own water quality standards, determine what parameters to monitor, and how they report their findings, which differs from state to state. This means we cannot use the data to reliably compare water quality conditions among states.”

Regardless of the nuances of state rankings, impairment in Indiana’s streams is clearly a significant issue. An estimated 73% of Indiana’s assessed streams are impaired for swimming and recreation. Many of these streams feed lakes around the state and contribute to impairments in them as well. The report shows that 63% of Indiana’s lake acres that have been assessed are also impaired.

What does this mean for Kosciusko County’s lakes? The 600 miles of streams in the county feed over 100 lakes. The health of the streams has a direct impact on the health of the lakes. A lake is only as healthy as its surrounding ecosystems. Natural habitats such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands contribute to a healthier landscape and protection of lakes and streams. Even effectively managed working lands can help reduce negative impacts on water health.

As part of its approach to applied research, the Lilly Center maintains 14 stream sensors around 14 inflowing and outflowing stream sites around Winona, Pike, Wawasee, Syracuse, Tippecanoe, Oswego, and James lakes. These stream sensors provide live data on the Lilly Center’s website and capture information such as flow and water temperature. Coupled with periodic sampling of water quality and nutrients, this data helps Lilly Center researchers capture a picture of a lake’s “diet.”

By understanding and identifying the root causes and sources of pollutants, the Lilly Center can recommend strategic solutions to those problems. The Lilly Center collects and reports this data in its yearly research publication, Beneath the Surface.

The Lilly Center is working on research projects and partners with local, state, and national organizations to ensure that Kosciusko County’s streams are clean, healthy, safe, and beautiful for generations to come. Visit lakes.grace.edu for more information on how you can help keep our waters healthy.