[2022 - present]
Juxtaposed next to one of America's ecological gold mines, factories overwhelm the surrounding land of Indiana Dunes on the south shore of Lake Michigan. Despite the park being one of the most biodiverse places in North America, the protected area is a fraction of what it would have been if industrial tycoons did not set up shop in 'The Region.' Because of this, the transition from nature to industry is often stark and immediate.
Conservationists have described the area as one of, if not the, most important place in the expansive Great Lakes region. Henry Cowles, University of Chicago professor and ecological pioneer, recognized the dynamic yet fragile nature of the 'Dunes.' “Many of these species are found nowhere for many miles outside of the dune region, so that failure to conserve the dunes would result in the extinction of this wonderful flora for all time,” said Cowles. The park's dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests are home to well over 1,000 species. The recent designation of some of its territory as national parkland in 2019 is a testimony to Cowles' claims.
“We consider ourselves an urban national park. We are a story of nature amongst industry,” says Steve Becker, Indiana Dunes ranger. According to Becker, the Dunes acts as an industrial buffer zone. “If they were able to found the national park when they intended to do over 100 years ago, it would probably be the entire south shore from Michigan to Illinois." Today, it is a much different park than first envisioned by early conservationists.
Unlike most parks, the anatomy of Indiana Dunes is patchy. When looking at a map, it is made up of a series of protected land with industrial properties filling in the gaps. On the eastern side of the parks lies Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO). Before this land was bought for private use, a 200-foot dune called the 'Hoosier Slide' dominated the landscape over Michigan City, Indiana. Despite its popularity as a tourist attraction and natural grandeur, the iron-rich dune was used to make an unusual blue-tinted glass. What would have been the tallest dune in the park was completely gone by 1920.
Coastal factories, in addition to producing thousands of pounds of air pollutants each year, also take their toll on nearby Lake Michigan. Today, industrial wastewater violations occur often.
In April 2017, Portage, Indiana-based U.S. Steel discharged about 300 hundred pounds of toxic hexavalent chromium into the lake. Water samples collected showed chromium levels that were hundreds of times greater than permits allowed. This spill greatly endangered aquatic life and closed beaches across the lake's south shore, including those of Indiana Dunes, for nearly a week. In October of the same year, they had yet another spill.
This one took place during an abnormally large southern swell though.
One of the strongest surfing communities in the Great Lakes experiences the effects of coastal industry firsthand. Some surfers, known as 'South Enders,' were in the lake at a popular surf break called 'Shoe' at Whihala Beach in Whiting, Indiana, near Horseshoe Casino, following the spill.
Unaware that the waters were contaminated, multiple surfers developed illnesses following the session. This sparked lawsuits by the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit environmental organization. It was not until August of 2021, three years after the Clean Water Act violations took place, that U.S. Steel agreed to a settlement. Despite this, the South End is still at risk.
"You get eye infections and nasal infections," says Steve Arnam, experienced South End surfer and consultant at the Surfrider Foundation. "After you get pounded by a wave the water goes up into your nostrils. There's lead in the sediment and once that gets churned up by the waves it stays in the water column."
Though surfing remains accessible at cleaner beaches, such as those within the park system, the best waves are often on the doorstep of industrial areas, due to their favorable orientation to prevailing winds.
In an embrace of The Region's grit, surfers have learned to use some of the landscape to their advantage. The sand bars which form next to industry-made jetties and piers produce a long tapered wave that is rare on the Great Lakes. These manmade structures have also proven useful as a way to jump in and dodge wave sets before they close out, eliminating the need to paddle through whitewater. This is why spots like Indiana Dune's Lake Street Beach, hugged by mills to the west, are well-liked in the community.
Great Lakes surfers find the best waves in fall and winter, capitalizing on the heightened occurrence of wave-generating storms. Consequently, they often find themselves among the exclusive few venturing into frigid Midwest waters. So, their absence could mean certain pollutants go unnoticed.
While some might deem the South End's industrialism as an environmental waste and an eyesore, it is still an economic anchor that provides energy, jobs, and steel to a large part of the community and country. Regarded for decades as the steelmaking capital of America, Indiana produces the vast majority of its product in this coastal northwest region. For those who call it home, a steel mill job offers a chance at a decent living in an otherwise economically depressed area, especially in places such as Gary, Indiana, which have relied on industrial work for decades.
Chicago's long-term motto, 'City in a garden,' retains relevance as you follow the shoreline south into Indiana. While many are fighting to keep what untouched nature remains, The Region's industrial presence shows no signs of receding anytime soon.
