167 



Sanitary Survey of Indiana Rivers. 



Jay a. Craven, C. E. 



In Aiig:ust, 1908, the investigation 1)y the Indiana State Board of 

 Health of tlie sontliern end of Lake Michigan bordering Indiana revealed 

 v serions condition. It was found that the Lake water was "grossly pol- 

 luted and unfit for use as a soui-ee of water supply for drinking and domes- 

 tic purposes.'' Tlie zone of pollution extended for five miles from shor(>. 

 Although Indiana Harlxir, East Chicago, Whiting and a portion of Ham- 

 mond contributed domestic sewages directly to the Lake, it was found 

 that this apparently had little influenci> on the character of the Lake 

 waters. The main source of itollution was found to be the Calumet River 

 with its great volume of sewage and ninnnfactnring wastes. Tlu' ]i(irti(in 

 of the lake investigated is readily seen on the accompanying map. 



The deplorable situation called for a more thorough survey of the 

 condition, and to this end preparations and plans were made for an in- 

 \estigation of the Cahunet River, to determine the "exact condition of the 

 river, the amount and kind of pollution entering it from the Indiana 

 c-ities, how it was disposed of. and if possilde, through its report to lend 

 assistance for the linal solution of tbc probknn wliich faces the Indiana 

 cities and also a part of Cliicago." 



About twenty-five miles of the Grand Calumet River was surveyed in 

 the summer of 1910. It has a varying width of from twenty-flve to three 

 hundred feet and an average depth of six to eight feet until it reaches 

 Lake Calumet, from which point it averages twentj''-five feet. It receives 

 most of tile sewage and trade wastes from tlie foui' cities along its 1)anks, 

 together witii a pordim of tiiat of Chicago. .Many large manufacturing 

 concerns conti-ilmted a large part of the most offensive refuse. 



Forty-three sampling points were established in the East Chicago 

 canal, the Grand Calumet River. The Little Calumet River and Lake 

 Michigan. Samples for the putrescibilty reaction, oxygen consumed and 

 dissolved, were collected at all the sampling points and sewer outlets over 



