Abstract |
The sediments of much of Trail Creek and Michigan City Harbor are toxic to several species of desirable aquatic organisms and conducive to extreme dominance by a few species that are known to tolerate grossly polluted benthic environments. Although the overlying waters also show some signs of pollution, salmonid migrations do pass through the area. This indicates that severely toxic discharges have been abated and are now evidenced by the in-place pollutants that were deposited in past years. It appears that removal of these deposits would be a fruitful and worthwhile operation. However, before such action is taken, the importance of a large landfill as a potential source of future pollutants should be assessed. If the landfill is shown to be unimportant, dredging with disposal in a land-based, confined disposal area is recommended. The cost of such a program could exceed $4 million, but cost sharing with the Corps of Engineers in their navigation maintenance program in the Creek and Harbor would significantly reduce the section 115 funds required. |