Dune Creek Watershed: What Makes It Special?

Dune Creek Watershed: What Makes It Special?. . , Over 11 square miles of marshes, savannas, oak forests, and other landscapes drain into Lake Michigan at this point., You are standing in the Dunes Creek watershed which drains into Lake Michigan and encompasses all of the Indiana Dunes State Park. The Park's nature preserve is designated as a National Natural Landmark and is one of the best remaining examples of undeveloped and relatively unspoiled dune landscape along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. More rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals inhabit the Park than nearly anywhere else in the Midwest., A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common waterway. Water that drains from the surrounding land within the watershed can carry contaminants that pollute the water. Watershed management is an effective way to cross traditional boundaries and bring people in a region together to make responsible land use choices., To protect water quality Save the Dunes worked with stakeholders and communities to develop a watershed management plan. The plan was funded and approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. It identifies water quality concerns within the watershed and strategies to address the concerns. Today the Indiana Dunes State Park is working with Save the Dunes to implement those strategies and protect water quality., Did You Know? , Tannins are what give Dunes Creek its rusty brown color. Tannin is a naturally occurring pigment in many plants. Oak trees are especially rich in tannins. The pigment is present in the bark, leaves and acorns. It serves as the plant's defense against insects and fungal attacks. When the leaves and nuts fall to the ground within the Dunes Creek watershed, rainwater washes the tannins into Dunes Creek and give it a rusty orange-brown color.