Long Lake (Indiana)

Last updated
Long Lake
USA Indiana relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Long Lake
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Long Lake
Location Porter County, Indiana
Coordinates 41°36′55″N87°12′43″W / 41.61528°N 87.21194°W / 41.61528; -87.21194 Coordinates: 41°36′55″N87°12′43″W / 41.61528°N 87.21194°W / 41.61528; -87.21194
Type lake
Surface elevation604 feet (184 m) [1]

Long Lake is a large interdunal wetland in the Indiana Dunes region of Northwest Indiana. It was originally approximately 8 miles in length, but has been shortened due to development and drainage. [2] It has a surface area of 34 hectares, and a maximum depth of 1.8 meters. [3] There are three small islands, and the total shoreline length is 4.6 kilometers. [3]

Contents

Long Lake is bisected by a major local arterial road, County Line Road. The eastern portion of the lake lies in Porter County in the town of Ogden Dunes, and the western portion is in Lake County in the Miller Beach community. The vast majority of Long Lake is within the boundaries of the Indiana Dunes National Park, although a small area at the eastern end in Ogden Dunes is used by the American Water company for a water purification plant

Along the southern edge of the lake the Norfolk Southern railway, South Shore Line railway, and U.S. Route 12 highway run in parallel. The north side of Long Lake was formerly traversed by the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad. That railway has now been replaced by the Marquette Trail and Long Lake Trail, multi-use trails used by cyclists, hikers and birdwatchers.

History

Long Lake was one of the focus of Diana of the Dunes conservation efforts. [4] Others joined these conservation efforts to preserve the Indiana Dunes. [5]

In the 19th century, the ice of Long Lake furnished a livelihood for early inhabitants of the small town of Miller, which later became Miller Beach; ice was harvested from the lake and shipped to market by rail. [6] The ice also provided a surface for ice-skating between Miller and Baillytown. [7] A recreational fishery also flourished on the lake in the early 20th century, when a more diverse biota was present than today, including largemouth bass and yellow perch. [8]

In 1920s, the construction of County Line Road separated the western portion of Long Lake from the larger, deeper eastern portion. [3] No culvert connects the two halves; as a result, fish and many aquatic plants are periodically killed off when the western portion dries out during dry summer weather. [9]

Flora and fauna

The shores of the western section of Long Lake are dominated by monospecific stands of cattails. The eastern section is dominated by more diverse successional growth. In summer, the open water is almost completely covered by pond lilies and water lilies. [10]

Occasional fish kills, which occurred in 1990 and 2000, have reduced the number of species present in the lake. [8] Species found in recent surveys have included green sunfish, bluegill, black bullhead, golden shiner, common carp and fathead minnow. [8]

Amphibians found in and near Long Lake include the tiger salamander, blue-spotted salamander, chorus frog, spring peeper, American toad, Fowler's toad, green frog and bullfrog. [11] Reptiles include the snapping turtle, common musk turtle, painted turtle, common garter snake, racer, Eastern hognose snake, and six-lined racerunner. [11] There has been an unconfirmed sighting of the rare Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake near Long Lake as well, [11] and the slender glass lizard is found nearby. [12]

Long Lake is a popular stopover for migratory birds. Warblers nesting in nearby forests also often forage along the shoreline. [12]

Related Research Articles

Driftwood Wood that has washed ashore

Driftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves.

Swamp A forested wetland

A swamp is a forested wetland. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in creating this environment. Swamps vary in size and are located all around the world. The water of a swamp may be fresh water, brackish water, or seawater. Freshwater swamps form along large rivers or lakes where they are critically dependent upon rainwater and seasonal flooding to maintain natural water level fluctuations. Saltwater swamps are found along tropical and subtropical coastlines. Some swamps have hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodic inundation or soil saturation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp forests and "transitional" or shrub swamps. In the boreal regions of Canada, the word swamp is colloquially used for what is more formally termed a bog, fen, or muskeg. Some of the world's largest swamps are found along major rivers such as the Amazon, the Mississippi, and the Congo.

Porter County, Indiana County in Indiana, United States

Porter County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 173,215, making it the 10th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso. The county is part of Northwest Indiana, as well as the Chicago metropolitan area. Porter County is the site of much of the Indiana Dunes, an area of ecological significance. The Hour Glass Museum in Ogden Dunes documents the region's ecological significance.

Burns Harbor, Indiana Town in Indiana, United States

Burns Harbor is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States on the shores of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 1,156 at the 2010 census. Burns Harbor is located adjacent to the Indiana Dunes, an area that conservationists have fought hard to preserve.

Dune Acres, Indiana Town in Indiana, United States

Dune Acres is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 182 at the 2010 census. Dune Acres is located in the duneland of the south shore of Lake Michigan. Many residents of Dune Acres and surrounding communities helped preserve parts of the Indiana Dunes.

Ogden Dunes, Indiana Town in Indiana, United States

Ogden Dunes is a town in Portage Township, Porter County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan, within Indiana Dunes National Park and nearly surrounded by the city of Portage. The population was 1,110 at the 2010 census. It is named for multi-millionaire Francis A. Ogden, who owned the land there before his death in 1914. His main interest in the land where the dunes are was the sand which could be scooped up and sold, with more sand being replenished naturally over time.

Porter, Indiana Town in Indiana, United States

Porter is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,858 at the 2010 census. Porter is in the Indiana Dunes ecosystem, which played a role in the creation of The Nature Conservancy, and inspired conservation efforts.

Henry Chandler Cowles

Henry Chandler Cowles was an American botanist and ecological pioneer. A professor at the University of Chicago, he studied ecological succession in the Indiana Dunes of Northwest Indiana. This led to efforts to preserve the Indiana Dunes. One of Cowles' students, O. D. Frank continued his research.

Indiana Dunes State Park is an Indiana State Park located in Porter County, Indiana, United States, 47 miles (75.6 km) east of Chicago. The park is bounded by Lake Michigan to the northwest and is surrounded by as well as within the authorized boundaries of Indiana Dunes National Park, a unit of the National Park Service; the NPS owns the water from the ordinary high water mark to 300 feet (91 m) offshore. The 1,530-acre (619.2 ha) Dunes Nature Preserve makes up the bulk of eastern part of the park, and includes most of the park's hiking trails and dune landscape. This was one of the first places Richard Lieber considered when establishing the Indiana State Park system. Like all Indiana state parks, there is a fee for entrance. Indiana Dunes State Park was established in 1925 and designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974.

John Merle Coulter American botanist and educator

John Merle Coulter, Ph. D. was an American botanist and educator. In his career in education administration, Coulter is notable for serving as the president of Indiana University and Lake Forest College and the head of the Department of Botany at the University of Chicago.

Port of Indiana Port

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is an industrial area, founded in 1965 and located on the Lake Michigan shore of Indiana at the intersection of U.S. Route 12 and Indiana State Road 249. The primary work done in the area is the manufacturing of steel, and the port area is dominated by steel mills. The port is divided between the municipalities of Burns Harbor and Portage.

Pinhook Bog

Pinhook Bog is a unique bog in Indiana that has been designated a National Natural Landmark. It is part of Indiana Dunes National Park, an area that many citizens, scientists, and politicians fought hard to preserve. Its sister bog, Volo Bog, is located nearby. The bog contains a large variety of plants, including insect eating plants, tamarack trees, stands of blueberry bushes, and floating mats of sphagnum moss. Pinhook Bog is about 580 acres (2.3 km2), a quarter of which is a floating mat of sphagnum peat moss. A "moat" separates the bog from the uplands.

Cowles Bog

Cowles Bog is a 4,000-year-old wetland complex in Indiana Dunes National Park, near Chesterton, Indiana. It is named for Henry Chandler Cowles who did his pioneering work in ecology and ecological succession here. His work brought international attention to the area which led to efforts to preserve the Indiana Dunes. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1965. It contains bog, fen, marsh, wet meadow, swamp, and pond habitats.

Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana Township in Indiana, United States

Portage Township is one of twelve townships in Porter County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 47,085. Portage Township was established in 1835.

Miller Beach Neighborhood in Lake County, Indiana, United States

Miller Beach is a neighborhood of Gary, Indiana on the southernmost shore of Lake Michigan. First settled in 1851, Miller Beach was originally an independent town. However, the "Town of Miller" was eventually annexed by the then flourishing city of Gary in 1918. Located in the northeastern corner of Lake County, Indiana, the former town is now known as "The Miller Beach Community." Miller Beach borders Lake Michigan to the north, Porter County to the east, and is largely surrounded by protected lands, including Indiana Dunes National Park. Miller Beach is also the closest beach/resort community to Chicago, and has been a popular vacation spot since the early 20th century. As of the 2000 US census, it had a population of 9,900.

The Indiana dunes have been a cross road of activity since the glacier receded. Great explorers such as Jacques Marquette and René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle traversed this area. As early as 1862, the area was noted for its unique natural resources. At the start of the 20th century, the dunes were a living laboratory for scientist studying plants, animals, and the changes in the land. The first ecologist did his pioneering work here.

Tremont, Indiana Ghost town in Indiana, United States

Tremont, Indiana, is a ghost town formerly located in what is now the Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park in Westchester Township in northern Porter County, Indiana. It was first established in 1833. It was located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and County Road 100 East, near Indiana 49. The community is named for three massive sand dunes that are now contained within the State park. They are Mount Tom, Mount Holden 170 feet (52 m), and Mount Green 160 feet (49 m).

The Indiana Dunes are natural sand dunes occurring at the southern end of Lake Michigan in the American State of Indiana. They are known for their ecological significance. Many conservationists have played a role in preserving parts of the Indiana Dunes. The Hour Glass, a museum in Ogden Dunes, showcases some of the ecological import of the Dunes.

Interdunal wetland

An interdunal wetland, interdunal pond or dune slack is a water-filled depression between coastal sand dunes. It may be formed either by wind erosion or by dunal encroachment on an existing wetland. The wind erosion process involves wind scooping out sufficient sand to reach the water table, and typically occurs behind the first line of foredunes.

Dorothy Richardson Buell (1886–1976) was an American educator and nature preservationist who became the founder and first president of the Save the Dunes Council, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the Indiana dunelands along Lake Michigan. Buell led a grassroots effort to save the remaining unspoiled dunes in northwestern Indiana from industrial development. Buell's sixteen-year leadership of the Save the Dunes Council, from 1952 to 1968, preserved thousands of acres of dunelands at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, which she helped to establish in 1966 as an urban park as part of the National Park Service.

References

  1. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Long Lake (Indiana)
  2. ↑ Garza et al. 2002, p. 3.
  3. 1 2 3 Garza et al. 2002, p. 4.
  4. ↑ Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2006). Alice Gray, Dorothy Buell, and Naomi Svihla: Preservationists of Ogden Dunes. The South Shore Journal, "South Shore Journal - Alice Gray, Dorothy Buell, and Naomi Svihla: Preservationists of Ogden Dunes". Archived from the original on 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  5. ↑ Smith, S. & Mark, S. (2009). The Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation. The South Shore Journal, 3. "South Shore Journal - the Historical Roots of the Nature Conservancy in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland Region: From Science to Preservation". Archived from the original on 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  6. ↑ Schoon 2003, p. 177.
  7. ↑ Lane 1979, p. 17.
  8. 1 2 3 Garza et al. 2002, p. 11.
  9. ↑ Garza et al. 2002, p. 5.
  10. ↑ Garza et al. 2002, p. 9.
  11. 1 2 3 Garza et al. 2002, p. 12.
  12. 1 2 Garza et al. 2002, p. 13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.