In the proposed work, we will explore opportunities and tradeoffs associated with the use of green infrastructure for stormwater management. In particular, we seek to quantify the extent to which increased percolation of stormwater, driven by increased use of green infrastructure, may be increasing groundwater chloride (Cl-) concentrations in communities surrounding Southern Lake Michigan. 

While there is an emerging consensus on the climate risks faced by different areas of the country, there is a profound lack of information on how local governments are responding to these risks. This proposal begins to fill the information gap by funding a faculty-student team to assist local officials in Indiana counties bordering Lake Michigan to complete the Hoosier Resilience Index Readiness Assessment (HRA). This instrument, developed by research staff at Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI), offers unique insight into the local response to climate risks, facilitating analysis of the political, social, and economic factors that shape policy decisions. 

Wetlands provide ecosystem services critical to the well-being of human populations, yet they have undergone massive loss and degradation. Illinois and Indiana alone have lost 85-90% of their historical wetland extent, which could impact the region’s resilience to climatic events and stressors. In response, agencies are dedicating substantial resources to restoring wetlands and their ecological functions. However, maintaining high quality, resilient habitats in human-dominated landscapes is challenging. Current literature reports a wide range of response to restoration interventions. Gathering long-term, consistent data on restored and protected wetlands is key to advancing our understanding of the root causes of this variability. This project will identify remote sensing-based indicators of vegetation composition and ecological functions to facilitate the consistent and large-scale monitoring of Lake Michigan wetlands. As a result, the project will generate three outputs aligned with the strategic goals of the IISG: (1) a literature review, to be published in a peer-review journal, summarizing current knowledge on the relationships between remote sensing-based indicators and transformations in plant communities; (2) a detailed script and tutorial, to be made available to scholars and stakeholders, showing users how to derive indicators of wetland health and recovery from free remote sensing datasets; and (3) a case study in a subsample of wetlands to serve as a proof of concept for the larger proposal.   

The goal of the proposed pilot research study is to investigate the feasibility of utilizing dredged material collected from a single source along southern Lake Michigan area (stockpiled next to Calumet Harbor in coordination with USACE) as a substitute of sand in a unique sustainable construction material called flowable fill. The research will use laboratory-based performance tests on a set of flowable fill mixes prepared by substituting sand with different percentages of flowable fill. Then, flowable fill mixes and cylindrical specimens will be tested for flow, setting time and compressive strength using standard molding/test methods. The potential products of the proposed study are a thorough literature review report, laboratory testing results/analysis in the form of manuscript for conference proceeding, and an external grant proposal.

Robots as mobile sensors can monitor large areas repeatedly. An effective robotic solution should benefit from human knowledge and experience as well as integrates an established sampling strategy. This project envisions a human-assisted robotic solution for sampling spiny water flea (Bythotrephes longimanus), an invasive microorganism notorious for its ecological and economic harm in the Great Lakes. The project outcomes include extensive field testing of the device, a design upgrade based on test results, and the design of a robotic boat that can utilize the device to sample water flea in nearshore regions at depths of up to 25 m. Results from this work will set the stage for large-scale monitoring projects where robots that can be used by selectively and consistently monitor complex ecosystems.

The long-term goal of this project is to develop smart water infrastructure to help improve water management in the southern Lake Michigan region, particularly for communities in historically disadvantaged locations. The short term goal is to develop a program to assess contamination, hydrology, and water quality in impoverished areas of South Chicago. The specific objectives of this project are to: 1) implement flow and water quality sensors to assess pollution in select locations, 2) develop a stormwater model to assess the effects of hydraulic infrastructure and land usage on hydrology and water quality, 3) build collaborations with other water quality professionals in the Southern Lake Michigan region, and 4) create proposals for submission to other funding agencies to continue development of this program. The results are expected to increase ecosystem health, improve the resiliency of communities and economies, and enhance environmental literacy and workforce development.