Imagine boarding a canoe -- maybe in downtown Chesterton or near a bridge in Hammond or at park in Gary -- and paddling past miles of woods, wetlands and wildlife.

Such a vision is outlined in a new plan called the “Greenways and Blueways Northwest Indiana Regional Plan,” which was publicly released on Thursday by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission.

NIRPC worked for two years with the Openlands group of Chicago to create the plan, which identifies current and potential open spaces and water trails in Porter, Lake and LaPorte counties.

“The result is a comprehensive vision for an extensive system of land and water corridors, or greenways and blueways, in the area,” said NIRPC Board chair and Whiting Mayor Joseph Stahura. ArcelorMittal has agreed to a three-year commitment to begin implementing some of the plan’s recommendations. With an allocation of $75,000 in the first year, ArcelorMittal, NIRPC and Openlands will develop water trails on the Lake Michigan shoreline and along the Little Calumet and Kankakee rivers.

The plan can be viewed online by going to NIRPC’s webpage at www.nirpc.org and clicking on the “archives” link.

The plan identifies 17 possible blueways in Northwest Indiana. Blueways are described as water trails that can accommodate canoes or kayaks, with interpretive signage at access sites that describe the water conditions that paddlers can expect.

The plan also shows the potential for “greenways” throughout Northwest Indiana, by identifying currently undeveloped land that could potentially be left as open space.

To implement the findings, the plan calls for each municipality and county agency to incorporate the recommendations into their own comprehensive plans.

Another recommendation is that government agencies require open space conservation in new developments – something already required in unincorporated Porter County.

Also, the plan calls for governmental agencies to pursue land acquisition and for county drainage boards to take a proactive approach to enhance riparian buffers and in-stream habitats. On this point, the plan suggests that when new development is proposed along a legal drain, officials should expand drainage easements and allow parklands, and flood restoration and trails.

The plan also says that highways and streets posed “significant barriers” to the movement of wildlife, and called for innovative designs, such as low-box culverts, to allow the safe crossing of wildlife.

A summary of the Porter County blueways outlined in the plan is as follows:

Little Calumet River, east arm: This 16-mile stretch east of Ind. 249 still has much of its pre-settlement character, with much of the river corridor within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Because of many tree falls, much of this stretch is impassible for paddlers. The plan suggests opening short stretches of one to two miles, with possible access sites along Ind. 49, the waste water treatment plant in Porter, along Wagner or Babcock roads, or near Ind. 149.

Coffee Creek: Although the creek doesn’t carry enough water to canoe long stretches, the plan says Coffee Creek would make a good route for beginning paddlers since it tends to be shallow. A one-mile water trail could be established if an access site is located in the area of Indian Boundary Road and Calumet Road.

Lake Michigan: In keeping with a multi-state effort to create a 1,000-mile Lake Michigan water trail, the plan calls for coordinated interpretive signage and new access sites for a Lake Michigan kayakers.

Salt Creek: Described as one of Northwest Indiana’s most historic creeks, Salt Creek has never been channelized and as such would “offer one of the riches environmental education paddles in Northwest Indiana.” Valparaiso could create a community water trail, while Portage could link together several existing park sites along the creek.

Potential access sites include along U.S. 6, Ind, 149 north of Robbins Woods, and at Portage’s Ameriplex.

Kankakee River: If campsites were available, the Kankakee River could provide a multi-day canoeing experience, the plan says. Because of weather-related fast flowing waters, canoeing on the Kankakee can be done safely only during limited periods of time. Further, about 12 access points would be needed to provide adequate space for paddlers who might otherwise become stranded on the river. Despite the obstacles, the plan notes that the Kankakee is a historic river and that it would provide a “uniquely beautiful 70-mile trip through American history without a dam nor a town along its length in this region.”

Funding for the “Greenways and Blueways Northwest Indiana Regional Plan” was provided by a grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.

Posted 7/18/2008