News Release

Waters of National Park Beaches Temporarily Closed

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News Release Date: September 27, 2021
Contact: Bruce Rowe, 219-395-1609

The National Park Service has temporarily closed the waters of all beaches at Indiana Dunes National Park due to a discharge of an unknown substance into the Burns Waterway. A discharge of rusty colored liquid from the US Steel plant in Portage, Indiana was reported on Sunday, September 26 at 6:30 pm. An investigation is under way to determine the nature and extent of the discharge.  

Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is the lead agency on this incident. Media questions as to the nature and potential harmful effects of the discharge should be referred to [e-mail] . Questions on local drinking water quality should be referred to the individual water provider. Information on closures within Indiana Dunes National Park should be directed to the national park’s information desk line at 219-395-1882. 

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Indiana Dunes National Park is one of 423 units of the National Park System ranging from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty. Located in Northwest Indiana, the park includes 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 15,000 acres of biodiverse beaches, woods, prairies, and wetlands. Up to 3 million visitors come to the Indiana Dunes each year.  

Tags: indiana dunes, indiana dunes national park, closure, closures, beach hazards statement

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