History of Sedimentation In The Indian (Five) Lakes Chain

The Five Lakes Watershed—consisting of Witmer, Westler, Dallas, Hackenburg, and Messick Lakes—is one of northeastern Indiana's most unique natural resources. Although each lake has its own name and character, they function together as a single interconnected watershed. Water enters the system through Little Elkhart Creek, flows into Witmer Lake, then continues through Westler Lake, Dallas Lake, Hackenburg Lake, and Messick Lake before leaving the watershed through the Messick Lake Control Structure and continuing toward the Elkhart River.

Because water, nutrients, and sediment all follow this same path, activities anywhere within the watershed eventually affect every lake downstream. This simple fact is the foundation for understanding both the history of the Five Lakes and the sedimentation challenges they face today.

Because water, nutrients, and sediment all follow this same path, activities anywhere within the watershed eventually affect every lake downstream. This simple fact is the foundation for understanding both the history of the Five Lakes and the sedimentation challenges they face today. 

A Watershed Shaped by Time

The Five Lakes were formed thousands of years ago as glaciers retreated across northern Indiana. For centuries, forests, wetlands, and native vegetation protected the watershed from erosion. Rainwater soaked into the forest floor, streams flowed naturally, and only small amounts of sediment reached the lakes.

As settlement expanded during the nineteenth century, the landscape gradually changed. Forests were cleared for agriculture, wetlands were drained, roads and drainage ditches were constructed, and shoreline development increased. Each of these changes improved life for the growing community, but together they also increased the amount of soil and nutrients carried into the watershed during rainfall.

No single event caused today's sedimentation problems. Rather, they developed gradually over many decades as countless small changes accumulated across the watershed.

The Changing Health of the Lakes

Historical records demonstrate that the Five Lakes once supported exceptionally high water quality.

During the 1950s, several lakes in the chain still supported cisco, a cold-water fish that requires deep, well-oxygenated water. Dallas Lake, for example, once maintained approximately 16 meters (52 feet)of oxygenated water during the summer.

By the 1970s through the early 2000s, those conditions had changed dramatically. Cisco disappeared from the chain, and the deep, oxygen-rich portions of the lakes had become much shallower. Studies found that Dallas Lake's oxygenated layer had decreased to approximately 5 meters (16 feet) during the summer months. Similar conditions were observed throughout the Five Lakes.

These changes reflected an accelerating process known as eutrophication, in which excessive nutrients stimulate algae growth, organic matter accumulates on the lake bottom, and oxygen becomes depleted as that material decomposes.

The lakes were aging naturally—but human activity had significantly accelerated the process.

How Sediment Moves Through the Watershed

Every rainfall begins a journey.

Rain falling on farm fields, forests, roads, lawns, and developed areas eventually makes its way into roadside ditches, tributaries, and Little Elkhart Creek. Along the way, flowing water carries tiny particles of soil, organic matter, and nutrients.

As long as the water is moving quickly, much of this material remains suspended.

When the water slows, gravity takes over.

Sand settles first.

Then silt.

Then clay.

Finally, organic matter gradually accumulates on the bottom.

For this reason, sediment does not accumulate evenly throughout the watershed. Instead, it settles wherever water velocity decreases.

Understanding this principle explains why some areas experience far greater sediment buildup than others.

Where Sediment Accumulates

Studies conducted for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Program identified several locations where sediment naturally accumulates before reaching the deeper portions of the lakes.

Connecting Channels

The narrow channels associated with Witmer and Westler Lakes were identified as some of the watershed's most significant sediment traps. Five separate channel segments were estimated to contain approximately 2,400 cubic meters of nutrient-rich sediment. Removing this material was estimated to eliminate approximately 2,400 kilograms of phosphorus, reducing one of the nutrient sources fueling algae growth.

Because these channels naturally collect incoming sediment, they remain among the most practical locations for maintenance dredging.

Upstream Sediment Pond

The 2001 LARE Feasibility Study also identified a privately owned upstream pond that functions as a significant sediment trap before water enters the Five Lakes Chain. The study estimated that this pond had accumulated approximately 2,000 cubic meters of fine, nutrient-rich sediment and recommended periodic dredging to intercept sediment before it reaches the lakes.

Historical research is continuing to better understand the relationship between this upstream pond and the historic Cliff Petit Mill Pond, which was located east of Witmer Lake along Little Elkhart Creek. While both occupy the upper watershed, additional documentation is needed before concluding whether they are the same impoundment or separate features.

Tributary Inlets

Earlier diagnostic studies also identified tributaries entering Hackenburg Lake and Messick Lake as significant sources of sediment and nutrients. These streams transport runoff from surrounding agricultural lands and developed areas, particularly during heavy rainfall events.

Together, these findings demonstrate that sediment problems begin throughout the watershed—not within a single lake.

Scientific Findings

The 2001 Five Lakes Feasibility Study reached an important conclusion:

Nutrient and sediment inputs to the watershed remained too high to maintain long-term lake health.

Without additional management efforts, the lakes would continue becoming shallower and more nutrient rich.

Diagnostic surveys completed during the 1990s found that the Five Lakes had reached Class II to Class III trophic conditions, indicating elevated nutrient concentrations and reduced water clarity. Seasonal oxygen depletion had become common in deeper water, limiting habitat for cold-water fish and contributing to declining ecological health.

These findings confirmed what many residents had begun observing firsthand: increasing aquatic vegetation, reduced water clarity, and sediment accumulation throughout portions of the lake system.

Restoration and Management Efforts

Recognizing these challenges, local organizations and state agencies have worked together for many years to improve watershed health.

Indiana DNR LARE Program

In 2001, the Five Lakes Conservation Club completed a comprehensive feasibility study through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Program. The study recommended targeted dredging of connecting channels and sediment traps, expansion of sewer service, improvements to urban stormwater management, and continued efforts to reduce nutrient loading throughout the watershed.

Although large-scale dredging has not yet been completed because of funding limitations, the study established a scientific foundation that continues to guide restoration planning.

Watershed Conservation

Soil and Water Conservation Districts, local governments, and agricultural producers continue promoting practices that reduce erosion before sediment reaches the lakes. These include conservation tillage, cover crops, grassed waterways, riparian buffers, and improved stormwater management.

Shoreline protection, septic system improvements, and public education have also become important components of watershed stewardship.

Upper Elkhart River Watershed Management Plan

In January 2024, the Upper Elkhart River Watershed Management Plan received approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The plan identifies sediment as one of the watershed's primary nonpoint source pollutants and establishes ambitious goals for reducing sediment delivery through conservation practices, targeted restoration projects, and continued cooperation among landowners, local governments, and conservation agencies.

Clarifying the Watershed

Recent historical research conducted through the Five Lakes Knowledge Library has clarified an important point of local geography.

The historic Cliff Petit Dam and Cliff Petit Mill Pond are located on Little Elkhart Creek east of Witmer Lake, upstream of the Five Lakes Chain. The Messick Lake Control Structure, which regulates the legal water level of Messick Lake, is located at the lake's outlet.

Understanding the distinction between these structures provides a more accurate picture of how water moves through the watershed and helps ensure that future historical and technical documentation accurately reflects the geography of the Five Lakes.

Looking Forward

Sedimentation did not occur overnight, and it will not be solved overnight.

It is the result of thousands of small changes across an interconnected watershed over many decades. Likewise, protecting the Five Lakes will require many coordinated efforts working together over time.

Scientific studies consistently show that the most effective strategy combines watershed conservation with targeted dredging of natural sediment traps, protection of shorelines, responsible land management, and continued public education.

The Five Lakes remain one of Indiana's most treasured natural resources.

Understanding how this watershed functions—and how it has changed through time—is the first step toward preserving its beauty, water quality, and recreational value for future generations.

Key Points

• The Five Lakes function as one interconnected watershed.
• Water enters through Little Elkhart Creek, flows through Witmer, Westler, Dallas, Hackenburg, and Messick Lakes, and exits through the Messick Lake Control Structure.
• Sediment is a natural part of every watershed, but human activities have greatly accelerated its delivery to the lakes.
• The greatest sediment accumulation occurs where water slows, particularly in connecting channels, tributary inlets, and upstream sediment-trapping areas.
• Historical studies document declining water quality, oxygen depletion, and the loss of cisco due to increasing nutrient and sediment loading.
• Long-term restoration will require a combination of watershed conservation, erosion control, targeted dredging, and continued community stewardship.

This article is based on published technical reports and studies prepared by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Program, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), the Upper Elkhart River Watershed Management Plan (2024), historical lake surveys, and ongoing historical research conducted by the Five Lakes Knowledge Library. Recent updates also incorporate information verified through discussions with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources regarding the locations of the historic Cliff Petit Dam, Cliff Petit Mill Pond, and the Messick Lake Control Structure.

Sources 

scribd.com

in.gov/idem/