Section C: Community Profile
St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Section C Section C: Community Profile History of St. Joseph County ...... Page C – 3 Location of St. Joseph County ...... Page C – 4 Man-made, Historical and Cultural Features ...... Page C – 5 Community Attractions and Recreation Opportunities ...... Page C 5 St. Joseph County Government Agencies ...... Page C – 6 Community Services ...... Page C – 7 Transportation Links ...... Page C – 8 Major Industries ...... Page C – 8 Socio / Economic Factors ...... Page C – 9 Population Growth Statistics ...... Page C – 9 St. Joseph County Demographics ...... Page C – 10 Natural Features ...... Page C – 11 Plants and Wildlife ...... Page C – 14 Why Soil Data is Needed ...... Page C – 15
St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Page C – 1 Community Profile
History of St. Joseph County Before any white European explorer had stepped foot upon the soil of the Old Northwest, the St. Joseph Valley was occupied by Native Americans. Several tribes and early native peoples located around the St. Joseph River. Some of the earliest groups to occupy what would later become northern Indiana and southern Michigan were the Miami tribe. Later, the Potawatomi would move into the St. Joseph River Valley region, utilizing the rich food and natural resources found along the river. The Potawatomi would occupy this region of Indiana and Michigan until the majority was forcibly removed in the 1840s. The first white footprint placed in the soil of northern Indiana was that of Father James Marquette, who traveled up the Kankakee River and across the portage to the St. Joseph River in May of 1675. “It was by way of the Sault de Ste. Marie (The Falls of St. Mary’s River) and the straits of Mackinaw that the French reached the Northwest from Canada. In 1641 the first Canadian envoys met the western Indians at the Sault. It was not, however, until 1659 that any of the adventurous fur traders spent a winter on the shores of the northern lakes, nor until 1660 that the devotion of the missionaries led by Father Mesnard, caused the first station to be established. In 1668, came Fathers Claude Dablon and James Marquette and founded the mission at the Sault.” The main reason for the popularity of the South Bend area was that it was closest to the Kankakee River. To get to the Mississippi River from, eastern Canada, you sailed west through the Great Lakes until you reached Lake Michigan. Then you traveled along the eastern or western shore of Lake Michigan until you reached the mouth of the River of the Miami’s, or the St. Joseph River, and up that river to the portage (a trail between two rivers) at South Bend. The South Bend portage was the shortest overland route to the Kankakee River. So, you got out of the St. Joseph River and walked overland along the portage to the Kankakee. The Kankakee River flowed into the Illinois River and then into the Mississippi. Once you got to the Mississippi, you could travel north, south, or cross the river to explore the West. This was the route used for centuries, first by Native Americans, then the French explorers and traders, to travel from Detroit to New Orleans. In addition to the portage, there were several other Native American trails that crisscrossed throughout the Michiana (Michigan and Indiana) area. One trail was the Fort Wayne Trail that led from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois. Another popular trail was the Great Sauk Trail that started in Detroit, Michigan, went through Chicago and split into two trails in Missouri, “later becoming known as the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon Trail.”
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St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Page C – 5 St. Joseph County Government Agencies
County Commissioners Andrew Kostielney, President ...... 1st District Dave Thomas, Vice President ...... 2nd District Marsha McClure, Member ...... 3rd District
County Council Michael Hamann ...... District A Corey Noland ...... District B James O’Brien ...... District C Rafael Morton, President ...... District D Diana Hess ...... District E Daniel Herbster ...... District F Mark Catanzarite, President Pro-Tempore ...... District G Robert McCahill ...... District H Mark Root, Vice President Pro-Tempore ...... District I
County Clerk County Treasurer Terri J. Rethlake Michael Kruk
County Auditor Peter Mullen
Area Plan Commission John Byorni ...... Executive Director
Township Trustees Richard Carr ...... Centre Township Rob Thomas ...... Clay Township Irvin Staszewski ...... German Township Sandra Ort ...... Greene Township Robert (Butch) Wood ...... Harris Township Sue Dittmar ...... Liberty Township John McGee ...... Lincoln Township Richard Mochel ...... Madison Township Donald McGawn ...... Olive Township Jeff Dean ...... Penn Township Millie Arocho ...... Portage Township Bill Stroup ...... Union Township Steven Downey ...... Warren Township
Page C – 6 St. Joseph County Parks Master Plan 2014-2018 Community Services
St. Joseph County Police
The Saint Joseph County Patrol Division is responsible for over 111,213 people who live outside the corporate limits of South Bend and Mishawaka. This area comprises 467 square miles. The main function of the patrol division is to answer any call from citizens requesting the police, and to investigate crime and traffic accidents. The Patrol Commander is Major Dean A. Chandler.
The patrol division headquarters, motor pool, and communications center is located at 4817 Lincoln Way West, South Bend, in front of the Michiana Regional Airport. The division has three shifts that staff the County 24/7. The shift commander is Lt. Tony Gish. Each shift has approximately 18 officers assigned, which includes supervisory personnel. The patrol shifts operate on a six days on and three days off schedule.
Within the patrol division is the traffic investigation section, along with the traffic enforcement section. Captain James Rutkowski supervises the traffic investigations section, which is responsible for the review of all traffic accident reports taken. This section is also responsible for all fatal, serious injury investigations, and all hit and run investigations. Other patrol officers are assigned to this section when required. Other patrol officers are assigned to full time duties as school resource officers. Two Resource Officers are assigned to the Penn-Harris-Madison School District, and one to the South Bend School Corporation. During the summer months, these three officers are assigned to regular patrol duties or traffic enforcement.
Fire Protection The following is a listing of the fire departments located within St. Joseph County, providing over 300 full-time firefighters. • Centre Township Fire • Warren Township Fire Department Department, Inc. • Clay Fire Department • City of South Bend Fire • Harris Township Fire Department Department • German Township Fire • New Carlisle Fire Department Department • Mishawaka Fire • St. Joseph County Airport Department Authority DPS • Portage Township Fire • Penn Township Fire Department Department • Walkerton Fire Department
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St. Joseph Countyy Parks Master Plan 2014-20182014-2018 Page C – 9
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Natural Features
Physiographic Profile Physiographic studies have been undertaken in order to determine best how the land can most advantageously be put to use as it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of what lies beneath the soil before certain kinds of construction can be undertaken on the surface. Without such precautions, sinking buildings, cracked foundations, flooded basements, etc. are possible negative consequences. In a study of the physical characteristics of an area, the analysis of the topography, geology, soils, natural resources, and climate is essential in order to achieve optimum use of the land with a minimum of cost. As far as can be determined, there are no areas in the St. Joseph County planning area upon which recreational development of any type is impossible. There are, however, areas in which certain types of construction would be difficult and, in some cases, impractical; these regions will be discussed later in this report. In general, it can be said that the St. Joseph County area is very well suited to any urban development, including recreation.
Geology & Topography A study of the bedrock geology in the South Bend planning area is necessary in order to determine whether or not the bedrock is sufficiently stable to support large buildings without causing them to lean or otherwise become unsafe. The bedrock formations, which underlie the planning area, are considered to be sufficiently stable to support even the largest of buildings and are best described by the Indiana Department of Conservation in its bulletin of 1960: The oldest known consolidated rocks underlying St. Joseph County are of Ordovician age. These rocks consist of dolomite, dolomitic limestone and shale, and dolomite of Silurian age. The rocks of Ordovician and Silurian age are not used as a source of water supply in the county because of their depth and the highly mineralized water, which they contain. The rocks of Silurian age are overlain by dolomite and dolomitic limestone of Middle Devonian age. There rocks underlie blue-black bituminous shale of Devonian age… The rock of Devonian and Mississippian age grade upward into the shale of the Mississippian age, which is overlain locally by thin limestone in which they were laid down and can, vary widely in character within short distances. However, it can be said that these materials are quite capable of supporting all types of urban development. All of this bedrock is overlain by unconsolidated drift laid down by the Wisconsin Glacier of the Pleistocene age. This glacial drift ranges in depth from 50 to about 300 feet and consists mainly of sand and gravel, clay till and some glaciolacustrine clay and silt. The glaciofluvial sand and gravel is
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locally more than 200 feet thick and is the chief source of groundwater for domestic stock, industrial and public supplies. The unconsolidated rocks of Pleistocene age are overlain by thin alluvium, eolian sand and organically rich sand, silt, and clay of the recent age.
Topography The topography of the area is, in general, typical of terrain, which has been altered by the last continental glacier, which moved through the area approximately 15,000 years ago. The last glacial advance, called the Wisconsin Glacier, streamlined the topography by rounding off the hills and filling in the valleys. As it moved by forward, the glacier scraped soil and weathered rock material from the bedrock surface. These materials were carried along with and pushed in front of the glacier as it advanced until, ultimately, the glacier began to melt and recede. At this time, the material was carried away from the ice front by large streams of melt waters and washed, sorted, and redeposited as stratified material. This accounts for the numerous sand and gravel beds in the South Bend area. The glacial materials in the St. Joseph County area range in thickness from about 70 feet to nearly 300 feet. The formations along the St. Joseph River Valley are mainly sand and gravel having a relatively thin strata of clay interbedded with them. The clay, although it may only be a very thin layer, can greatly hinder the recharge of water to the water-bearing beds from precipitation, streams and lakes. This is very probably the cause of the formation of the large areas of muck located within the planning area. The excessive breadth of the St. Joseph River Valley is due entirely to the fact that the river carried huge volumes of glacial melt waters from the receding Wisconsin Glacier and was at one time much larger than the Mississippi River is today. As the glacier withdrew, the melt waters subsided, thus reducing the river to its present size. This explains why the valley appears to be so broad when compared to the relatively narrow river, which flows through it.
Soils (Source: Soil Survey) For the purposes of this study, the soils of the South Bend planning area have been divided into four types according to their building limitations. These four categories are: none-to-slight, slight-to-moderate, moderate- to-severe, and severe restrictions. Areas in the none-to-slight restriction category are well suited for urban development. However, these areas are not suited to residential development using septic tanks rather than a sanitary sewage system unless these areas are first drained utilizing tile or some other drainage system.
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The second category, slight-to-moderate restrictions, includes soils, which are nearly level, well to excessively drained and very well-suited for all types of development with the exception of septic tank sewage systems. These areas must first be drained before the septic tanks can be installed. The most common soil found in the second category is Willvale fine sandy loam. The third category, moderate-to-severe restrictions, indicates areas suited to urban development. However, these regions have a water table which is very near the surface (1’-4’) and so pose a problem for residential construction. It is quite difficult to drain this type of soil even with tile. The last category poses severe limitations to any type of construction. Areas in this category consist of black muck, 12”-42” thick. Unless artificially drained, the water table is present most of the time. These soils are subject to surface bonding and the muck is unstable for building of any type unless the muck is removed prior to construction. Flood plain areas exist mainly along the St. Joseph River and will be inundated if a flood were to occur. This possibility should be taken into consideration prior to the undertaking of any construction in these areas. The above categories are not to be construed to show that any given area is completely prohibitive to construction but rather to show the extent of the difficulty of building in sections with poor drainage, high water table, etc. There is no section of the planning area in which construction is impossible.
Water Resources With the exception of one or two instances, nearly 100 percent of the area’s water supply (both industrial and domestic) is derived from wells that have been drilled into the glacial drift covering the area. Water derived from this source has been termed excellent in both quantity and quality resulting in St. Joseph County’s water rates being among the lowest in Indiana. In addition to this source, it is believed that there are also vast quantities of potable water located in the bedrock formations that underlie the county. This resource has been unneeded to date and, as yet, remains untapped. The St. Joseph River is also considered a major water resource as it furnishes some of the area’s industries with the large amounts of water necessary for cooling purposes. In addition to this, the river is also utilized as a recreational resource providing the area with water sports and fishing.
Mineral Resources Although St. Joseph County currently has no significant mineral resources, bog iron ore was present in sufficient quantities at one time to attract an iron industry. Beginning in 1833, the St. Joseph Iron Works extracted the
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bog iron ore and used it to manufacture plows, cultivators, and other farm implements and was in operation until 1856 when the supply of ore failed.
Climate (By Lawrence A. Schall, climatologist for Indiana, from Soil Survey of St. Joseph County, Indiana) The climate of St. Joseph County is modified considerably by Lake Michigan, which is about 30 miles to the Northwest. The lake increases cloudiness, snow, and rain and reduces temperature extremes in both summer and winter. Precipitation is rather uniform throughout the year; it averages a little less than 2 inches in February and about 3.5 inches in spring and summer. During the average year, 141 days have 0.01 inch or more of precipitation. December and January average 15 such days, but the number declines to 9 per month in the late summer and fall. Thunderstorms occur on about 43 days a year, most commonly in midsummer.
Flood Plain The principal tributaries of the Kankakee River, which begin in the county, are the Yellow River, Grapevine Ditch, Niespodziany Ditch, Pine Creek, and Yellow Bank Creek. The principal tributaries of the St. Joseph River are Baugo Creek, Juday Creek, Eutzler Ditch, Woodward Ditch, and Bowman Creek. Plants and Wildlife St. Joseph County Parks strives to conserve significant natural areas by managing and interpreting these natural landscapes. Efforts are made to preserve these greenspaces for wildlife habitat as well as providing a natural experience for park visitors. A healthy ecosystem is one that is comprised of a variety of flora and fauna, found naturally in a geographical location. The key to maintaining a healthy ecosystem is maintaining an area’s biodiversity by maintaining the different species of plants and animals that are woven into a community. Invasive Species Garlic Mustard, Autumn Olive, Vinca, Honeysuckle, Phragmities and Purple Loosestrife can be found within the St. Joseph County Parks. These and other invasive plants can damage delicate ecosystems, twisting around the trees and bushes and overcoming the landscape. By creating heavy shade plant growth is suppressed altering the habitat suitability for native insects and native plants, thereby also reducing bird and other small vertebrate diversity. The reduction of non-native species is not only a good management practice, but also an educational opportunity, both being addressed by the Parks Department. Although resources are
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limited, staff is tackling the removal of invasive plants in key and sensitive areas. In addition, staff is beginning to address the removal of landscape plants that have the potential to become invasive such as burning bush barberry, etc. Native plants are given priority in new and revitalized landscaping.
Wildlife Management The growing number of white-tailed deer, which are large herbivores (plant-eaters) has been causing a negative impact on the natural community at St. Patrick’s County Park and Spicer Lake Nature Preserve. Over browsing by deer on vegetation has a trickle down effect on the natural community; not only is the diversity of plants reduced, but also the animals which rely on these same plants for food and cover. Deer Management at St. Patrick’s Park and Spicer Lake Nature Preserve has been researched and steps are in place to control the population. The Canada Geese population has also grown across the area. At one time the bird was believed to be extinct but now its population grows by six percent each year. This is due, in part, to its ninety percent survival rate, and that natural predators are limited. St. Joseph County Parks monitors the goose population at St. Patrick’s County Park and has permits for nest depradation. A success story is the osprey nesting platform at St. Patrick’s County Park. A nesting pair of Osprey have successfully fledged offspring since 2011. Osprey is a state-listed endangered species. In addition, growing flocks of turkeys inhabit Bendix Woods and St. Patrick’s County Parks. Why Soil Data is Needed (Source: http//websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/websoilsurvey.aspx) It cannot be assumed that just any piece of land can be used for recreation. Some soils are as unsuitable for recreation as they are for supporting buildings or for growing oranges. Among the soil properties that affect recreation uses are the following: • Flood hazard severely limits use of soils for camps and recreation buildings, but such soils are suitable for hiking and nature study and other less intensive uses. • High water tables impose severe limitations on use of soils for campsites, roads and trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas. • Drought makes it difficult to grow grass needed to prevent erosion, and draughty soils may require irrigation to maintain vegetation. • Some clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry. This shrinking and swelling may damage floors and foundations of
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recreation buildings. Such soils may fail to support roads and other structures unless special design is used. • Steep slopes limit the use of soils for playgrounds, campsites, buildings, roads, and trails, but are appropriate for hiking areas. • If bedrock is at a shallow depth, it is difficult to level soils for playgrounds and campsites, to construct roads and trails, and to establish vegetation. Shallow soils are poorly suited for uses that require extensive grading. • A clay or sandy surface layer makes some soils undesirable for playgrounds, campsites, or other uses that require heavy foot traffic. • Soils high in clay content are sticky when wet and remain wet for long periods after rains. Loose sandy soils are unstable and dusty when dry. Sandy loam and loam soils are the most suitable for recreation uses that require heavy foot traffic. • Stones, gravel, and rocks impose moderate to severe limitations on use of soils for campsites, playgrounds, trails, and other uses that require heavy foot traffic. • The absorptive capacity of soils determines whether a septic tank absorption field will work. The soil should be deep and permeable, there should be no seasonal high water table, the slope should not be steep, and there should be no danger of flooding. • Suitability for impounding water determines whether the soil can be used for manmade fishponds. Ponds are desirable for other recreation uses, such as shooting preserves, dude ranches, vacation farms, and wildlife and nature study areas. Soils suited to manmade ponds generally are deep, have low permeability when compacted, are not steep, and have a low susceptibility to piping.
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