Lake County Drainage Board Meeting – January 21, 2026

The Lake County Drainage Board met on January 21, 2026, at the Lake County Government Center. The meeting included the Advisory Committee at 8:00 AM and the Drainage Board at 9:00 AM. The published agenda listed numerous items, including routine reports, petitions for drainage easement work, financial approvals, and MS4 water quality projects. No transcript or minutes are available to confirm actual discussion or decisions; the following summary is based solely on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• The agenda included a "Public Comment" period under Other Business, but no specific comments or speakers are recorded in the available materials.

Discussion Items

• Reports & Correspondence: Reports from the Little Calumet River Watershed (including Schoon Ditch maintenance interlocal agreement) and the Kankakee River Watershed (including IDNR certificate of approval) were scheduled.
• Current Projects – Little Calumet River Watershed: Items included maintenance projects for Main Beaver Dam Ditch, Hart Ditch, Turkey Creek Lateral No. 6, Schererville Ditch, and Schoon Ditch (with gabion and riprap installation photos).
• Current Projects – Kankakee River Watershed: Items included Singleton Ditch Phase II and Brown Levee Ditch maintenance.
• Applications/Petitions: Six petitions were listed:
  • 493-11-25-I-III: Turkey Creek Lateral #5 – temporary pathway for debris removal (David Kubik).
  • 494-11-25-I-II-III: Niles Ditch – new wastewater treatment plant effluent outfall (City of Crown Point).
  • 495-11-25-I-III: Kaiser Ditch – water main replacement (Indiana American Water).
  • 497-01-26-I-III: Spring Street Ditch – utility pole retirement/replacement (NIPSCO).
  • 498-01-26-I-II-III: Beaver Dam Ditch – access drive and dumpster enclosure (I-65 Beacon Hill Partners, LLC).
  • 499-01-26-I-III: Beaver Dam Ditch Lat 11 – utility pole replacement (NIPSCO).
  • Each petition was listed with engineering reviews and correspondence.
• MS4 Water Quality: Capital project for Juvenile Detention Center restoration was noted.
• Financial Items: Invoices for Turkey Creek Lateral No. 1 drainage study (totaling $1,072.50) and a recommendation for payment of $1,000 for beaver relocation/dam removal at Tully Ditch were scheduled.
• Award of Contracts: A contract award for 2025 Dyer Ditch Maintenance Phase I to Dyer Construction was listed, with Notice to Proceed dated January 7, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• No votes or decisions are documented in the available materials. The agenda indicates that the board was scheduled to consider all listed items, but actual outcomes are unknown without meeting minutes or a transcript.

Other Business

• The agenda included a Public Comment period and other business, but no details are available.

Adjournment

The meeting was scheduled to adjourn, with the next meeting set for February 18, 2026.