The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District has teamed up with the Wabash Riverfront Planning Partnership to develop an updated riverfront master plan for Terre Haute, IN. This master plan "will set goals and objectives, identify problems and opportunities, and make recommendations for land use improvements along sections of the Wabash River in downtown Terre Haute." 

They are currently seeking community feedback and recommendations, and your input would help! Continue ready for information and you'll find the survey link at the bottom. 

So far, this team has identified several projects. You can read about them all following the info provided below. But as for the projects relevant to BHA members, check these out:

1. Wabashiki Fish & Wildlife Area. They propose preservation efforts for bottomland forests along the Wabash River, areas that provide essential wildlife habitat, especially for deer, turkey, and wood ducks and mergansers. They will also look for partnerships for volunteer clean ups and educational opportunities. Keep your eye out for BHA to post opportunities to participate in such collaborations in the future!

2. Oxbow Site. This section of Wabashiki is difficult to access except by boat. The proposal to provide better access and to protect and create wetlands in this area is exciting! The team proposes completing the connection between Fairbanks Park and the wetland trails to the south. Along with this, working with IN DNR they would add parking access at the oxbow site which would open up access to this property for all kinds of recreation, including birdwatching and hunting, something IN BHA is 100% behind. 

They also propose to increase lighting along the current path, clear undergrowth for better visibility along the path, add emergency call boxes in isolated areas, and directional signage at wetland trails. The banks will be graded for floodplain access, which is an issue in this area in general. The future may hold events such as nature walks, too!

3. Finally, at Fairbanks Park, which sits on the Wabash River in Terre Haute, the team proposes to work with the Faribanks Park Project to provide designated small vessel access, i.e., canoe and kayak launches, and to transform some mowed areas into native pollinator gardens with educational signage. Better access for angling and hunting along the river is much needed in this area. 

As mentioned at the top, there are even more exciting proposals to check out in the resources linked below. If you support these projects, are particularly excited about a couple, or have other ideas for what should be considered, please provide your feedback following the link below. 

Wabash Riverfront - Public Comment Tool (arcgis.com)