Indianapolis, IN
The Twisted Tale of Indianapolis’ White River
First-time visitors to Indianapolis might look at the White River and see a natural oasis in a vast urban landscape. They could spend a day paddling through some of Indianapolis’ most populated neighborhoods, but not see another person on the water. Towering oak trees line the banks for much of its path through the city, in the summer offering some needed respite from the sweltering sun. Underneath the clear water, visitors might see dozens of carp, sunfish, and smallmouth bass dart beneath their boat as a blue heron stands in the shallows, waiting for its next meal.
This idyllic scene is just the latest chapter of the White River saga, which has almost as many twists and turns as the waterway itself: Historic blunders. Massive pollution. Unchecked environmental racism. A $2 billion infrastructure project called DigIndy promises to solve many of the problems facing the river. But as the pollution decreases, city officials’ desires to use the river as an economic driver and recreational amenity continue to increase. After years of living next to polluted waterways, the questions for the surrounding residents are now: Will they be able to afford to stay and enjoy the revitalized river? And with other contaminants continuing to flow into the water unchecked, combined with centuries of neglect and abuse, just how clean is the river actually?
Known as the Wapahani by the Indigenous Miami Nation, the White River was a major reason European settlers laid the foundations of Indianapolis here more than two centuries ago. After quickly realizing the river was too shallow for shipping goods, they found other, ultimately much more damaging, ways to utilize it.
Almost from the start, Indianapolis sewage discharged directly into the river, along with industrial waste from factories and slaughterhouses. As the city grew, so did the amount of pollution, becoming a problem that generations of officials believed was too big to solve, a mindset that would continue into the 1980s and 1990s. Reports from the time described the surface of the river routinely being coated with a “black scum,” while “bubbles of gas rise to the surface,” according to late local historian Paul Mullins.
With the river too dirty to safely swim or recreate in, beginning in the 1920s the city constructed more than 20 public swimming pools—all but one of which were earmarked for white residents only. Black residents had two choices: the Douglass Park pool or Belmont Beach, the city’s unofficial Black beach. The beach was located on one of the most polluted spots on the river, so children often swam in water contaminated by dead fish and human feces.
In the 1950s, Indianapolis constructed a series of combined sewage and storm water sewers; in the ensuing decades, every time a large rain event would occur, human waste would back up and spill out into the waterways. The stench coming off the river and its tributaries—such as Fall Creek—after a rainstorm was enough to make even the strongest person retch.
After years of mostly white residents on the northside of Indianapolis complaining about their own sewage backups in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the city surreptitiously began piping more than two million gallons of sewage annually away from wealthier neighborhoods and into Fall Creek, which drained into the White River. It’s no coincidence the surrounding neighborhoods were inhabited by minority and low-income families. The racist overtones couldn’t be ignored, local historian and advocate Leon Bates told Sierra. That’s when the federal government stepped in.
A group of social- and environmental-justice advocates filed a complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency, alleging the sewage issues disproportionately affected minority residents. The EPA agreed, and in 2006, mandated Indianapolis solve the issues once and for all. In 2011, Citizens Energy Group began to oversee the $2 billion DigIndy project. Six huge tunnels totaling 28 miles would store up to 250 million gallons of wastewater before being treated at the Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. DigIndy is slated to wrap up in 2025 with the completion of the Fall Creek and Pogues Run tunnels, the last major sewage-overflow contributors to be remediated.
Residents are already seeing huge improvements. After a massive fish kill in 1999, marine life has returned to the river. Routine volunteer cleanup events help remove tires, old mattresses, and other trash recklessly discarded on and around the river. A canoe and kayak rental shop opened on the banks earlier in 2023, encouraging more people to explore the river. After nearly 200 years of being one of the most polluted waterways in the US, the White River received a C grade for overall health (in Indiana, a C student is called a Hoosier valedictorian). With E. coli levels still dangerously high, the water is clean enough for boating, but not swimming. Most of the experts who spoke to Sierra admitted it likely never will be. And yet, things are looking up enough that along with fish and birds, humans are also returning to utilize the river.
“I’m on the river three or four times a week,” says Ed Fujawa, author of “Vanished Indianapolis” and a local resident.
In November, officials broke ground on the $13 million Riverside Adventure Park, which will include boat ramps and trails for hiking and biking. And Belmont Beach has also been resurrected, this time as a pop-up park run by the city’s parks department. Talks are ongoing between the city and residents of the Haughville neighborhood about making the site a permanent park.
“[The Belmont Beach] project has always been led by Haughville residents, for Haughville residents,” says Ebony Chappel, Friends of Belmont Beach executive director. “The president of our board is a fourth-generation child of Haughville and I’m third generation … We’re aware and sensitive to concerns from others in the community, which is why we’re always including their thoughts in the forefront of everything we do.”
Some residents have expressed concern that the much-anticipated river improvements could lead to gentrification. After years of living next to the horribly polluted river, the resulting cleanup and renewal could lead to long-suffering residents being priced out of their homes. Both the city and Haughville neighborhood group are optimistic that won’t happen, but Bates remains skeptical.
“We’ve already seen people get priced out of the neighborhoods” nearby, Bates says, adding that Indianapolis should proactively make efforts to slow or stop widespread gentrification, such as freezing property taxes for long-term Haughville residents until they die or sell the property.
The city’s White River Vision Plan promises to “explore the enormous potential of our river to enhance regional vibrancy, ecological integrity, livability, and economic vitality.” Tourism and city economic officials have traveled as far away as Singapore to study how communities best use their rivers, says Carmen Lethig, Long-Range Planning Administrator for Indianapolis. In the works for riverside developments are plans for a multimillion-dollar retail and entertainment complex centered around a new soccer stadium, as well as the new corporate headquarters for a pharmaceutical company. But there doesn’t seem to be much, if any, political will to improve the water quality even further; surface level improvements seem to be enough.
One of the most polluted states in the nation, Indiana has the most miles of rivers and streams deemed too polluted to swim in of any state, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. Pollution from farm runoff—which contains herbicides, fertilizers, and animal waste—and other contaminants continue to flow into the White River from upstream.
Testing should be done daily, says Sierra Club Heartland Group chair Jesse Kirkham, as the pollution levels can vary wildly day-to-day. But water-quality testing by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in the White River and its tributaries has dropped precipitously over the years for lack of funding. Volunteers with the Sierra Club, White River Alliance, and other groups have picked up some of that slack. Considering its history, the White River’s comeback thus far is nothing short of miraculous, but there’s still a long way to go before a true happy ending can be written.
The Indianapolis Colts began Phase 1 of their offseason schedule with voluntary work on April 21st, right in the thick of draft week. This period focuses on meetings, strength training, and rehabilitation before the team ramps up its workload for the rest of the summer.
Veterans quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. and cornerback Kenny Moore II have been away from the team as they remain on the trade block.
While work thus far has not been open to the media, there will be plenty of opportunity moving forward to get a closer look at the younger, faster Colts.
Here’s a look at the key dates Colts faithful will want to circle on their calendars, along with the media’s scheduled access dates (subject to change at the team’s discretion).
Rookie Minicamp: May 8-9
The 2026 Colts’ draftees get their on-field debut in their team-issued apparel as they take the field alongside undrafted free agents and prospects invited to participate for a try-out.
Most notably, it’ll be interesting to see where the Colts’ first two draft selections — defenders CJ Allen and A.J. Haulcy — are being used in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme.
This two-day glorified oreientation of sorts will feature far less team-based activities than it will individual drills and general acclimation to the pros, but it’s still a worthy introduction nonetheless.
This padless, non-contact minicamp is meant to familiarize the amatuers more than it’s meant to baptize them by fire, and head coach Shane Steichen will be sure to deliver that message.
OTA Offseason Workouts: May 26-27, May 29, June 1-2, June 4
This is the third and final phase of the offseason program, the first portion of the offseason where the offense and defense can come together for some 11-on-11 work.
With quarterback Daniel Jones, wide receiver Alec Pierce, and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner all set to be sidelined until at least training camp as they rehab their respective injuries, their presence will be greatly missed as far as teambuilding goes. On the flip side, at least those Colts below them on the depth chart will get some valuable run in their time away.
The on-field work will still be a non-contact simulation, though this is the first time when the veterans and the rookies will come together for practice. These workouts are still voluntary for the vets; it won’t truly be a first full look at the projected 2026 roster together, but that comes not too long after OTAs conclude.
Mandatory Minicamp: June 9-11
This will be the biggest offseason event yet, as it will be the closest we get to a real Colts practice. Unlike OTAs, which are voluntary, this minicamp requires that all members of the team be in attendance.
These sessions are more or less like the beginning of the training camp cycle, a period that features a similar practice regimen while still being padless and non-contact.
This will give us a closer look at how rookies are adjusting to the next level after being a month in, as well as provide a sneak peek as to which on-field chemistries are brewing.
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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The month of May begins with “the greatest spectacle in running.”
Runners from all over gear up for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, with the first race starting at 7:35 a.m. Saturday.
At the Indiana Convention Center on Friday, participants were prepping. They picked out shoes and running gear, and checked out the course map. Organizers estimated over 20,000 runners for the big race day. There’s the 5K run and, of course, the half-marathon that runs through Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This year marks the 50th annual Mini-Marathon. Organizer Linday Labas of the 500 Festival said, “We have five Indy alumni who have done this race all 50 years, so they just keep coming back. They like the other part of the month of May, celebrating and tackling it. I know it looks different now than it was 50 years ago, but they keep coming back, because they love the celebration around Indy Mini.”
Cecilio Martinez has marathon tattoos for all the times he’s run. He ran the Chicago, Berlin, Honolulu and New York City marathons. But, he only has one half-marathon inked on his calf, and that’s Indy’s Mini-Marathon with the 50th anniversary medal. He said this isn’t the first time he’s run the Indy Mini. “I like the course. I like the people. I love Indy Mini.”
Runner Karina McDougle said, “Unlike 2025, the race is going to be chilly with temperatures as low as 39 degrees. “Honestly, because I’ve been running in so much cold weather, I’m pretty used to that, and I would prefer that. I do overheat a lot. It’s great for me, I’m looking for a cool day.”
There are also lots of first-timers running the half-marathon, including Wabash Middle-High School wrestler James Day. “We’re just excited about the experience. They actually talked me into it. I didn’t want to do it originally. I ran one day this week. We’ll see how this goes. I just came back from a wrestling season, though, so I should be in a decent shape.”
At the end of the 13.1 miles, runners will receive a golden medal to mark their accomplishment.
The Indianapolis Colts are in a make-or-break season under longtime general manager Chris Ballard.
After exiting a season that featured yet another mid-season collapse, this regime is holding onto its last remaining breath of hope as it attempts to right the ship entirely. Colts Owner/CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon said in her post-season press conference that the sense of urgency ‘has never been higher’ for Ballard and Shane Steichen, who is entering his fourth season as the Colts’ head coach.
As a result, this offseason has featured numerous high-floor, low-ceiling decisions for Indianapolis. In an attempt to replicate last year’s early-season success, Ballard’s Colts are once again ‘running it back,’ something that has yet to produce meaningful results in past years.
Ballard’s recent draft has been deemed by some a near-perfect outing considering their situation — not having a first-round pick to bolster their roster — but more than anything, it’s a showing that addressed the team’s weakest position rooms.
From immediate contributors to sleepers and depth pieces, Colts on SI breaks down each draftee’s projected 2026 role.
Immediate Starters
Georgia LB CJ Allen
After trading longtime starter and leader of the defense, linebacker Zaire Franklin, to the Green Bay Packers, Georgia’s CJ Allen will slide in seamlessly as his replacement for the future.
“We’ve liked CJ (Allen) through the whole process,” general manager Chris Ballard began fawning over his newest linebacker in his post-draft press conference. “He stands for all the right stuff. He’s an athletic, fast MIKE. He’ll be a green-dot guy for us from the get-go. I mean, he’s a face of the program type of guy. He’s a really special dude now.”
Still just 21-years old, Allen did not compete at the NFL Scouting Combine as he was rehabbing a knee injury suffered late in his final season at Georgia, but Ballard and Co. are confident in his progress and foresee no setbacks ahead of the season after he worked out a few weeks prior to the NFL Draft.
LSU S A.J. Haulcy
Although the Colts replaced Nick Cross with an aggregate of veteran safeties in free agency to compete for the opening at strong safety, rookie A.J. Haulcy has the inside track at winning the job this summer.
The SEC safety moved up in competition each step of the way (New Mexico, Houston, LSU), starting in 44 of 48 possible games. Haulcy is a ballhawk who logged eight interceptions over the past two seasons, but his versatility to play both in the box and back deep is what’s most intriguing about his game.
Sleepers
Kentucky G Jalen Farmer
The Colts may have confidence in their projected starting five (Raimann, Nelson, Bortolini, Goncalves, Travis), but insurance beyond them was nonexistent entering the NFL Draft.
Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer is set to provide depth across the entire offensive line, while likely being prioritized across the interior as a former guard. He makes the third consecutive installment of fourth-round offensive linemen drafted by Chris Ballard, who are subsequently thrust into the Tony Sparano Jr. school of hard knocks — aka, a recently-established draft-and-stash process that has produced two full-time starters who are still on their rookie contract.
Farmer is projected to immediately become the team’s swing offensive lineman, though don’t count him out from winning the right guard spot from Matt Goncalves.
Oregon LB Bryce Boettcher
Boettcher is set to be a special teams demon as a rookie, but his plus coverage ability bodes well in his favor as he joins a position room that lacks a specialist as such — they do have Jaylon Carlies set to return, who has flashed in coverage, though his early injury history makes it difficult to bet on him moving forward.
The Oregon linebacker should compete for the opening at WILL linebacker alongside veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither. Even if he ultimately loses the job, Boettcher presents a high-floor for a depth piece, and more than likely carves out a role as a sub-package coverage defender.
Kentucky RB Seth McGowan
McGowan had a troubled past early in his college career, causing him to climb back to earn consideration as an NFL prospect. He has since earned the opportunity to not only join an NFL roster but also to truly compete for touches as the Colts have an opening at backup running back under star feature back Jonathan Taylor.
Oklahoma WR Deion Burks
The Colts entered the 2026 NFL Draft with an opening at wide receiver alongside Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, despite adding Nick Westbrook-Ikhine earlier this offseason.
Deion Burks immediately strengthens the depth chart at wide receiver, serving as a potential steal after being selected with one of the last picks in the draft (254th overall). His small build (5’9″, 180 lbs) suggests that he’ll sit directly under Josh Downs for the foreseeable future, but his experience at outside receiver points to a potential rotational role as early as his rookie season.
Long-Term Bets
EDGE George Gumbs Jr.
Indianapolis has been lacking juice at defensive end for far too long, and though Gumbs Jr. doesn’t scream day-one contributor as a former wide receiver turned edge defender, his profile as a long-term project takes no convincing.
It was a bit of a headscratcher to see the Colts finally address edge during the fifth round, though their lack of depth outside of an opening up top needed addressing, and Gumbs Jr. provides just that.
EDGE Caden Curry
Similar to Gumbs Jr., Caden Curry doesn’t project as an immediate force, though he does present a bigger production profile (16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks as a senior) that you can see him contributing in a rotational role as a rookie.
Curry may have historically small arms, a threshold that NFL decision-makers often stray away from, but his relentless motor is worth betting on despite his physical limitations.
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