The White River has long been an underutilized source of culture and recreation for central Indiana.

Together, the city of Indianapolis and Hamilton County Tourism are developing a comprehensive vision plan to provide a cleaner, safer, more accessible river that will positively impact the public’s health and wellness.

As a river-based plan, hydrology, ecology and water quality were critical components of the decision-making process. The vision plan framework focused on an active river, a natural river, a free-flowing river, and a connected river. Burke lead the development of two of the nine guiding principles in the plan:

• Restore and Adapt, which looked at restoration of the river’s environment and ecology to enhance its natural functions, steward its diverse community of life, and adapt to a climate resistant future.
• Steward River Health, which looked at how to enhance community stewardship of the river’s health by increasing opportunities for meaningful, lasting connections and experiences that add value to the quality of life of residents

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