The Nature Conservancy - JWN

Adopt a Watershed!

The actions of the people who live in a watershed affect the overall health of the watershed. That's why the EPA is encouraging citizens and organizations to participate in keeping their watersheds clean by adopting a watershed.

By volunteering to monitor the water quality or even to plant trees along eroded riverbanks, you can play an important role in restoring and protecting your water.

Join or start a watershed watch program in your area today!

Watershed Planning

If you already participate in a watershed organization or want to start one, make sure to plan wisely.

For help on how to plan IDEM offers the Indiana Watershed Planning Guide or check out the EPA's Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters.
Purdue University also has Watershed Inventory Workbook for Indiana geared towards volunteers

IDEM Wants to Help!

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, or IDEM, is currently seeking applications for those interested in Section 319(h) funding. Under the Federal Clean Water Act Section 319(h), grants are given to projects working on ways to reduce nonpoint source water pollution. Nonpoint source pollution is pollution that can not be identified coming from a specific source.

The EPA offers several nonpoint source pollution factsheets including information on managing it away from agriculture, forestry, household, marinas and boating.

We all live in a watershed. No matter where we are - home, work or at plau - a watershed can be found. But what is a watershed and what is its place in our community?

A watershed is an area of land that drains rain water or snow into one location such as a stream, lake or wetland. These water bodies supply our drinking water, water for agriculture and manufacturing, offers opportunities for recreation and are habitats to numerous plants and animals. Unfortunately various forms of pollution, including runoff and erosion, intereferes with the health of the watershed. Therefore it is important to protect the quality of our watershed.

Why Do We Need Healthy Watersheds?

Watersheds sustain life, in more ways than one. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than $450 billion in foods, fiber, manufactured goods and tourism depend on clean, healthy watersheds. That is why proper watershed protection is necessary to you and your community.

Watershed protection is a means of protecting a lake, river, or stream by managing the entire watershed that drains into it. Clean, healthy watersheds depend on an informed public to make the right decisions when it comes to the environment and actions made by the community.

Purdue Extension's Safe Water for the Future program provides education on watersheds and tools on how to protect them. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's interactive map allows you to "surf your watershed" and learn more about it.

Why We Need to Protect Our Watersheds

Earth is covered in 70% water and unfortunately 40-50% of our nation's waters are impaired or threatened. When water is considered "impaired" it means that the waterbody does not support one or more of its intended uses. This could mean that the water is not suitable to drink, swim in or to comsume the fish that was caught there.

The leading causes of pollution in our waterways are sediments, bacteria (like E. coli) and excess nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus). Although these all sound like things that belong in a healthy environment, they can cause big problems in a poorly managed watershed. For instance, sediment can suffocate fish by clogging their gills and the presence of bacteria alone can indicate that other viruses and germs can be found in the water as well. Erosion, runoff of animal waste and overflowing of combined sewers are just a few ways these pollutants reach our waters.

According to the most recent assessment of Indiana's waterways (2004), the state's top causes of impairment in streams and rivers are pathogens; polychlorinated biphenyl; mercury and lead. In ponds and reservoirs, impairments are caused by mercury, exotic species and algae growth. Atrazine, an herbicide used in 80% of Indiana's cornfields, is also a major cause of concern as is E.coli, a bacterium that can cause intestinal and extra-intestinal infections.

For more information on the state of our water, check out Assessment Data for the State of Indiana Year 2006 or for more complete information, Assessment Data for 2004. You may also want to visit the Environmental Protection Agency's WATERS - Watershed Assessment, Tracking & Environmental ResultS or the Water Quality Standards Database for more on water quality.

What The Nature Conservancy in Indiana is Doing

Throughout the years, The Nature Conservancy in Indiana has done tremendous work to protect and maintain the health of watersheds throughout the state. Whether it be protecting rare mussel species at Fish Creek, the restoration of Maumee River or purchasing land around the Lost River cave system, the organization is true to their mission of preserving plants, animals and natural communities by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

There are three Nature Conservancy project offices in the state that work around major watersheds: Blue River, Tippecanoe River and Upper St. Joseph River. These locations were selected due to their unique and valuable biology. Each area homes endangered and threatened species as well as a source of drinking water or waters used for recreational activities such as fishing and swimming.

The Nature Conservancy does not work alone but elicits help from environmental partners and those living in the area. Tree plantings to prevent sedimentation and erosion, preventing unsustainable logging, encouraging no-till practices in agriculture and fencing livestock (and their waste runoff) away from water sources are just a few ways the Conservancy and its partners are protecting our watersheds.

What You Can do to Help

The EPA offers their Top Ten Tips on how you can help keep your watershed clean and healthy.

1. Conserve water every day. Take shorter showers, fix leaks & turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
2. Don’t pour toxic household chemicals down the drain. Instead, take them to a hazardous waste center.
3. Use hardy plants that require little or no watering, fertilizers or pesticides in your yard.
4. Do not over apply fertilizers. Consider using organic or slow release fertilizers instead.
5. Recycle yard waste in a compost pile & use a mulching mower to leave grass clippings on the lawn.
6. Use surfaces like wood, brick or gravel for decks & walkways. They allow rain to soak in & not run off.
7. Never pour used oil or antifreeze into the storm drain or the street.
Visit our article on Recycling & Reusing to find out where you can dispose hazardous wastes properly.
8. Pick up after your dog, and dispose of the waste in the toilet or the trash.
9. Drive less—walk or bike instead. Many pollutants in our waters come from car exhaust and car leaks.
10. Adopt your watershed!

For More Information

Indiana's Department of Environmental Management's Office of Water Quality - Learn more about what Indiana is doing to keep our watersheds healthy.

EPA's Local Drinking Water Information - found out where your water comes from & how you can protect it.

U.S. Geological Survey's Water Resources of Indiana

Conservation Technology Information Center's What Is A Watershed? & Know Your Watershed - sites include videos and educational resources about watersheds in Indiana.

Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation

Purdue's Safe Water for the Future - "Helping Hoosier protect their drinking water."

Indiana Watersheds Used for Drinking Water - mapped by county

Great Lakes Regional Water Programs for Indiana

Central Indiana Watersheds

Hoosier RiverWatch - a state-sponsored water quality monitoring initiative

USGS WaterWatch for Indiana and Groundwater Climate Response Network - maps, maps & more maps!

EPA's "What's Up with our Nation's Waters," a status report of our waters designed with students in mind.

U.S. Geological Survey's Water Science for Schools