Tippecanoe River Project Office

The Miami and Shawnee Indians named this river Kithtippecanunk, or "place of the buffalo fish," which still can be found in the Tippecanoe River. Its clear waters and wooded shores provide rich habitat for the abundance of fish, mussels and wildlife that live here.

Very few streams in the upper Midwest can match the number of imperiled species or the overall species diversity that the Tippecanoe River supports. Because of this, the Conservancy considers Tippecanoe one of the top 10 rivers in America to preserve. Yet despite its relatively pristine past, increased sediment is deteriorating the river's clarity, negatively affecting its plant and animal life.

Size
The river’s watershed encompasses 1.25 million acres and spans 14 counties in Indiana.

Animals
The club shell population in the Tippecanoe River is reported to be the largest and most significant population of the imperiled mussel remaining in the world. In all, there are three mussel species in the river that are listed as federally endangered. They include the club shell mussel, the fanshell mussel and northern riffleshell mussel.

Because mussels live embedded amid the dirt and rocks of the river’s bottom, their populations can be difficult to track. Recent surveys have failed to uncover rifleshell mussels, which may mean they recently became extinct.

In all, the river is home to six fish and mussel species listed federally as endangered, according to a 1998 study by the Conservancy. Current fieldwork suggests these numbers now may be even lower.

Many other unique fish live in these waters, including paddlefish and sturgeon, ancient fish that lived when dinosaurs roamed the Earth; the American eel, which begins and ends its life in the saltwater of the Bahamas; and four darters — Tippecanoe, bluebreast, gilt and spotted — that are endangered in the state.

Why the Conservancy Chose This Site
The diversity of life found in the Tippecanoe River is a rarity. The river supports, for example, 49 of its original 57 species of mussels. Mussels, like many of the animals living here, need clean water grow and reproduce. Because this river is considered a haven for rare and endangered mussels and fishes and their habitat is threatened, the Conservancy is working to preserve this watershed.

What the Conservancy is Doing/has Done
The Conservancy follows a rigorous science-based approach to its conservation plans, called Conservation by Design. The plan developed for the Tippecanoe River incorporates sound science principles, practical experience and common sense. Monitoring the river’s aquatic life is one of the tools being used. By studying these communities, the Conservancy can better understand the quality of water in the river and the health of its inhabitants. The Conservancy also is planting trees in the river’s floodplain, to help slow the inflow of sediments and keep the river’s water clean.

Working with Tippecanoe Communities
The project office has helped form a local citizens' groups - the Tippecanoe River Watershed Alliance - and is assisting with activities designed to inform people about the Tippecanoe like field days and river cleanup efforts.

Conservation planning for the Big Walnut Creek Watershed, the Tippecanoe River project office has been working with the Big Walnut Creek Citizen Group on a project to protect and enhance thier watershed.

Staff area also are working with Kosciusko, Fulton, and Pulaski Counties on their tillage transects, which generate reports tracking tillage and cropping systems used in each county. Their three-year Risk Protection Program - which promotes appropriate corn production through conservation tillage methods. The program also assists growers with purchasing equipment and planting attachments to facilitate conservation tillage and other conservation farming practices.

A brochure to promote the Risk Protection Program to other groups interested in running their own version. For more information, please contact:

Tippecanoe River Project Office
236 Northwest Street
Winamac, IN 46996
Phone: (574) 946-7491