About Us
The West Central Indiana Watershed Alliance (WCIWA) is a coalition of interested parties dedicated to promoting and implementing best management practices in the watersheds of West-central Indiana while educating the general public about environmental stewardship. The WCIWA is committed to improve the water quality in the Busseron Creek, Turtle Creek, Turman Creek and Kelley Bayou watersheds and the regions downstream from these areas.
Getting Started
In 1999, a group of concerned citizens joined forces to address water quality concerns in the Turtle Creek and Little Turtle Creek Watersheds. Their work of planning and implementation of Best Management Practices led to a de-listing of Turtle Creek Reservoir for dissolved oxygen in 2004 and recognition with a National Excellence in Conservation Award from the USDA-NRCS in 2005.
In December, 2007, the Sullivan Co. Soil & Water Conservation District was awarded an EPA Section 319 grant for the Busseron Creek Watershed. A 3-year grant, this is the first of what is often a series of three EPA grants awarded to any given watershed. It is important to keep in mind that this is the beginning of a very long project.
The
Busseron qualified for this grant because of poor water quality. Eleven of
the thirteen subwatersheds of Busseron Creek have been classified as "impaired".
In the eastern areas of the watershed, persistent acid mine drainage from
abandoned coal mines finds its way into creeks. In the central and western
regions, failing private septic systems, outdated public wastewater treatment
facilities, and chemical run-off from agricultural lands and urban lawns leach
excessive nutrients into streams. Dramatic reductions of pollutants are required
to meet Indiana Department of Environmental Management standards.
Compounding these problems are some of the worst poverty levels in Indiana – one
county with the worst poverty levels in the state, another with the second to
worst personal income levels.
The
water quality in the Busseron deteriorated over decades upon decades, not years.
There are no magic wands to wave that will clean it up in only 3 years.
Just like undertaking a large construction project, such as a hospital, plans
must be developed and engineering designs calculated before the first bit of
field work begins. That foundation - that structure - is what this
grant will accomplish.
The work performed under this grant falls into four basic categories:
1. Water Quality Monitoring
This included compilation of existing data and data from new watershed sampling that was used to further identify probable sources of pollutants as well as provide a base line to show changes to water quality. Quarterly monitoring and analysis will continue to further refine probable sources and to document water quality changes.
2. Watershed Management Plan
& Implementation PlanThe historic and new water quality data was combined with statistical analysis, computer modeling and stakeholder input to develop the blueprints for change. These plans will be reviewed and revised on an annual basis.
3. Education & Outreach
This isn’t just about educating kids. It’s also about educating adult residents of the watershed, especially on the simple things they can do to improve surface water quality. This work will be ongoing throughout the life of the organization.
4. Promotion and Implementation of Demonstration Project(s)
Everybody’s favorite: the actual work you can see. Nearly $90,000 of the 2007 Busseron Creek EPA Section 319 grant has been earmarked for this phase. In addition, other programs and funding sources will be leveraged so that the most conservation can be placed on the ground with the resources that are available to our stakeholders.