Note: This is an incomplete list of sites. I will add a few more over the next few days.
On December 8th, folks from Fishers stormwater engineering, the Marion and Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Geist Watershed Alliance, Empower Results and the DNR toured several degraded sites along north western edge of Geist Reservoir. The next day, a smaller group toured these sites with two restoration ecologists from CardnoJF New.
Here are
Shaena's notes. Here is
Cardno/JF New's quote for sites 1, 2, and 3.
Why did we choose these areas?
1. We want to focus on areas where mitigation will make the most impact. All of these areas are in the Thorpe Creek Subwatershed, the most impaired region of the
Geist/Upper Fall Creek Watershed. We are also looking for sites that are highly visible in the community.
2. Local residents are engaged and want to be part of the solution.
3. Much of the land at these sites is classified as "highly erodible" in our
Watershed Management Plan.
4. The most effective way to improve water quality in urban areas is to focus on reducing the volume of
upstream surface water runoff and to stabilize our streambanks.
Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) provides technical and financial assistance insure the continued viability of Indiana’s public lakes and streams.
We are applying for a grant to subsidize improvements of three sites along the north western edge of Geist Reservoir. The sites are in the Thorpe Creek Subwatershed which is the most impaired area of the Upper Fall Creek/Geist Watershed.
Grants are typically in the $100,000 range and expect a 20% match from the community. My homeowner’s community is willing to cost match area #1. Landowners in areas #2 and #3 are very engaged. The tricky part will be getting upstream high density urban areas that do not directly benefit from the reservoir (non-waterfront) to pitch in. High density urban has the most impervious surface and therefore causes the most runoff.
Runoff makes erosion makes sediment…the #1 cause of polluted water.
Topics @ the
Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society annual conference at the University of Indianapolis: corridors, woodland wildflowers and ferns, selecting natives for your site, and habitat connectivity for pollinators.
INPAWS is passionate about youth education and putting kids (especially kids in urban areas) in contact with nature.
Letha's Fund, their youth initiative, awarded 12 grants and reached over 1400 kids this year. Here are some of them:
As usual, the bookstore was one of the highlights. The book titles will give you a good idea about what INPAWs is all about. My peeps.
What percentage of your property is impervious surfaces?
Everyone lives in a watershed. How land is managed collectively influences stream habitat, water quality, and soil health.
Impervious surfaces, such as sidewalks, parking lots, and streets, do not allow stormwater to infiltrate the ground.
Native prairie plantings, forests, and wetlands help water to soak into the ground, recharging groundwater and filtering toxins. These habitats prevent nutrient overloading and associated water quality issues, such as toxic algal blooms.
Consider these alternatives to hard, impervious surfaces to alleviate habitat challenges for wildlife and restore the natural water cycle. reprinted from the
Indiana Wildlife Federation.
