The Lower Kankakee Watershed Initiative project has officially started! Last week we received funding from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to begin our project! What is the Lower Kankakee Watershed Initiative you ask?
The mission of the Lower Kankakee Watershed Initiative is to create a Watershed Management Plan for the section of the Kankakee River that runs through Jasper County and part of Newton County in Indiana.
The Lower Kankakee River Watershed Initiative (LKRWI) is a joint venture of the Jasper and Newton County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, along with local stakeholders, to create a watershed management plan for the Lower Kankakee River.
Partners of the project include: Jasper and Newton County Surveyors and Health Departments; Jasper County Council Members; Jasper, Newton, Porter, and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation Districts; NICHES Land Trust; Indiana State Department of Agriculture; Natural Resources Conservation Service and other state agencies; Ag Conservation Solutions; Vision Ag, LLC; The Law Office of Riley & Ahler, P.C.; area farmers; and area stakeholders.
The Funding Source is a three-year grant from Indiana Department of Environmental Management for $167,192. Funds are being used to pay for staff, perform a windshield survey, analyze and synthesis existing water quality data, conduct social indicator surveys, demonstrate best management practices, and create a watershed management plan.
Want to get involved? Join us at our next informational meeting on Wednesday, April 10th at 9:30 a.m. at the Roselawn Library to find out how you can contribute to the project! Don’t forget, we are still accepting applications for District Program Manager! Apply online at jaspercountyswcd.org.
Be sure to check out our new website, www.kankakeewatershed.org, for more information on the grant project!