Our Mission

Connecting people for watershed improvement to ensure an ecological and economically healthy Iroquois River watershed for today and generations to come.

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Purpose:

• Develop and implement a watershed plan

• Delist streams from IDEM’s 303d impaired waterway list

• Identify priority and critical areas

• Get additional funds for ongoing improvement projects

• Address contributing sources of bacteria, nutrients and sediment loading

• Identify where water quality improvement efforts should be placed

• Educate to encourage implementation of best management practices

• Promote and implement conservation practices

• Facilitate partnerships among all stakeholders in the watershed.

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Who We Are

The Upper Iroquois Watershed Initiative is a group of citizens and organizations who are cooperating to develop a watershed management plan (WMP) that will build capacity to accomplish the goal of improving water quality across the watershed.

 

In early 2000, Jasper County local leaders and stakeholders expressed protecting water quality as important during the updating and formation of local ordinances and county wide planning initatives. A sub-committee was formed to address this specific issue. A lot of good dialogue occurred, but no direct action occurred.
However, key outcomes of the sub-committee was the acknowledgement that little data and awareness of local water quality existed, and that to protect water quality planning should occur at the water shed level. A watershed is the land area that drains to a common point, such as a location on a river. All of the water that falls on a watershed will move across the landscape collecting in low spots and drainage ways until it moves into the water body of choice. All activities that take place in a watershed can impact the water quality of the river that drains it. What we do on the land, such as constructing new buildings, fertilizing lawns, or growing crops, affects the water and the ecosystem that lives in it. A healthy watershed is vital for a healthy river, and a healthy river can enhance the community and help maintain a healthy local economy. Watershed planning is especially important in that it will help communities and individuals determine how best to preserve water functions, prevent water quality impairment, and produce long-term economic, environmental, and social health.

The Upper Iroquois Watershed Initiative project is located in Northwestern Indiana. The entire watershed crosses two states, but this plan focuses on the Indiana side of the Iroquois watershed. The project area is five watersheds that drain 651 square miles and covers mostly Jasper, Newton, and small portions of Pulaski, White, and Benton Counties in Indiana. It forms the majority of the headwaters for the Iroquois River.

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Project History:

After the initial 2000 meetings raised the issue of water quality, the Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District (JCSWCD) board initiated the hiring of a watershed specialist to carry out the goals and mission of the JCSWCD and to protect and improve local water quality via watershed planning. Upon hiring the watershed specialist in 2008, a Section 319 Non-point Source Program grant application was submitted to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM)watershed planning section.

Concurrent with grant submission, identification of watershed partners occurred. Significant amounts of outreach occurred to generate support of the grant and watershed planning process. This occurred via newspaper articles, radio interviews, and two public meetings to garner stakeholder involvement. Much of this outreach resulted in partners signing on to the grant and also became part of the project steering committee and work groups. The grant application was approved in fall of 2010. Following the creation and approval of the watershed management plant, we applied for a 319 grant for Implementation. This implementation grant ended in November 2018. A summary of the entire project, and outcomes, can be found in our UIWI Final Grant Report.

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Partners

Our Partners included:

• Belstra Milling

• Blaney and Walton Attorneys at Law

• City of Rensselaer

• Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District

• Indiana Department of Natural Resources

• Indiana Department of Environmental Management

• Indiana State Department of Agriculture

• Natural Resources Conservation Service

• United States Geological Survey

• Donaldson Corporation

• Fair Oaks Farms

• Friends of the Iroquois

• Iroquois County Soil and Water Conservation District, IL

• Iroquois River Conservancy District

• Jasper County Purdue Extension, Newton County Purdue Extension, Planning, Surveyor, Highway and Health departments

• Jasper County Economic Development Organization

• Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District

• Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District

• NICHES Land Trust 

• Pheasants Forever

• Rensselaer Wastewater Treatment Plant

• Saint Joseph’s College

• White County

• Windy Ridge Farms

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Funding Source

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Majority of watershed funding comes from the Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 and is overseen by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

These dollars are matched locally by a minimum of 40%  from our partners in-kind services and dollars.

For more information: Indiana Department of Environmental Management Watershed Section

 

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This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement EDS# A305-10-81to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

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