Fish Creek Watershed Project
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The Fish Creek Watershed Advisory Committee will reconvene on Monday, April 27th at 6:00 pm ET at the Spencer Public Library to establish guidelines for the upcoming Cost-Share Program.
The Fish Creek watershed is comprised of 172,729 acres encompassing much of the land in Owen County, with portions spanning into Greene and Monroe counties. The 10-digit HUC (Hydrologic Unit Code 0512020202) includes approximately 176 miles of tributaries that flow into the White River, which bisects the watershed from northeast to southwest. A comprehensive Watershed Management Plan was completed in 2025 to identify critical areas for the reduction of nonpoint source pollution in the form of sediment, nutrients, and E.coli. The Owen Co. SWCD successfully acquired an additional 319 grant to implement conservation practices in critical areas from 2026-2029. This $350,000 grant includes $200,000 allocated specifically for cost-share, as well as a $233,333.33 match/in-kind committment, bringing the total value of the project to $583,333.33 for this region!
CLICK HERE for an interactive map of the Fish Creek watershed (Tier I critical areas are orange, Tier II = yellow, and non-critical = grey).
Cost-share assistance for conservation practices in Tier I critical areas will be available to eligible producers (cropland, livestock) starting in summer/fall 2026. More information will be forthcoming, but until then interested stakeholders and partners are encouraged to contact the Watershed Coordinator or the Owen County Soil & Water Conservation District to determine eligibility and/or join the FCW email list.
Resources
The 2025 Fish Creek Watershed Management Plan is available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E2JPCRL7_wCpvCTKw4lmBAFBNwras1lW/view?usp=sharing
FCW Map of Monitoring Sites (319 baseline study 2023-2024)
Hoosier Riverwatch Database (all data collected during FCW baseline sampling has been submitted: search for Lower White Watershed, choose appropriate county, Owen County SWCD is the organization it is filed under or use map above to find site locations)
How’s My Waterway? (EPA Water Quality Data map)
319 Project HISTORY in Owen County
In 2007, IDEM completed a TMDL for E.coli titled West Fork White River (WFWR) – Owen County Tributaries. This TMDL sampled 44 sites within the area that corresponds to the proposed HUC10 Fish Creek watershed 319 project and found 43 sites to be in violation of the geometric mean. In 2009, a WMP following the 2003 Checklist was approved for three subwatersheds in this region, though Implementation funds were never obtained. The focus of the 2009 WMP included Little Mill Creek-Mill Creek (051202020201), Limestone Creek-White River (051202020202), and Fall Creek-White River (051202020203). Based on data collected and analyzed, specific critical areas were chosen and described in detail in the Owen County Lower White River Watershed Project WMP. The pollutants of concern outlined in this WMP included nitrates, E.coli, and TSS (sediment). Information gathered in the aforementioned reports will be instrumental in the upcoming creation of an overarching Watershed Management Plan for the larger Fish Creek watershed HUC10 area.
From 2023-2025, the Owen County Soil & Water Conservation District completed the initial phase of the Fish Creek watershed project after receiving a two-year 319 Planning grant. This 319 Planning grant was valued at $114,950 with a match/in-kind commitment of $76,633.33. During this time, an Advisory Committee was formed and a comprehensive Watershed Management Plan was created for the HUC10 watershed area.
During the summer of 2024, the Owen County SWCD applied for a new 319 grant to secure implementation funding and was selected to receive $350,000 (including $200,000 in cost-share funding)! A match committment of $233,333.33 is also required which brings the total value of this grant to $583,333.33! This new ‘implementation’ phase started in 2026 and is ongoing.
Links to associated reports:
FCW 319 Planning Grant – Final Report 2025
West Fork White River (WFWR) – Owen County Tributaries 2007 TMDL Report
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To learn more about the Fish Creek Watershed Project:
Owen County SWCD
788 Pottersville Road Spencer, IN 47460
(812) 829-2605
owenswcd@gmail.com
http://owencountyswcd.org/
