Fish Creek Watershed Project
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The Fish Creek Watershed Management Plan is currently in the final stages of development. An additional grant for 319 Implementation has been secured and will commence in early 2026. FCW Advisory Committee meetings and other activities will resume then, as well. Contact the Watershed Coordinator or Owen County SWCD if you have questions or would like to be added to the Cost-Share Interest List.
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. Recently, the Owen County Soil & Water Conservation District submitted a 319 Planning grant application and was selected for funding; this 319 Planning grant is valued at $114,950 with a match/in-kind commitment of $76,633.33. This two-year initiative started in early 2023, forming an Advisory Committee as well as compiling and reviewing new and existing data with the ultimate goal of completing a comprehensive Watershed Management Plan for the selected region.
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 batch of 319 funding will commence in early 2026 with the goal of implementing the approved FCW Watershed Management Plan through cost-share assistance for conservation practices in Tier I critical areas. These efforts, combined with continued outreach and education, will help improve regional water quality for the next several years. More information will be forthcoming, but until then stakeholders and partners interested in learning more or joining the ‘Cost-Share Interest List’ are encouraged to contact the Watershed Coordinator or the Owen County Soil & Water Conservation District.
CLICK HERE for an interactive map of the Fish Creek watershed.
Fish Creek Windshield Survey Form (printable PDF)
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. For more information on the TMDL or WMP project or to view the full reports:
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/
