MNBC Watershed Project
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The MNBC Watershed Management Plan has been approved! Cost-Share funding is NOW AVAILABLE for eligible landusers in Tier I critical areas. The next MNBC Advisory Committee meeting date is TBD.
The ‘MNBC’ project refers to the Maria Creek and No Business Creek watersheds situated primarily in northwestern Knox County and southern Sullivan County. These two combined watershed include 89,061 acres. This initial 319 grant began as a Planning & Implementation project which started in December 2020 and will conclude in December 2024. IDEM 319 funding for this grant amounts to $388,500 (with $160,000 earmarked for cost-share funds) with a match/in-kind commitment of $259,000. The first two years of this grant project was spent gathering information about baseline water quality from various sources including a recent IDEM TMDL study of Maria Creek, stakeholder and Advisory Committee input, collected water samples, and desktop modeling. Critical areas were selected and the MNBC Watershed Management Plan was approved by IDEM and EPA. In the spring of 2024, the ‘Implementation’ phase (e.g. cost-share) began to improve water quality through the installation of conservation practices on agricultural land in critical areas. Fortunately, more funding is on the way in the form of an additional 319 Implementation grant valued at $360,000 ($200,000 cost-share funding)! This grant is slated to begin during the winter 2024/2025 and last for three years.
Stakeholders interested in joining the MNBC Advisory Committee or learning more about cost-share opportunities and events are encouraged to contact the Sullivan County Soil & Water Conservation District and/or the 319 Watershed Coordinator for more information.
CLICK HERE for an interactive map of the MNBC Watershed Boundaries *Tier I and II Critical Area boundaries for Cost-Share eligiblity! Currently funding is only available in Tier I critical areas (orange).
CLICK HERE to view the approved Maria-No Business Creek Watershed Management Plan
MNBC Cost Share Guidelines – Approved 2024
(Tier I critical areas only) MNBC Cost-Share Application 2024
Background of the MNBC Watershed Project
The Maria Creek watershed was recently selected by IDEM for a comprehensive TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) study. During 2019-2020 extensive water monitoring and data analysis were conducted in order to assess overall water quality, identify impairments, determine potential point and nonpoint source pollutants, and outline recommendations for ways in which to reduce pollutant loads in the future. Information from this TMDL report will be instrumental in creating a comprehensive Watershed Management Plan for the Maria + No Business Creek watersheds. For more information on this TMDL project or to view the full report, click here: Maria Creek TMDL
To learn more about the MNBC Watershed Project:
Sullivan County SWCD
2316 North Section St. Sullivan, IN 47882
(812) 268 5157 x 3
sullivan-swcd@iaswcd.org
http://sullivancountyswcd.org/
319 Watershed Coordinator
laura@watershed-alliance.org
(812) 564-1162 cell