THE FLATROCK RIVER IN SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA IS A TRIBUTARY TO THE EAST FORK WHITE RIVER AND PART OF THE SCOTTSBURG LOWLAND PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGION. THE WATERSHED AREA OF THE FLATROCK IS 536 SQ MI AND THE LAND USE IS 80 PERCENT CULTIVATED AGRICULTURE. THE REMAINDER OF THE WATERSHED IS FRAGMENTED RIPARIAN FORESTS WOODLOTS AND SOME SMALL TOWNS EXCEPT FOR COLUMBUS IN THE LOWER PART OF THE BASIN. THE UPPER PART OF THE BASIN ORIGINATES NEAR NEW CASTLE AND FLOWS IN A GENERAL SOUTHWEST DIRECTION AND JOINS THE EAST FORK WHITE RIVER IN COLUMBUS JUST BELOW THE CONFLUENCE WITH HAW CREEK. THERE ARE FIVE LOW HEAD DAMS FROM COLUMBUS TO ABOUT 2 MILES UPSTREAM OF SAINT PAUL AND JUST DOWNSTREAM OF THE US 421 BRIDGE. ONE OF THESE FIVE DAMS IS BREACHED AND CONSIDERED A NOT FISH PASSAGE BARRIER. THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY IS PROPOSED FOR THE LARGEST AND MOST DOWNSTREAM DAM IN THE BASIN AT RIVER MILE 1.2 IN COLUMBUS NOBLITT FALLS DAM. THIS DAM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND A MAJOR FISH PASSAGEWAY BARRIER. REMOVAL OF THIS BARRIER WOULD RECONNECT 334 STREAM MILES ABOVE THE DAM AND OPEN ABOUT 1 MILE OF NEW FISH AND MUSSEL HABITAT THAT IS CURRENTLY PART OF THE POOL BEHIND THE DAM. THE NOBLITT FALLS DAM IS PRIVATELY OWNED BY THE NOBLITT FALLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND WHILE THERE IS INTEREST AMONG SOME IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A FULL REMOVAL OF THE DAM THERE IS CONCERN AMONG OTHERS RELATIVE TO THE EFFECT REMOVAL OF THE DAM WOULD HAVE ON THE TWO SUBURBAN PONDS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE ABILITY TO PUMP WATER FROM THE RIVER TO FILL THE PONDS IN THE SUMMERTIME. TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THE COMMUNITY BOARD VOTED 5 0 TO APPROVE THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SEE DATA THAT MAY LEAD THEM TO APPROVE FULL REMOVAL OF THE DAM.