This agreement is to fund the state of indiana's water quality management planning program to improve impaired water and protect unimpaired waters across the state by conducting planning that…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 awarded $1,038,000 to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) under the Water Quality Management Planning program (CFDA 66.454) on October 1, 2025, to support comprehensive water quality management planning activities across Indiana through September 30, 2030. This formula grant, funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), supports IDEM's efforts to improve impaired waters and protect unimpaired waters by conducting planning that informs Clean Water Act program implementation. In accordance with Clean Water Act Section 205(j)(3), IDEM passed through at least 40% of funding to regional and watershed management planning agencies to jointly develop workplans and deliverables.

The grant funds five primary task areas: (Task A) monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Indiana fish tissue; (Task B) production of four watershed management plans for the Lower St. Joseph, Patoka Lake, Big Shawnee, and St. Mary's River watersheds; (Task C) continuous water quality monitoring projects in the School Branch Watershed and Pigeon Creek; (Task D) hosting and maintenance of the AIMS and Hoosier Riverwatch databases with quality assurance project plan tools; and (Task E) development of a statewide comprehensive septic system inventory and management plan. Sub-awardees including Fort Wayne City Utilities, Patoka Lake Regional Water and Sewer District, Indiana University Trustees, Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District, Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission, and Fountain County Soil and Water Conservation District deliver watershed management plans, water quality monitoring programs, data collection initiatives, and education and outreach activities supporting these objectives.

This agreement is to fund the state of indiana's water quality management planning program to improve impaired water and protect unimpaired waters across the state by conducting planning that informs and supports implementation of clean water act programs. In accordance with clean water act section 205(j)(3), unless a waiver request is approved by EPA, the recipient will jointly develop workplans with and passthrough at least 40% of funding to regional or interstate watershed management planning agencies. This agreement is supported by funding provided under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58). Activities:the activities to be performed include the following water quality management planning activities: task a: the state of indiana will monitor for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in indiana fish tissue. Task b: the state of indiana will pass through funds to produce four watershed management plans. (1.) lower ST. Joseph watershed management plan, (2.) patoka lake watershed management plan, (3.) big shawnee watershed management plan, and (4.) ST. Mary's river watershed management plan. Task c: the state of indiana will pass through funds for two monitoring projects. (1.) continuous monitoring of the school branch watershed, and (2.) pigeon creek stream gage. Task d: the state of indiana will fund two database projects. (1.) hosting and maintenance of the aims database, and (2.) continued maintenance of the hoosier riverwatch database and quality assessment project plan (qapp) tool. Task e: the state of indiana will pass through funds to develop a statewide comprehensive septic system inventory and plan. Subrecipient:the state of indiana will fund the production of four watershed management plans: (1.) lower ST. Joseph watershed management plan, (2.) patoka lake watershed management plan, (3.) big shawnee watershed management plan, and (4.) ST. Mary's river watershed management plan. The state of indiana will also fund two monitoring projects: (1.) continuous monitoring of the school branch watershed, and (2.) pigeon creek stream gage. Lastly, the state of indiana will pass through funds to develop a statewide comprehensive septic system inventory and plan. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: wmps created and approved by both idem and EPA for lower ST. Joseph, patoka lake, big shawnee, and ST. Mary's river; water quality monitoring in the school branch watershed by the USGS, and water quality monitoring in the pigeon creek watershed by the pigeon creek watershed development commission; idem plans to include PFAS analysis in 130 fish tissue samples in the lake michigan, great lakes basin, ohio river tributaries, west fork white river basin, patoka river basin, east fork white river basin, great miami river basin, and upper wabash river basin. The expected outcomes include: 4 watershed management plans created, USGS and pigeon creek watershed development commission monitoring, and monitoring of emerging contaminants in fish tissue. The intended beneficiaries include community members across the state of indiana.