This agreement provides support to the state of indiana to implement its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted run-off from…

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Indiana Department of Environmental Management $6.295 million under the Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants (CFDA #66.460) program for the period of October 3, 2022 through September 30, 2027.

The funding will support nine projects across Indiana focused on developing watershed management plans, implementing best management practices, monitoring water quality, and educating local communities about nonpoint source pollution. Sub-awards were provided to local soil and water conservation districts, universities, and nonprofit organizations to carry out elements of the projects. Key activities include developing and promoting cost-share programs, conducting education and outreach, establishing water quality monitoring programs, and implementing structural and non-structural practices to improve water quality and reduce contaminant loads in impaired watersheds across the state. The overall goals are to benefit local water resources and communities in Indiana.

This agreement provides support to the state of indiana to implement its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted run-off from nonpoint sources. Nonpoint source implementation projects include a variety of structural and non-structural best management practices (BMPS), watershed planning, monitoring, technology demonstrations, and a variety of education/outreach programs.activities:the activities of the projects will provide the following: improved water quality and reduced contaminant loads (e.g., nutrients, bacteria (E. Coli), and sediment); development of watershed management plan documents; increase in education and outreach to local citizens concerning NPS issues; implementation of BMPS addressing target loads and goals of wmps (e.g., create and enhance riparian buffers along stream channels to decrease nutrient and sediment inputs to surface waters); improve the accessibility and learning opportunities within the pathway to water quality; restricting livestock from streams and ponds that will help eliminate nutrients in the water; reduce erosion on cropland by increasing residue on crop fields within the watershed; increase in urban/suburban BMP implementation to reduce the water quality impact of excess storm water; increased water quality awareness and changes in behavior; assessments of biological communities and habitat; and reduction in litter and trash within watersheds. Subrecipient:the various listed projects will consists of developing watershed management plans, developing, promoting, and implementing cost-share programs and developing education/outreach programs: vernon form muscatatuck river watershed project; salt-pipe creek watershed project; fish creek watershed - planning this project will also consist of establishing a water quality monitoring/assessment program to collect baseline data for fish creek; black creek watershed - planning and implementation; patoka watershed clean sweep: hire a part-time watershed coordinator to conduct various activities including planning volunteer clean up events and education/outreach events; indiana clean lakes program: develop a qapp for the lake water quality assessment for the 2023-2024 sampling season, collect and analyze water samples from lakes ad reservoirs during the months of july and august, administer the volunteer lake monitoring program on public and private waters, and conduct education/outreach activities; lower salamonie river watershed implementation project; lake monroe watershed management plan implementation; lost river watershed implementation and region of the great bend of the wabash river implementation. Outcomes:the citizens of indiana are the intended beneficiaries of these projects.