Success stories highlight improved water quality across Indiana, U.S. 

By Kyra Meister 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) are developing success stories to highlight how restoration efforts have improved water quality across the state and nation. 

These stories show how nonpoint source (NPS) pollution restoration efforts improve water quality or fully restore polluted areas. NPS pollution is any pollution that does not emerge from a single point of origin, such as agricultural nutrient and fertilizer runoff. All stories available through their interactive map include scenarios that can be counted under this measure. 

The map is online at bit.ly/waterprojectmap. 

Conservation techniques can make a measurable impact on “high-risk waters,” according to IDEM and EPA. Indiana is a leading state in water restoration projects, which aligns with a strategic focus on sustainability through environmental and community outreach by IDEM and EPA. 

These success stories depict areas that have been considered “impaired” or “threatened” following criteria applied from the Clean Water Act. 

The stories fit into one of five buckets that track progress in a standardized way and show how different restoration stages contribute to long-term environmental health: 

• Waters that are partially to fully restored. 

• Waters that show progress toward achieving water quality goals. 

• Waters that show ecological restoration. 

• Healthy waters protected from water quality impairment. 

• NPS program accomplishments and interim measures of success. 

These stories show that conservation and restoration efforts also need the freedom to operate efficiently while finding a balance in environmental responsibility. 

“The majority of these success stories are heavily tied into agricultural watersheds and improvements based on installing best management conservation practices for those land uses,” explained Caleb Rennaker, Chief of Watershed Planning and Restoration Section at IDEM. 

Little Deer Creek 

IDEM said restoration efforts near Little Deer Creek brought new life to this once-impaired waterway. Little Deer Creek is an 11.94-mile-long tributary of Deer Creek in Carroll and Howard counties. This tributary has suffered from pollution due to runoff, livestock access and erosion for many years. 

In 2016 and 2018, IDEM listed the creek as impaired under the Clean Water Act because of its high e. coli levels and poor aquatic life. Fortunately, Little Deer Creek is making a comeback as the restoration efforts of local farmers, state and federal partners, and conservation agencies are delivering results. 

The project started in 2010, when the Carroll County Soil and Water Conservation District rallied support for a watershed management plan. Funding from the U.S. EPA’s Section 319 NPS Program allowed the Deer Creek-Sugar Creek Watershed Management Plan to get approved in 2014. 

Implementation started soon; and in the next several years, thousands of acres transitioned to more sustainable practices. Some of these changes include: 

• 3,995 acres of cover crops 

• 200 acres of nutrient management with manure 

• 250 acres of no-till and mulch-till field management 

• Stream protection measures including grassed waterways, waste facility closure, stream crossings and equipment modifications 

In 2019, IDEM reported that the macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) score had climbed from a failing score of 32 to a healthy score of 40, meaning that the stream could once again support diverse aquatic life. The problem of bank erosion also improved. 

In 2022, IDEM proposed to remove Little Deer Creek from its impaired waters list as they had seen substantial progress with its health. 

Working together 

A collaboration of several key players – including Carroll County SWCD, the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation, Purdue University, NRCS and IDEM – helped improve the health of this tributary. 

“People pushed this project forward – No. 1,” said Rhonda Hicks, Carroll County SWCD Administrative Assistant. “We have a wonderful watershed coordinator, Sara Peel. She keeps things flowing.” 

Combined, these groups channeled more than $890,000 in federal and local funds to restore the watershed. “Our traditional public meetings were well attended – but the cost share is hugely popular. We can usually spend more than what we have,” Hicks said. 

She explained that the next step for their area is to bring on more funding. “We had an MRBI to enhance cost share, but we are so short-staffed that multiple grants are a little overwhelming,” Hicks added. 

She said their restoration measures are worthwhile, they just need the funds and the manpower to continue with their efforts. 

Farmers seeing benefits 

Farmers on the ground are seeing the benefits. Calvin Hartman, a Kokomo, Ind., farmer, has embraced the program with enthusiasm. “We added grass strips and three new structures to control water flow,” he said. “The rain carries off a lot of nutrient-rich topsoil, so soil conservation is huge for us.” 

Hartman emphasized the 319 Grant Program is approachable. “The paperwork process is simple, and the program gives farmers a lot of freedom to try out changes that work for their operations,” he said. 

Jason Oyler, a farmer in Flora, Ind., the process farmer-friendly and flexible. “This is a great opportunity, especially for first timers who are open to learning and planning ahead,” he shared. “The program really fits our needs and works with how we already farm. It’s nice to see companies and agencies giving back to support conservation.” 

A message Oyler wants to share with fellow farmers is, “Don’t be intimidated. Just give it a try. It’s about the freedom to farm while bringing in accountability as stewards of the land.” 

IDEM said Little Deer Creek is a blueprint for other projects. With smart planning, community trust and long-term investment, streams impaired by NPS pollution can thrive again. In Indiana that means healthier rivers, more resilient farms and cleaner waters downstream.