The Clinton Co. SWCD, along with project partner Boone County SWCD, has secured funding from the ISDA Clean Water Indiana Program and IDNR Lake & River Enhancement Program to increase the amount of technical assistance available to agricultural producers in the Browns Wonder-Sugar Creek Watershed and offer financial incentives for the implementation of various conservation practices. As part of these efforts , the Clinton County SWCD has completed or nearing completion on 1,250 ac. of cover crop, 491 acres of nutrient management planning, 515 ac. of no-till crop production, 2 grade stabilization structures with an associated 1.5 ac. of critical area planting, and 1 waste closure facility with waste utilization. Region 5 Model load reductions for these projects are estimated to be 5,140 lb/yr. of Nitrogen, 2,572 lb/yr. of Phosphorus, and 1,962 ton/yr. of Sediment. This project has been met with great interest from producers and stakeholders in the area. The Clinton County SWCD is working to continue these efforts and secure an additional $50,000 for conservation practice implementation in 2015.
The Clinton County Soil & Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) was awarded $320,950 by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to implement the South Fork Wildcat Creek Watershed Management Plan. Project goals are to implement a cost-share program for installation of conservation practices, provide education and outreach to the public and to install demonstration areas to showcase new and innovative conservation practices.
In 2014, the CCSWCD provided technical and financial assistance which resulted in: 170 ac. of Nutrient Management, 237 ac. of Cover Crop, 14 ac. of Riparian Buffers, and 1 urban project which includes 3,675 ft2 pervious concrete and pavers. The ISDA Region 5 Model determined that the placement of these conservation practices throughout the project area has reduced sediment loading by 5,471 tons/year, reduction in total phosphorous loading by 7,276 lbs/year and reduction in nitrogen by 15,844 lb/year. Planned projects in 2015 include 2,000 lineal ft. of 2-stage ditches, over 2,000 ac. of Cover Crop, 7 ac. of Riparian Buffers, 2 additional urban conservation projects, and 120 ac. transitioned to continuous No-Till management. An agricultural demonstration site, which will focus on the use of blind inlets in retrofitting existing drainage surface intakes, is also currently being surveyed and designed with installation scheduled in the fall of 2015.
Local collaboration with city and county departments has resulted in identifying joint project opportunities. An example of this is the joint SWCD and County Surveyor’s initiative to encourage the use of filter strips along ditches and the reconstruction of ditch sections to improve both drainage functions (e.g. flood conveyance capacity) and remove pollutants such as sediment and dissolved nutrients.
To engage citizens in the conservation and restoration efforts multiple community events were held. The Clinton County SWCD partnered with the Mulberry Public Library, and 28 community volunteers, to establish a demonstration rain garden. The 5th Annual South Fork Stewards Stream Cleanup engaged more than 35 volunteers in a stewardship day on the water. The 5-year running total for the stream clean-up has resulted in more 56,000 pounds of trash, tires, and metal no longer in our waterways. The SWCD hosted a Spring cover crop tour of the county to bring together interested farmers to discuss the growing conservation practice.