The LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) considers itself successful in several different areas of conservation.
One of its primary areas of success is conservation-related education. One recent example can be seen at Lake Hills Elementary in Michigan City. This school serves a predominantly urban population. While it is located only blocks from Lake Michigan, many of the students had never visited the Great Lake and knew very little about it.
The SWCD partnered with another local non-profit, Save the Dunes from Michigan City. By working together, the SWCD and Save the Dunes were able to make monthly visits to the students. Students learned about dune succession, stormwater runoff, birds, wetlands, watershed dynamics, seasonal stream-flow, fish, invasive species, nonpoint pollution, and a whole host of other conservation issues. It was due to the students' curiosity and desire to help that 54 storm drains around the school were labeled with "Do Not Dump! Drains to Lake Michigan" stickers.
The LaPorte County SWCD also considers itself successful in the area of irrigation water management. In 2009, the District received an Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) grant. This allowed the SWCD to provide technical assistance, system testing and irrigation scheduling through the services of an irrigation technician. In 2011, we expanded this service into Starke County by partnering with the Starke County SWCD. Both Districts utilized Clean Water Indiana (CWI) funds to maximize services provided by the irrigation technician.
Watershed management is another area of success for the LaPorte County SWCD. In 2009, the SWCD received a Lake and River Enhancement Program (LARE) grant to complete a diagnostic study and watershed management plan for the Galena River Watershed. The District was able to partner with the Lake Michigan Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Coastal Program and the Assessments Branch of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to complete habitat and water chemistry assessments. The plan was approved by the IDEM in 2010.
The Galena River Watershed Management Plan is now in its implementation phase. The District's first project is currently underway. The District leveraged 2010 CWI funds with Lake Michigan DNR Coastal Program funds to begin a Riparian Buffer Cost-share and Demonstration project. Through the technical assistance of a contractor, the District is planting vegetation on stream banks and fencing out livestock throughout both the Galena and Trail Creek watersheds. We hope this is just the first of many implementation projects that will allow the District to be a leader in watershed management and conservation in the county.