For forty years the Marion County Soil and Water District (SWCD) has worked to fulfill its mission to assist local land users in conserving soil, water and related natural resources by providing technical, financial and educational services for urban and agricultural needs.
The District is a locally-led organization that provides services to the county in a number of ways:
Funding: First and foremost the SWCD brings in an average of $1.25 for every dollar budgeted, running its operation in an extremely cost-efficient manner. The District hosts a spring and fall tree and rain barrel sales to encourage tree planting in the county, water conservation and to help fund some of our outreach programs.
Workshops, Demonstrations & Outreach Education: The District is involved in creating and hosting practical and educational workshops on natural resource issues. We assist in preparing the annual "Contractor Storm Water Management Workshop," and sponsor a variety of workshops each year on topics such as low impact development techniques, pond management and erosion control.
CWI: The District developed a watershed awareness program through a Clean Water Indiana grant which funded talks to homeowner associations and other community groups on water quality issues. This includes work with the Upper White River Watershed Alliance, grants and assisting with rain garden installation at the Marion County and Indiana State Fairgrounds, and Indianapolis Art Museum. The District also promoted Backyard Conservation projects in urban gardening and composting, tree plantings, starting rain gardens, and removal of invasive species.
Technical Assistance: The SWCD actively assists residents with drainage and erosion problems on small private lands. We assist landowners in site surveys and making recommendations for minimizing or alleviating drainage, flooding and erosion issues. The District provides landowners with soil and natural resource information that helps them make wise land use decisions. This year the SWCD assisted 120 landowners with natural resource needs.
Rule 5: The District is very active in working with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management on Rule 5 dealing with sedimentation pollution of our waterways. We assist the City of Indianapolis with formal reviews and onsite visits for the Stormwater Pollution Protection Plans (SWPPPS) compliance inspections for all projects disturbing one acre or more for development projects. Last year 339 construction sites were assisted with soil and erosion control information. District staff reviewed 27 SWPPPs. Seventy-one erosion plan inspection reports were developed from a total of 311 site inspections made. Compliance at construction sites improved over the 2009 report. Fifty percent of all construction sites inspected in 2009 were out of compliance and not following their SWPPP. In 2010 only 23 percent were out of compliance, a huge gain especially considering that inspections were increased from 222 in 2009 to 311 last year.
The Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District works as an efficient, essential partner preparing the county for a well planned, healthy future.