Did you Know?
Less than 2% of the Earth’s water supply is fresh water. Of all the Earth’s water, 97% is salt water found in oceans and seas. Only 1% of the earth’s water is available for drinking water. The human body is about 75% water. A person can survive about a month without food, but only 5 to 7 days without water.
What MacroInvertebrates tell us about water quality
The Gibson County SWCD has been in our waterways checking for life. We have been in streams and creeks in the East and South Gibson County areas. We are happy to report that most of the waterways we checked are showing "Good" to "Excellent" for macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrate, any animal lacking a backbone and large enough to see without the aid of a microscope. These tiny critters can tell us a lot about pollutants in our water. The more macro diversity, the better quality of water. We use Hoosier Riverwatch for our biological monitoring standards and guidelines. We break down macroinvertebrates into 4 groups. Group 1 Intolerant, group 2 moderately intolerant, group 3 fairly tolerant and group 4 very tolerant. Intolerance in macros tell us they are unable to live in dirty or polluted water. Tolerance in macros tell us they can survive in just about any condition of water quality. We use funds from the Clean Water Indiana grant. Data collected will be compiled into a watershed management plan.
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Freshwater mussels help with water quality! One mussel can filter approximately 25 liters of water per day. This is how they capture food in the water. They do not have livers, though, and cannot readily purge themselves of toxins they may consume while feeding. This means that unwanted toxins can be harmfully stored in their tissues. Help our freshwater mussels help us! Keep those chemical compounds out of our freshwater creeks and streams! If you see a live mussel – leave it to do what nature intended for it to do.
How's my waterway
How’s My Waterway is a great resource to learn about your local waters, pollution problems, why they matter, and what’s being done to restore and protect them. https://mywaterway.epa.gov/community
Currently Gibson County's watershed coordinator, Julie Loehr has been hitting it hard sampling waterways in the Highland Pigeon watershed. This watershed is located in East and South Gibson County, but reaches neighboring counties as well. After this Watershed Management Plan is approved by IDEM and EPA, Gibson County citizens will have the means to address the watershed’s needs as laid out by the WMP. In addition, concerned citizens and/or groups in the county will be able to use the WMP to submit grant requests for cost-share funding in the critical areas. More information to come.
Currently Gibson County's watershed coordinator, Julie Loehr has been hitting it hard sampling waterways in the Highland Pigeon watershed. This watershed is located in East and South Gibson County, but reaches neighboring counties as well. After this Watershed Management Plan is approved by IDEM and EPA, Gibson County citizens will have the means to address the watershed’s needs as laid out by the WMP. In addition, concerned citizens and/or groups in the county will be able to use the WMP to submit grant requests for cost-share funding in the critical areas. More information to come.
Gibson County's Watershed Coordinator
Gibson County Soil and Water Conservation District has recently hired Julie Loehr as the Watershed Coordinator for the Highland Pigeon watershed. The position involves water monitoring on tributaries to the Highland Pigeon creek and using the data collected to identify critical areas in the watershed. A plan of action to address those critical areas, called a Watershed Management Plan, or WMP for short, will be written by Loehr after analyzing the data collected. The WMP will then be reviewed by Indiana Department of Environment Management (IDEM) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After approved by IDEM and EPA, Gibson County citizens will have the means to address the watershed’s needs as laid out by the WMP. In addition, concerned citizens groups in the county will be able to use the WMP to submit grant requests for cost-share funding in the critical areas.
While gathering water quality data throughout the watershed, Loehr will also design and carrying out an education and outreach program that promotes the implementation of practices to improve and conserve the natural resources within watersheds.
Loehr states she is excited about the position and is looking forward to meeting with landowners and concerned citizens in the watershed. The Highland Pigeon area is mainly located in Gibson County with a few acres stretching into Pike, Warrick and Vanderburg Counties. Loehr states that the public as a whole, and landowners specifically, need to realize the importance of conservation, especially when it comes to protection of our water quality. “Only 3% of all the water on earth is fresh water,” Loehr states, “and we are not able to create more, only recycle the water available on the Earth. So it’s very important to protect what we have.”
With the Coronavirus and Covid-19 protocol, there will be limited in person meetings for now, but feel free to email Loehr at Julia.loehr@in.nacdnet.net for more information or to find out how you can get involved in protecting our soil and water resources in the Highland Pigeon watershed.
While gathering water quality data throughout the watershed, Loehr will also design and carrying out an education and outreach program that promotes the implementation of practices to improve and conserve the natural resources within watersheds.
Loehr states she is excited about the position and is looking forward to meeting with landowners and concerned citizens in the watershed. The Highland Pigeon area is mainly located in Gibson County with a few acres stretching into Pike, Warrick and Vanderburg Counties. Loehr states that the public as a whole, and landowners specifically, need to realize the importance of conservation, especially when it comes to protection of our water quality. “Only 3% of all the water on earth is fresh water,” Loehr states, “and we are not able to create more, only recycle the water available on the Earth. So it’s very important to protect what we have.”
With the Coronavirus and Covid-19 protocol, there will be limited in person meetings for now, but feel free to email Loehr at Julia.loehr@in.nacdnet.net for more information or to find out how you can get involved in protecting our soil and water resources in the Highland Pigeon watershed.