The Eagle Creek Watershed Alliance has existed for over twelve years working to protect and improve water quality in Eagle Creek, its tributaries, and the downstream, Eagle Creek drinking water Reservoir. The watershed hosts diverse land uses, spanning intense agriculture operations, suburban fringe communities, and densely urban parts of the City of Indianapolis and the Town of Zionsville.  During the development and implementation of the Watershed Management Plan, our team worked to bring people from all of these areas under the Alliance’s influence through committee participation, project implementation on individual properties, and broad public education and awareness events.  We oversaw cost-share projects that included design, permitting, and monitoring work, as well as conducted numerous workshops, field days, and watershed tours. Projects and educational efforts span both urban and agricultural residents, in addition to other target audiences.  We were also responsible for all news media communications, land owner agreements, project success measures, and all aspects of federal grant reporting.

PROJECT TASKS

• Authored EPA/IDEM compliant Watershed Management Plan and Plan updates
• Conducted water quality and habitat assessments
• Created web-based map resources and pre-packaged educational resources
• Analyzed critical resources via GIS and field investigations
• Implemented landowner cost-share program and technical assistance
• Communicated with media and produced routine project communications such as newsletters and social media
• Engaged and coordinated multiple topical committees and the Steering Committee
• Coordinated with schools and parks departments on projects and educational initiatives