Development of Solutions
The Indian Lake Watershed Project Joint Board was formed to address major agricultural
non-point source pollution problems such as erosion and sedimentation from croplands, nutrient
runoff (primarily nitrogen and phosphorous) from cropland, livestock access to streams, and
manure management. Solutions to these problems involve application of farm conservation
practices.
Incentive of adequate and affordable funding to implement new practices was
estimated to result in application of 160 practices by cooperators in the watershed over a five
year period.
This level of participation would result in measurable water quality improvements for the
watershed. As of spring 1996, the Indian Lake Watershed Project has successfully implemented
more than 300 BMPs with more in the planning, development and construction stages. Other
sections of this plan go into brief detail on programs within the Indian Lake Watershed:
Water Quality Monitoring
Another important component of a comprehensive non-point source pollution abatement program is monitoring the water
resource to measure the success. Ohio EPA will continue monitoring sites indicated in the Diagnostic/Feasibility Study
on a five year cycle as funding allows. Ohio EPA completed a Water Quality Assessment of Indian Lake in 1994. The data
is still being formulated at this time, but will be printed in late 1996 in the Ohio EPA 305-b report on the status of
Ohio's water quality which is sent to U.S. EPA.
The Master Watershed Stewardship Program is a volunteer monitoring program being developed to
perform chemical and biological monitoring on a monthly basis. This will provide additional
information regarding current trends or changes occurring within the watershed.
Monitoring progress and changes in water quality in the Indian Lake Watershed helps determine
success of funded practices, desirable changes and evaluating whether this approach towards
planning and funding nonpoint source pollution controls is applicable to other situations.
In addition to the Ohio EPA effort, CLIP volunteers will continue monitoring efforts by
measuring water clarity using Secchi Disk readings. This data will supplement Ohio EPA's
monitoring efforts as well as the Master Watershed Stewardship Program. Using volunteers will
allow more water quality data to be assemble to measure impacts on water quality through
implementation of BMPs by the Indian Lake Watershed Project. Section 10 details current
monitoring efforts and results as well as future monitoring goals.
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