Summary
The project was first initiated through a partnership between the Dubois County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Four Rivers Resource Conservation & Development Area (RC&D). The area was chosen to evaluate the water quality that presently exists and to implement further improvements for the drinking water for Jasper and surrounding communities that is drawn from the Patoka River at the City of Jasper. Livestock operations in Dubois County, where the watershed is primarily located, had also been found to have soil test levels of phosphorous amounts exceeding what is required for crop production. The Patoka Lake Water District is expanding water service to the area which could encourage further rural residential development. In addition, the low permeability of the soils and steep slope causes the surface water runoff to have an increased chance for transportation of contaminates and impairments into the Patoka River.
The project was funded through the EPA 319 grant program. The Dubois County SWCD provided in-kind services and matching funds as part of the agreement. The RC&D provided staffing and collected technical data and public input in developing the plan. IDEM provided consulting services in the preparation of the plan as did other agencies on a voluntary basis including the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), the Purdue Cooperative Extensive Service, and the Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS).