Summary
The Plummer Creek Watershed (PCW) covers 110,946acres in Greene, Monroe and Owen Counties in southwest Indiana. The PCW is made up of a single 10-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) area containing nine smaller, 12-digit HUC subwatersheds.
The main purpose of this plan is to outline goals and objectives designed to reduce runoff pollution from reaching the White River and its tributaries. Runoff is generated when storm water flows off farm fields, feedlots and roads. Oils, bacteria, fertilizers, sediment, and other pollutants sitting on these surfaces get washed off by storm water and enter the streams. These pollutants are deposited by normal everyday activities like lawn and garden maintenance, livestock production, agricultural practices, and construction. The storm water carrying these pollutants can alter the temperature of the stream, damage aquatic habitat, and add sediment to the stream flow by scouring the channel and banks. Sometimes storm water is even considered a pollutant that harms a watershed’s health.
This Watershed Management Plan (WMP) was written to meet the requirements of the 2009 WMP checklist as defined by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) Section 319 Grant Program. Meeting IDEM standards allows stakeholders to apply for State grant money to improve the watershed. The creation of this plan is not government mandated and participation is voluntary. The Greene County SWCD wrote this plan to address the water quality concerns in the Plummer Creek Watershed.