Category: Hamilton SWCD

The 2020 White River Mainstem Project

7/12/2022

David Bradway - Conservation Administrator

State and local environmental agencies will sometimes undertake large projects that show results regionally rather than by city or county divisions. One such project was conducted in 2020 wherein a multi-agency crew surveyed the West Fork White River and White River from its headwaters in Randolph County to the confluence with the Wabash River. I was able to ask some questions of the group. Drew Holloway with the Muncie Sanitary District Bureau of Water Quality, Kevin Gaston with Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and Sandy Clark with Indiana Department of Natural Resources shared their insight from the work they completed. Links to the data and referenced websites can be found in the interview below.

White River through Rocky Ripple neighborhood.

Can you summarize the project?

Good water quality is required to support diverse fish communities. A 2020 survey involving three agencies, 21 full-time staff members, and four interns collectively sampled 65 sites along the White River encompassing 405 river miles. These sites consisted of three rounds of water quality monitoring (900+ sample bottles), 62 electrofishing sites and habitat evaluations (using nine boats, two canoes, two tote barges and one backpack electrofishing unit), and 12 macroinvertebrate sample sites. After processing 17,232 fish from 94 different species the results showed a resilient and overall healthy fish community; however, some reaches of the river had conditions unsuitable for healthy fish populations. Therefore, more work is still needed to reduce sediment and nutrient loads within the watershed.

What was the initial goal of the project?

This project started with Kevin and I [Drew] discussing the possibility of working together in 2020 when IDEM was next scheduled to be working in the West Fork White River drainage. As our conversation grew, so did the scope of this project and we decided to loop in the IN DNR. When it was all said and done, our goal was to complete a one-year study of White River to get a better understanding of its biological communities and chemical water quality.

Were any outcomes gleaned through collected data for White River? Hamilton County?

One of our goals of this project was to share data with the public as quickly as possible and create interest for people living within the watershed. As a result, an interactive White River Project Storymap was created with all the data collected available to the public in an easy-to-use format. We also focused on reaching out to the media and local organizations to get the word out about the project and create awareness about the river.

How do sections of White River through Hamilton County look chemically, biologically, habitat?

We had a total of 8 sites throughout Hamilton County. Biologically, fish sites are scored using the Index of Biotic Integrity, which uses 12 metrics to determine the overall health of the observed fish community. The average score for our Hamilton County sites was a 45 (Good integrity class). Similar to our fish data, habitat is scored using the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index, which scores all aspects of a stream from the substrate to the riparian zone beyond the streams edge. The average score for these sites was a 71 (Good rating) as well.

Describe your thoughts on sport fishing in White River through Hamilton County.

The sport fishing opportunities throughout Hamilton County are great! We had some of our biggest Smallmouth Bass come from these sections as well as some nice Rock Bass and Bluegill. Smallmouth Bass up to 17 inches and Rock Bass over 10 inches were documented in the areas upstream of Noblesville. Access to the river is also good through Hamilton County and people can find public access sites on the IN DNR Where to Fish in Indiana website.

Do your findings show anything about the level of conservation work done in Hamilton County?

Water conditions in Indiana and across the country have seen great improvements since the passing of the Clean Water Act in 1972. However, monitoring water quality improvements on rivers presents a challenge as it is not just the result of local conditions but a combination of conditions upstream and from the entire watershed. Many tributaries in the Upper White River have high levels of E.coli bacteria and excess nutrients. Pollution sources in the watershed include nonpoint sources from agriculture and pastures, land application of manure and urban and rural run-off, as well as point sources from straight pipe discharges, home sewage treatment system disposal, and combined sewer overflow outlets. New emphasis has been placed on the river over the last couple years with major media stories about the condition of the river and calls for renewed focus on partners working together to continue work within the watershed. As conditions on the river have improved, we have seen an increase in recreational activities including fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. As more people find connection to the river, we hope conservation efforts will continue. Groups like Friends of the White River, The White River Alliance, and Hamilton County Parks and Recreation have made great strides in educating the public about how they can help the river by organizing trash cleanups and river outing events. Seeing a healthy stream with lots of diversity should invoke a sense of pride to anyone who lives, works, or plays along the banks of White River.

Sixty-two sites along the West Fork White River and White River were sampled during the 2020 White River Mainstem Project.

Any plans for similar projects on other streams?

This project got the attention of various groups across Indiana including universities and other monitoring agencies but at this time there isn’t anything planned. We were also asked about repeating the project after the “Dig Indy” sewer separation project is completed in 2025.

For additional information on Hamilton County water concerns contact David.Bradway@hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

Come check out the Garden Tower!

7/7/2022

Lucy Carlstedt - Hamilton SWCD Conservation Intern

What is a Garden Tower? Located at the front entrance of our building, you will see a tiered terracotta-themed planter with a variety of produce and herbs. This is called the Garden Tower 2™, which features 50 different planting “cells”, presenting endless opportunities for virtually any type of plant, vegetable, or fruit you may desire. Additionally, there is a chamber that runs from the top level to the bottom, where you can put compost through the top and it will disperses down and throughout to nurture the plants.

At first glance it may seem tedious to water each plant, but the truth is that it’s a lot easier! You generously water all around the top tier and the existing plants intake exactly what they need. The remaining water filters down, and the process is repeated in each layer until it reaches the bottom. To ensure you’re providing enough water, check the bottom rows of the tower for dehydration and viability of the plants. This makes the upkeep very simple and practical.

Top view of the Garden Tower.

How can I get one started? A Garden Tower is very similar to your average garden bed, but with a larger price tag so it is not a necessary purchase. There are many less expensive alternatives that you can succeed with. These steps can be applied to any planting medium as well as plant or seed type. Depending on how your green your thumb is, one route is to start the seeds indoors, which is what I did in the spring. In years past, we’ve also purchased seedlings and transplanted them into the tower. If you’re an intrigued beginner such as myself, I’ll let you in on the guidelines I followed:

Materials: We purchased a variety of 14 types of seeds, a seed starter tray, and 4 biodegradable pots for any seedlings that outgrow the starter tray faster than the others, and we decided that no herbicides or fertilizers will be used. With the understanding that not all seeds survive, not all seeds start at the same time, and there are 50 planting sites, we wanted to be prepared for all outcomes.
Planning: The seed packets provided the time frame to plant them indoors, with respect to the day of the last frost. So, on my calendar I made sure to document the time frames for each seed type and which ones I can start indoors in the starter seed tray. Some seeds said 6 to 8 weeks while others were 8 to 10 before the last frost. So, in the end I planned to start 7 types in the starter tray.
Indoor planting: With very minimal knowledge of gardening, I was able to use these first indoor seeds as my “guinea pigs”. I was able to gauge if I watered too much or not enough, as well as to induce the humidity with the provided humidity lid, or if I needed to tilt the lid for more oxygen. I noticed that my jellybean tomato and bell pepper seedlings were out growing the others and decided to move them over to the biodegradable pots and keep them indoors with the other seedlings. This made it easier for the transplanting process.
Outdoor planting: Once it was time for all the indoor seeds to go outside, and the weather was warm enough for the rest of the seeds, I planted and transplanted everything to the tower. There were some other seedlings there from years past that I had left so I could see their turnout, which mainly ending up being weeds. However, I marked the outside of the cells and transplanted the seedlings over to the tower while also planting some of the seeds from the indoor types to see the success rate of the same type of plant either started indoors or outdoors.
Maintenance: Now, we are watching the seedlings grow and react to their newfound environment, as well as watching out for dehydration and developing vegetables. The tower is watered by our judgement, but also at a minimum of once a week. Often, I will go out and check on the plants to make sure they are remaining in their space and are in good health, as we won’t be able to harvest the vegetables and herbs until the end of the summer.

Seed starter tray

Side view of Garden Tower

What now? Whether you decide to utilize the garden tower, a garden bed, or even start just one potted plant to try it out, anyone can do it! Gardening is a fun way to challenge and improve your skills, and you can watch yourself grow as a gardener as your plants grow too. It may seem overwhelming, so please stop by for more details, questions, and to check out our garden!

For more information, see this website: https://www.gardentowerproject.com/pages/how-it-works

Water Safety for Pets

7/7/2022

Makayla Reel, Office Coordinator

Be cautious of water quality. It is possible to contract illnesses from dirty water. Giardia is a common illness to contract from dirty pond/lake water. The symptoms are unpleasant to cope with and it is not easily eliminated. Giardia is an intestinal infection caused by parasites. Many other parasitic infections camp out in lake and pond water. It is also worth mentioning that many diseases are zoonotic meaning it can be transferred to humans.

(aboutmorkies.com)

How hot is too hot for your pet? With these hot summer days, it is important to listen to your dog and play with them properly to ensure your pets do not get heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Dogs cannot sweat like humans therefore their only way to cool down is panting. Even fans are not an efficient way to cool your dog down, they do not cool down your dogs’ body temperatures fast enough once on the road to heat exhaustion.

Avoid sidewalks and asphalt as shown in the diagram below, if the air temperature is 77 degrees the asphalt temperature is 125 degrees! A good test for the asphalt is touch it with your bare foot if it is too hot for you to stand on it is too hot for your dog. It only takes 5 seconds to burn your pets’ paws on the pavement. It’s safest to walk your dog in the grass as much as possible or wait till nighttime or early morning to walk.

(Image credit: Heartguard Plus)

Leeches, ticks and turtles OH MY! Snapping turtles are the most common widespread turtle species in Indiana. From below your dogs’ paw can look like a tasty snack. Be sure to do research about the body of water you want to explore before going. You want to educate yourself on the types of species that may lay in wait.

Ticks are always a sign summer is here, it is important to know how to remove a tick properly from your dog to ensure you get all the parts of the tick. If you leave the head it can burrow into your dog and make them very ill. There are tools you can use to help ensure you get all parts of the tick off your pet. Educate yourself before venturing in heavily wooded areas.

And finally leeches, they have been used in medical practices since the 19th century. However, if they attach themselves to your pet you want to make sure to get them off before they make your pet sick.

Taking your pet to ponds/lakes/rivers to swim and enjoy the summer sun is not a bad thing the main point is to educate yourself on the surroundings and wildlife that may live in those spots.

Happy Swimming!

Makayla's pet Finnegan

Indiana Native Plant Finder Database

6/20/2022

Diane Turner - Conservation Technician and Outreach Assistant

The Indiana Native Plant Finder is a valuable database tool will help you choose garden-worthy Indiana native plants that fit your site and support pollinators. Originally focused on garden-worthy Indiana native plants and their relationships to pollinators, this database has grown to include many Indiana native species, including those that are wind pollinated.

The aim for this database is to provide gardeners, landscapers, restoration specialists, botanizers, school children, and the interested public with a reliable source of information about plants native to Indiana and photos showcasing their beauty.

The Native Plant Database provides the following filters to help with your needs.
plant type pollinator type
light aquatic
moisture container friendly
bloom color pollinator magnet
bloom season caterpillar magnet
plant height garden friendly
spring ephemeral

Check out the Indiana Native Plant Database here.

Native Plant Finder

Once users choose a particular native plant species, they may click on a plant to link to a printable species page with plant characteristics, notes, resources, and additional photos. See examples below of native species printouts.

Hamilton County SWCD News

The 2020 White River Mainstem Project

Come check out the Garden Tower!

Water Safety for Pets

Indiana Native Plant Finder Database

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