Featured Watershed
This Web page features Indiana watersheds. To share your watershed with
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us.
Big Pine Creek Watershed
Located in the far west-central region of Indiana containing sections of grand prairie and central till plain natural regions, the Big Pine flows through the entrenched valley section of the state and into the Wabash River near Attica, Indiana. The watershed encompasses 326 square miles and the river is known for its scenic sandstone cliff views, and one of the top whitewater spots in Indiana. A ten mile section of the river has been proposed for wild and scenic river status, and in 1982 was placed on the National Rivers Inventory with Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORV’s) for scenery, recreation, and geology.
Land use is primarily row crop agriculture and pasture, within a predominantly rural setting of thirty-one people per square mile. Natural areas of interest include the Pine Creek Game Bird Habitat, a seven hundred acre preserve featuring 150 acres of restored wetlands. Fall Creek Gorge, known by locals as the Pot-Holes, is a popular nature preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy.
The soils of the watershed are predominantly of prairie origin. Prior to settlement the vegetation cover consisted of tall grass prairie and wetlands. The main concerns with Big Pine Creek include E. coli, mercury, and PCB loads, as well as storm water runoff causing flooding and deposition of large amounts of sediment. A number of endangered and threatened species and habitats exist in the watershed.
Pictures:
Landowner along Big Pine Creek, with photos of prairie restoration on uplands above the creek.
Watershed Planning & Restoration Status:
The Big Pine does not currently have a formal watershed group that is planning
for the watershed. A number of landowners have engaged in land treatment
changes, such as restored prairie, wetlands, and tree plantings.
An informal community group began meeting in 2004 to discuss local natural
resources concerns. Out of this effort, the Big Pine was chosen as one of
the focuses of the group.
Documents & Presentations:
Focus and Goals Outcomes of the Warren County Natural Resources Forum (word)
Presentation on Big Pine Creek, including known water quality and resource
status (ppt)
Big Pine 303(d) and Fish Consumption Advisory Listings (excel)
Engandered Species Listings for Warren County (pdf)
Watershed Connections: Water Resources of Warren County, Indiana (pdf)
Watershed Groups & Organizations Involved
There is currently no formal active watershed group in the Big Pine Creek watershed. However an informal group of citizens meet occasionally as part of a natural resources forum to discuss the watershed.The local Soil & Water Conservation District provides landowner support for implementing best management practices.
Major Challenges
The main concerns with Big Pine Creek inlcude E. coli, mercury, and PCB loads, as well as storm water runoff causing flooding and deposition of large amounts of sediment.
Community members feel there is not enough local support to engage in watershed planning and restoration. However, individuals in the watershed are involved in their own restoration activities and feel that leading by example may in time bring about enough interested landowners.
Major Accomplishments
The Natural Resources Community Forum received a grant for community support to help fund an outdoor classroom with the local public elementary school.
Some residents count the successful citizen protests in past decades to prevent dam and reservoir projects on the Big Pine as a major accomplishment.
