Local Soil and Water Districts Awarded Over $2.3 Million for Water Quality Initiatives

Decatur, Franklin and Ripley County SWCDs were among the grant recipients.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the State Soil Conservation Board has awarded $2,313,287 in matching grant funds to 26 projects within soil and water conservation districts and soil and health organizations through the Clean Water Indiana program.

The Clean Water Indiana program is administered by the state’s soil conservation board. The program, led by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, provides financial assistance to landowners and conservation groups that are working to reduce runoff from non-point sources of water pollution, whether it’s on agricultural land, urban areas or eroding streambanks.

Locally, Decatur, Franklin and Ripley County SWCDs were awarded $15,750, which will be used to form a partnership between the counties to install pollinator habitats, replace invasive shrubs in the community and educate the public on the importance of pollinator habitats.

Through the grant, the districts will provide native pollinator seed to landowners to convert part of their ground to native plant gardens.

Additionally, the project will work to replace invasive shrubs on residential property. Homeowners can remove an invasive shrub and replace it with a native pollinator friendly shrub by working with a local nursery. The landowner will be reimbursed for their native shrub by the project.

This will help reach small-scale homeowners that might not have the land to install a traditional pollinator habitat.

“Providing farmers and landowners with tools and funding to keep our Indiana waterways clean and their soil structure healthy is key to keeping Indiana agriculture thriving,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This funding will allow 48 organizations across 26 projects to improve their local water systems, keep their soil healthy and keep their communities thriving. Last year's increase in Clean Water Indiana funding from the general assembly is already making a lasting impact."