Hands Across the Water – Geist Watershed Alliance

Geist Watershed Alliance members (left to right) Matt Newell, Scott Rodgers, Janice Snell and Dean Farr look to update residents on the Watershed Management Plan at a May 4th public meeting at the Indianapolis Yacht Club.

The next time you launch a boat or drop fishing line at Geist Reservoir, Scott Rodgers wants you to be mindful of more than just a day of fun in the sun. “The water is safe, but it can be a whole lot cleaner.” Rodgers is a member of the Geist Lake Coalition, founded 11 years ago for the purpose of good stewardship of an aquatic asset that, besides providing recreation, is also a primary source of drinking water for central Indiana.

In Indiana, individual homeowners and businesses control most of the land, and how water usage is managed on these private properties is critical to keeping public water supplies healthy. Water quality advocates say the time has come for the public – you on the jet ski, you casting from the shoreline, and all of us who live in the Geist watershed – to take simple steps to ensure clean, safe water. Jill Hoffmann, coordinator, Upper White River Watershed Alliance, places the responsibility on everybody’s doorstep. “Solving water quality problems at Geist requires everyone to do their part to make sure their property doesn’t contribute to lake pollution.”

Jill Hoffman, coordinator of the Upper White River Watershed Alliance.

From Leonardo da Vinci’s reminder that “water is the driving force of all nature”, to W.C. Fields’ humorous decision never to drink it “because of the disgusting things that fish do in it”, water has necessarily occupied our thinking. And for Rodgers, an Admiral’s Sound resident, the water quality at Geist Reservoir is no laughing matter. “We live in this community and, quite simply, want to make it better. There’s nothing maniacal about it. I’m not an activist by nature, but this is a need, and I believe we can have some impact,” he explained.

Recently, a Watershed Management Plan (WMP) was completed for the Geist/Fall Creek Watershed Alliance (spawned three years ago, and currently underwritten by the Geist Lake Coalition) in partnership with the Upper White River Watershed Alliance (UWRWA). Both groups are consortiums of local governments, industries, utilities, universities, agriculture and regional communities. The Plan – which covers the multi-county area that drains to Fall Creek and Geist Reservoir – includes findings to develop strategies for improving local water quality. “We need awareness about Geist water quality, and more community involvement. It’s a public utility, a drinking water source, and its environmental well-being ties directly to real estate values,” explained Rodgers.

A public meeting will be held May 4 at the Indianapolis Yacht Club to discuss the WMP findings. Representatives from all affected constituencies will be on hand for short presentations and to answer questions.

The Geist watershed is enormous – approximately 140,162 acres – and dominated by Fall Creek. Starting in Henry Co., 169 miles of stream passes through Delaware, Madison, Hancock, Hamilton and Marion counties. “It is important to remember this is not limited just to Geist Reservoir. It goes much broader. Our area of concern stretches 70 miles to the north. We really need to think about this as a central Indiana, and for that matter, a statewide issue.”

According to WMP documents, 62% of streams in the watershed do not meet state water quality standards. Run-off from farm fields and residential lawns, improperly disposed of pet waste, household detergents, combined storm and sanitary sewers, older septic tanks, agriculture fertilization practices, and significant commercial and residential development along waterways are contributors to the pollution problem. “All local waterways are connected. Even stream-side residential behavior miles away from the reservoir can have an impact,” said Hoffmann, UWRWA coordinator.

Among reservoirs in the region Geist has the worst water quality in comparison to Eagle Creek on Indianapolis’ west side, and Morse and Salamonie reservoirs in north central Indiana. Geist Reservoir had experienced persistent problems with blue-green algae that, for several years running, has vexed many areas of the lake, and can often be seen at surface level. Called cyanobacteria, these algae obtain energy through photosynthesis, and in the right conditions, can propagate rapidly. “We have a perfect storm situation. The algae thrive on the nutrients, and combined with the shallow depth of the water and long stretches of hot days and little rain, the algae and toxin levels can go up.”

As recently as October of last year, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) issued a warning about high levels of blue-green algae. “Swimmers and boaters should be careful in all recreational waters… precautionary measures include avoiding contact with visible algae and swallowing water while swimming.” The IDEM directive also cautioned that “exposure to a blue-green algae during recreational activities such as swimming, wading, and water-skiing may lead to rashes, skin, eye irritation, and other uncomfortable effects such as nausea, stomach aches, and tingling in fingers and toes.” However, use of the reservoir is not prohibited by IDEM.

Clean water advocates stress that this is not just a lakeside home issue. Ground water from neighborhoods and farms located miles away from the lake feed into Geist via streams and storm-drains. To the north, many septic tanks are very old, or sit at the water table level and when they fail, human waste escapes into the watershed and drains toward Geist. Data that are tracked annually suggest the problems with toxins and blue-green algae aren’t likely to change without corrective measures being taken. “Looking at the facts and figures we know absolutely the problems will continue. The data are irrefutable.”

fallcreekwatershedimage
Click image for more information on the Geist/Upper Fall Creek Watershed.

So, what do we do about this? Hoffmann points to several contributing factors that result from human lifestyle choices. “Many mature lawns do not need fertilizers, particularly fertilizer with phosphorus in it.” She notes that one pound of phosphorus running off into the water can grow 500 pounds of algae. “There are several natural ‘fertilizers’ and pollutants that accumulate over the winter, decompose, and find their way into the water as well. Leaf litter, pet waste, and landscaping yard waste all contain nutrients such as phosphorus that can add to spring and summer algal blooms,” Hoffmann added.

There is some good news. Infrastructure improvements are underway including updating of pumping stations, and the city of Indianapolis is addressing its combined sewers problem – a corrective measure that clean water advocates hope is embraced by the smaller cities and towns near Geist, particularly to the north. However, big dollars (likely taxes) are needed to make the necessary changes. To that point, the alliance wants to send a message to the governor and legislators, irrespective of political party: “These things are going to take money and it won’t get any cheaper in the future. Essentially it’s a ‘pay me now or pay me later’ proposition,” noted Rodgers, who lauds Rep. Brian Bosma, and Sens. Beverly Gard and Jim Merritt as champions for the cleaner water cause.

The coalition is working on securing additional government grants over the next three years, including the forming of alliances with other like-minded groups while also seeking community and corporate sponsorship involvement. But ultimately, the solutions will require lifestyle changes by residents and businesses committed to improving the watershed. “I believe that people do want to do their part and not contribute to accelerating the problems, but until they see a direct impact, it’s likely they won’t really address the issue. We can do better than that,” said Rodgers.

Additional information about the water challenges and what you can do to help is available online at www.geistwatershed.com.

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