The Otter Creek Watershed Project
In 2015, the Ouabache Land Conservancy launched efforts to protect and improve Otter Creek and its 124 square mile drainage. Otter Creek originates in northern Clay County flowing southwest to North Terre Haute where it enters the Wabash River. The drainage flows 220 miles and covers portions of Clay, Parke and Vigo Counties including North Terre Haute, Seelyville, Rosedale, Brazil, Carbon, and Sand Cut.
About Otter Creek
Land within the Otter Creek Watershed is a mix of forested and agricultural land uses with urban development focused around North Terre Haute and Brazil with smaller urban communities dotted across the watershed landscape. Tributaries to Otter Creek include the North Branch Otter Creek, Waterworks Creek, Sulphur Creek, Little Creek, Cox Ditch, Swope Ditch and Gundy Ditch. The headwaters of Otter Creek contain wide forested buffers with little riparian cover; however, as the stream flows from Clay and Parke counties into Vigo County, Otter Creek and its tributaries become more channelized with narrow stream buffers and greater urban and agricultural impacts. Streams within the watershed contain elevated pathogen levels with high nutrient and sediment loads identified at select locations throughout the watershed.
Read the Otter Creek Watershed Management Plan (2018)
Looking for funding to help implement your project? Agricultural projects located in the entire Otter Creek Drainage and urban or residential projects in the Gundy Ditch or Sulfur Creek drainages (highlighted in yellow) are eligible for funding! View the Otter Creek interactive map!
OTTER CREEK COST SHARE
The Otter Creek Project has cost share funding available for eligible conservation practice implementation within the Otter Creek Watershed. Producers or landowners in watershed are eligible to apply for agricultural, urban or foresty best management practice-based cost share funding to implement conservation practices. Approved applicants will receive up to 75% of the installation cost.
Practices must be installed according to NRCS standards and must be approved by the Otter Creek Steering Committee in advance of implementation. Practices installed in advance of submitting an application, receiving approval and signing a project contract are not eligible for cost share funds. All funds are provided on a reimbursement basis. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis - all applications received by the 1st of each month are reviewed and approved during the month of application.
Have questions about the cost share program or are intersted in applying? Contact Sara or your local conservation district!
Funding Areas Map - To be eligible for cost share funding, your proposed project area must be located 50% or more within the Gundy Ditch or Sulfur Creek Drainages (urban or agricultural project) or on agricultural land draining in the Otter Creek Drainage.