What We Do
Promoting healthy water and productive land for today and for the future
The Watershed Foundation (TWF) was established in 1997 to protect and improve water quality in the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed, a land area that covers 236 square miles across parts of Kosciusko, Whitley, and Noble counties. Our watershed includes over 60 lakes, many creeks and streams, and the Tippecanoe River.
TWF works with community members, lake residents, and landowners to protect these vital water resources. Because agriculture accounts for 76% of land use in our watershed, local farmers are critical partners in the effort to keep our land green and our lakes clean.
Healthy soils and healthy water are both important to our community!
Soil Health Initiative
The best results come from collaboration. Through our Soil Health Initiative, TWF offers experienced conservationists, technical assistance, and cost-sharing opportunities to help farmers improve soil health, increase profit and sustainability, and protect water quality.
We focus on a complete conservation farming system, including core practices like:
- Continuous no-till planting
- Cover crops after grain crops
- Advanced nutrient and pest management
- Conservation buffer practices
- Engineering permanent projects like sediment control basins
These practices increase productivity, decrease production costs, and keep nutrients where they belong – on the land, not in the water.
Technical Assistance
Our Watershed Conservationists offer technical assistance and support to help farmers adopt and implement these practices. A Conservationist can evaluate soil health, assess natural resources, and discuss concerns and project opportunities. These visits are informal, free of charge, and require no commitment from the landowner unless they wish to enter a cost-sharing agreement with TWF.
Funding
- Up to 80% cost-share available.
- At least 20% of cost must be provided by the landowner or other private, non-federal source.
Requirements
- Land must be located in the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed (see watershed map).
- Landowner must maintain practices according to contract agreement.
Make an Impact
Nutrients from farms and lawns run off the land and into local waterways, disrupting fragile ecosystems and feeding aquatic plants. Just one pound of phosphorus can grow 10,000 pounds of weeds and algae. Each year, Healthy Soils Clean Water projects keep an estimated 66 million pounds of sediment, 85,000 pounds of phosphorus, and 300,000 pounds of nitrogen out of local waterways. The result?
More than 1 billion pounds of weeds and algae per year are prevented from growing in our lakes and streams!
To learn how you can make an impact on your property, contact a TWF Conservationist or call 574-834-3242.