YMCA Camp Tecumseh entered into a unique partnership with the Carroll County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), Tippecanoe Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture to address storm water runoff that was threatening the camp lake.

The seven-acre lake is a vital resource for the camp activities and was threatened with filling with silt from the 500-acre watershed that is predominately cropland. While most of the cropland in the watershed is no till, the sheer size of the watershed still provided some sediment transport to the lake.

After reviewing several alternatives with technical assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the TNC, it was determined that a water control structure was needed that would be installed above the lake to slow storm water runoff. This would allow sediment to be deposited above the structure and prevent it from entering the lake.

While NRCS and the TNC provided the technical assistance, Clean Water Indiana (CWI) funds, administered by the State Soil Conservation Board through the Carroll County SWCD, provided cost share of $5,000 to address this erosion issue with a non-traditional land operator.

Clean Water Indiana grants provide financial assistance to SWCDs to implement conservation practices to reduce non-point sources of water pollution through education, technical assistance, training, and cost share programs. This grant was through the Sediment and Nutrient Reduction portion of CWI grants and is aimed at the adoption of sediment and nutrient reduction practices in our county.

The project is completed and will now provide for long term preservation of the lake and camp water activities.