Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed Project
In 2024, the Fountain and Warren County SWCDs launched efforts to protect and improve the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River and its 133,760-acre drainage. The Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed drains portions of Fountain, Warren, Tippecanoe and Montgomery Counties.
Learn more about the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed – view the online Google map!
About the Upper Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed
Land within the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed is predominantly in agricultural row crop or pastureland (75%) with an additional 18% in forest and wetland land uses and 6% in urban land uses. A majority watershed soils are very limited for septic use.
What is a watershed?
The Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Project focuses on protecting and improving water quality in the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed. All of the land from which water drains into a singular waterbody – in this case, this reach of the Wabash River- forms a watershed. These drainage boundaries are determined by land elevation rather than state or county lines, political boundaries, or residential property lines.
This phase of the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Project includes three main goals:
Goal 1
Assess Water Quality: The Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Project, in partnership with the Town of Williamsport and City of Covington, will assess water chemistry, fish and bug communities, and available habitat across the basin. Chemistry samples will be collected throughout the year (March 2026 to February 2027) while biological and habitat assessments will occur in the Summer of 2026.
Goal 2
Watershed Management Plan: The Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Project will connect stakeholder concerns with water quality and computer generated data to develop a step-wise plan for protecting and improving the Wabash River as will as its tributaries including Big Shawnee Creek, Redwood Creek, Rock Creek, Little Shawnee Creek, Dry Branch, Fall Branch, Mud Run and more, its landscape and its water quality. The planning process will include regularly scheduled steering committee meetings with draft plans posted here.
Goal 3
Education and outreach: The Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Project will engage youth and adults through workshops and field days, community events, water-quality monitoring, and more.
Join the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Project
Join our volunteer list to help with future water sampling, windshield survey, clean-up events, and more.
Become a Hoosier Riverwatch volunteer monitor – we’ll host the training and provide the equipment!
Share your thoughts on the Big Shawnee Creek-Wabash River Watershed via email or phone – contact Lori at the Fountain County SWCD or Julie at the Warren County SWCD for more information.
Send us data or photographs – how did this reach of the Wabash River and its tributaries look in the past?
Have data, historical reports, or photographs, ideas, or information? Send those our way!
Share information about the Project with your friends, neighbors, and local groups. We’d be happy to talk with you and your group about the project.