Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
This on-going event promotes hands-on learning about water pollution and entomology and will be offered to all grades within the Dearborn County School Corporations. The goals of the project are to teach students about the value of macroinvertebrates in our waterbodies and how to use them to indicate the presence of pollutants; to provide teachers with materials and lessons they can use for years to come; and to gather water quality information for the Tanners Creek Watershed Steering Committee.  This dynamic ‘hands on science’ program meets Standard 1 ‘The Nature of Science and Technology,’ Standard 2 ‘Scientific Thinking’ and Standard 4 'The Living Environment' of the Indiana Science standards.

Through curriculum in the classroom, students will learn the proper measures of gathering and identifying macroinvertebrates.  Once they have studied each procedure, the watershed coordinator, with help from the educator, will take the students to a stream within Dearborn County.  Students will apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in a real-life situation.  Using several techniques, students will collect macroinvertebrates, identify them and complete a biological monitoring data sheet, which will be used by the Tanners Creek Watershed Committee for a water quality study.  The longevity of the project is at the educators’ discretion.  You may be in the classroom and field as little as one time or you may teach and sample as many times as you would like.

Storm Drain Marking
Everyone values clean water.  But, a recent national Roper survey found that most of us still believe industry is the biggest source of pollution. In reality, according to EPA, more pollution comes from the combined effects of common daily actions that rain and snowmelt rinse from our streets or land.

In many of our communities, rainwater washes down streets and parking lots, driveways and sidewalks, roofs and yards, carrying water and everything it picks up into a storm drain. Before our community was built here, natural creeks and streams carried rainwater downstream. Now storm drains and a series of pipes collect that rainwater and deposit it directly into the nearby lake, stream, groundwater, wetland or river.

Stormwater is not cleaned before it empties into our waterways. This means that lawn care chemicals and grass clippings, litter and pet wastes, automotive products like used oil and antifreeze, plus other wastes are dumped, untreated, into our waterways. Pollution and harmful bacteria go straight into our local fish habitat, swimming areas or drinking water.

The Tanners Creek Storm Drain Marking Project enlists volunteers to mark stormdrains throughout the watershed. Volunteers locate stormdrains and mark them with emblems that read "No Dumping, Drains to Stream."

If you would like more information about this project, please contact the coordinator at: 812-926-2406 ext 3

Creek Clean-Ups
River Sweep is a riverbank cleanup that extends the entire length of the Ohio River and beyond. More than 3,000 miles of shoreline will be combed for trash and debris. This is the largest environmental event of its kind and encompasses six states.

Over the past 20 years, improvements made in water quality have resulted in increased recreational use of the Ohio River and its tributaries.  This increase in recreation produces more litter on the riverbanks.  Because of this progression, a yearly cleanup program is necessary.  In addition to keeping the riverbanks clean, it is hoped that increased public exposure to the river will foster greater environmental concern for its future.

The River Sweep is sponsored by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) in partnership with various industries throughout the Ohio River Valley.  The Tanners Creek and Hogan Creek Watershed Projects, along with the Dearborn County Solid Waste Management District are coordinators for the Dearborn County clean-up.

Anyone who wants to make a difference in the water quality of the Ohio River, Tanners Creek and Hogan Creek should volunteer for the River Sweep.  It is an excellent opportunity for citizens to play an active role in improving the environment.  Registration sites in Dearborn County include the Tanners Creek boat ramp (Lawrenceburg), Lawrenceburg Bicentennial Park, Dearborn Trails (Aurora) and Lesko Park (Aurora).  Registration begins at 9:00 AM while the cleanup will last from 9 AM until 11:30AM.  Each volunteer will receive a FREE River Sweep T-shirt.  After the cleanup, join us at the boat ramp for FREE lunch, and prizes.  For more information or to sign up, call Kris Vance at: 812-926-2406 ext. 107.