What you can do.

1. Check to see if there is an existing watershed partnership working in your watershed. (Use the search feature of the National Watershed Network.  If so, attend a meeting and get involved. If not, form a watershed group…include representatives who work, live or "play" in the watershed…to assess the watershed, put together a plan of action, and implement it. (To learn more, visit your Conservation District or Natural Resources Conservation Service office. Or order a Starter Kit by calling 765 494-9555.) 
   
   According to some state and regional regulators and water quality specialists; watershed groups are proving important in developing and implementing strategies for pollution reduction in streams and lakes that require TMDLs. In fact one such watershed partnership's plan was the primary strategy used for restoring their stream.
   
2. Obtain a copy of the Watershed Partnership Starter Kit from the Conservation Technology Information Center. (Call 765 494-9555.) It includes information about basic watershed assessment, building a partnership, putting together a plan, and much more. You’ll also be invited to register with the National Watershed Network. 
   
3. Assess your own actions around the home and yard or farmstead and cropland. Contact your local Extension for a Home-A-Syst or Farm-A-Syst package or see their web site.
   
4. If there is a stream or lake on your property, you might want to check water quality as it enters and leaves your property. If a tile line or storm sewer drains nearby, you might grab a water sample while the water is flowing fast. This can range from immediately following a rainstorm to about 24 hours after the storm. Concrete and other paved surfaces cause water to flow faster. Soil slows down water while it filters through to the tile line.  
   
   Many watershed partnerships purchase water quality monitoring equipment and train land owners on Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures so you’re sure to get meaningful information. Others utilize the services of partners like the local water suppliers or Universities to conduct tests. 
   
   Additional information can also be obtained by going to EPA’s Monitoring Water Quality web site.
   
5. Enlist the assistance of a reliable, locally respected watershed coordinator. You won’t be able to do everything yourself. There just isn’t enough time to coordinate it all. Other volunteers are likely to pitch in, but their also likely to burn out if the workload is too heavy. This is why many watershed partnerships find a local retiree or volunteer to coordinate all of this. Others discuss the possibility of having a local agency such as the Conservation District, Extension, County, Water Supplier, etc. fill the role.