Watershed study finds elevated E. coli and sediment in Little Pigeon Creek; further testing planned
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Summary
A Warrick County Soil and Water Conservation District presentation to the drainage board reported elevated E. coli (samples near 500 CFU/100 mL cited at some sites) and heavy sediment in parts of the Little Pigeon Creek watershed; staff said additional testing will try to distinguish human from animal sources before IDEM submission.
An unidentified representative of the Warrick County Soil and Water Conservation District briefed the Drainage Board on the Little Pigeon Creek watershed study and draft watershed management plan.
The presenter said staff sampled multiple 12-digit watershed subareas and flagged two northern areas (Sugar Creek and Pokeberry Creek watersheds) with elevated E. coli and sediment. The speaker said some sites pushed near 500 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters in monthly samples, compared with a cited human-contact threshold of about 235 CFU/100 mL. The presenter suggested possible causes including runoff from a large turkey operation in the northern watershed and failing septic systems in other locations, and said the district has ordered test kits to distinguish human from animal fecal sources.
The presenter said the draft watershed management plan and supporting data will be submitted to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for review; he expressed skepticism about how quickly IDEM will complete its review but said the submission package is being finalized. Board members thanked the presenter; the presenter asked residents to participate in septic awareness and pump-out efforts and said a prior septic workshop had roughly 45 attendees.
What’s next: the district will run additional tests to determine fecal source (human vs. animal), finalize the watershed management plan, and submit materials to IDEM for their review.
