Watershed Signs Now Posted in Brown County
The Lake Monroe watershed is over 440 square miles in size and extends across portions of Monroe, Brown, Jackson, Bartholomew, and Lawrence counties. One of our goals in developing a watershed management plan for the lake was increasing awareness of the watershed. We used some of our original 319 grant money to design and manufacture signs marking the boundaries of the watershed in 2021. Many of the signs were installed that year but the last batch was just posted in Brown County this week. Many thanks to the Brown County Highway Department for their assistance!
In total, 29 signs were posted along the edges of the watershed - 12 in Brown County, 3 in Bartholomew County, 8 in Monroe County (including one in HNF), and 6 in Jackson County (including one in HNF). You can see a Google map of the sign locations below. We were not able to post signs along state highways so instead they are located on county roads. Or were - sadly, a few of the signs went missing in 2022. Still, we have received many positive comments on the signs and believe they are doing their job to increase awareness about the size of the lake and encourage conversations about how actions taken miles away from the lake can still have an impact on water quality.
We have also led several tours of the watershed, mostly focused on the North Fork Salt Creek region as it is the most accessible. For a more comprehensive overview, check out this illustrated map of the watershed designed by Amanda Duba and highlighting 13 areas of interest.
Bloomington – While most of Bloomington lies outside the watershed, the city depends on Lake Monroe as its source of drinking water. Lake Monroe is also an economic driver for the region, with an estimated annual recreational value of $29,000,000.
Stillwater Marsh – The Stillwater-North Fork Waterfowl Resting Area is a large seasonal marsh located where North Fork Salt Creek enters Lake Monroe. The marsh is flooded each fall to provide a winter home for waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, and wading birds.
Yellowwood Lake – The third largest lake in the watershed (after Lake Monroe and Sweetwater Lake), Yellowwood Lake was formed in 1949 as part of the creation of Yellowwood State Forest. Over 40% of the Lake Monroe watershed is owned by the state or federal government including Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County State Park, Hoosier National Forest, and Lake Monroe.
Nashville – The Town of Nashville is a well-known artist community and tourist destination located on North Fork Salt Creek. The town has a boat launch onto North Fork Salt at Deer Run Park and also the Nashville Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats sewage from the town.
Brown County State Park – Indiana’s largest state park is located entirely within the Lake Monroe watershed. While perhaps best known for its fall foliage, the park also has a large equestrian campground and a number of horse trails.
Gatesville – This section of North Fork Salt Creek is still a popular destination for gold panners who hunt for treasure in the creek sediment.
Sweetwater Lake – The second largest lake in the Lake Monroe watershed is home to a large residential community along with its sister Cordry Lake (which is located just outside the Lake Monroe watershed).
Stone Head Nature Preserve – This 122-acre privately owned nature preserve is located on Middle Fork Salt Creek and contains a diverse array of habitat types including wetland impoundments, meadows, riparian (stream) corridor, and forest.
Story – Once a rural village, this tiny settlement is now a restaurant and inn located near Middle Fork Salt Creek. The area west of Story contains many forested and emergent wetlands that provide a home to a deafening number of frogs in the spring.
Kurtz Stream Gage – Friends of Lake Monroe helped orchestrate the installation of a United States Geological Survey stream gage on South Fork Salt Creek in 2020. Located in Kurtz, this gage provides continuous measurements of flow in the creek.
Maumee – Deep in the Hoosier National Forest, the Maumee bridge provides an opportunity to observe South Fork Salt Creek just before it enters Lake Monroe. South Fork Salt Creek drains an area with much more agriculture than the rest of the watershed though it is still over 75% forest.
Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower – This 110-foot fire tower was built in 1936 on the ridge that separates the Lake Monroe watershed from the Lower Salt Creek watershed. Enjoy the views of the Hoosier National Forest, which makes up nearly 20% of the Lake Monroe watershed.
Lake Monroe Dam – Lake Monroe was constructed in 1964 to control flooding in downstream Salt Creek and the East Fork White River. The Army Corps of Engineers continues to control downstream flow by adjusting the release of water through the dam based on current conditions.
