Killbuck Creek Sub Watershed
Why was Kill Buck Creek chosen for detailed study?
- Has both agricultural and sub-urban land use, which gives a good representation of Delaware County
- Greater ability to affect water quality due to headwaters
- Public perception of poor water quality
- Known to have problems with failing septic systems
Killbuck Creek Water Quality Monitoring Results
Water quality:
Sampling found that temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels were within state or scientific standards. However, most of the samples were higher than the guidelines for biological oxygen demand and total suspended solids. All samples were higher than the guidelines for ammonia, nitrate, orthophosphate, and E. coli. Atrazine and diazinon were within detectable limits at one point or another in this watershed during the sampling season. In addition, the streams ranked poorly on all of the biological indexes.
What does this mean?
We have some work to do in order to make the water in this stream suitable for recreational uses and aquatic life. Regardless of whether or not Killbuck Creek would be used recreationally along its length, every pollutant contributed by Delaware County flows down to our neighbors. It is our responsibility to be good stewards of the water we pass down.
TMDL
Because Killbuck Creek is considered impaired for E. coli and biotic communities (aquatic life – see IDEM’s 303(d) list of impaired water bodies), the US Environmental Protection Agency mandates that a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report must be developed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. This TMDL is essentially a plan to clean up the water so that it can be safely used by people. The Killbuck Creek TMDL is still in the draft phase and is part of a larger report, and one of several reports, that addresses pollution in the West Fork of the White River .
