Stormwater Organizations

Stormwater runoff directly affects water quality because most rainfall eventually ends up in nearby rivers. Several local and regional organizations work to clean, protect, and raise awareness for our rivers and other water resources. The ultimate goal is both to protect the health of our rivers and their fish and to ensure access to recreational opportunities like fishing and boating for future generations. Learn more about these organizations below and find out how you can get involved.

Elkhart River Restoration Association

The Elkhart River Restoration Association is a non-profit organization formed to study and support the Elkhart River and its watershed (the land that drains to the river). The Association works with several governmental organizations and helps to plan cleanups and repairs, identify needs, and make the health of the river a public priority. Their mission statement is “to provide a clean environment for wildlife and community recreation within the Elkhart River and Goshen Dam Pond watershed.”

Elkhart County Soil & Water Conservation District

The Elkhart County Soil & Water Conservation District was created in 1941 and is supervised by a combination of elected local landowners and state-appointed individuals. The SWCD provides guidance to land users in Elkhart County on wise use of natural resources, with the goal of ensuring “cleaner streams, rivers, and lakes; more productive soils; increased woodland resources; improved wildlife habitat; high quality drinking water; and an enhanced quality of life for Elkhart County citizens.”

St. Joseph River Basin Commission

The St. Joseph River Basin Commission was established by the State of Indiana in 1988 to improve the water quality in regional waterways, because people were realizing that their rivers weren’t clean enough for safe swimming and fishing. Today, the Commission supports the health of rivers and streams that flow into the St. Joseph River, including the Elkhart River, by coordinating local governments and providing planning services, technical assistance, public demonstrations, information sharing, and informational studies.

Friends of the St. Joe River Association

The Friends of the St. Joe River is an organization founded to unify local groups working to clean and protect their stretch of river. Caring for a shared resource like the St. Joseph River requires collaboration and strategy, so this group brings together and coordinates local Soil & Water Conservation Districts; state and tribal entities; local, regional, and county governments; and smaller non-profit water protection groups.