Dillon Creek has been threatening the health of the watersheds, allowing large amounts of phosphorus and sediment to pass through. WACF placed riffles and grass waterways to aid in the management of phosphorus and sediment levels.

News Release

SYRACUSE — Dillon Creek contributes significantly to Lake Wawasee’s water quality because it’s the lake’s main source of water inflow. The banks of Dillon Creek were collapsing, exposing soil and potentially sending large quantities of sediment into the watershed.

In addition to this, the Wawasee Inlets Nutrient Study proved Dillon Creek to be the main contributor of high volumes of sedimentation with muddy plumes into Lake Wawasee after long rainfall. With the 100 feet drop in elevation in the three miles from Cromwell to Lake Wawasee, the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation had to slow the water into the creek by lowering the grade and preserving the creek’s shoreline.

By placing riffles, the water will slow down and pool, giving the sediment a chance to settle out.

To slow the water, riffles — small rock dams — were placed every 200 feet along the creek. By doing this, the riffles created pools to allow sediment to settle out before reaching the lake. Grass waterways were also installed to help the riffles to filter the runoff from the fields. The grass waterways will also aid in helping slow the water.

The remediation effort of the grass waterways, grass filter strips, rock riffles and streambank stabilization, is expected to prevent 178 pounds of phosphorus and 54 tons of sediment will be prevented from flowing downstream annually into Lake Wawasee.

Keeping the supply of phosphorus and sediment low is crucial to protect and improve the water quality through the watershed.

WACF is in year five of the WINS project. Through this study, measurements continue on nutrients and sediment in the lakes as well as identifying opportunities to improve the water quality.