Center for Earth and Environmental Science
Indiana University ~ Purdue University, Indianapolis

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Research Links

Utilize the information and Internet links below to research additional topics for course summary papers or general interest.  Information below covers topics discussed during or related to service learning projects and work days.

CEES Service Learning Network Map (Google Earth Map)

Click on the Names Below

WatershedsProject SitesProgram Partners
Combined Sewer OverflowsEcosystem RestorationEnvironmental Policy
Environmental SociologyInvasive Exotic SpeciesLandscaping / Lawn CareOceanography / Water QualityRecycling / Waste ReductionSustainabilityStorm Water RunoffUrban EnvironmentWetlands


What are Watersheds?

Where does the water in our rivers and streams come from? The short answer is that it comes from upstream. More specifically it comes from precipitation that falls within Indiana Watersheds. A watershed, also known as a drainage basin, is the area of land that drains into a body of water. It is separated from other systems by high points in the area such as hills or slopes. It includes not only the waterway itself, but also the entire land area that drains into it. The map below shows the major watersheds in Indiana, typically named after the primary lake or stream that drains them. For example, the water flowing in the White River in downtown Indianapolis comes from the upper part of the West Fork White River Watershed, shown in yellow. Consequently, the quality and quantity of the water in the White River is heavily influenced by what happens upstream in cities like Anderson, Muncie, Carmel, and Fishers, as well as on the land surrounding these cities. Conversely, material that enters the river in Indianapolis will affect the areas downstream of the city.

Causes of Poor Water Quality

There are many ways that pollution can get into our waterways. Point-sources come from a specific place, such as factory wastes, landfill drainage, and municipal sewage. Most of these sources are regulated under the Clean Water Act. Indianapolis is currently working to rectify our combined sewer overflow problem, one of the remaining point sources. The other primary cause of pollution is from non-point sources. These include fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides from farm fields and lawns; salt, grease, and oil from roadways; and sediment from farming and construction, among other things.

Results of Poor Water Quality

Excess nutrient runoff from point and nonpoint source pollutants can trigger excessive algal growth (or eutrophication) in water bodies which results in reduced sunlight, loss of aquatic habitat, and a decrease in oxygen dissolved in the water. Excess nutrients may come from a wide range of sources: runoff from developed land, atmospheric deposition, soil erosion, and agricultural fertilizers. Sewage and industrial discharges also contribute nutrients.

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Maps of Mississippi River Watershed and Major US Watersheds

 

Mississippi River Watershed Highlighted in Yellow Subwatersheds of the Mississippi River Watershed
Ohio River Subbasin Highlighted in Yellow

Watersheds in Indiana and Illinois
White River Watershed Highlighted in Yellow

Mississippi River Watershed and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia

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Project Links:
(Additional background information - not from the service learning site)

Broad Ripple Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Broad+Ripple+Park.htm

Burnett Woods
http://www.conservingindiana.org/properties_burnett.html

Burr Oak Bend
http://www.conservingindiana.org/properties_bob.html

Christian Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Christian+Park.htm

Cool Creek Park

http://www.co.hamilton.in.us/parks_details.asp?id=2923

Eagle Creek Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Eagle+Creek+Park.htm

Ellenberger Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Ellenberger+Park.htm

Fall Creek Greenway
http://www.indygreenways.org/fallcreek/fallcreek.htm
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Greenways/Fall+Creek+Trail.htm

Juan Solomon Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Juan+Solomon+Park.htm

Glick Nature Preserve
http://www.conservingindiana.org/properties_glick.html

Holliday Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Holliday+Park.htm

IN School for the Blind
http://intra.isbrockets.org/public/

Juan Solomon Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Juan+Solomon+Park.htm
http://www.crookedcreek.org/Pages/juan.htm

Lilly ARBOR Project
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Research/Restoration/ARBOR/index.htm

Marott Park
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Marott Nature Preserve Description:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/naturepr/npdirectory/preserves/marott.html

Memorial Grove / Municipal Gardens
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Municipal+Gardens.htm

Pogue's Run Trail
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Greenways/Pogues+Run+Trail.htm
http://www.indygreenways.org/poguesrun/poguesrun.htm

Raymond Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Raymond+Park+-+Indy+Island.htm

Ritchey Woods
http://www.fishers.in.us/parks/
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Research/Restoration/RitcheyWoods/index.htm

Scott Starling Nature Sanctuary
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Research/Restoration/Starling/index.htm

Southeastway Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Southeastway+Park.htm

Southwestway Park
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Parks/List/Southwestway+Park.htm
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Research/Restoration/Southwestway/index.htm

Sullivan Marsh / Crooked Creek
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Research/Restoration/Crooked_Creek/index.htm

http://ccreek.spea.iupui.edu/default.htm

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Research Links:

Agencies, Offices, and Organizations

Central Indiana Land Trust Incorporated (CILTI)
www.conservingindiana.org

Fishers Parks and Recreation Department
http://www.fishers.in.us/parks/

Friends of White River
http://www.friendsofwhiteriver.org/

Greenways Foundation
http://www.indygreenways.org/

Hamilton County Parks and Recreation
http://www.co.hamilton.in.us/parks_directory.asp

Indy Parks Greenways
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Greenways/home.htm

IndyParks Office of Land Stewardship
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Programs/Land+Stewardship.htm

IN School for the Blind
http://intra.isbrockets.org/public/

Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis
Department of Earth Sciences
http://www.geology.iupui.edu/

Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis
Center for Earth and Environmental Science
http://www.cees.iupui.edu

Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis
Student Organizations
http://life.iupui.edu/ccl/student-orgs/

Noblesville Parks and Recreation
http://209.43.125.203/parks/

Ray's Trash Service, Inc.
http://www.raystrash.com/

White River State Park
http://www.in.gov/whiteriver/

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Combined Sewer Overflows


Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Combined Sewer Overflows
http://www.in.gov/idem/4897.htm

Indianapolis Clean Stream Team
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPW/Environment/CleanStream/home.htm

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Ecosystem Restoration

CEES Ecosystem Restoration Information
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Education/Information_Resources/restoration.htm

Ecological Society of America
http://www.esa.org/


Nature Serve Explorer
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/

Northeast Midwest Institute:  Large-Scale Ecosystem Restoration Initiatives
http://www.nemw.org/restoration_summary.htm

Society for Ecological Restoration
http://www.ser.org/

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Environmental Policy

Access Indiana
Agricultural and Environment
http://www.in.gov/ai/ag_environment/

Clean Water Indiana
Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
http://www.iaswcd.org/district_tools/input.html

Council of State Governments
Environmental Policy Group
http://www.csg.org/policy/enviro/default.aspx

Indiana Conservation Partnership
http://www.in.gov/isda/2333.htm

Indiana Heritage Trust - IN Environmental License Plates
http://www.in.gov/dnr/heritage/


Indiana Department of Environmental Management
http://www.in.gov/idem/

Indiana Working Farmland Protection
Hoosier Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society
http://www.hoosierchapterswcs.org/


League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
http://www.lcveducation.org/

Protecting Our Nation's Environment
Environmental policy overview from Bush Administration
Good links to government agencies affecting environmental policy
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/environment/


United States Environmental Protection Agency - Compliance
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/

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Environmental Sociology

The Encyclopedia of the Earth
Applied Environmental Sociology
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Applied_environmental_sociology

The Encyclopedia of the Earth
Treadmill of Production
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Treadmill_of_production

Environmental Sociology - A Resource Page
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/Gallery/Neto/Envsoc1.html

Environmental Sociology Blog
http://soci367.blogspot.com/

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Invasive Exotic Species

"Alien Invasion"
PBS Online News Hour
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/july-dec04/species_7-1.html

Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Invasive Species
http://www.in.gov/dnr/2343.htm

Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Species Assessments (provides species fact sheets)
http://www.in.gov/dnr/2412.htm

Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society
Information on Invasive Exotic Plants and Landscaping with Native Plants
http://www.inpaws.org/

Midwest Invasive Plant Network
http://www.mipn.org/

The National Biological Information Infrastructure
http://www.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt

The Nature Conservancy Global Invasive Species Team
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/

The Nature Conservancy Invasive Species
http://nature.org/initiatives/invasivespecies/

Invasive Species - Federal Government Agency
http://www.invasivespecies.gov

Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Press Release
"Exotic Bush Honeysuckle Continues Its Invasion of our Local Landscape"

National Invasive Species Information Center
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database
http://plants.usda.gov/index.html

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Natural Landscaping and Lawn Care

Earth Easy:  Organic Lawns and Gardens
http://eartheasy.com/grow_menu.htm

Iowa State University Corn Gluten Meal Research Site
http://www.gluten.iastate.edu/

post-gazette.com, Pittsburgh, PA
Turf wars: Lawn-care industry fighting back against bans on pesticide use
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05024/447044.stm

National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program
http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Home Landscapes for Environmental Sensitivity
http://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/landscap/landscap.htm

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Green Landscaping: Greenacres
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/greenacres/

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Landscaping with Native Plants Factsheet
http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/nativeplants/factsht.html

United States Environmental Protection Agency
A Source Book on Natural Landscaping for Public Officials
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/greenacres/toolkit/

Wild Ones Organization
http://www.for-wild.org/

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Oceanography / Watersheds / Water Quality

"After the Storm" - Watershed Program
United States Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/weatherchannel/

CEES Floodplain Information
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Education/Information_Resources/floodplains.htm

CEES Watershed Information
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Education/Watersheds/index.htm

"Gone with the Water"
National Geographic News
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0410/feature5/

"Hiring in Hydrology Resists the Slump"
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/jobs/08start.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Indiana Department of Environmental Management Source Water Protection
http://www.in.gov/idem/4142.htm

Indiana Department of Environmental Management Watersheds
http://www.in.gov/idem/4139.htm

Indiana Department of Natural Resources Office of Water
http://www.in.gov/dnr/water/

Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake and River Enhancement Program
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/7032.htm

Indiana Water Quality Atlas
http://149.166.110.236/IWQA/default.aspx

Indianapolis Water – Operated by Veolia Water
http://www.indianapoliswater.com

Marion County Health Department – Water Quality Sampling
http://www.mchd.com/wq/html/waterq.htm

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
http://www.nos.noaa.gov

Surf Your Watershed
http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/locate/index.cfm

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
http://www.epa.gov/water/

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Mississippi River Basin and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
http://www.epa.gov/msbasin/

United States Commission on Ocean Policy
http://oceancommission.gov/

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey
Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone—The Last 150 Years
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3005/fs-2006-3005.pdf

U.S. Geological Survey
Water Resources of the United States
http://water.usgs.gov/

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Recycling and Waste Reduction

City of Indianapolis Recycling Locations
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPW/Residential/Recycling/home.htm

E-cycling Central - Electronics Recycling
http://www.eiae.org/

Indiana Recycles
A one stop shop for all recycling needs in Indiana.
http://www.in.gov/recycle/index.htm

Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis Recycling Program
http://recycles.iupui.edu


MSNBC "Plastic bottles pile up as mountains of waste:  Americans thirst for portable water is behind drop in recycling rate"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5279230/


United States Environmental Protection Agency:  Source Reduction and Reuse
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/sourcred.htm


Waste to Energy
Integrated Waste Services Associations
http://www.wte.org


United States Environmental Protection Agency: Energy Kid's Page
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/saving/recycling/solidwaste/wastetoenergy.html

 

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Sustainability

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
http://www.aashe.org/

Campus Sustainability Initiative
http://www.
sustainable.iupui.edu

Campus Ecology - National Wildlife Federation
http://www.nwf.org/campusecology/index.cfm

Clean Air Cool Planet
http://www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/

Climate Protection Partnerships
http://www.epa.gov/cpd.html

Conservation International
http://www.conservation.org

The Daily Green
http://www.thedailygreen.com/

Earth 911
http://earth911.org/

Earth Day Network
http://www.earthday.net/

Ecological Footprint Quiz
http://www.myfootprint.org/

Environmental Defense Fund
http://www.edf.org

The Girl Effect
http://www.girleffect.org

Green Piece Indianapolis
http://www.greenpieceindy.com/

Indiana Living Green
http://www.indianalivinggreen.com/

Local Harvest - Find Local Growers / Farmer's Markets in Your Community
http://www.localharvest.org/

MSN Green
http://green.msn.com/

Planet Earth - Discovery Channel
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/planet-earth.html

US Department of Energy Green Power
http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/

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Storm Drains and Storm Water Runoff

Nonpoint Source Pollution

United States Environmental Protection Agency Nonpoint Source Pollution
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/

NPDES Background

NPDES homepage
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/index.cfm

NPDES Stormwater Program
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6

Phase II NPDES Public Education and Outreach
http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/fact2-3.pdf

Phase II Stormwater Program
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/phase2.cfm

Storm Water Background

Before the Storm:  Video of Storm Drain Marking and Storm Water Information
(Featuring  IUPUI students and faculty)
http://www.doe.state.in.us/media/video/stormdrain.html

Storm Drain Marking Manufacturers

Das Manufacturing
http://www.dasmanufacturing.com/install.html

Storm Drain Marking Programs

Indiana Storm Drain Marking Program
http://www.in.gov/dnr/nrec/9159.htm

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Urban Environment

The Global Development Research Center
Urban Environmental Management
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/index.html

PBS - Bill Moyer's Earth on Edge:  Urban Ecosystems
http://www.pbs.org/earthonedge/ecosystems/urban.html

USA Today
As Suburbs Grow, So Do Environmental Fears
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2005-12-27-suburbs-environment_x.htm?POE=click-refer

United Nations Environment Programme
Urban Environment Unit
http://www.unep.org/urban_environment/

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Green Communities
http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/

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Wetlands

CEES Wetland Information
http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Education/Wetlands/index.htm

Environment Canada
Great Lakes Fact Sheets:  Putting an Economic Value on Wetlands - Concepts, Methods, and Considerations
http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/factsheets/fs_wetlands-e.html

Indiana Department of Environmental Management Wetlands
http://www.in.gov/idem/4138.htm

Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Indiana Wetlands
http://www.in.gov/wetlands/

"Miles of Tiles" (History of agricultural tile drainage networks)
Chicago Wilderness Magazine
http://www.chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/spring2004/drainagetiles.html

Ohio State Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
Great research articles, especially regarding Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
http://swamp.ag.ohio-state.edu/

United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service
Soil Classification
http://soils.usda.gov/technical/

United States Environmental Protection Agency Wetland Restoration
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/

United States Environmental Protection Agency Wetlands Site
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/

"Wetland Restoration and Hypoxia Relief"
Earth Watch Radio
http://ewradio.org/feature_wetland.aspx

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Educational Note:
Reference the IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science when citing material from this website.  To learn more about citation and plagiarism visit:

University Library General Reference Resources: 
http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/genref

IUPUI Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct: http://www.iupui.edu/~sldweb/rights/

 

Interested in Environmental Science?  IUPUI now offers a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSES).
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Center for Earth and Environmental Science
 School of Science
 Indiana University~Purdue University, Indianapolis
 723 West Michigan Street, SL118
 Indianapolis, IN 46202
 www.cees.iupui.edu
 cees@iupui.edu