A photo of the Wabash River downstream of Logansport, Indiana. The river’s watershed is the subject of two water studies recently published by the state government. (Photo from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources)
Two newly published water studies from the state predict that supply will continue to outpace demand for the vital resource in coming decades, and both analyses urge stakeholders to consider more conservation measures to protect future supply.
The state’s largest river, the Wabash River, forms the core of the study and stretches from Ohio to Illinois before merging with the Ohio River in Indiana’s southwestern corner.
“With recent increasing drivers for economic development, Indiana is rapidly approaching a crossroads in water management. While multiple risks could threaten water availability and suitability into the future, numerous opportunities exist to more effectively manage and protect the region’s finite water resources,” according to one study.
The reports come amidst ongoing pushback to the LEAP district in Lebanon, pitched by state leaders as a sort of technology park and future industry location for various companies. Thus far, the largest announced tenant at the Boone County site is Eli Lilly, which will be investing over $13 billion in research and manufacturing projects.
Lawmakers and groups have expressed concerns that the area didn’t have enough water to attract high-consumption businesses, such as data centers. The Indiana Economic Development Corp., tasked with attracting new state investors and companies, previously oversaw the water studies before they were moved to the Indiana Finance Authority.
Neither study explicitly mentioned LEAP, nor gave a go-ahead.
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. led the study in northern central Indiana while Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. spearheaded the analysis of Wabash River headwaters. Portions of the Wabash study region stretch into Ohio while the northern central study reaches into parts of eastern Illinois. Combined, the two water studies include over 400 pages of analysis.
Other partners include the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Indiana Farm Bureau, the White River Alliance, Purdue University and Indiana University.
Study details
The two water studies focused on a section of north central Indiana and the headwaters of the Wabash River, breaking down units into a “subbasin” scale while acknowledging boundaries such as county borders.
Analysts treated water withdrawals measured between 1985 and 2022 as equivalent to water demand, measuring those withdrawals using information from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Categories included water pulled for the public supply, for industrial or energy purposes and for agriculture or livestock as well as residential wells.
In order to forecast future water needs, the water studies compared historical use to economic and climate variables, conscious that ongoing climate change — which brings more precipitation and higher temperatures — might change such assumptions.
Included in the Wabash headwaters are the river itself and five tributaries, covering 10 counties and portions of 14 other counties as well as three flood control and recreational reservoirs. The storage and release of the latter reservoirs “are a big driver of water balance,” as presented to stakeholders in mid-December.
In the largely rural and agricultural area, the Wabash provides water for more than 400,000 people with over 70% of the supply coming from groundwater — a statistic that isn’t “expected to change much” over the next few decades.
While public utilities and industry account for just over three-quarters of water demand, or 76%, that varies widely across the ten subbasins analyzed. Additionally, some areas are drier than others, especially in the fall, though the overall area has a “positive” supply.
Water in subbasin 9 — which includes portions of Howard, Carroll, Cass and Miami counties — is largely used for public purposes while water demand in subbasin 1 — which includes parts of Ohio as well as portions of Delaware, Randolph, Jay, Blackford and Grant counties — is split between the public, rural use and industry.
Three-quarters of the water used returns to the system in the Wabash, though water demand is forecasted to “modestly” increase by roughly 10% by 2070. Hoosiers used nearly 82 million gallons per day in the region in 2022 and are expected to use nearly 90 million gallons per day in 2070 due to increased industrial demand.
Downriver, the northern central study included 16 subbasins across 14 counties. In 2022, this area used 790 million gallons per day, 84% of which came from surface water sources.
Much of that extra demand comes from two power generating stations, including one in Terre Haute that closed in 2018 and another in Cayuga scheduled to go offline in 2028. Following those closures, water demand is projected to fall under 200 million gallons per day until demand catches up again in 2040.
Most of the water consumed by the energy generators is non-consumptive, meaning it returns to the water system after being used for cooling. Historically speaking, the water supply exceeded the demand in most locations and seasons — with fall being the driest part of the year.
“Future water supplies are projected to nearly always exceed future demands,” analysts concluded, adding that fall water availability increasingly relies on the operation of upstream reservoirs.
Looking toward the future
Recommendations for the water studies include identifying ways to enhance the current supply of surface and groundwater, decreasing current demand and better managing resources.
Such efforts can include reallocating reservoir storage, increasing such storage, increasing water use efficiency, establishing water planning at the state or regional level and more.
“In many communities, the ‘low hanging fruit’ when it comes to water resource planning and management is conserving the limited water supply that has already been developed and using existing water resources more efficiently,” northern central analysts wrote. “… Water conservation can be achieved passively, such as through ongoing improvements in the efficiency of water fixtures and appliances, or through residential densification, as denser development include less outdoor space to be watered.”
Also in the northern central study, researchers found that groundwater in some areas was “impaired by organic compounds, arsenic and nitrate as nitrogen. Data from several wells … show that these contaminants exceed their primary drinking water standards.”
Further upstream, the headwaters study noted that water quality can be threatened by the region’s reliance on industrial activities as well as road salt and fertilizers — which, alongside confined feeding operations, underground injection wells and oil spills — are some of the main sources of groundwater contamination.
To keep such water clean enough to use, some areas may need to invest in water treatment methods to protect public health.
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