The Goose Pond Wetland Restoration Project: Balancing Private Interests with the Goals of Local, State and Federal Governmental Programs

The restoration of over 2,406 hectares (5,945 acres) of privately owned land to a naturally functioning wetland after 100 years of farming is providing the Indiana Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with many challenges. The overall goal of the Wetlands Reserve Program is restoration and enhancement of wetlands in order to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, including optimizing wildlife habitat. Achieving these goals and satisfying the needs and priorities of the landowner, various private organizations and local, state and federal agencies has been demanding. To illustrate the complexity, the following is a partial list of issues being addressed during the planning phase of this restoration project: Elevation of a state highway that divides the site; fiber optic and high powered utility crossings; state floodplain regulations; limiting flooding surcharges on adjacent landowners; diverting discharges from two streams into the wetland while satisfying the policy requirements of the local drainage board; closure of county roads as a result of permanently flooded areas; meeting NRCS design standards for dikes and dams in the creation of wetlands; and the potential transfer of private land into a state wildlife refuge. This paper describes the roles of various private interest groups and local, state and federal agencies; and describes how meeting the jurisdictional guidelines and timelines of each is being balanced, touching on what has and has not worked for Indiana NRCS thus far in carrying out this project.