2020 White River Mainstem Project
A water quality and biological conditions assessment of the West Fork White River and White River from its headwaters to the Wabash River
Flowing for 356 river miles and draining approximately 5,372 square miles of Indiana, the West Fork White River begins in Randolph County in East Central Indiana, and flows south and west before joining up with the East Fork White River to form the mainstem of the White River along the Pike-Daviess county line. Land use along this stretch of White River is mostly agricultural and urban areas. These urban areas include the cities of Muncie, Anderson, and Indianapolis. From where the West Fork and East Fork meet, the White River flows for 49.5 river miles before reaching the Wabash River along the Indiana-Illinois state line.
The White River flowing through the Indianapolis neighborhood of Rocky Ripple.
The White River Mainstem Project is a collaborative effort between the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR), and the Muncie Sanitary District's Bureau of Water Quality (BWQ) to sample the West Fork White River and White River mainstem from its headwaters to its confluence with the Wabash River during summer 2020.
Each section below covers the different aspects of these rivers that will be monitored to help these agencies understand the condition of these rivers, both in terms of water quality and their ability to support healthy and diverse fish and macroinvertebrate (water insect) communities.
The map within each section shows sampling locations for that type of monitoring. To view the information collected at a given site, left-click on the sampling point. Additional resources, including IDEM fact sheets, upcoming public outreach events for this project, and contact information for the project leads in each participating agency are provided in the links at the bottom of this story map.
A Great Blue Heron stands along the bank of the White River.
Site Locations
Sixty-two sites along the West Fork White River and White River were sampled during the 2020 White River Mainstem Project. Left-click on a photo of a site below on the left to see the location of the site and along with site photos.
Water Chemistry Sampling
Water chemistry samples will be collected at 59 sites during the 2020 White River Mainstem Project. Sampling will be completed in three rounds, once in spring, summer, and fall, to capture conditions across different seasons. The specific water chemistry parameters to be monitored can be found in the 2020 White River Mainstem Project work plan. Sampling methods will follow IDEM’s Water Chemistry Field Sampling Procedures .
IDEM staff collecting a water chemistry sample.
IDEM staff labeling water chemistry sample.
Left-click a site on the map to see the results.
Fish Community Sampling
Fish community sampling will occur at 62 sites along the West Fork White River and White River mainstem. Sampling for these sites will follow the sampling methods described in IDEM’s Fish Community Field Collection Procedures . Additional sampling will be conducted for species of special interest selected by IN DNR.
Muncie Sanitary District's Bureau of Water Quality (BWQ) staff electrofishing along the West Fork White River. Photo courtesy of Drew Holloway (BWQ Fisheries Biologist)
IDEM, IN DNR, and BWQ staff electrofishing along the West Fork White River through Indianapolis.
After the fish community at each site has been sampled, the results will be assessed using the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) to determine the overall health of the community. The IBI is a way of scoring the community based on 12 metrics that represent different attributes of the community. Each metric is scored and then all the scores are added together to get a total score of 0-60, which represents the overall health of the fish community at that site. Biological Criteria Development for Large Rivers with an Emphasis on An Assessment of the White River Drainage, Indiana , Guide to Appropriate Metric Selection for Calculating the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for Indiana Large and Great Rivers, Inland Lakes, and Great Lakes nearshore , and Development of Index of Biotic Integrity Expectations for The Ecoregions of Indiana - V. Eastern Corn Belt Plains explain in detail how the IBI is calculated for the White River Mainstem Project.
Habitat also plays an important role in the health of fish communities. In order to better understand the fish community results for each site, fish habitat in each reach of the river sampled will also be evaluated using IDEM's Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) .
Left: IDEM staff and interns sorting and processing fish collected while electrofishing. Top Right: Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum). Bottom Right: Suckermouth Minnow (Phenacobius mirabilis) and Silverjaw Minnow (Notropis buccatus).
Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris) being weighed.
Fish Community Sampling Numbers as of 10/15/2020:
Total Number of Fish/Individuals Collected: 17,230
Total Number of Species/Taxa Collected: 94
Left-click a site on the map to see what was collected and the assessment of the fish community.
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Sampling
Benthic macroinvertebrate (water insect) community sampling will occur at 11 sites along the West Fork White River and White River mainstem. Sampling for these sites will follow the sampling methods described in IDEM’s Multi-habitat (MHAB) Macroinvertebrate Collection Procedure .
IDEM staff collects a benthic macroinvertebrate sample using the multi-habitat (MHAB) collection method.
IDEM staff beginning to process a benthic macroinvertebrate sample.
After all the benthic macroinvertebrate communities have been sampled, the community at each site will be assessed using the Macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (mIBI). Like the IBI, the mIBI is a way of scoring the community based on a number of metrics that represent different attributes of the community. Because habitat also plays an important role in the health of macroinvertebrate communities, the habitat of the river reach sampled will also be evaluated using IDEM's Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) .
IDEM staff process a benthic macroinvertebrate sample.
Left-click a site on the map to see what was collected, and the assessment of the benthic macroinvertebrate community.
Benthic macroinvertebrate sampling sites for the 2020 White River Mainstem Project.
Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) results for benthic macroinvertebrate community sampling from the 2020 White River Mainstem Project.
Outreach Events
Thursday, August 5, 2021 - 5:00 PM EST
DNR Building at the Indiana State Fair
Thursday, February 4, 2021 - 1:00 PM EST
Burke Webinar Series: White River Mainstem 2020: Fish Communities of the West Fork White River ( Click here for more information )
Friday, January 22, 2021 - 12:00 PM EST
2020-2021 Anderson Riverside Virtual Walks & Talks: Below the Surface - The Aquatic Life & Water Environment of the White River ( Click here to watch the event )
Friday, July 17, 2020 - 1:00 PM EDT
Free Paddle Friday & The White River Alliance Annual Meeting at White River Canoe Company ( Click here for more information )
Additional Resources
Information about the 2020 White River Mainstem Project and IDEM's biological community assessment for benthic macroinvertebrates and fish can be viewed on IDEM's website:
Project Contact Information
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Last updated: 3-19-22
