Watershed Description

The McFadden Ditch-Lick Creek Watershed is a 10,673 acre watershed that drains land in Madison County, Hancock County, and Town of Fishers. A very small portion (2%) drains land in the Town of Fishers planning area. All of this area is outside of the Town’s corporate limits. Major waterways in the planning area include Lick Creek.

There are no regulated drains in this watershed. The land use in the McFadden Ditch-Lick Creek Watershed is approximately 70% undeveloped and in agricultural use with very little low density residential development.

Existing Conditions and Concerns

Existing condition and concerns were gathered using a variety of data sources. All resources are referenced in Chapter 7 of this Master Plan. Supporting documentation on water quantity data listed below can be found in Appendix 2 and water quality in Appendix 3.

• Floodplains have not been delineated for Lick Creek.
• No study was found for this watershed that was pertinent to this Master Plan.
• There is 1 USGS gauge that was located on Lick Creek near Fortville, downstream of the study area from which miscellaneous low flow measurements were taken between 1971 and 1976.
• No existing modeling was located that could be used to evaluate the release rates required by the Ordinance for Lick Creek.
• No residential or commercial structures were identified in the floodplain.
• The riparian corridor along Lick Creek is narrow (less than 25 feet on either side) but grows larger to more than 100 feet until the confluence with Fall Creek
• No notable wetlands were identified in the watershed.
• This watershed is predominantly an undeveloped, agricultural watershed with very little low density single family residential land use.
• Based on available land use data, imperviousness is estimated to be 42% which is typically indicative of moderate to poor water quality.
• No water quality samples were collected in 2009 in this watershed as part of this Master Plan effort.
• Other water quality studies
• 1 USGS discontinued groundwater level and groundwater quality monitoring station was located within the greater McFadden Ditch – Lick Creek watershed, outside of the planning area.
• Lick Creek is the only waterway in this watershed that is listed on the State of Indiana 303(d) List of Impaired Streams.
• Based on available land use data for this watershed, it is anticipated that water quality in some or all water bodies is likely impacted by elevated nutrient, bacteria, and total suspended solids loads.
• Dry weather screening conducted by the Town of Fishers identified 0 outfalls (observed dry weather flow at 0 outfalls).

Known Drainage Problems or Concerns

No drainage problems or complaints were identified in the McFadden Ditch-Lick Creek Watershed.