A Look Back

 

 In an attempt to commemorate the District’s 60^th year in the community, we wanted to take a look back at the events and happenings of  those individuals who have made the District what it is today.
 

Important Events and Happenings

 March 11, 1937
  Legislation was passed which allowed the formation of conservation districts.                                                                   

 February 15, 1940
 A charter was granted by the Secretary of State, James M. Tucker, for the organization of the
 Southwestern Indiana Soil Conservation Service.

 April 12, 1940
 The District requests technical assistance from the Soil Conservation Service.

 1961
 The name of the District was changed to Vanderburgh County Soil and Water Conservation District.

October 22, 1963
In a memorandum, it was stated that the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), now the National Resource
Conservation Service (NRCS) would lend technical support to the District.

August 17, 1964
The Indiana Department of Conservation would lend technical support to the District.

 1969
Urban land users began to benefit more from the expanded services of our SCS people when the State
legislature passed  a bill to include cities and towns into their respective Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

 September 1974
Vanderburgh County Commissioners passed amendments to the building code related to site grading, drainage and flood plain zoning.
Lee Schnepper and Tom Pugh, District Conservationist, met with the Indiana Highway
Department to discuss placing tile drainage in road beds.  This practice is used today
The District assisted in a cost-share program via the USDA-SCS Rural
Environmental Assistance/Conservation Program to assist cooperators in implementing
erosion control practices.

 

 February 1979
    
 
 September 1, 1981
 Soil and Water Conservation District Act passed.
   
 February 1984
        
 February 1986
 Gene Seib awarded Conservation Farmer of the Year
        

 1987
 SWCDs began receiving erosion control technical support from the IDNR.

 1992
 
  1993
 The wetland at Perry Heights Middle School and the Barr Creek Watershed                      
 Project were awarded the  1993 Government Award by Westside Improvement Association
.           
                                      

 1994  The SWCD initiated their involvement in the Pigeon Creek Watershed Project. 

  1995
 The District created the Education Coordination position, first filled by Susan Fowler.
        

 The District received a Pigeon Creek Watershed Grant and hired Carrie Parmenter/Watershed Awareness Educator.  

 1996
 Carrie Parmenter hired full time as Education Coordinator  
           
Vanessa Alvarez and Bobbye Smith volunteer for the District.
The Vanderburgh County Erosion Control Ordinance was drafted and passed into law. 
Vanderburgh Co. SWCD was featured in a brochure at  Legislative Breakfast for using the $10,000
State Funds for hiring an Educator Coordinator.
A collaborative effort between Peace Corps, Dexter Elementary School, the Evansville Rotary Club,
and the SWCD produced a videotape called “Hands for Peace.”  The video was used as a training
video to teach the song and signs to Peace Corps volunteers in Asia and Pacific Island Regions.  The tape
went to Russia later in 1996.

 April 16, 1997
 Conservation officials from Nashville, Tennessee visited Evansville to gather ideas for implementing
 their own urban soil erosion and conservation program.

 1997
 The District received an Access Grant to develop a Website and Vanderburgh Co.
officials purchased  a Blazer for the office. 
                          
                                 Carrie Parmenter &  MikeWathen

 Vanderburgh Co. SWCD, in cooperation with the Southwind Region, hosted the National Association
 of Conservation Districts North Central Regional Conference.

 Vanderburgh Co. SWCD hosted an Air Tour, a Virtual Forest Workshop, a Go FishIN Workshop     
 and Urban Conservation Tour.

                     

Vanderburgh Co. SWCD Chairman, Don Hunter won the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Grand Award.

1998
The District received the Pigeon-Highland Watershed 319 Grant.
The Pigeon Creek Diagnostic Study was initiated.
                
                
 Carrrie Parmenter wrote the “Watershed Work Plan” for Pigeon Creek
                 .
 Jim Fowler autographing a copy of the Pigeon Creek Watershed Plan for Carrie

 The SWCD received its lighted sign.
       
 Becky Birchler, North High School student, was the District’s  intern.
             
Carrie Parmenter assisted in forming the IASWCD Foundation.
The District won the Soil and Water Conservation Society’s National Award, presented  in San Diego, California.
The District hosted the Tri-State Every Drop Counts Youth Educators’ Soil and Water Workshop
Darrell Rice starts as District Conservationist in Warrick, Spencer & Perry
Rick Noble started as District Conservationist in the Vanderburgh Office for Vanderburgh, Posey & Gibson Counties
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Approves Pigeon Creek Diagnostic Study Funding for $45,000

 1999
 The District received a new computer and gained Internet access.
 The three county districts through which Pigeon Creek flows (i.e., Gibson, Posey and Vanderburgh) joined efforts with the City of 
 Evansville’s Water and Sewer Utility to start testing Pigeon Creek.  The study was funded through an Indiana Department of Natural
 Resources Division of Soil Conservation’s Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) grant, an Indiana Department of Environmental
 Management 319 Grant, and funds from the City of Evansville Water and Sewer Utility
The District hosted a Forest Legacy Workshop.
District supervisor, Kemper Lease, was named Nati
District hosts Riverwatch Training Workshop.
Vanessa Alvarez volunteered at the District to investigate possible careers
Southwest districts in the Indiana Brine Coalition hired Larry Hazlewood as the Brine Coordinator through an EPA-IDEM 319 grant.
               

 Gibson, Warrick, Vanderburgh & Posey Co. districts hired a Watershed Restoration Coordinator, Rick Obenshain to 
 administer funds from an IDEM Grant. The effort is to improve water quality in Pigeon Creek, McFadden Creek and
Ohio River watersheds in Posey County.
                                                                           Rick Obenshain  
                                                          
 Vanderburgh Co. SWCD wins Education District of the Year.
 The District wins District of the Year from the NACD.

 2000
 District Chairman, David Ellison, traveled to the NACD National Conference in Colorado Springs to receive the District’s
 award of $1,000 and a plaque.
 Laura Brumfield, Harrison High School senior, assisted in sampling Pigeon Creek with Amy Steeples and two environmental
 scientists from Harza Engineering.
 Vanderburgh County SWCD participated in the Indiana Carbon  Storage Project .which resulted in $600 going into the
 SWCD Foundation for Vanderburgh County.