Stormwater Floodplain Simulations System
DNR staff giving presentation
Water education plays a vital role in ensuring a sustainable water supply for all Hoosiers by fostering a more informed and engaged public, which is essential for protecting this critical resource for current and future generations. Education can help individuals and communities understand the sources of water management issues and promote the adoption of practices to improve water management.
Did you know that the DNR Division of Water can present on a wide variety of water management related topics to your group or organization? We even have a storm water floodplain simulations model that provides hands-on demonstration of the role of floodplains and impacts of human development on storm water runoff and flooding. If you are interested in DNR Division of Water presenting at your next event or seeing the full list of topics, you can email us at water_inquiry@dnr.in.gov.
Some presentation topics include:
- Lake and Floodway Permitting
- Dam Safety & Rules
- Understanding Floodplain Management
- Groundwater & Wells
- Learning for kids
DNR Educational Opportunities
Water Specific Activities
- Indiana Geological & Water Survey Learning Lab
- Elkhart County SWCD Water Cycle Activity
- Elkhart County SWCD Drop in a Bucket Activity
- Elkhart County SWCD Reducing Stormwater with Trees
- Indiana Watershed Education StoryMap
Lesson Plans
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Freedom Seekers
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Curricula and Activities
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Guides and Publications
Community Resources
- Learning for adults
Programs and resources that help adults learn more about water and the environment.
Indiana Master Naturalist Program: The Indiana Master Naturalist program can provide you with many hands-on opportunities to learn about our Hoosier natural resources. It also provides a way for you to share that knowledge, along with your life experiences, through volunteer service.
Purdue Extension: Purdue Extension enriches Indiana communities through comprehensive programs in Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Indiana Watershed Leadership Program: The Indiana Watershed Leadership Program educates watershed coordinators, teachers, volunteers, engineers, district staff, nonprofit organizations, and others to lead watershed efforts that improve water quality in Indiana.
Illinois Indiana Sea Grant Master Watershed Steward Program: The program engages participants as stewards of natural ecosystems and resources through science-based education in their communities.
EPA Watershed Academy: Watershed Academy is a set of webinars, educational modules and publications that provides an introduction to watershed management.
EPA Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox: This is intended for use by state and local agencies and other organizations interested in educating the public on nonpoint source pollution or stormwater runoff.
EPA Source Water Protection: Learn about source water protection and how to participate in source water planning at the community level.
Groundwater Foundation: Find tools, resources, ideas, and ready-to-go activities to bring to life the magic of groundwater.
Watershed Health Toolbox: The White River Alliance created a centralized resource hub designed to support efforts aimed at improving watershed health across Indiana.
- Citizen science programs
These programs give Hoosiers simple ways to take part in scientific research and help gather important data.
Groundwater Monitoring Program: The DNR and USGS program incorporates privately owned wells volunteered to complement the network of existing monitoring stations to track groundwater elevations throughout Indiana for free.
IDEM Hoosier Riverwatch: The program began in 1996 to increase public awareness of water quality issues and concerns by training volunteers to monitor stream water quality.
River Assessment Field Team: RAFT through the White River Alliance is an advanced volunteer program where you can collect water quality samples, identify pollution hotspots, and measure changes over time.
Indiana Clean Lakes Program: The Volunteer Lake Monitoring through IDEM and Indiana University expands upon the water quality assessments of the statewide program by training volunteer citizen scientists to collect data on the lake where they live or most frequently recreate.
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS): CoCoRaHS is a community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow).
- Division of Water Education
This section is a compilation of all the educational materials from different sections within the Division of Water like Dams & Levees, Floodplain Management, Technical Services, and more.
One Water Indiana - One Water Indiana is an approach to water education that aims to collectively discuss the intertwined nature of water sources (e.g., drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, precipitation). One Water Indiana will host resources, tools, and information that are free to use by anyone interested in providing water education in Indiana.
Well Drillers Continuing Education Opportunities & Archive Lists – Find information about Water Well Driller and Water Well Pump Installer Licensing and Continuing Education Required by Senate Enrolled Act 356.
Indiana Erosion Along Lake Michigan - The environmental changes in Lake Michigan water levels have impacted the Indiana shoreline for decades. Efforts to protect the Indiana coastal regions date back as early as 1963, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started the first of many environmental studies in the area. Check out the Lake Michigan Shoreline Timeline.
Living with Dams: Know Your Risk – Find out information regarding dams in the U.S., the responsibility of dam owners, the current state of regulatory programs for dams in the U.S., the risk of failure, and more about living near dams.
Groundwater Basics – Find answers to all the commonly asked questions about groundwater, well construction, well data and more.
Indiana Water Availability – This dashboard quickly connects the public to a weekly moisture report, the monthly water resource summary, soil moisture from USDA, streamflow, and groundwater from USGS, and lake levels from DNR.
Floodplain Management in Indiana Quick Guide - This Quick Guide helps local officials and citizens understand why and how Indiana communities must manage development in floodplains to protect people and property. Flood prone communities adapt codes and ordinances that detail the rules and requirements.
Monthly Water Resource Summary – Updated every month, this page provides Indiana-based information on various water related topics like precipitation, U.S. Drought Monitor, Streamflow, Lake Michigan, Reservoirs, and Groundwater levels.
Floodplain Management Training - The Division of Water's Floodplain Management Section regularly provides virtual and in-person training opportunities. Workshops focus on the requirements of FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Indiana state floodplain regulations. Visit this site to view details and register for upcoming trainings. Additionally, the site includes training videos intended for use by floodplain administrators and other local officials, or property owners who seek to broaden their knowledge of floodplain management and the NFIP.