Cobus Creek Watershed Diagnostic Study

Cobus Creek is a winding, scenic creek with headwaters located north of Garver Lake in Cass County, Michigan. The creek flows south through Elkhart County before draining into the St. Joseph River, near the Elkhart Conservation Club. Cobus Creek winds through the backyards of many Michiana homeowners and is held in high regard because its natural meandering appearance. Cobus Creek is also unique in being one of very few cool-water streams in northern Indiana that supports a naturally reproducing population of brown trout. Addtionally, the headwaters of Cobus Creek is home to muliple lake communities where various forms of water recreation are enjoyed. These are just a few reasons why there has been significant interest among landowners and other stakeholders in gaining a better understanding of the creek and its tributaries.

In November 2015 the St. Joseph River Basin Commission received an Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake and River Enhancement program grant to study water quality within the Cobus Creek Watershed and produce a Watershed Diagnostic Study. The study describes water quality conditions, identifies potential problems and guides future work in the watershed by suggesting conservation practices and improvement projects. Development of the study included gathering and mapping existing environmental data, collecting new chemical, biological, and habitat data, modeling pollutant contributions and prioritizing best management practices and projects. The final version of the study was approved by the DNR on March 30, 2017. The study is available for download below along with a handout with ideas for how homeowners can help protect the creek.