Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Partnership

The Upper Macoupin Creek (UMC) watershed is a subwatershed of the Macoupin Creek Basin located in Macoupin County, Illinois. AFT and our local partners decided to tackle the water quality challenges in the upper reaches of the Macoupin River Basin, a high priority for phosphorus reductions, to reduce phosphorus losses, improve farm productivity, provide education and outreach, and improve water quality in the creek. AFT led this initiative with a 17-member steering committee and over 15 federal, state, and local government partners, agricultural trade associations, environmental groups, agricultural retailers, and a local university. The Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Partnership concluded in May 2022.  Key findings are shared below.