East Central Indiana’s future runs through the White River

White River just downstream of the former George R. Dale dam, one of four recently removed or modified dams in Muncie

Jud Fisher, President & CEO
Ball Brothers Foundation

Op-Ed by Jud Fisher

The White River has long been a defining feature of East Central Indiana—its waters wind through our communities, shaping our history, and providing a foundation for future recreation and economic growth. Protecting and enhancing this natural resource is both a responsibility and an opportunity we take seriously at Ball Brothers Foundation. Our region is home to the headwaters of the White River, and the way we care for it has impact far beyond our own backyard.

For decades, our private family foundation has championed efforts to improve water quality, preserve natural beauty, and highlight the White River as an asset for economic development, talent attraction, and tourism. This commitment isn’t new—it stretches back over a century to when the Ball family relocated their business to Muncie, drawn in part by the river’s "power and possibilities," as Frank C. Ball described in 1928. The family built their homes along the White River’s banks, investing in beautification projects that would benefit the entire community. Today, visitors can still walk the boulevard at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens and take in the same river views that inspired those early efforts. 

Muncie has been a national leader in water quality improvement by addressing heavy manufacturing pollution since before the Clean Water Act passed in 1972. While industrial pollution has largely been addressed, challenges remain. The Muncie Sanitary District continues to address point source pollutants by separating sewer water from combined storm water lines, leading efforts to reduce E.coli in our waterways while also providing code enforcement to contain sediment run-off from active construction sites across the city.

“Muncie has been a national leader in water quality improvement by addressing heavy manufacturing pollution since before the Clean Water Act passed in 1972.”

Beyond urban areas, East Central Indiana is dominated by agricultural production. Local farmers have incorporated broad, sweeping changes including no-till, cover crops, and precision GPS fertilization practices that have significantly reduced many pollutants to our waterways. The stewardship of our rivers and streams are many decades in the making thanks to their collective hard work. But how do we measure the success of our efforts?

In 2023, BBF was one of several funders that helped to support a large-scale project to assess the river’s health through the White River Report Card. The Report Card highlighted both progress and areas needing attention. Sediment discharges were identified as a big challenge in our region by the Report Card. The results of the Report Card confirmed the vital need to continue supporting efforts to help large landowners and producers to make incremental improvements that reduce sediment and boost the river’s health. After two decades of supporting watershed studies in our region, we remain compelled to continue boosting watershed planning efforts that span multiple counties, recognizing that collaborative planning and implementation across county lines is imperative for long-term impact.

Beyond conservation, we’re also focused on promoting the White River as a recreational asset. The region is home to Indiana’s longest rail-trail, Cardinal Greenways, spanning over 60 paved miles across five counties. The trail crosses the White River on a series of picturesque pedestrian bridges, inviting residents and visitors to connect with the waterway.

Meanwhile, public access to the White River continues to grow. In the heart of Muncie, new canoe and kayak launches are making it easier than ever to get on the water—two are already open, with two more coming soon.

And this spring, the foundation is excited to support the launch of a new branding & marketing campaign that celebrates the White River’s role in our region’s identity and creates pride of place in a fun and fresh way. Banners celebrating the White River now span the river through Muncie from the city’s east to west sides along with billboards and an advertising campaign featuring a splashy logo that we can all be proud of.

None of this work happens in isolation. We’re proud to collaborate with partners including Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District, Destination: Muncie, Red-tail Land Conservancy, Ball State University, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Muncie Sanitary District, White River Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the City of Muncie, and more. Protecting and promoting the White River requires a shared vision, and we are fortunate to work alongside so many dedicated organizations and individuals who recognize its importance.

The White River has shaped our region’s past, is a large focus of our present, and holds incredible promise for our future. The work happening in East Central Indiana has ripple effects downstream. What we do here matters for the communities that rely on the White River long after it leaves our region. Thanks to the hard work of our community, a healthy and thriving White River is an aspiration that is well within reach.