INDIANAPOLIS — Stream bank stabilization, habitat enhancement and watershed land treatment projects in Kosciusko County have received funds from the Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Lake and River Enhancement program. The local projects were among 25 statewide projects receiving a total of $1,183,200.

Chapman Lakes Foundation is working on a stream bank stabilization project at Crooked Creek and Big Chapman Lake. The project received $16,000. The project is a design/build project to stabilize 450 linear feet of severely eroding stream bank leading to Big Chapman Lake. A stone toe wall will be used with bank reshaping and seeding to grasses and livestakes with cross-vanes will be installed. This is phase two of the project. The first phase was funded by LARE in 2015.

The Watershed Foundation has partnered with the soil and water conservation districts in Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley counties for watershed land treatment, or agricultural conservation practices to reduce water pollution in the Upper Tippecanoe River. TWF’s watershed coordinators are leading this process including contracting landowners, connecting with partner organizations and overseeing the projects through final implementation. Each county received $20,000 for the project. Lyn Crighton, TWF executive director, stated “We know that much of the funds in Kosciusko County will be used to stop the source of significant sediment erosion and nutrient runoff from a farm draining into Chapman Lake.”

Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation is spearheading a project for stream bank stabilization and habitat enhancement in Turkey Creek. WACF received $76,000 for the project. According to the project summary, this will be a construction project to stabilize stream banks and address in-channel erosion on and in the Turkey Creek Tributary in Noble County. It runs for 8,400 linear feet from SR 5 to the county line, with a goal to reduce sedimentation into Lake Wawasee.

Local sponsors submit applications for LARE assistance and commit to sharing a portion of the total cost. DNR’s share comes from a fee paid annually by boat owners when registering their boats with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

“These projects are among many examples of how boat owners support conservation,” said Mark Reiter, director of DNR Fish & Wildlife. “With funding from LARE, local partners are making our waterways safer, enhancing habitat, reducing erosion and improving opportunities for boating and fishing.”