News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Local lakes in the area were among the 34 lake and stream projects to benefit from Lake and River Enhancement grants. The grants, for invasive aquatic vegetation management and sediment removal and logjam removal, total $864,610.

Receiving funds for invasive aquatic vegetation management are:

Kosciusko County

• Big and Little Chapman will receive $20,600.
• Center Lake will receive $16,200.
• The Barbee Lakes —Banning, Barbee, Irish, Kuhn, Little Barbee, Sawmill and Sechrist lakes —will receive $11,500.
• Tippecanoe Lake Chain — Tippecanoe, James and Oswego Lakes — will receive $25,750.
• Webster Lake will receive $27,400.

Fulton and Pulaski

• Lake Bruce will receive $5,000.

Marshall County

• Holem, Cook, Millpond and Kreighbaum lakes will receive $12,600.

Noble County

• Big Lake will receive $5,500.

Receiving funds for sediment removal and logjam removal projects are:

Kosciusko County

• Dewart Lake will receive $7,500 for a sediment removal plan.
• Kuhn Lake will receive $7,500 for its sediment removal plan.
• Lake Wawasee will receive $110,000 for sediment removal.

Noble County

• Jones Lake, $100,000 for sediment removal.
• Witmer Lake, $80,000 for sediment removal.

“Indiana’s lakes and streams are a cherished natural resource for all Hoosiers, providing outstanding recreational and fishing opportunities across our state,” said Bortner. “Through Indiana’s LARE program, Hoosiers who get out on the water continue to make a splash in conserving and protecting these waterways, funding more than $20 million in dredging, logjam and aquatic vegetation management projects for Indiana’s lakes and streams over the last two decades. This creates a lasting impact for our state now and for generations to come.”

The grants are funded through the LARE fee paid annually by boat owners when they register their crafts with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. This user funded program benefits boaters all over the state. The grants allow for the completion of lake and stream projects that would be difficult for local organizations to fund on their own. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, and local sponsors share at least 20% of the cost.

Funded projects for the planning and removal of sediment and logjams help improve recreational access by removing nutrient-rich sediment and woody debris near inlets or in navigational channels, helping prevent bank erosion and the formation of new channels. These types of projects receive the highest priority for LARE funding, and they are only funded for projects focused on large-quantity debris removal.

Aquatic invasive plant control grants help control or manage aggressive non-native species that can outcompete native species and dominate plant communities. The grants can also provide economic benefits to lake communities by improving conditions for those who fish or boat.