The Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently awarded $499,970 in grants through the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program to improve the waterways in several Indiana counties.
Bruce Lake which lays in both Fulton and Pulaski counties was awarded $32,350 for sediment removal. Projects to remove accumulated sediments (i.e., dredge) from lake inlets or boating access channels receive the highest priority for LARE funding.
The second category of funded projects, controlling aquatic invasive plants, will help manage aggressive non-native aquatic species that replace Indiana’s native aquatic species and dominate aquatic plant communities. Invasive aquatic plant control may also provide economic benefits to lake communities by improving and increasing public access opportunities for anglers and boaters.
In Marshall County Lake of the Woods was awards $23,600 to help manage invasive aquatic vegetation at local waterways. Koontz Lake which is in both Marshall and Starke Counties was also awarded $22,300 for invasive aquatic plant control. Other area lakes being awarded invasive vegetation grants were Bass Lake in Starke County and Bruce Lake Fulton and Pulaski Counties. They each received $5,000.
LARE grants are funded through the LARE fee paid by recreational boat owners annually when they register their boats with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. This user-funded program benefits boaters throughout the state. The grants allow for the completion of 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 of the projects
Learn more about LARE at LARE.dnr.IN.gov.
