Preventing the erosion of the Bass Lake shoreline is the goal of a planned research effort. Resident Rick Anderson told the Starke County Park Board Tuesday that it’s a challenging issue, due to the lake’s big waves and hard winter ice, but there are a couple officials with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources who might have some ideas.
“I would like to get those two gentlemen to the beach and walk the beach and see what could be done and what could realistically be permitted by the DNR to help the erosion problem,” Anderson told the park board. “And maybe it’s nothing, but maybe it’s something.”
Anderson pointed out that any potential solution would likely require the cooperation of local property owners. But he noted that the county’s recent installation of glacial stone at the Bass Lake Beach has already led to 32 property owners expressing interest in putting it in front of their seawalls, as well. That itself should make a big impact, according to Anderson.
He said if a solution is identified, the plan is to pursue grant funding. County Attorney Marty Lucas added that the county’s efforts to be designated a Stellar Community could also help. “If there should be a consensus about a project that would work out there, that’s the kind of thing that they do on the Stellar Communities Program,” Lucas said. “And sometimes, there’s pretty significant grants, and Bass Lake is the kind of thing that they really might be interested in.”
The park board agreed to let Anderson proceed with scheduling a DNR site visit and gathering information.
