A few local lakes will be getting improvements, thanks to the latest round of Lake and River Enhancement grants from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Bruce Lake received over $106,000 for sediment removal and another $6,440 to control invasive plants. Koontz Lake was awarded over $36,000 and Bass Lake got $6,500, both for invasive vegetation management.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the grants will help control aggressive non-native plants like Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and starry stonewort. That, in turn, can improve public access for fishing and pleasure boating. Sediment removal projects can also boost recreation, according to the DNR and remove excess nutrients near inlets.
LARE grants are funded by boat registration fees. Project sponsors must provide a 20-percent local match. More than $1.2 million was awarded statewide in the program’s latest round.
