DNR Grants To Fight Invasive Aquatic Plants

Last updated on Monday, June 4, 2018

(UNDATED) - DNR grants totaling nearly $660,000 will be used to fight invasive aquatic plants in Indiana’s lakes.

Griffy Lake in Monroe County received $11,600 and Lake Lemon located in both Monroe an Brown counties received $5,000.

The grants were awarded by DNR director Cameron F. Clark through the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program in the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife.

The 40 projects involve 63 lakes in 15 counties. Grant applications were submitted by local sponsors who share at least 20 percent of the total cost.

LARE grants are funded through the LARE fee paid by 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 many local organizations to fund on their own.

"Controlling invasive aquatic plants in lakes will improve fish habitat by giving native vegetation a better chance to propagate," Clark said.

The grants will help control or manage aggressive non-native species, including Eurasian watermilfoil, curly leaf pondweed, and starry stonewort, that can take over and clog lakes.

The grants can also provide economic benefits to lake communities by improving and increasing public access opportunities for those who fish or boat for pleasure.

The list of projects by water body, county, and grant award:

Atwood Lake (LaGrange) $7,900
Barbee Lakes chain (Kuhn, Barbee, Little Barbee, Irish, Sawmill, Banning and Sechrist lakes) (Kosciusko) $6,900
Bass Lake (Starke) $6,400
Beaver Dam and Loon lakes (Kosciusko) $1,800
Big Long Lake (LaGrange) $16,400
Big Turkey and Henry lakes (Steuben/Lagrange) $31,900
Bruce Lake (Fulton and Pulaski) $4,400
Center Lake (Kosciusko) $10,200
Chapman Lakes (Big Chapman and Little Chapman) (Kosciusko) $33,600
Clear Lake (LaPorte) $12,000
Crooked Lake (Steuben) $6,500
Dewart Lake (Kosciusko) $88,000
Fish Lakes chain (Upper Fish, Lower Fish and Mud lakes) (LaPorte) $27,400
Flint Lake (Porter) $9,600
Four Lakes area-(Mill Pond, Kreighbaum, Cook and Holem lakes) (Marshall) $26,400
Geist Reservoir (Hamilton and Marion) $5,000
Griffy Lake (Monroe) $11,600
Hamilton Lake (Steuben) $39,000
Hudson Lake (LaPorte) $16,400
Jimmerson Lake (Steuben) $16,550
Koontz Lake (Marshall) $6,500
Lake George (Steuben) $5,300
Lake James (Steuben) $7,500
Lake Lemon (Monroe and Brown) $5,000
Lake of the Woods (Marshall) $19,100
Lake Pleasant (Steuben) $10,800
Long Lake (Porter) $4,200
Oliver, Olin and Martin lakes (LaGrange) $3,100
Pike Lake (Kosciusko) $4,800
Pine Lake (LaPorte) $84,800
Pretty Lake (LaGrange) $6,100
Stone and Brokesha lakes (LaGrange) $6,950
Stone Lake (LaPorte) $3,000
Sylvan Lake (Noble) $5,000
Tippecanoe Lake chain (Tippecanoe, James and Oswego lakes) (Kosciusko) $40,500
Wall Lake (LaGrange) $11,200
Wawasee and Syracuse lakes (Kosciusko) $10,000
Webster Lake (Kosciusko) $26,600
West Lakes Chain (Jones, Steinbarger, Tamarack, Waldron) (Noble) $7,200
West Otter Lake (Steuben) $13,100

Total $658,700

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