Kosciusko County lakes will receive a large portion of grant money being distributed across the state to fight invasive aquatic plants.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will distribute nearly $660,000 across the state, including $185,800 to lakes in Kosciusko County.
Dewart Lake, southwest of Lake Wawasee, will receive $88,000, which is the most among all 63 lakes that will receive financial support.
Grant applications were submitted by local sponsors who share at least 20 percent of the total costs.
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.
LARE grants are funded through the LARE fee paid by boat owners annually when they register their boats with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
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 in the news release.
The grants will help control or manage aggressive nonnative species, including Eurasian watermilfoil, curly leaf pondweed and starry stonewort, that can take over and clog lakes.
Other top recipients from area lakes include:
Tippecanoe Lake chain (Tippecanoe, James, Oswego) – $40,500
Chapman Lakes (big and small) – $33,600
Webster Lake – $26,600
Center Lake – $10,200
Wawasee and Syracuse lakes – $10,000
Barbee chain (Kuhn, Barbee, Little Barbee, Irish, Sawmill, Banning and Sechrist) – $6,900
Pike Lake – $4,800
Beaver and Loon lakes – $1,800
The Times-Union contributed to this story.
