August 2023 Newsletter

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In this edition: Celebrate Lake Monroe Day September 17 (and beyond) Guided Hike WonderLab Activity Kayak Trip Farmers Market Tour de Ramps CELEBRATION AT UPLAND WOOD SHOP Water Plant Tour Pontoon Trip Help Support Our Mission Conservation Cost-Share Program Science Committee Update Shoreline Clean Ups Board Recruitment Get Involved Become a Member! Celebrate Lake Monroe Day Sept 17 (with activities all week) Friends of Lake Monroe is excited to celebrate the second annual Lake Monroe Day.  Monroe County Commissioners (pictured), Jackson County Commissioners, Brown County Commissioners, and the City of Bloomington have all issued proclamations declaring Sunday, September 17, 2023 to be “Lake Monroe Day.” These proclamations acknowledge the importance of Lake Monroe to our community, the steps our community has taken to protect the lake, and the ongoing work of Friends of Lake Monroe.   Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Bloomington for sponsoring our week of Lake Monroe Day events September 14-21!  Activities include hiking, biking, paddling, picking up trash, and touring the drinking water treatment plant.  Our big event will be a community celebration on Sunday September 17 at Upland Wood Shop at 5:30pm.  Please visit www.friendsoflakemonroe.org/events for more details and to register for events. Guided Hike - Thurs, Sept 14, 3:00-5:00 Join us on for an easy 2-3 mile hike on the new trail system at Fairfax SRA. Meet at the Bayview Shelter across from Inn of the Fourwinds.  If you'd like, bring a swimsuit and we’ll go for a swim afterwards! Registration and waiver required. https://friendsoflakemonroe.org/event/guided-hike/   FLM @ WonderLab - Fri, Sept 15, 2:00-4:00 Bring your family to WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology where we will have a special activity set up in honor of Lake Monroe Day, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bloomington.  All ages welcome.  No registration required but WonderLab does charge admission ($14 for non-members, free for members).   Kayak Trip - Fri, Sept 15, 6:00-8:00 Rotary Club of Bloomington is sponsoring our September 15th paddle.  This FLM member event is FREE and includes the use of boats, paddles, and PFDs – but is limited to 10. No experience necessary. Participants should wear proper paddling attire and bring their own snacks and hydration. (Dry bags suggested for non-waterproof gear). This member event has limited capacity so register early. https://friendsoflakemonroe.org/event/kayak-trip/ FLM Tabling @ Bloomington Community Farmers Market - Sat, Sept 16, 9:00-12:00 Look for us at the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market on the Showers Plaza Saturday morning with updated tabling materials sponsored by Rotary Club of Bloomington.  We will be sharing information about how every household can protect water quality in Lake Monroe and handing out "Clean Water for Life" refrigerator magnets.  Drop by and say hello! Bloomington Bicycle Club "Tour de Ramps" - Sat, Sept 16, 9:00-1:00 Friends of Lake Monroe will be staffing the lunch stop at Cutright along the Bloomington Bicycle Club's inaugural "Tour de Ramps."  This 43-60 mile route ranges from challenging to grueling depending on whether or not cyclists choose to bike down (and back up) any (or all) of the 9 boat ramps along the route.  Register today for your chance to explore Lake Monroe without a boat!   Water Plant Tours - Sun, Sept 17 at 10:00, 12:00, and 2:00 Join staff from the City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) for a tour of the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. Learn about the treatment process that turns water from Lake Monroe into our drinking water and how that water is distributed to taps throughout Bloomington. Tours last approximately 90 minutes, take place outdoors, use stairs, and sturdy, close-toed shoes are required.  Ages 5+.  Registration required.  10:00 Tour Registration 12:00 Tour Registration 2:00 Tour Registration Lake Monroe Day Celebration - Sun, Sept 17, 5:30-8:30 Join us Sunday evening at Upland Wood Shop to celebrate the importance of Lake Monroe and to raise funds for the work that we do.  Hear inspiring updates on our projects, bid on items in our silent auction, and pledge your financial support while you get to know other members of Friends of Lake Monroe.  We will reveal the winners of the Friends of Lake Monroe - Bloomington Photography Club photo contest.  Appetizers will be provided thanks to support from the Rotary Club of Bloomington.  Drinks will be available for purchase.  Our goal is to raise $5,000 to support our efforts to keep Lake Monroe drinkable, swimmable and fishable for generations to come.  No registration required - everyone is welcome! MEMBERS ONLY Pontoon Ride - Mon, Sept 18, 4:00-7:00  Enjoy an interactive pontoon tour of Lake Monroe hosted by Jill Vance, DNR Naturalist with support from the Rotary Club of Bloomington. This FLM member event is FREE  – but is limited to 30. FLM will provide light snacks & beverages.  Registration required. https://friendsoflakemonroe.org/event/guided-pontoon-trip-date/2023-09-18/ Not a member?  Join today!   FLM @ WonderLab - Tue, Sept 19, 2:00-4:00 Bring your family to WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology where we will have a special activity set up in honor of Lake Monroe Day, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bloomington.  All ages welcome.  No registration required but WonderLab does charge admission ($14 for non-members, free for members). Shoreline Cleanup - Thu, Sept 21, 6:00-8:00  We will round out Lake Monroe Week with our monthly shoreline cleanup at Paynetown State Recreation Area. Help us show Pokey the dog that humans can clean up after themselves (and others).  Please register. https://friendsoflakemonroe.org/event/adopt-a-shoreline-cleanup-september/ Help Support Our Mission Lake Monroe is the lifeblood of our community, but it is polluted. The lake is our sole source of drinking water and provides recreational fun and essential habitat for fish and wildlife. It is a major economic driver to the region. Friends of Lake Monroe developed a management plan for the Lake and its watershed and is bringing a wide range of decision makers together to take action to ensure this critical resource is protected. We play a key role in coordinating partnerships throughout the community to protect and improve Lake Monroe.  Our recent achievements include publishing the Lake Monroe Watershed Management Plan, educating over 2,000 community members about proper septic system maintenance, hosting a successful Watershed Summit for local officials, and working with farmers to increase the use of conservation practices like cover crops and fencing livestock out of streams.  While much of this work has been grant-funded, our success as an organization depends largely on support from our members.   Our goal is to raise $5,000 to enable us to continue protecting water quality in Lake Monroe by assisting landowners to maintain septic systems, cleaning up trash, stabilizing the shoreline and supporting farmers' efforts to minimize soil erosion and fertilizer runoff.   Show your support by making a donation online, at an event, or by mail to Friends of Lake Monroe, P.O. Box 3145, Bloomington, IN 47402.  Invite a friend to join you at our Lake Monroe Day Celebration and Fundraiser on Sunday September 17.  Bid on a silent auction item (or two).  Your support allows us to grow our capacity for educational programming, coordination between local organizations, youth engagement, septic assistance, improved land management, and more.  Help us protect the future of Lake Monroe by making a donation today. Conservation Cost-Share Program In June, we awarded the first four contracts under our Conservation Cost-Share Program for a diverse set of projects: Installing fencing to keep cattle out of a creek Expanding the use of cover crops on a large area of cropland Developing a comprehensive plan for managing manure at a large cattle operation Converting a former horse pasture to a pollinator meadow These projects have allocated about 40% of our available funding.  In July, we sent an educational mailer (pictured above) to over 2,000 agricultural land owners in the Lake Monroe watershed describing conservation practices and providing information about our cost-share program (on the other side of the page).  Watershed Coordinator Maggie Sullivan continues to meet with interested landowners to discuss potential projects.  Our hope is to have all funding allocated by the end of the year to ensure all projects are complete by the end of our grant period, May 2025.  If you know a landowners in the watershed, please encourage them to check out our program or contact Maggie at 812-558-0217 or watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org.     Science Committee Update Measuring Shoreline Erosion and Wave Action at Lake Monroe by Howard Webb Friends of Lake Monroe is actively supporting two community science projects aimed at gathering valuable information about shoreline erosion. These projects are currently in the early stages of discovery and prototyping. The first project focuses on collecting data on shoreline erosion using the lidar capabilities of an iPad computer. By gathering three-dimensional data from various shoreline locations, we can calculate the slope and, with repeated measurements, determine soil gains and losses. The initial phase is set to commence this month, during which we will collect data from several sample locations to assess data quality and develop the best protocols.  In the future, we will need volunteers to collect data from multiple points along the 100 miles of Lake Monroe shoreline. The second project aims to calculate wave energy, which directly impacts shoreline erosion based on the slope and soil type. To obtain this data, a small computer will measure wave height using a barometer, similar to how airplanes use barometers to determine altitude. This information will be transmitted to a central database for collection and aggregation. Currently, we are testing the radio range, followed by short-term sensor tests, and eventually constructing a long-term buoy to be placed on the lake. The Amy Weingartner Branigin peninsula will be used for the initial testing phase. If you are interested in contributing to these projects, we welcome assistance in the fields of electronics, protocols for data collection, or new ideas for projects. Your involvement can make a meaningful difference in our efforts to better understand and address shoreline erosion at Lake Monroe.  Please contact Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org or 812-558-0217 for more information about joining the Community Science Committee, which meets monthly on the 4th Thursday at 7:00. Shoreline Cleanups Many thanks to Amy and Charlotte Salyers who took a break from their camping trip at Paynetown to join board member Keith Bobay and cleanup coordinator Richard Harris (not pictured) at our July shoreline cleanup.  We will continue to host monthly cleanups on Thursday evenings.  Please register so we can send an update if there are cancellations due to weather. Thursday, August 24, 6pm Thursday, September 21, 6pm In October, we will be partnering with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for the Monroe Lake Appreciation Week: If You Love It, Clean It Oct 16-22.  Friends of Lake Monroe will host a cleanup at Sugar Creek (the Pointe Road Causweay) on Thursday October 19th from 3:00 to 5:00.  Not available Thursday?  Check out one of the other cleanup options like Tuesday morning's Causeway Cleanup or the Friday Fairfax Cleanup.   Or take 5-gallon bucket challenge.  Bring a 5-gallon bucket with you to the lake Oct 16-22 and fill it with trash… and you could win one of two deluxe “boat bags” from DNR for holding trash and recyclables!   To be added to the prize drawing, simply email 3 photos (2 in-progress photos of you picking up trash, and 1 photo of the filled bucket) to jvance@dnr.in.gov by October 23 (limited to one entry per household).   Support Our Work - Donate Today! Board Member Recruitment We are looking to fill two open positions on the Friends of Lake Monroe Board of Directors.  The Board needs a variety of skills, particularly in the areas of development, fundraising, grant writing, and media expertise.  We encourage anyone passionate about the lake to consider applying.  Board members are expected to attend monthly board meetings (approximately 2 hours each) and serve as an officer or on a committee.  Friends of Lake Monroe values diversity and equal opportunity and strives to reflect these values in our board and our actions. Learn more and apply today!  We accept and review applications on a rolling basis.  Get Involved Interested in volunteering but not sure how?  Contact our volunteer coordinator, Keith Bobay, at volunteer@friendsoflakemonroe! Want to help with event planning or member recruitment?  Contact Development Committee Chair Jim Krause at development@friendsoflakemonroe.org Curious about the Science Committee, our Conservation Cost-Share Program, or anything else watershed related?  Contact Watershed Coordinator Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org.   Interact with other FLM members by posting events, news, and photos to our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1513886852253216.   Become a Member! Friends of Lake Monroe depends on members like you to keep our organization strong.  Join today and enjoy one of the great member-only events we have planned this spring.  Memberships are available at several levels: K-5 Elementary Student: $5. Grade 6-12 Student: $10. Individual adult: $25. Family: $45. Supporting: $100. Sustaining: $250. You can sign up on FLM's website here: https://friendsoflakemonroe.org/membership/. Whether or not you are a member, you are also welcome to financially support FLM's work through a one-time donation here: https://friendsoflakemonroe.org/donate/. Thank you for your support!   Share Tweet Forward Below you'll see a link to update your subscription preferences or you may contact Iris at director@friendsoflakemonroe.org. Referenced links: https://www.friendsoflakemonroe.org   Copyright © 2022 Friends of Lake Monroe, All rights reserved.  You are receiving this email because you signed up to join Friends of Lake Monroe  Our mailing address is:  Friends of Lake Monroe PO Box 3145 Bloomington, In  47402 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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