Friends of Lake Monroe Looks Back at 2024Here's a recap of 2024 and what to look forward to in 2025!
Looking Back at 2024
Friends of Lake Monroe stayed busy in 2024, implementing the Lake Monroe Watershed Management Plan and educating our community about the importance of keeping Lake Monroe drinkable, swimmable, and fishable. We also lost our board member and longtime supporter Cheryl Munson, who will be greatly missed.
Conservation Cost-Share Program
We implemented four projects under our Conservation Cost-Share Program and approved six more. Approximately $30,000 in funding is still available to help farmers adopt new conservation practices.
Community Forum on Management of Hoosier National Forest
In April, we hosted a community forum to discuss forest management in the Hoosier National Forest. Over 80 community members attended to learn about proposed projects in the HNF and to ask questions.
Field Day at Monroe County Airport
In May, local farmer Bill Duckworth shared his story of rehabilitating the cropland around the airport at our field day. We braved the rain to learn about cover crops, no till planting, and WASCOBs (water and sediment control basins)
North Fork Salt Creek Cleanup
In May, a group of FLM members spent a few hours removing trash from North Fork Salt Creek (one of the main tributaries to Lake Monroe) using a canoe. Plastic bottles, decayed styrofoam, basketballs, rubber flip-flops, and much more float down the creek and become tangled in log jams. It can be challenging to remove depending on water conditions, though this outing successfully removed two garbage bags of trash plus a large tire.
Septic Voucher Program
Thanks to the Monroe County Stormwater Board, we brought back our popular septic maintenance voucher program giving residents in the Monroe County portion of the Lake Monroe watershed up to $100 off septic tank pumping. We also hosted a septic education workshop.
Kayak Trips for New Paddlers
With support from Sassafras Audubon Society and Indigo Birding Nature Tours, we were able to offer kayak trips for Big Brothers Big Sisters and other community members who had not previously been out on the water. Expert birding guide David Rupp led these trips.
Lake Monroe Day
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make our Lake Monroe Day Celebration a great success! (As one attendee said, "I have never seen people dance so hard.") Other Lake Monroe Day activities included a guided hike with Sierra Club, a lunch stop on the Bloomington Bicycle Club's Tour de Ramps, City of Bloomington drinking water plant tours, a lake tour with DNR naturalist Jill Vance and a shoreline cleanup! We look forward to continuing this tradition in 2025.
60th Anniversary of Lake Monroe
October 24th marked the 60th anniversary of Lake Monroe's official dedication. Friends of Lake Monroe participated in the reception hosted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to commemorate the event and look back at Lake Monroe over the years.
Septic Summit 2.0
We continued to educate about the importance of septic system maintenance by co-sponsoring Septic Summit 2.0 in Brown County. Helping people understand how a septic system functions and the problems that poorly operating systems pose for our watershed is critical to keep Lake Monroe clean.
Science Committee - Wave Sensor
The FLM Science Committee continued to meet regularly to develop protocols for evaluating shoreline erosion at Lake Monroe. Member Howard Webb designed, built, and installed a floating wave sensor to monitor wave action which we know can cause shoreline erosion. New members are always welcome! Contact Maggie at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org
Shoreline Cleanups
Many thanks to Richard Harris for continuing to organize monthly shoreline cleanups at Paynetown. This is a great way for members to spend time together outdoors making a difference. Look for new cleanup dates starting in April.
Watershed Signs in Brown County
A new batch of watershed signs was installed in Brown County in November. These signs help travelers understand how areas as far away as Bartholomew County drain eventually into the lake and how actions in those areas can impact water quality in the lake. Many thanks to the Brown County Highway Department!
Field Day in Brown County
Brown County farmers Dean and April Manuel graciously hosted a field day in November where we learned about soil and water conservation practices for livestock. These include heavy use area pads, access roads, and livestock exclusion fencing. Many thanks to CCSI for sponsoring breakfast.
Field Day in Jackson County
Did you know some farmers use drones to plant their cover crops? We learned all about the process at our field day in Jackson County hosted by the Seymour High School FFA with support from Premier Ag. We were able to see the oats, radishes, and crimson clover growing despite a bit of snow.
Deam Wilderness Expansion
While Senate Bill 4402 was not adopted in 2024, Friends of Lake Monroe worked with Indiana Forest Alliance, Hoosier Environmental Council and others to advocate for expanding the Deam Wilderness and establishing the new Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area. This bill would have provided safeguards to prevent the pollution of the lake and watershed.
Our work continues in 2025 with many of the same projects. This will be the third (and final) year of our Conservation Cost-Share Program, though we hope to secure funding for another round of cost-share projects that would run through 2028. There are approximately $30,000 available for soil and water conservation projects. Please contact watershed coordinator Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org or 812-558-0217 for more information.
Other plans in 2025 include hosting a forestry field day, offering a septic maintenance workshop, and running a voucher program in Jackson County to help subsidize the cost of pumping and inspecting septic tanks (which should be done every 3-5 years). We also plan to bring back our popular watershed tour in June.
Last but not least, we are very excited to have three new board members - Lisa Townsend, Landon Yoder, and Trent Deckard. Should be another great year!
Announcing Our 2025 Board Members
Officers for 2025:
Sherry Mitchell-Bruker, President
Christy Crandall, Vice President
Joe Ryan, Treasurer
Landon Yoder, Secretary
At Large Members:
Kelly Conaway
Lisa Townsend
Trent Deckard
Get Involved
Interested in volunteering but not sure how? Contact our volunteer coordinator, Keith Bobay, at volunteer@friendsoflakemonroe!
Curious about the Science Committee, our Conservation Cost-Share Program, or anything else watershed related? Contact Watershed Coordinator Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org.
Follow our Facebook page for regular updates or interact with other FLM members by posting events, news, and photos to our Facebook group.
Become a Member!
Friends of Lake Monroe depends on members like you to keep our organization strong. Join today to help us keep the lake drinkable, swimmable, and fishable. Individual membership is only $25 annually.
