November News from Friends of Lake Monroe

Eagle Sightings, 60th Anniversary, Watershed Signs, End-Of-Year Donations, and More

Conservation Cost-Share Program Update - New Funding, Field Days, Watershed Signs, and More Friends of Lake Monroe recently received an additional $15,000 for our Conservation Cost-Share Program!  This program covers up to 75% of the cost of select soil and water conservation practices in the Lake Monroe watershed.  Several projects are wrapping up this fall including the installation of a Water and Sediment Control Basin (WASCOB), the conversion of 3 acres of cropland to pasture, and the planting of a riparian buffer (adding shrubs and other native plants along a stream).    Please contact Watershed Coordinator Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org or 812-558-0217 to learn more or join us at one of our upcoming field days. November 14 - Have Erosion?  Get a HUAP!  Livestock Field Day at Dean Manuel's Farm in Brown County November 21 - Get It Done With A Drone!  Cover Crop Field Day at Seymour High School Ag Facility We also continue to educate about watershed protection.  Many thanks to the Brown County Highway Department for installing the latest batch of our Lake Monroe watershed road signs!  In total, we have installed 29 signs across the watershed to increase awareness of how water quality in the lake can be impacted by actions many miles away.   One potential impact is when septic systems fail and release sewage into nearby streams which ultimately flow into Lake Monroe.  We sent educational mailers to almost 9,000 households in the watershed this year with detailed information on septic system maintenance so people can keep their systems in good shape.  Remember to pump your tank every 3-5 years!   Final Kayak Trip of 2024 Our final kayak trip of the year was held along with Jill Vance, Monroe Lake Naturalist.  Chilly days and nights earlier in the week kept attendance low for the Oct 17th trip, but we were lucky to paddle on a warm fall day.  The water was calm and the sky was clear blue.  The paddling was easy and it was a joy getting know each other.  In addition to the gulls and blue herons, we saw five bald eagles and two white pelicans. This Bald Eagle near the Pine Grove boat ramp didn’t mind posing while Nancy Lightfoot took this great photo! Help FLM and Lower Your Taxes Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are minimum amounts that IRA and retirement plan account owners generally must withdraw annually starting with the year they reach age 72 (73 if you reach age 72 after Dec. 31, 2022).  These distributions are taxable and can potentially bump you into a higher tax bracket. However, there is an alternative that some FLM supporters have used.  A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to a 501c3 organization like FLM is one way to avoid the tax penalty.  Funds are transferred directly from an IRA to a qualified charitable organization. Unlike RMDs, QCDs are not taxable, and each individual (married or single) can donate up to $105,000 for tax year 2024 from their IRA.  Before making a QCD, there are a couple of caveats: Your IRA custodian must transfer the funds directly—and only to a 501(c)(3) organization (donor-advised funds aren't eligible). You can't claim the QCD as a charitable deduction, but the distribution doesn't count as taxable income either. It’s best to consult a CPA or tax advisor if this is an option you want to pursue. Support Our Work - Donate Today! Thanks to our Cleanup Volunteers On October 13, fourteen Friends of Lake Monroe volunteers participated in a trash cleanup on Friendship Road in the Lake Monroe watershed, adjacent to the North Fork of Salt Creek in the headwaters of the lake. This part of the watershed is not under water when the lake is at its normal pool level, but is subject to flooding when the lake level rises enough, as much as 10 feet or more during spring rains and snow melt. When Salt Creek floods into these low-lying areas, it deposits trash which is left behind when the water recedes. If not removed, much of this trash can end up in the lake as it breaks down into small pieces and is more easily transported with receding water. Thirteen bags of trash, four tires, and other assorted items were removed during this cleanup. Shown in the photo are (L to R), Tina Courtright, Bud Hoekstra, Lisa Robinson, Erin Hollinden, Bet Savich, Brad Coffin, Tonya Coffin, Ryan Cushman, Steve Wickes, Megan Gokey, Lynnette Tavernier, Liam Tavernier, and Joe Ryan. Not pictured, Richard Harris behind the camera. We have one more cleanup scheduled this year on November 10.  Sign up  at https://www.friendsoflakemonroe.org/events-page/paynetown-cleanup-nov24 How Well Do You Know Water? We are working on a project with the Indiana Geological and Water Survey to improve awareness of water quality (and quantity) issues in Indiana.  Will you help by filling out a 3-minute survey?  Our goal is to understand what the public already knows and what we should focus on teaching.  Here's the survey:  https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eXRUzCt6Gh9UNCK 60th Anniversary On October 24, the Indiana DNR held the last big event in celebration of Lake Monroe's 60th anniversary.  The event included photographs from before, during, and after construction of the lake as well as several guest speakers and booths from various lake-related organizations. One of the hardest things to communicate about the lake is its size.  The estimated capacity of the lake is 143 billion gallons of water, enough to cover all of Monroe and Brown Counties with a foot of water.  Some other water quantity statistics: The City of Bloomington Utilities Water Treatment Plant withdraws up to 25 million gallons of water per day to produce drinking water. The US Army Corps of Engineers releases water at a minimum rate of 50 cubic feet per second (roughly 32 million gallons of water per day) to maintain water levels in lower Salt Creek. When the lake level is high and there is no flooding downstream in Bedford, Shoals, or Petersburg, the US Army Corps of Engineers can release up to 2,200 cubic feet per minute of water (about 1.4 billion or 1,400 million gallons of water per day) to bring the lake level down.  Before the lake was built, peak flows in lower Salt Creek were over ten times that elevated rate. The dam has prevented an estimated $124 million in flood damage in downstream areas over the last 60 years.  We are grateful for Lake Monroe and look forward to enjoying it for many many years to come! Bloomingfoods Positive Change Many thanks to all those who voted for Friends of Lake Monroe to be a 2025 Positive Change Recipient at Bloomingfoods!  In January, shoppers can round up at the register to support Friends of Lake Monroe.  In April 2023, we received $10,094.23 from the positive change program and we hope to see a similar amount next year.   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 starts at $25 annually. You can sign up on FLM's website here: https://www.friendsoflakemonroe.org/memberships. Whether or not you are a member, you are also welcome to financially support FLM's work through a one-time donation here: https://www.friendsoflakemonroe.org/donations. Thank you for your support!   Share Tweet Forward Below you'll see a link to update your subscription preferences or you may contact us at membership@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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