The Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced that organizations in 12 Indiana counties will receive $1,324,000 in grants to fund 18 lake, river, and watershed land treatment projects through DNR’s Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program.

Funded projects are in LaGrange, Montgomery, Kosciusko, Owen, Marion, Elkhart, Starke, Dekalb, Randolph, Fountain, Jennings, and Gibson counties.

The grants are funded through the LARE fee paid annually by boat owners when they register their craft with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. This user-funded program benefits boaters all over the state. The grants allow for the completion of projects that would be difficult for local organizations to fund on their own. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, and local sponsors share at least 20% of the cost.

This round of grant-funded projects will benefit eight lakes and 11 rivers and streams, with some projects benefiting more than one lake. In addition, two land-based projects associated with watershed land treatment practices have been funded in coordination with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Many of the projects aim to improve water quality by reducing sediment and nutrient inputs. Improved water quality helps fish and wildlife populations and improves recreational opportunities.

The projects, listed by body of water, county, project type, and grant award, can be found at lare.dnr.IN.gov.

To view more DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.