Nine counties will be able to address sediment problems in lakes or logjams in rivers thanks to $651,500 in grant funding from the DNR’s Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program.
LARE grants are awarded by DNR director Cameron Clark and administered through DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife.
“We look to fund projects that will improve waterways and lakes for recreational boating, paddling, angling, or just floating lazily downstream on a hot summer day,” Clark said.
The 11 projects were chosen in a competitive process from applications submitted by local sponsors, who agree to share at least 20 percent of the cost.
Four grants are for developing a sediment-removal plan, which is the first step in any LARE dredging project. Five projects include actual sediment removal after at least a year of planning. Projects to dredge lake inlets or boating-access channels receive the highest priority for LARE funding. Whole-lake dredging is generally too expensive for any entity to address.
Two grants are for logjam removal in waterways. To qualify for LARE funding, a logjam must consist of more than just a tree or two. A massive amount of debris that blocks the channel and may be causing erosive cutting of new channels in the stream is most likely to be granted funding.
LARE grants are funded through the LARE fee paid by boat owners annually when they register their boats 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.