July is Lakes Appreciation Month! The Indiana Lakes Management Society (ILMS) wants to help you celebrate. Lakes Appreciation Month is an international effort by the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) to highlight the value and importance of lakes and reservoirs. The goal is to encourage people to appreciate and protect these vital resources.

ILMS is providing funds for events intended to educate or celebrate our valuable water resources. The Lakes Appreciation Event Sponsorship is intended to reduce the cost of holding educational events in or around Lakes Appreciation Month, July.  ILMS will also provide support in the form of event promotion through our network (newsletter, social media, email blast, etc.)

A limited number of sponsorships will be awarded to lake organizations and watershed groups that organize an educational event in June, July, or August 2025.     

Funds can be used to cover materials, speaker fees, space rental, or event promotion.  Some example events include water quality monitoring trainings, shoreline protection workshops, aquatic plant identification workshops, field days, or educational displays at social events. Check out https://www.nalms.org/lakes-appreciation-month/ for ideas about past events. Sponsorships are anticipated to be in the range of $200-$300  

Fill out a sponsorship application by April 30th to be considered.  Awards will be announced by May 30, 2026.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our biggest annual conference in a decade!  It was great to see over 160 participants.  We are especially grateful to our 33 event sponsors! 

We are thrilled that our conference continues to grow and to bring in a variety of lake enthusiasts from around the state.  For the last few years, we have been working to increase student participation at the conference.  It was great to see students from IU, Purdue, Grace College, and Ball State all share their research this year.  Fifteen participated in our research poster contest and two presented sessions.

There were many great sessions this year.  The liveliest session award probably goes to the "Law Enforcement on Lakes" session where Conservation Officer Trevor Bolt graciously answered many questions from a very engaged audience.  Audience participation was also strong in our permitting roundtable and our lake association fundraising session.  

There were several speakers from out of state this year, including Joe Bischoff from Minnesota who gave a talk about internal phosphorus loading and also an update on the North American Lakes Management Society (NALMS).  Did you know the NALMS conference will likely be hosted in the Midwest in 2028?  Stay tuned for details - or consider attending the conference this coming fall in British Columbia.

We hope everyone had a great time and please let us know if you have suggestions for next year.  We will be gathering at Pokagon State Park March 24-25, 2027.  (Note it will be a Wednesday-Thursday conference next year.)  Please contact us anytime at indianalakes@gmail.com with ideas or questions about how to get more involved!

Thank you to everyone that attended the 37th Annual Indiana Lakes Management Conference on March 26th and 27th at the Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, IN.  One of the highlights of the conference is handing out our annual awards. 

Therese Shiffler received the Volunteer of the Year Award. Therese has led an intensive, multi-year water-quality monitoring program on Little Long Lake, collecting weekly samples across six sites and generating foundational nutrient and algal data. She also leads Clean Lakes monitoring, serves on multiple watershed boards, and fosters collaboration across state lines. Her leadership in hosting a tri-state Field Day and commitment to shoreline restoration reflect extraordinary volunteer dedication and measurable impact on regional water stewardship. Thank you, Therese! 

The Outstanding Project Award went to the 2025 Inland Lake Field Day at Little Long Lake united 51 tri-state participants to advance watershed stewardship in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Through hands-on demonstrations, expert presentations, and interactive learning, the event translated science into practical action. By connecting residents with monitoring programs and agency partners, the initiative strengthened cross-state collaboration, expanded local monitoring capacity, and modeled a replicable, community-driven approach to protecting inland lakes. Great job! 

The Lake Lemon Conservancy District received the Outstanding Lake Association Award for their efforts to reclaim over 100 acres of lake surface and removed nearly 500,000 cubic yards of sediment through strategic dredging investments. Complementing sediment management with shoreline stabilization, invasive species control, and weekly water-quality monitoring, LLCD delivers measurable ecological and recreational benefits. Its innovative plan to convert dredged material into a 17-acre engineered wetland exemplifies forward-thinking, sustainable lake stewardship. Thank you! 

INDIANA LAKES MANAGEMENT SOCIETY

                 Annual Business Meeting March 20th, 2025

This meeting was held in person at the annual conference.

MEETING MINUTES

Approval of 2024’s meeting Minutes

• 1st - Sara Peel
• 2nd - Jacob Bannister

Change of the Agenda:

Election of Officers:

1. President: Kristi Johnson
2. Vice President: Maggie Sullivan (Absent)
3. Directors:
   1. Ashlee Haviland
   2. Malena Ryan
   3. Jordan Smithers
   4. Miranda Wentz

Motion: Accept the slate as presented

Election Results:

1. President: Kristi Johnson
2. Vice President: Maggie Sullivan
3. Directors:
   1. Ashlee Haviland
   2. Malena Ryan
   3. Jordan Smithers
   4. Miranda Wentz

Report of the President

Report of the Treasurer

Conference Committee

Legislative Committee

Membership Committee

Outreach Committee

Floor:

Adjournment

Meeting Adjourned 12:53 PM

ILMS Award Nominations Open!

The Indiana Lakes Management Society wants to recognize those who excel in volunteering, lake management, and implementation of projects to improve lake quality.  Take a few minutes to nominate an individual or an association who is worthy of recognition for their achievements. Awardees will be recognized at the ILMS Annual Conference in March. You can nominate yourself or others in one or more of the following categories:

Outstanding Lake Association

This award may be bestowed annually upon an Indiana lake association that has succeeded in, or made noteworthy efforts towards, significantly improving its local lake quality.

Outstanding Implementation Project

This award may be bestowed annually upon the designer, contractor, or lake association for an outstanding implementation project for improved lake quality.

Volunteer of the Year

This award may be bestowed annually upon an ILMS member who has shown exceptional dedication and achievement in volunteer lake monitoring or other lake association or water quality efforts.

Nomination Form: ILMS Award Nomination Form

Deadline for nominations is February 6th. Awards will be announced by February 16, 2026.

Please direct any questions to Gus Reed at indianalakes@gmail.com 

Indiana Lakes Management Society is providing funds for need-based scholarships to assist in building the capacity of the state’s lake leaders to learn about protecting our valuable water resources. The Lake Leaders Scholarship is intended to reduce the cost of registration, meals, and lodging for attendance at the 37th Annual Indiana Lakes Conference.  This year the conference will be held at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana from March 26-27, 2026.

A limited number of scholarships will be awarded to staff, board members, and active volunteers of lake organizations and watershed groups who hold a leadership role.  Scholarships will be provided to cover a portion of the cost of attending the conference to those best-qualified applicants who are in need of assistance to enable their participation.  Preference will be given to those individuals who have not attended an ILMS conference in the last 3 years.

Those interested in receiving a scholarship must:

●        Be affiliated with a lake organization

●        Commit to attend the entire conference

●        Express a financial need

●        Pay for their own costs above and beyond what is reimbursed

Those selected will receive complimentary registration to attend the 2026 ILMS Conference in Plymouth.  Award recipients must complete conference registration to attend the ILMS Conference. (Award recipients will complete the registration; no payment will be required).  The award also includes reimbursement of hotel, food, and travel expenses up to $200 and a complimentary one-year ILMS membership.

Scholarships awarded will be in the form of reimbursement paid after the conference.  Submission of a reimbursement form and receipts are required for the reimbursement to be processed.

To apply for this scholarship, please fill out this form and your conference registration by February 6th.             

Awards will be announced by February 16.

Thank you for your continued interest in protecting and improving Indiana’s lakes!

ILMS Outreach Committee

Share your story!  We are looking for Hoosiers across the state to present at the 2026 Indiana Lakes Management Conference March 26-27 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana.  Topics of interest include

• Case studies of lake management challenges
• Success stories from lake associations
• Volunteer experiences (the good, the bad, the ugly)
• Research on lakes and watersheds
• Information on aquatic plants and animals
• Anything else you think that lake enthusiasts would like to learn about!

We welcome submissions from students, professionals, volunteers, and anyone else who works with lakes in Indiana (or neighboring states).  

Please submit an abstract using our online form by November 14.

Don't have anything you want to present but do have suggestions for what you'd like to see at the conference?  Please send a note to conference committee chair Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org.

Want to learn more about the conference?  Please visit our conference page.

Indiana Lakes Management Society is pleased to offer two different scholarship opportunities this fall.

Student Scholarships

Up to three $500 scholarships will be awarded to students who are currently enrolled (or planning to enroll) in Environmental Science, Aquatic Ecosystem or Watershed Management, or related undergraduate or graduate college-level classes at an Indiana college or university in spring 2026.  Scholarship winners will also receive free registration for the ILMS conference March 26-27 as well as a stipend for travel and lodging.  Applications are due October 10th and awards will be announced by the end of October.  Visit our scholarship page for more details and an online application.  

IWLA Scholarships

Up to two scholarships will be awarded for Indiana residents to attend the Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy.  This program is designed to support lake volunteers and water professionals who wish to deepen their understanding of watershed planning and community leadership.  Participants will learn new skills, network with peers, interact with topic experts, and earn a certificate in Watershed Management.  Applications are due October 10th and awards will be announced by October 20th.  Visit our scholarship page for more details and an online application.  

Each year, the North American Lakes Management Society (NALMS) – along with Indiana Lakes Management Society and the State of Indiana – recognize the month of July as Lakes Appreciation Month!

We love to spend July on the water, at beaches, and on the shorelines. Boating, fishing, and swimming are favorite recreational uses of our Hoosier lakes and reservoirs. Lakes and reservoirs also play other vital, and often hidden, roles. They provide drinking water and irrigation water for agricultural fields and are a source of electricity and power generation. They also serve the important function of absorbing rainfall and runoff from land, help to prevent floods, and provide homes for precious wildlife.

It is clear that as we enjoy and use lakes, we have to protect them. Because lake pollution is caused by so many different activities, no one regulation will suffice to prevent it. Education and outreach aimed at changing individual behavior are key components to any successful lake protection effort.

Learn more about the NALMS activities occurring for Lakes Appreciation Month and the Secchi Dip-In. 

ILMS is pleased to announce its 2025 Lake Appreciation Event Sponsorship winners.  These sponsorships are intended to reduce the cost of holding educational events in or around Lakes Appreciation Month, July.  A total of $1,000 in sponsorships were provided, including $200 in funds generously provided by Jones Lake Management.  Recipients will receive $100 to $200 to help cover the costs of materials, speaker fees, space rental, or event promotion.  

Congratulations to our 2025 recipients:

• Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation – Pontoon Ecology Cruise.  On August 2, WACF will take community members out on the lake to conduct water testing, learn plant identification techniques, and hear about ongoing projects working to protect and improve the lake.  Learn more at https://wacf.com/events/pontoon-tour/
• Starke County SWCD – Kankakee River Days.  This exciting event will take 4th-6th grade students on the river in voyageur canoes as the highlight of a full day of educational activities.  There will also be a Community Day on Saturday September 13!  More details coming soon.
• Friends of Lake Monroe – Watershed Tour.  On Saturday June 21st, community members will board a bus to explore the South Fork portion of the Lake Monroe watershed.  Sites include a recreation area, a burn site in Hoosier National Forest, a stream gage on South Fork Salt Creek, and the Lake Monroe dam.  Learn more at https://www.friendsoflakemonroe.org/events-page/tour
• Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams – Cyanotypes from the Wetland.  On Saturday July 12, local artist and educator Erin Patton-McFarren will lead a hands-on cyanotype workshop that blends art, nature, and environmental awareness.  Participants will explore a local wetland, learn about regional water issues, and make their own cyanotype prints using shoreline plants.  Learn more at https://lakes.grace.edu/events/workshop-cyanotypes-from-the-wetland/
• Cordry Sweetwater Conservancy District – Keeping Our Lakes Pristine.  During the summer, volunteer boat stewards monitor the boat ramps at select times, inspecting boats, answering questions, and educating boaters about how to keep the lake healthy.  
• Lake Shafer Association – DNR Boating Class.  On May 18, the Lake Shafer Association worked with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast to offer a Boat Safety Class.

We hope you will attend a Lakes Appreciation Event happening near you this summer!