The Tippecanoe Environmental Lake and Watershed Foundation has received another grant to continue their ongoing efforts to care for upper Tippecanoe watersheds.

Their latest project involves construction of 2,700 lineal feet of water and sediment control basins on a severely eroding farm field draining into the Elder ditch in Larwill.

Three five-foot dams with drainage tile will be built and installed to prevent surface erosion along with seeding of appropriate areas.

The prime objective of this project is to reduce loading of phosphorus, nitrogen and sediments in the ditch to improve water quality in Ridinger Lake and the Barbee chain of lakes.

The funding, $2,950 from Northern Indiana Public Service Co.'s Environmental Challenge Fund, will be used for seed, tile and installation costs.

The Tippecanoe Environmental Lake & Watershed Foundation was organized in 1997 and has grown in size and scope each year. Their mission is to promote understanding and management of the lakes and watershed, fostering their restoration and preservation.

Devoted to improving the water quality of the lakes and watersheds, the foundation has made nearly half a million dollars worth of improvements.

Through successful fund-raising of more than $125,000 and an infusion of grants from several sources - Lake & River Enhancement Funds, Build Indiana monies, NiSource and the Kosciusko County Foundation - the group has completed two major projects and is the middle of two others.

In 1999, the Indian Creek project was completed with the installation of two half-acre storm detention basins at the Lake Tippecanoe Country Club.

The basins are designed to reduce the amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and bacteria entering the stream and flowing into the lake. They slow the release rate of storm water to the creek, reducing erosion and decreasing the amount of sediment loading into the lake.

The Hannah B. Walker/Henwood Creek drain restoration was completed in 2000. This project consisted of building a new channel through the Henwood and Clay properties and adding a number of sediment traps to slow down and trap nutrients before they flow into the lakes.

Tons of rock were brought in to build a new streambed.

At the mouth of the drain entering Tippecanoe Lake, a sediment trap was installed designed to collect up to 50 percent of the suspended solids and 100 percent of the bed load of the drain.

The Kuhn Ditch at the Warner property is currently under construction. The plan is to turn a working 120-acre farm along the ditch into native wetlands, prairie and forests for wildlife habitat and water quality improvements. This project involves reforesting 40 acres of existing corn and soybean fields, returning 48 acres to native prairie lands and restoring hydrology and vegetation to three wetlands areas totaling eight acres.

The foundation organizes cleanups, tours of the project sites and promotes the use of "phosphorous free" lawn fertilizer programs.

Volunteers contributed more than 3,100 hours to the foundation in 2000.

The group works closely with area groups such as the Barbee Lake Property Owners Association and the Webster Lake Conservancy Association.

Lynn Stevens serves as the groups executive director. Bob Smith is president of the foundation. Members of the board of directors include Smith, Phil Baskett, Gary Calhoun, John Franz, Emily Greenland, Holly LaSalle, Dick Long, Janet Petro, Bob Schwartz, Glenna Shelby and Jeff Thornburg.

For more information, call 834-3242.

On the Net: Tippecanoe Environmental Lake & Water-shed Foundation: www.telwf.org, e-mail: telwf@ kconline.com; Environmental Challenge Fund, www.nisource.com [[In-content Ad]]