A watershed is the land area that funnels water into a lake, stream or wetland, and protecting a watershed area is important because lakes are a reflection of the land’s health, says The Watershed Foundation. One of the most important steps in protecting and improving water quality is identifying where pollution problems exist, which can range from areas of frequent flooding to visible contamination in the water, or instances of illegal dumping. The Clean Waters Partnership, an extension of The Watershed Foundation, is currently focused on building a Watershed Management Plan for Warsaw, Winona Lake and the surrounding areas. Area residents who use the lakes have a unique perspective and familiarity with the land and lakes, says the Foundation, which is seeking their input in indentifying and locating potential pollution sources and problem areas Residents can share thoughts and concerns through a short five-question survey at www.watershedfoundation.org. The Watershed Foundation works to protect and improve water quality in the lakes and streams of the Upper Tippecanoe River watershed to ensure that future generations will have clean water for healthy and happy families and communities, according to information from TWF.
