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.