Posted on April 23, 2025
The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation has announced the completion of remediation efforts to remove significant sediment deposits along the Crow’s Nest area of the East Shore of Lake Wawasee. The sediment was deposited as a result of shoreline development activities beginning in 2021 that were not properly permitted by state and local authorities.
Working in concert with a group of affected homeowners led by Lake Wawasee resident Jim Marcuccilli and bolstered by research from The EcoSystems Connections Institute led by Dr. Jerry Sweeten, WACF supported activities to assess the damage and plan for removal of the sediment. Because of the significance of the event and its detrimental impact on the health and clarity of Lake Wawasee, WACF coordinated the remediation planning and removal of up to 6 inches of eroded sediment into the lake along the East Shore.
ECI completed a study on behalf of homeowners affected by the erosion in June of 2023 which surveyed the area and found that the sediment was disbursed as far as 750 feet south of the Crow’s Nest development. After reviewing the study, WACF applied for necessary permits to remediate the damage.
In June of 2024 WACF received a Certificate of Approval from The Indiana Department of Natural Resources for dredging an area comprising of approximately 35,000 square feet of lake bottom to remove 325 cubic yards of sediment as identified in the ECI assessment. Dredging activities began on Nov. 19, 2024 and was completed on Nov. 26, 2024, with over 20 dump truck loads of sediment removed and placed on WACF property nearby.
The project was facilitated through fines assessed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which provided partial funding for the project. Funding to complete the project was provided by WACF. IDEM fines were directed to be paid to the Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams with those funds being dispersed to WACF for remediation efforts.
