Lake Monroe Day on Sept. 18, the first event of its kind, is an opportunity for the community to celebrate the lake as a resource for drinking water, recreation and wildlife.

“Every resident, community and business depends on clean, abundant water and we must do our part to protect this valued resource for generations to come,” Iris O’Donnell Bellisario, Friends of Lake Monroe director, told Indiana Environmental Reporter. “We invite our community to come together to recognize the importance of Lake Monroe and make a commitment as a community to protect and preserve the lake.”

The event, which is sponsored by Friends of Lake Monroe, will include a guided kayak trip at Pine Grove State Recreation Area from 4 - 6 p.m. with David Rupp of IndiGo Birding Nature Trails.

Also look for a celebration from 5 - 8 p.m. at Upland Brewing Wood Shop with music and appetizers provided by Friends of Lake Monroe.

“This celebration is a great chance to get to know our lake supporters and to learn more about Friends of Lake Monroe’s ongoing work preserving and enhancing Lake Monroe,” O’Donnell Bellisario said.

Lake Monroe Day will also include City of Bloomington Utilities Drinking Water Treatment Tours at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Learn about the treatment process that turns water from Lake Monroe into drinking water and how that water is distributed to taps throughout Bloomington.

Lake Monroe has been used as a drinking water source since 1967 and currently provides drinking water to more than 130,000 people. The lake generates more than $40 million in economic impact annually in the region from recreational tourism. Lake Monroe and its adjacent wetlands also provide critical habitat for wildlife, including the bald eagle.

Friends of Lake Monroe is a nonprofit formed to protect and enhance Lake Monroe and its watershed through science, advocacy and public involvement. It works collaboratively with citizens, government and business to improve and support lake water quality.

“No single entity is responsible for overseeing the entirety of Lake Monroe and its watershed, nor tasked with ensuring its long-term sustainability regarding water quality,” O’Donnell Bellisario said. “As a 501c3 nonprofit, Friends of Lake Monroe has the ability to coordinate with all the organizations and jurisdictions involved with Lake Monroe.”

You can register for events here. The guided kayak trip has reached its full capacity.