Q11 Update – Educating About Water Quality
One of our ongoing efforts at Friends of Lake Monroe is to educate about how everyone can play a role in protecting water quality. We give many presentations to groups ranging from Rotary clubs to County Boards of Health to Master Naturalist programs. We also host our own events like watershed tours, septic maintenance workshops, kayak trips, and our annual Lake Monroe Day Celebration. Another great outreach opportunity has been tabling at events like county fairs, community farmers markets, and local festivals. All of these efforts reach different parts of our community and encourage everyone to be a water steward.
This fall we will host a Forestry Field Day on October 8 at the home of FLM Advisory Board Member Mary Madore. She and her husband Michael May manage 66 acres of classified forest in the Lake Monroe watershed. They will share their experience with trail maintenance to minimize soil erosion, battling invasive species without the use of herbicides, and planting new trees to support healthy succession. Join us to learn the basics of forest stewardship.
We will also be tabling at the Houston Fall Festival in Jackson County on October 11 where we will promote our Jackson County Septic Voucher program. Festivals are a great place to catch people who might not know that they’re interested until they see our display and hear what we have to offer. In this case, we are offering up to $200 off septic pumping for households in the Jackson County portion of the Lake Monroe watershed. We’ll also be sharing information on other ways that homeowners can protect local waterways by taking care of their homes and yards. Examples include managing soil erosion, letting vegetation grow along streams, and picking up pet waste.
Last but not least, we’ll continue to promote our Conservation Cost-Share Program. We currently have $17,500 available for soil and water conservation projects. Please reach out to coordinator Maggie Sullivan at watershed@friendsoflakemonroe.org or 812-558-0217 if you are interested in a free project consultation. Projects must be complete by November 2026.
