NASBLA Public Library

Executive Summary

A joint committee was formed in May of 2005 by the LaGrange County Lakes Council (LCLC) and the Steuben County Lakes Council (SCLC) to investigate lake carrying capacity. There is a perception by the members of these two organizations that overuse is degrading the safety and enjoyment of our lakes.

Jacquie Colburn has defined carrying capacity as, “The amount of development and activity a body of water can handle before it starts to deteriorate.” When carrying capacity of the lake is exceeded, the lake’s ecology can deteriorate, it can have reduced enjoyment potential, increased safety issues and property values can decrease. The State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan observes, “Recreation opportunities also benefit the economy. Property values increase when there are ample outdoor leisure opportunities available.” Lakes that exceed their carrying capacity can negatively impact the economy by discouraging their use and driving the lake recreationist to other areas or states. The Economic Study commissioned by the SCLC clearly shows the positive impact made by lakes on the economy of Steuben County. Exceeding the carrying capacity of the lakes could negatively impact this positive contribution.

The literature on lake carrying capacity makes clear that there is no easy answer to the question of carrying capacity. The question is social in nature. One cannot just sit on a dock, count boats and make a determination. The pleasure capacity of a lake is exceeded when there is deterioration in the enjoyment of the lake by the user. This can be caused by the perception of too many boats, overcrowding, too many fast boats, reduction in safety, or just a feeling that this is not a place I want to be.

What a user would perceive as overcrowding on Bitter Lake N.W.R. outside of Roswell, New Mexico would be considered the wide-open spaces in New York City. The users’ idea of what is too close and what is enough space to feel safe is dependent on the users’ experiences and expectations. The literature has many examples of how to determine the amount of area a lake user needs to feel safe and secure. While the actual study process is long and arduous, the concept is simple. Ask the people who use the lake what their needs and expectations are, do a statistical analysis and generate a result.

Having generated results, then what? How much area does a user need to feel safe and have no reduction in enjoyment caused by other users? The IDNR and the laws of the State of Indiana control the lakes. No Lake Association can make a rule limiting the number of boats on the lake or their activities. There is one exception in Steuben County where specific laws are in place to control boating activities; this was by special legislation and affects only two lakes. The answer to preventing overcrowding on a lake is by action through the legislature or other lawmaking groups. An effort by individual lake residents through their elected representatives is the only way to see that site-specific capacity laws are in place.

The conclusion that the committee reached, based on both the literature sources and its own work, is that the lakes studied exceed their carrying capacity on most, if not all summer weekends. The committee recommends further study using an existing methodology that allows for the lake specific

These are the recommendations of the Carrying Capacity Study Committee:

1. That there be a study of the environmental impact of over capacity use on the lakes. The committee feels that the impacts of boating on the environment of a lake needs study, and the fact that the lakes seem to exceed their carrying capacity by multiples, means that the study needs to be undertaken soon.
2. That two lakes be selected on which to do a carrying capacity study. An in depth study using the methodologies cited in the literature will serve as an experience guide for others who wish to determine the carrying capacity of their lake.
3. That the results of this study be disseminated to the individual lake associations. The study should be distributed to governmental bodies, the press, or anyone who would have an interest in or the power to determine the levels of lake usage.
4. Work with government agencies to enact laws that will positively impact the health, safety and enjoyment of the lake resources. An example of this would be a maximum speed limit for boats on inland freshwater lakes. Less area is required for slower moving boats, generated waves are smaller for slower moving boats, and there should be fewer user conflicts if the speed of boats is controlled.
5. Use this study to influence authorities to include lake carrying capacity as one of the factors when considering the approval of projects that will place more boats on the water.