WHO ARE WE?

The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF) is an Indiana not-for-profit organization with federal and state tax exempt status. WACF was created in 1991 and is governed by an Executive Board all of whom are property owners in the Wawasee area watershed. The purpose for which WACF was created is to protect and preserve the scenic beauty and water quality of all lakes within the Wawasee area watershed. This watershed starts at Little Knapp Lake in Noble County and flows down through 10 lakes by way of Turkey Creek into Lake Wawasee, then through the wetlands of Main Channel and Mud Lake into Syracuse Lake. The watershed consists of 23,618 acres.

WACF depends on tax-deductible donations from sponsors interested in preserving the scenic beauty and water quality in our lakes and protecting the wetlands. These donations are sought from the entire area of the watershed. There are currently over 500 sponsors, and the number keeps growing, as it must if the positive results are to be sustained.

Our Mission: The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF) is a local public not-for-profit foundation dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Wawasee area watershed for present and future generations.

WHAT IS THE WAWASEE WATERSHED?
The Wawasee Watershed covers 23,618 acres including Wawasee, Syracuse, Bonar and Papakeechie lakes as well as ten lakes in the upper Turkey Creek sub watershed.

HERE’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
The Foundation was formed in 1991 to anticipate, search out, and solve threats to the Wawasee Area Watershed and to its water quality. The Foundation is dedicated to the enhancement of the area and will work hand-in-hand with property owner groups, the State Department of Natural Resources and other governmental and civic organizations that share its concerns.

The Foundation was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) corporation, thus enabling it to provide tax advantages for any and all gifts and grants. Initial financing was from voluntary contributions from members of the Board of Directors and the Wawasee Property Owners Association.

With the help of DNR personnel, five key wetlands were identified. Efforts were initiated to acquire all or parts of these wetlands to reduce water velocity and absorb polluting nutrients. To date these efforts have resulted in acquisition or pending transactions on twenty-six wetland areas totaling approximately 454 acres in the key areas and elsewhere:

1. Gifted 3.5 acre island in Southeast Bay of Wawasee (2004)
2. Purchased 21.85 acres of wetland, upland and pond area west of Main Channel Bay (2003)
3. Gifted .34 acre parcel in the Mudd Lake area (2003)
4. Purchased 8 acres in the Syracuse/Bonar Lakes wetland area (2003)
5. Purchased 37.7 acres straddling Dillon Creek in the Enchanted Hills watershed. (2002-2003)
6. Partially gifted .74 acre island adjacent to Morrison Island (2002)
7. Gifted 1-acre island including 513’ of natural shoreline between Syracuse and Wawasee Lakes in the Main Channel/Mudd Lake area (2002).
8. Purchased 17.164 acres on the southeast edge of Turkey Creek Inlet wetlands (2002).
9. Purchased 9.10 acres, including over 600’ of natural shoreline on the north side of Knapp Lake (2002).
10. Gifted 2.643 acres along the south side of Bonar Lake (2001).
11. Purchased and partially gifted 128.7 acres along the north side of Village, Duely, Rider and Gordy lakes including approximately 7,000 feet of wetlands shoreline including the historic Indian Oven (2000).
12. Purchased 10.08 acres and wetlands adjoining the north side of Turkey Creek near the outflow to Lake Wawasee (2000).
13. Purchased 70 acres of wetlands and related acreage consisting of approximately 4,400 lf. of wetlands shoreline on Moss and Hindman Lakes, including the entirety of Neal Lake (2000).
14. Gift of 2.72 acres with 400 lineal feet of wetlands shoreline on Conklin Bay and adjacent to SR13 (2000)
15. Gift of 20.595 acres of wetlands and related acreage between Syracuse Lake and Bonar Lake (1999)
16. Purchased 6.58 acres of land/wetlands adjacent to Turkey Creek near the outflow to Wawasee Lake (1999)
17. Purchased 4.5 acres known as Buck Island on the southeast end of Syracuse Lake (1999)
18. Purchased 19.65 acres surrounding Little Knapp Lake (1999)
19. Purchased 13.52 acres of land/wetlands on Knapp Lake (1999)
20. Purchased 1.17 acres of Mud Lake (1998)
21. Purchased 16.07 acres of Bonar wetlands (1997)
22. Purchased an additional 16.07 acres of Bonar wetlands (1997)
23. Purchased 15.79 acres of Bonar wetlands (1996)
24. Purchased 14.14 Acres of Bonar wetlands (1995)
25. Purchased 1.66 acres on Conklin Bay (1994)
26. Gift of land of 2.02 acres on Conklin Bay from Mayme Long (1993)