Carlyle Lake Association

1. We worked with the Corps of Engineers (USACE), to secure $22M in federal funding for major upgrades at the Carlyle Lake Project.

2. We very successfully petitioned the USACE to perform a depth survey of the CSA harbor.

3. With the help of Heartlands Conservancy (HC), CLA has secured a grant of $10,000 from, Ducks Unlimited and $2000 each from Carlyle Lake Waterfowlers, Migratory Waterfowl Hunters (Alton), and Mississippi Valley Duck Hunters (Belleville) to rock reinforce levees in the Carlyle Lake Wildlife Management Area that were damaged by flooding. CLA contributed $5000 to the project plus a $500 contribution to HC for their efforts. Figure – 2. Project completed in 2017.

4. CLA formed a partnership with USACE Carlyle Project Office to build a boat access structures for handicapped boaters at the West Access ramp. Project partners in addition to $1700 from CLA include in-kind donations from the City of Carlyle. Figure - 1

5.Annual contribution of $750 to the Carlyle fireworks.

6. Member of, and active participation in, the Carlyle Economic Development Committee.

7. Supporting Carlyle Sailing Association in their efforts to obtain funds from IDNR to repair flood damage at their installation in Hazlet State Park.

8. USACE update of the Carlyle Project Masterplan approved, which includes authorization for flood remediation project at CSA. See below. Serving on the stakeholder committee advising USACE in the Kaskaskia Basin Study mandated by Congress as a result of lobbying by KWA/CLA. CLA is championing several recommended project recommendations vital to lake users. (See article, Kaskaskia Basin Study below). The study was begun and continued for six months of the intended three years, but was then put on hold because the $1.0M continued matching funds promised by the State of Illinois failed to be obtained. The federal funding can be restored if the match is obtained within five years. Otherwise, the study will be dead.

9. Supporting the construction of an additional handicapped boater access structure at the Keyesport ramp.

10. Supported the securing of a $33K grant from the Friends of Reservoirs for creation of fish spawning structures in Carlyle Lake. For more detail, refer to the CLA Workplan, which may be obtained by request from a CLA officer or director.

The Carlyle Lake Association (CLA) is an organization of citizens (stakeholders) working for the betterment of Carlyle Lake.

The lake has become a treasured resource to thousands of people from throughout southern Illinois and the St. Louis metropolitan area. The CLA members have a remarkable variety of interests:

• Sailing and boating at the lake
  
• Enjoying exceptional campgrounds
  
• Taking opportunities to hike, hunt, fish and observe wildlife
  
• Growing crops near the lake
  
• Living in the area
  
• Running a business that depends on the lake
  

Often, the interests of some lake users may appear to be in conflict with those of others. CLA, founded in 1995, has grown to be the one voice that speaks for all the interests in Carlyle Lake and works to reconcile differences to everyone's benefit.

If Carlyle Lake is any part of your life, you should support CLA and join now. Complete the membership application on the update report.