July 2, 2003 -- EPA in conjunction with the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) and others, is celebrating "Lakes Awareness Month" in July as part of the Year of Clean Water, 2002-2003.
Boating, fishing and swimming are favorite recreational uses of American lakes and reservoirs. Lakes and reservoirs also play other vital, and often under-appreciated, roles. They provide drinking water and irrigation water for agricultural fields and are a source of electricity and power generation.
They also serve the important function of absorbing rainfall and runoff from land, help to prevent floods, and provide homes for precious wildlife. It is clear that as we enjoy and use lakes, we have to protect them. Because lake pollution is caused by so many different activities, no single approach will suffice to prevent it.
Education and outreach aimed at changing individual behavior are key components to any successful lake protection effort.
For more information about Lakes Awareness Month, contact Anne Weinberg at 202/556-1217 or [email protected].
Listed below are outreach materials that have been developed and are now available on line at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/month/.
Door Hanger: Open the Door to Clean Lakes
Fact Sheet: Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers!
Fact Sheet: Dip Into Volunteer Monitoring with the Great North American Secchi Dip-In Brochure: Adopt Your Watershed
Handbook: Shipshape Shores and Waters: A Handbook for Marina Operators and
Recreational Boaters
Key Chain: Clean Lakes and You
Poster: Clean Lakes and You
