Wetlands

The Lake Maxinkuckee Enviromental Council (LMEC) has been raising funds and forming partnerships with area landowners to build three constructed wetlands on the three major inlet ditches to trap the sediment and nutrients flowing into the lake from the watershed. Before these wetlands were built, these three ditches contributed 59% of the phosphorus entering the lake. The wetlands have at times removed up to 85% of the phosphorus, but catastrophic events (such as a 100 year rain event within a week of planting new vegetation) at times have impaired the different wetlands abilities to remove nutrients. Continued stewardship of these areas to keep them functioning has been a priority of the LMEC.

The 2.2 acre Wilson Wetland is the first of the three wetlands. It was constructed in 1987 on Culver Academies land and is the first constructed wetland in the State of Indiana. The wetland filters water approaching the lake from the northeast through the Wilson Ditch, adjacent to pastures used by horses of the Black Horse Troop.

This is the largest and possibly most successful of the three wetlands. The Kline diverted water from an artificial channel at the southeast end of the lake. In the first two wetlands native plants were introduced. In the Kline, returning water brought back natural wetlands vegetation. This 76 acre site was sold to the DNR, becoming the Maxinkuckee Wetland Conservation Area.