RUN.BIKE.EAT.DRINK.DANCE AT CLEA EVENT

Some very community-minded folks in Cedar Lake thought up a first ever event for their town set for this Saturday and Sunday. It is unique in its approach to combining entertainment and awareness about an important dredging project in the works for the growing community of Cedar Lake.

The Cedar Lake Enhancement Association, or CLEA, was established in 1994 to improve Cedar Lake and the nearby watershed district. For many years CLEA has worked with the Army Corps of Engineers stabilizing the inlets leading into the lake and building towards the Ecosystem Restoration of Cedar Lake which includes: re-introducing native plants, re-establishing native fisheries, and dredging the lake.

The Waterfront Sports and Entertainment Expo, this weekend's event, is designed to combine athletics, public support for the enhancement project and a good, old-fashioned, great time at beautiful Cedar Lake. There will be live music, a run and a walk in the morning on Saturday and a 15-mile bicycling event on Sunday. There will also be live music throughout the day. Hours are 10 am to 11 pm on Saturday and from 9 am to 6 pm on Sunday. Participating food vendors include Pier 74 Grill, South Side Pizza, Corky's Dog House, Strack's Catering, Chela's Cocina and Zuni's Pizza.

Event Timeline

Saturday July 30th

10am CLEA Expo begins

4pm Run 5k and Walk 1 mile

5pm Fresh Hops Band

8pm Gone to Paradise (Jimmy Buffet)

11pm Event closes

Sunday July 31st

9am Bike ~15mile

9am Car Show begins

12pm Nicole Jamrose

3pm M&R Rush

6pm CLEA Expo ends

Project Description

Cedar Lake was a popular recreation area in the first half of the 20th century. Over time, however, cultural eutrophication degraded the water quality, and as a result the aquatic ecosystems and associated socioeconomic benefits of the lake significantly decreased. Sewage overflows and agricultural runoff led to an accumulation of nutrients within the lake, which created eutrophic conditions. Obvious signs of this eutrophication included the formation of algae mats in the summer, blue-green algae blooms, reduction of water clarity, sediment accumulation on the lake's bottom, and sediment plumes visible in the lake after storm events. As water quality declined, so did the lake's socioeconomic advantages. Nutrient inputs from external sources have been reduced dramatically in recent years through improved sewage systems, constructed wetlands and erosion control projects. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) will compare different alternatives for reducing the amount of nutrients entering the water column from the sediments within the lake. Dredging, biological controls and boating restrictions are some of the measures that will be investigated during the study.

For a complete event description and more information about the Cedar Lake Enhancement Association, click here.