Photo provided by the Maumee River Basin Commission.

News Release

FORT WAYNE – The Maumee River Basin Commission Board of Directors will dedicate the Commission’s Erosion and Sediment Control and Water Quality Improvement Programs to Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District Director Greg Lake as a tribute to Lake’s unwavering commitment to not only improving water quality in Allen County, but the entire Maumee River Basin, which is a part of the Western Lake Erie Basin.

The dedication will commence at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9, at the Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana facility, 550 E. Wallen Road, Fort Wayne.

Established in 1986 by the Indiana General Assembly, MRBC is charged with mitigating flood damages and improving stream health in the Maumee River Watershed. The Commission is composed of representatives from Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Noble, Steuben, and Wells Counties.

Greg Lake is the last founding Maumee River Basin Commission Board member still actively serving. Lake is completing his 39th year on MRBC’s Board as Allen County SWCD’s representative. For the greater part of that time, he has served on MRBC’s Executive Board, holding the positions of first vice-president, second vice-president, third vice-president, and secretary. Lake is known throughout northeast Indiana and other parts of the state for his proactive and innovative approaches as he strives to protect Allen County’s natural resources.

MRBC Executive Director Rod Renkenberger met Lake in 1985 while northeast Indiana county officials were meeting with state legislators to craft the legislative language that created the Maumee River Basin Commission.

“Greg Lake has served as a true leader in promoting best management practices to improve soil health, reduce soil erosion and improve water quality in northeast Indiana,” said Renkenberger. “Greg led the effort and created one of the most robust water quality monitoring programs in the State of Indiana. He is constantly striving to improve water quality for the sake of protecting the City of Fort Wayne’s drinking water supply. Greg set the stage in northeast Indiana for protecting our natural resources and improving water quality.”

The MRBC Board wishes to recognize Lake’s 39 years of dedicated service to the Commission and pay tribute to his passion for protecting water quality and for his ability to foster diverse partnerships on innovative projects that have been designed to provide both water quality and flood damage reduction benefits.

MRBC’s mission is to provide regional leadership and promotion of flood control, soil and water conservation, and related resource management through a coordinated and comprehensive planning and implementing approach.