First Cyanobacteria Warnings of 2024 Issued for Lake Winnipesaukee
 

Yesterday, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) issued the first Cyanobacteria Warnings (previously Advisories) on Lake Winnipesaukee for 2024. The initial total cyanobacteria density for the sample collected at Nineteen Mile Beach was 561,000 cells/mL and density for Carry Beach was 160,000 cells/mL. Warnings are implemented when cell counts exceed 70,000 cells/mL. The taxa Dolichospermum was identified in both samples, and Aphanothece was also found in the Nineteen Mile Bay sample.

To stay up to date on these warnings, I highly suggest that you sign up for NHDES Waterbody Specific Notifications. You can check the status of the warnings and alerts using the Healthy Swimming Mapper. We will be updating the LWA Cyanobacteria page and tracking map this week. If you suspect a bloom, please use the NHDES Reporting Tool and contact LWA. The blooms in Wolfeboro are described as "thick green material mixed with swirls of yellow pollen along the shoreline." The Tuftonboro blooms are described as "green clouds thoroughly mixed into the water on the shoreline." All samples had pollen mixed in. Any surface scum should be avoided, especially if the material is green.


There are numerous factors that play into when and where cyanobacteria blooms occur and it is almost impossible to point directly to one source. Cyanobacteria feed on nutrients and sunlight. Limited ice in, fertilizer use, polluted stormwater runoff, erosion, and failing septic systems are just a few of these factors. Less ice = more sunlight, more sunlight = increased plant/algae growth.

How can you help? LWA works on Watershed Management Plans throughout the watershed by Bay, identifying sites in need of remediation (failing culverts, lacking vegetation, poor maintenance etc.) on public property. Private property owners can do their part to adopt Lake-Friendly practices like retrofitting drains that empty directly into the lake, taking proper care of their septic systems, stopping fertilizer usage (especially those containing phosphates), pick up their pet waste, break up their lawn with native plantings, and designate walking paths to minimize soil compaction that leads to erosion. Please visit www.winnipesaukee.org for more info on how you can do your part to minimize excessive nutrients from entering the lake.


Stay safe!
Bree Rossiter
Conservation Program Manager

As Some Might Recall My Citing Here Last Week...
 

Hmmm.

The same waters where lawns are mowed--especially on Thursdays.

Where are you talking about?

North of Wolfeboro Neck--Winter Harbor...
 

Both Tuftonboro- and Wolfeboro- Neck waters.

Green lawn means fertilizer which causes Cyanobacteria

Pollen?
 

Looks like pollen to me…

Dan

Agree. Its pollen. We got the same warning over here on Winnisquam


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Consider the Source, But...
 

My first thought...

but...

:look:

That's a limitation of the photography, unfortunately, you need to read the fine print. According to the lab testing, the cyanobacteria is the green mass underneath the pollen.

This happens every year since I have been coming to the lake. That would be around 1968. Just not sure what the issue is


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Did you read the above? Look at the counts? Pretty big issue. You should attend meetings on this subject.

i thought that too.

Bull. Nothing but a money grab. There is nothing that can be done to avoid it from happening. It’s natural


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Gilford will be next
 

I would expect Saunders Bay, Smith Cove and the areas around Governors Island to have problems soon. Plenty of huge, green lawns in all those areas. What are people thinking? It's the lake, not a Golf course

Many cases are anthropogenic. Sorry if it doesn’t fit your narrative that man isn’t having deleterious effects on the planet, but we are.


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But you are allowed to blame man for all of earths problems. Believe you are the only one here with a agenda


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Lawns
 

So I understand and agree that run off causes issues and there are more than a few homes that for whatever reason were allowed to take waterfront trees down and put in lawns but regarding fertilizer in particular - to say that the homeowners are solely responsible for this aspect (if it is in fact happening and causing these issues) would be overlooking local landscaping firms/businesses that actually do the work and would or should know better.

I believe there is a law and some cert/licensing requirements within a certain zone, but the run-off can come from a lot farther away than just the property right on the lake. But it is more likely a combination of several things and that it doesn't ''flush out'' of the lake that easy.

What they are noting is the phosphorous levels are higher than the natural background.

I believe the alum treatment is to lock that phosphorous into the lake bottom. I think it combines and settles out.

Correct. There are many causes to the problem. Fertilizers are just one issue.

Geez people. I am tired of blaming it all on fertilizer. We have a flat lot and grass and we haven't fertilized it for years. It is very green. I agree with Winnisquam, and I read that a lot of it is natural. It gets out of control sometimes and was never previously like it is now.

.... "The bloom material is mixed with dense pollen to varying ... http://www.des.nh.gov/news-and-media...-winnipesaukee ..... degrees. At times, the cyanobacteria material is distinct from the pollen, appearing as green clouds separate from the yellow pollen clouds. In other area the pollen and cyanobacteria are more mixed, appearing just as yellow clouds. See below for varying bloom presentation. Microscopic review indicated the pollen is masking the presence of cyanobacteria."

defective septics
 

Effluent from poor/failing septic systems can be another cause...

We can argue about the causes of bad water, bad air and climate change forever. The only thing that is guaranteed is, doing nothing changes nothing!

I’m not the one speaking in absolutes.


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There goes the lakes
 

This has been an issue since the McMansion owners started developing the lake. They completely disregard the lake infrastructure as their landscape is the top priority. Look at the fertilizers they use before sunset or sunrise on their lawn!

As for Lake Winnisquam, it all started when they were treating sewage in Laconia next to the public ramp. The discharge created huge bacteria counts on the lake and down the Winnipesaukee River. They finally built the plant next to the Merrimac River in Franklin and diverted sewage there. The lake never recovered.

If only we could foresee this back in the 50s.

6/14/2024 Update: NHDES issued a press release yesterday about the blooms on Winni. They have recommended that "Any surface scum, no matter the color, should be avoided to prevent toxin exposure. Do not recreate, let children play in, or let pets in any surface blooms. NHDES will resample the affected areas on June 19 and will continue weekly resampling if the bloom continues."

https://www.des.nh.gov/news-and-medi...-winnipesaukee

This is what the sample off of Tuftonboro Neck looked like under the microscope. Pollen scums are completely normal for this time of year, but we are seeing more cyanobacteria in these scums as well.

I've been asked (not told) to refrain from posting on this forum until I retire or move on. I have honored that request but, in this instance, I'm making an exception. This problem is real. This is not just pollen. Fertilizer is not the sole cause. Contributing factors include fertilizers, increased run-off, reduced nutrient uptake in the watershed due to reduced vegetative cover, more geese, higher stream water temperatures due to less tree shading on contributing waters, more nutrients released into streams due to poor soil stabilization practices sites during and after construction, higher water temperatures, lack of winter ice cover, increased mobilization of lakebed sediments and mixing of nutrients in the water column due to boat traffic, increased nutrient contributions from flooding... I could go on. Yes, cyanobacteria are naturally occurring and native to our waters. No, they shouldn't bloom so aggressively. That they do, indicates that the system is currently out of balance giving them a growth advantage until they outstrip the available resources and starve themselves out.

This is our legacy. There is no simple, immediate remedy. People here can, and will, disagree about the causes and the viability of solutions. That said, it would seem that the people here generally do agree that they like their dogs, cats, and kids. Please do not disregard these warnings when they appear. The risk, particularly to pets that may drink from the bloom area, is real. Hopefully, these blooms will pass quickly.

Lake Winnipesaukee water quality
 

The post by Onshore is very important reading. People may discuss this situation using different words, but no matter how you slice it, if, by whatever means, the quality of the Lake is degraded to a point where it becomes a health issue, the economy of the Lakes Region, in the summer, will suffer immeasurably.

I read a quote a while back that hits this nail on the head, "Spend more time finding solutions and less time finding blame".

Grandfathered septic systems, poorly enforced regulations, and personal arrogance have all contributed to this problem - now it is the time the correct all this.

"Change" Is Inevitable But NOT Existential...
 

^
With the exception of three years, I've been in the lake since 1952. No duck itch, no blue-green algae, no Canada Geese, but greater ice density back then.

This is one of Mother Nature's spikes in the sun's heating of the environment--merely somewhat augmented by human presence.

Mother Nature's most memorable heating spike inspired Vikings to plant grapes on the island of Greenland--formerly locked in snow, ice, and glaciers.

"Climate Change" is a natural phenomenon, which is why it no longer makes headlines as "Global Warming".

As to fertilizer, I've seen it spread by hand (broadcast) down to the water's edge near my place. The owners live in Washington, DC, so they're oblivious to their lawn maintenance crew's practices, and may even tip their lawn employees for the greener lawn than their neighbors'.

In 1952, we wouldn't have known the words "McMansion" and "rafting", but "nestled in the woods" would've been common knowledge.

We could return to the 1952 lakefronts of evergreens, pine needles, wildflowers, and moss--but don't hold your breath.

:look:

I flew over the lake yesterday and was amazed at the amount of "scum" I could see from 3,500 feet in the broads, complete with boat trails through it. I'm hoping it's just pollen, but who knows.

What is her agenda that you don’t like?

Once phosphorous enters the system, it is actually pretty hard to remove it... which is why they are using the alum.
The alum binds with it and removes if from the cycle... at least for a time.

Good point--they posted on that yesterday, for homeowners and landscapers
https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...ad.php?t=29548

Amazing work
 

I don't post often but I do read the discussions here all of the time. I have learned allot from this group about the lake. So I was on the fence about this subject until last year, Bree posted she needed a volunteer with a boat to bring her team to places on the lake to sample. I was happy to offer my help as I love to learn and observe. I had a friend of mine come along with us as well, that friend who is literally the most intelligent person I have ever met was blown away by the testing and evidence based information he saw. He helped the team sample and since then has read hours upon hours on this subject, he is convinced we are the primary cause of this problem and at the same time we can be the cure. He was a non believer before this! So I just want to say to Bree and her team THANK YOU for the great work you do. Anyone with doubts should contact her and I can guarantee you will have been thankful for what you learn. Its called we all can take small steps to help so please do what you can and most of all educate yourself about this very important matter.

With the high temps expected this week I don't expect it to get any better anytime soon.

Join the effort to protect the lake
 

At the risk of sounding redundant (my wife accuses me of this occasionally:) if you are concerned about the water quality of the lake, I urge you to join the Lake Winnipesaukee Association (winnipesaukee.org). LWA is leading the effort to protect our lake using proven science to both understand the problem and implement solutions. The clear, clean water of our lake is the basis for everything - our recreation, property values and economy of the entire region. If we don't actively work to protect the lake's water quality, we will surely experience its further decline. Please consider supporting LWA today and protect our lake now and for the future. Use this link: https://winnipesaukee.app.neoncrm.co...s/membership-1

Agreed that LWA is important. Don't neglect NHLAKES.org which is statewide. Boats and trailers moving from lake to lake may create issues and when there is pending legislation, getting statewide support for all lakes is important. NHKAKES, among other things, runs the Lake Host program and works closely with NHDES.

Stop peeing in the lake. If you have to drain it, strain it.

Lol. But the pee doesn’t seem to be the issue. If it is we are all guilty!

We all know it’s shoreline development. I bet many assume their one spot and the fertilized lawns and vegetation won’t matter.

On the Internet Also Apparently ..
 

A gardener tells me that urine that is diluted one part to ten parts of water makes a cheap and effective fertilizer.

Nitrogen... but we add phosphorous to increase blooms.

Most pee that goes into the lake in summer is 50% alcohol anyway.

Monday, June 17: The Meredith Town Docks area now has a cyanobacteria warning .... http://www.des.nh.gov/water/healthy-...wimming-mapper as of today, June 17.

Meredith Bay in that area has two water inflows, Hawkins Brook flows through a large culvert under Rt 25 and into Meredith Bay while the Lake Waukewan channel flows through the Mills Falls mill race into Meredith Bay. Both inlets are north of the town docks. The water depth is about 3' to 6' deep with a sandy bottom.

It could be the presence of Canada goose on Hawkins Brook that is the primary cause of cyanobacteria because that water as seen from the Sam Laverack .... http://www.trailfinder.info/trails/t...-hawkins-brook .... board walk, nature trail has been looking very thick with some contamination on the water surface and there's a number of gooses families consisting of a mother goose, a daddy goose, and 2-3-4-5 yellow feathered new born goose.

Both the Town of Meredith's Clough Park and Hesky Park which border Meredith Bay attract Canada goose with their luxurious beautiful clipped green grass lawns which is a #1 favorite menu item for the goose. The Canada goose just love that easy-to-eat clipped green healthy grass .... is so um-umm-goooood! ..... a big Canada goose yummy favorite.

Aluminum to bind the phosphorus?
 

I understand that the DES treated Lake Kanasatka fairly successfully with aluminum a couple years ago. Anyone aware of similar plans for Saukee?

I think it was last year...
And Winni is too big without a lot of federal dollars being spent.

Meredith Bay town docks, Clough Park, Hesky Park; NH DES cyanobacteria warning
 

June 18: Took a walk around the Meredith Town Docks, Hesky Park, and Clough Park, this morning, to get a good look on the cyanobacteria situation. The NH DES has about ten or more 8.5"x11" orange advisory warning signs posted along the large dock boardwalk, town boat launch ramp, Hesky Park and Clough Park shoreline areas.

The grass in both parks close to the water is pretty thick and full of Canada goose poop plus there were maybe 25 Canada goose, adults and yellow goslings present in Clough Park that were eating the green grass.

Could be that mowing the grass will result in grinding up the goose poop into smaller pieces that get into the lake due to rain or wind.

You know that ONE determined ....:banana:.... person could clean the goose poop all up from both Clough Park and Hesky Park in ONE day or less with a rake, shovel, large dustpan, trash barrel, work gloves and face mask. The two waterfront grassy park areas town parks on both sides of Bay Point at Mills Falls Hotel have about 100-yards, each, of waterfront, or two hundred yards-total, of goose poop polluted green grass. The grass area that's closest to the lake water is the worst.

The goose poop pollution is most thick and dense very close to the Winnipesaukee Lake water probably because the goose are more safe when close to the water so they have a potential easy escape while eating the grass in case a predator like a wily coyote tiptoes in to attack.

The water was clear when we left Barndoor at 8:30. We returned at 11:15 and the water along the shore is covered with green algae. Have never seen this level of algae on the island during the past 30 years.

Kanasatka was just done a few weeks ago, looks successful so far.

Be nice if they could spot-treat the reported areas.

Do they test the water column at various spots in the larger lake? I understand that they want to focus on the beaches and areas where people congregate but, I wonder what the general health of the lake is?


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A substantial amount of the lake is now under a Cyano warning. It's early for this, I believe, and the hot weather is only going to make things worse. Been on the lake for 55 years. Shame to see what it's becoming.

With all do respect, if people think the birds have caused this problem then I think the battle is lost. This is people and we need to understand we can just make some small changes to help solve this. I am begging people to read and research this whole situation.

Cyanobacteria signs
 

The RED signs indicating an "advisory" condition for cyanobacteria at certain beaches may prove to be interpreted as 'stay away from this beach', which could easily change the mind of parents thinking about a family day at the beach This could be the lead-in to real economic problems. Families will find other locations to spend their money. This should be a loud and clear wake-up call to the governments around the Lake, and the regulatory officials in Concord. The Lake is the engine that drives the economy in central NH, just like the mountains are what drive the economy in the north country.

It’s just so sickening what we have done to the lake.

I remember when my dad bought our first camp and we were in Hanson Cove in Toltec. This was 1957. We got our water from the lake. I remember as a kid, the pipe was right next to the beach and it didn’t go that far out. My dad told me never to pee in the lake because we are drinking that water.

How many people do not realize that every bad action that we make has a direct negative result on the lake. Whether it be fertilizer, an old septic tank, or people visiting sandbars who stand around in their own urine. It is beyond mind-boggling to me how we treat the lake now.
What is especially disheartening is the number of people who make excuses for what they do. No one can possibly be doing harm.😂

This comment is straight out of the original Jaws Movie. “Can’t close the beaches what of the tourists?”


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More Warnings Issued
 

We've fielded many calls today regarding blooms observed all around the lake. NHDES has also received reports of blooms in the Broads, Center Harbor, and Governor's Island.

Bloom conditions are dynamic, potentially changing hourly. Perform your self risk assessments by looking at the water for any unusual growth or discoloration, such as clouds, ribbons or flecks in the water prior to recreating. If you see anything suspicious or are uncertain, stay out of the water, and please keep pets out as well.

Warnings are issued by NHDES when cell counts exceed 70,000 cells/ml. Counts reported today at the Broads were 80,500 dolichospermum off of Rattlesnake Island, 245,000 cells dolichospermum at Sleepers Point.

Counts at the Center Harbor town beach were 847,000 cells dolichospernum, Additional bloom reports were received for Salmon Meadow Cove and between Avery and Cook's Point.

Sample analysis for the Moultonborough town beach reported 394,000 cells/ml dolichospermum, and Hermit Cove at 476,000 cells/ml.

Additional samples were reviewed from Winter Harbor, Jockey Cove, Sewall Road area and Wolfeboro Bay, all in Wolfeboro.

To stay up to date on these warnings, you shoud sign up for NHDES Waterbody Specific Notifications. You can check the status of the warnings and alerts using the Healthy Swimming Mapper. If you suspect a bloom, please use the NHDES Reporting Tool and contact LWA.

As Cyanobacteria blooms become a more frequent topic of conversation with your friends and family please take the opportunity to tell them about LWA’s work on this issue, and remember, "When in doubt, stay out!"

NHDES will be resampling the areas that had warnings implemented on 6/12 as well as additional areas around the lake tomorrow

Bree Rossiter
Conservation Program Manager

I would never have thought that after such a windy day on Saturday and the deep water of Broads would have this issue, but LSP now have the blooms. I have noticed that in the last 8-10 yrs the algae on the rocks/sand have increased significantly. We never had snails on the broads there, and now they are everywhere. Not saying that is was is causing these blooms, but the water temp has definitely increased since I was a kid, and the ice is NO WHERE near the coverage. This all helps not killing things in the lake. How, that's not for me to explain or decide, but it is in my mind a true factor. Sad to see the lake get this "ill" from what it used to be. No matter what anyone thinks is the reason, it is just sad.

So you are saying look before you swim, that it's obvious if it's there? We don't have to all stay out of the water entirely? Do you know when they started testing for cyanobacteria?

A "Broth", I Tell You...
 

I see it as "A Perfect Storm".

1) The lake's level has been kept artificially high, causing waves (but especially wakes) to reach deeper into the sub-soils which have sequestered tons of phosphorus and nitrogen.

The justified call for a "no-wake" condition was never made.

(I've edited/moved the above to "cause #1").

2) Recent Lake Kanasatka's obvious blooms "seeded" the Big Lake last season.

(Apply "Occam's Razor" to Lake Kanasatka's adjacent septics problem)..

3) No recent breezes to dilute blooms, so hot surface waters are quietly "cooking the broth".

4).Last season's heavy rains have washed countless (and distant) green lawns' fertilizers into the greater Winnipesaukee Basin.

5) Pine-tree pollen, which slows the normal mixing and dilution of Spring's lakefront waters is occurring presently--warming surface waters.

6) A hot seasonal weather pattern which encourages biological growth is upon us and likely to put a synergistic action into this mess.

7) This is not to mention the sandbar problem.

Salts, from water softening devices, road salt, natural erosion and urine will "gravitate" to the depths. Evaporation of pure water vapor concentrates these various salts.

Lakeport drains surface waters when it should have a long pipe drawing water from the deepest parts of the lake. IMHO.

Primarily a cod-like fish of the cold and salty Atlantic Ocean, Cusk nonetheless thrive in Lake Winnipesaukee's depths.

On this rainy day, I reorganized the file cabinet. In my "Environment" file, I stumbled across a Swiss study that found prescription statins in their ground water. Switzerland doesn't manufacture statins, and the study is 20 years old!

8) In former years, snow on thick ice cover kept our waters from "solar gain".

This past winter scarcely rated an "Ice-In".

9) Due to an exotic disease, the lake's many Eastern Hemlock trees are experiencing a major loss of their stubby needles. Throwing needles (leaf-blower fashion) into the lake, does this affect acidity? :confused:

10) Phosphorus is one of many chemicals that are used in fireworks' aerial displays.

https://www.thoughtco.com/elements-in-fireworks-607342

I'd shelve that concern for now, as a huge number of northern-tier lakes can be affected by this byproduct.

Injuries from fireworks are bad enough, so restrictions on excessive recreational fireworks need to be studied.

11) Drilled wells have "robbed" from the pure springs that feed the lake. Camps from the 1950s drew their water from the lake. For whatever purpose, that water got filtered in the deep soils below leach fields.

Evaporation can be fierce on windy days--concentrating impurities, nutrients and Cyanobacteria in our waters.

:eek2:.

12) Cleaning your boat:

ETA:
With this Memorial Day Weekend's very high waters and huge wakes, I observed being unable to see my feet even ten feet from shore! These abusive wakes are seriously eroding the banks of Lake Winnipesaukee...!

13) Black "bathtub rings" have returned.

While Winter Harbor shorelines sport two prominent rings (which correspond to the beginning and end of the boating season) the Wolfeboro town docks display a single (and thick) broad band.

Someone of high school age could take and chemically examine a sample. Make the test a "presumptive" test for petroleum. My suspicion is the rings are primarily of petroleum deposition and are:

a) composed of asphalt leaching from roadways. Because of fairly recent extensive cutting of trees near utility poles, heavy rains can strike the roadways harder, eroding the surface more readily.

Asphalt house shingles also produce asphalt leaching.

b) grease seeping from powerboat lower units.

c) Oils deposited from sunblock lotions.

Perfect Storm
 

Great post APS! I agree with this 100% except for #7. I don't think people swimming (or peeing!) at sandbars has anything to do with algae blooms. #1 through #6 are spot on in my humble opinion however...

I see a lot of people on facebook are mis-identifying cyanobacteria as pollen. Pollen is all over the top of the lake (all lakes) right now and is nothing to worry about as it happens every year at this time...

Dan

What is the danger of putting my feet in the water if there is a high level of cyanobacteria? Does it affect the skin? It's very hot today and a dip in the lake is needed. Can I go up to my shoulders? Do I need to shower after? Some facts please!

Terrific question. It’s always been around. Testing has become better and many more “eyes” around. It’s here deal with it as you wish


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Peeing in the lake
 

Peeing in the lake may not be a cause of cyanobacteria, but it is certainly causes the water quality to decline. Think of all the medications that people take and the birth-control pills that women use. If you are peeing, you are also adding all this to the lake. Certainly can’t be good for the fish and other creatures.

For some it will cause a rash.
Cuts or other abrasions would not be that great...
But ingesting it or getting into your mucus membranes by inhaling water vapor can also have some strong consequences depending on your sensitivity.

And if you don't see any where you swim is it ok to go in?

My unprofessional opinion would be yes...

Dan

Avoid where they have placed warnings.
If you can visually see a bloom (not pollen just floating), that is usually a very high rate and probably is either in a warning area or soon will be.

Just the thought of swimming at a crowded sand bar grosses me out!
But obviously, many people love swimming in warm pee. :confused:

I hear it's an acquired taste...

its good to see some mature people have accepted the facts. The fact that man with the big egos have been ruining this lake for years. now bring on the beautiful condos like the new mess next to Cumberland farms towards Weirs Beach omg. we recently ran out of Moultonboro after 24 years and now reside in nice peacful Sandwhich. Sandwhich is what Moultonboro use to be like 24 years ago. real New England People that trust and do business on a hand shake. the lake is just the tip of the ice burg folks sorry for the reality check. best wishes to all.

The Canada geese do have a part in this. Most of it is from fertilizers and septic.

If we eliminated all grass along the waters edge, the geese would have to go somewhere else. We are enticing them to come with all our beautiful, fertilized lawns.
We need to start doing something.

I don’t know, saw about two dozen laying around the beach yesterday


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..... return to whispering pines
 

Here's a N.H. Dept Environmental Fact Sheet from 2020 ..... http://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/...20-01/sp-5.pdf .... that recommends planting pine trees within 150' of the lake.

How cyanobacteria green does the lake need to be before Lake Winnipesaukee water-fronters will tear out their green grass lawns and plant fast growing pine trees?

Is is time to return your GREEN GRASS LAWN to the WHISPERING PINES as it once was?

They do favor grassy lawns near water.

I swam today in West Alton and it was invigorating. No sign of blooms and my skin is still a pasty white. (I'm still working on that). I think the pollution problem isn't just those who have properties on the lake, but the runoff from all that live near the lake. Drainage from storm sewers and road ditches that all make their way into the lake. Tough problem to solve, but worth solving.

Open sight line.

Grass is for grazing.

It’s sad that the rules of capitalization elude even some of the self-proclaimed mature people.

Thankfully, divergent opinions about any number of things don’t correlate with maturity level. The truly mature understand and “accept”this “fact.”


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It's nice to see so many experts who know exactly what is causing this.

I am no expert on this matter but it seems to me like there are many causes that contribute to the problem. Some would be easier to solve than others. Old leaking septics and lush green lawns seem to be well within our power to fix. I am not proposing we adopt these methods but I see the crazy environmentalist stop oil types who throw paint on famous works of art or more recently on Stonehenge to protest. Makes me think a similar approach to some of the bigger greener lawns on the lake might work. It should be a source of shame to have a lush green lawn on the lake not something to be proud of.

My lawn is green and I am proud of it and don't use fertilizer or sprinkle it. Yes, it usually gets brown in August but the rest of the time it looks pretty nice. It was originally an old cow field. How many places were cow fields in the old days?

We spend more money on studies than we do on remediation. Then, when we finally decide to do something, the price has gone up so much that we can't get the funding.

I think there is a difference between having a naturally growing lawn thats a mix of grass, clovers, weeds... but looks nice when cut (I have one myself) and having a perfectly manicured lush green obviously fertilized lawn that looks like a golf course. It's pretty easy to tell who is using fertilizer and who is not.

This is so true! I don’t use any fertilizer on my lawn and try to pull as many weeds by hand as possible. By having a mix in your lawn, you do not need to add fertilizer.

Slightly...

There are a lot more non-phosphorous fertilizer options for lawns... as nitrogen is really what the turf grass wants - that is what makes it green.
The clover mix adds the nitrogen... so it reduces the need for additional.

Blooms are the effect of phosphorous...
The situation with the lakefront lawn is really more a matter of how well it slows a downpour reducing the amount of anything being carried into the lake.

That, and they can attract geese that love the salad with the sight line to shrubbery being far enough back to provide some protection from predation.

The geese will add manure with phosphorous that can be washed in.

Absolutely! I have the same type of "lawn" at my island camp. It's green, never gets fertilized and the dog certainly does not seem to mind pooping and peeing on it!

I planted it 16 years ago by basically throwing out the cheapest grass seed Sam's Club sold, just threw it on the island sand that was washing in the lake every rain storm. Well if that seed didn't sprout like wildfire and in no time by just watering it. It's been holding everything together and has completely stopped the erosion that was occurring previously...again without a speck of fertilizer!

Dan

True except there is a fertilizer that is safe.

Another problem with lawns is that grass has very shallow root structures, and is a very poor filter for runoff. More runoff = more nutrient for blooms. Natural, native vegetation is far more effective in reducing runoff into the lake. It's not just fertilized lawns that help promote cyanobacteria blooms. Cyanobacteria occurs naturally -- almost everywhere. There's lots in the average shovelful of topsoil. And it's always in the lake. Not all varieties are toxic, but many are. But the combination of excess nutrients and warmer water causes these big blooms. More nutrients + More warm water = blooms of greater frequency, magnitude and duration.

It must be a wonderful clover year because it has taken over most of my lawn this year. I have been wondering why.

Grant makes good points about runoff. Fertilizer or not, grass still has runoff resulting in silt flowing into the lake too. Lowbush blueberry has a better root structure, Geese don't like it and it doesn't need to be mowed. Here's one source: https://turfinstaller.net/sod-turf-p...ry-native-sod/
And, I understand grass muffins and pies require a lot of chewing unless you're a goose.

I was gonna say, "Don't get me started on the geese," but now that you mention it...

Geese LOVE grass. Need some validation of this claim? Drive through Meredith on any given day and note where the geese are. On the grass. Although the damn things never showed up in any real numbers before, say, 2011 or 2012, we NEVER had them on the property -- with 200+ feet of shoreline. Why? It was all rocks and native shrubs. Nothing to eat here...nowhere to graze or spawn/raise our young, so move on.

Now consider this: ONE adult Canada goose craps out TWO POUNDS (minimum) of those nasty green tootsie roll logs per day. And they do it about every 12 minutes...just to spread the love. This stuff is PURE nutrient for cyanobacteria. Multiply those 2+ pounds by the (growing) number of geese on the lake, and you get the picture. They destroy lakes for a living...I've seen it first-hand in Pennsylvania over the years. So, while many folks thinks they're "adorable" and "majestic," they are truly a menace. If you see them on your property, shoo them away. They multiply like rats and rabbits and poop like it's their job.

And, for the record, they do NOT taste good.

The Lake Winnipesaukee Association, which posts regularly on the forum now, is a fantastic resource for learning about the things that impact water quality. They also publish the water quality and cyanobacteria map updates: https://www.winnipesaukee.org/winni-...obacteria-map/

Also --

• Learn about nutrients and their role in lake health: https://www.winnipesaukee.org/the-issues/nutrients/
  
• See how stormwater runoff accounts for 85-90% of the pollution in the lake: https://www.winnipesaukee.org/the-is...mwater-runoff/
  
• Want to know the impact of aging septic systems? - https://www.winnipesaukee.org/the-is...eptic-systems/
  
• Want to speak up on behalf of the lake? - https://www.winnipesaukee.org/take-action/

And check out the Winni Blue and LakeSmart programs!

……or, you could rip out your lawn and put in rock gardens….lawns are a terrible waste and contribute to the pollution in the lake. They should be outlawed anywhere near the lake.

If the Cyanobacteria only killed the geese…..:laugh:

Would that be akin to a semi-circular firing squad? :D

I am in the lawn care industry and am very familiar with the problem of fertilizers.
You don't have to use chemicals to have a nice lawn. You can use low nitrogen, zero phosphorus, slow release inputs and have a great lawn. So i wouldn't immediately assume anyone with a great lawn next to the lake is part of the problem. Though they're suspect.
Readily available sources of Nitrogen in the towns surrounding the lake seems like a big problem. I was in a local hardware store today and found all of the usual brands with synthetic nitrogen and phosphorus-heavy starter fertilizers readily available.

As long as there no ordinances in place to ban N and P apps in these towns, people will continue to over-apply these elements to their lawn and they will run off into the lake. This is, at least in part, a failure of local town government.

It is actually State law.
And we can't sell anything in NH that violates State law...

We just can't stop homeowners and professionals from violating the law.

….. nevermind

Then we can't have nice things.

If people can't act responsibly then they cant have access to the stuff thats causing the issue.

I read the law and its pretty soft. Eg, there's exceptions for people "growing new lawns" which allows stores to stock high phosphorus fertilizers. Leaving it up to the discretion of homeowners never actually works.

Time to update that law huh?

10-10-10 is pretty common for a farm... but not really made for turf grass. Starter for Turf Grass is usually x-x-4, so a lot less phosphorous than what we would use for farming.

So not sure how they could update the law to make it more effective.

Slow release can help... in that the turf grass has more time to absorb it... but a soil sample before application would go a long way. Which should be what the professionals are doing; just guessing that they start most lawns.