Thursday August 19, 2010: The Town of Gilford closed its Lake Winnipesaukee beach due to the NH DES posting signs for high bacteria counts. Two neighboring towns, Laconia and Gilford react differently to the NH DES bacteria reports; one town decides to close its' beach while the other, Laconia, operates its' Weirs Beach beach, business as usual, and leaves the decision up to the $10.00/car beach visiter. Gilford town beach is 1100' long which makes it the longest single stretch of beach on the entire lake. Laconia'a Lake Opechee has been posted since about July 28 and remains open.
Understanding beaches and bacteria levels is pretty complicated stuff, and for a good explanation suggest you visit the New Hampshire Dept Enviromental Services website and its explanation for their different green, yellow, and red colored Warning-Bacteria signs that it posts, when necessary, along the waters edge of New Hampshire lakes and ponds as they get inspected.
