Cyanobacteria Alert Issued for Blackey Cove (Moultonborough)

[Descant]

I didn't remember that side of the island as being sandy. Recall, around 1900, there weren't a lot of trees and sheep were grazed on the island. People also used to row out to go berrying on Welch. Shirley Burns had pix from those days--Sandy and Mike probably still have them.
Yes, Contractor's Rye (Ryegrass) will germinate quickly and help hold soil in place when everything is moved around during construction. That's what we put down when the power line came through, mostly to maintain a firebreak. No maintenance or fertilizer, but we cut it every few years to keep brush down under the power line. We also planted some white pines, again to put some roots into the ground and stabilize the soil. Those were the right steps, but I don't think we connected it to improved water quality in those days. Only zero maintenance.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Descant

I didn't remember that side of the island as being sandy.

Chris,

You are correct as most of my neighbors lots have low cut brush or blueberry bushes garnishing their waterfront. Unfortunately for me, some of the owners before me decided to dig out the shoreline and remove dirt and sand and whatever along most of my waterfront to fill in another property they owned nearby. This was not done recently but years ago…..now I have to live with it.

I changed it in a good way with a lawn! So honestly I am sick of hearing how lawns are bad as they are not! …. Fertilizer is bad!

Merry Christmas Chris!

Dan

[John Mercier]

Lawns provide less natural filter than other formats.
It is the same at my house as it would be if I was lakefront.
The water can travel through them at a greater speed, and thus has less absorption in an incline.

Also if you do not fertilize a lawn, or allow it to grow much longer, it loses its mono-culture.
It is that loss of mono-culture that allows the turfgrass to sustain itself without the addition of fertilizer.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Lawns provide less natural filter than other formats.
It is the same at my house as it would be if I was lakefront.
The water can travel through them at a greater speed, and thus has less absorption in an incline.

Also if you do not fertilize a lawn, or allow it to grow much longer, it loses its mono-culture.
It is that loss of mono-culture that allows the turfgrass to sustain itself without the addition of fertilizer.

Well I can tell you for fact that my grass certainly filters a hell of a lot better than what was there which was basically a river of mud flowing into the lake!

Whatever the hell “mono-culture” is, I’m glad it’s gone if it allows grass to grow without fertilizer!

We should all protest against mono culture!! Mono culture should be a banned substance! Who’s with me??

Dan

[John Mercier]

Mono-culture is when someone is trying to grow only turfgrass.
The application of broadleaf herbicides found in some formats of fertilizer, or applied separately, kills the nitrogen-setting plants leaving only a mono-culture.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Mono-culture is when someone is trying to grow only turfgrass.
The application of broadleaf herbicides found in some formats of fertilizer, or applied separately, kills the nitrogen-setting plants leaving only a mono-culture.

I bet you’re a blast at parties John!

Dan

[John Mercier]

Parties?
I work six days a week and only take off the Sabbath.

We only close on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

Of course being a farm kid, that sounds like a lot of downtime.

[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

I bet you’re a blast at parties John!

Dan

Well, he no doubt would win every game of jeopardy or trivia.

[Grant]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Lawns provide less natural filter than other formats.
It is the same at my house as it would be if I was lakefront.
The water can travel through them at a greater speed, and thus has less absorption in an incline.

Also if you do not fertilize a lawn, or allow it to grow much longer, it loses its mono-culture.
It is that loss of mono-culture that allows the turfgrass to sustain itself without the addition of fertilizer.

John is right: "grass" or lawns have much shallower root structures than native shoreline vegetation, are therefore far less efficient filters, and make for more runoff.