How's Winnipesaukee's Water Quality?

[ursa minor]

In fairness, KPW's reference point is the same as mine; Cow Island on the northern side of the lake. It was and is very clean. I worry about the long term affects of all the lawns that surround us now, that definitely wasn't the norm 40+ years ago.

There's no doubt the many sewage line projects on the southern side of the lake were a huge benefit for the long term health of the lake.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by ursa minor

In fairness, KPW's reference point is the same as mine; Cow Island on the northern side of the lake. It was and is very clean. I worry about the long term affects of all the lawns that surround us now, that definitely wasn't the norm 40+ years ago.

There's no doubt the many sewage line projects on the southern side of the lake were a huge benefit for the long term health of the lake.

Yes, these are two separate issues. As Dan points out, sewage treatment has been a great improvement.

But lawns, septic systems, and inadequste stormwater handling off of roads are driving up phosphorous all over the lake; and this phosphorous is driving the milfoil and cyanobacteria that threaten water quality today. I'm pretty sure Saturday's LWA presentation will cover this in detail

[Merrymeeting]

Some may be surprised to learn that one of the biggest polluters of Winnipesaukee is the state itself.

The Powder Mill Fish Hatchery in New Durham, is at the head of the Merrymeeting River, right below the dam on Merrymeeting Lake. When the water leaves the lake, the phosphorus content is 4 ppb (parts per billion). This is a normal amount occurring naturally in most environments. The EPA recommended limit is 12 ppb to avoid algae blooms. When the water leaves the hatchery and enters the river, which flows into Alton Bay, the measurements have been as high as 120 ppb.

The fish poop and food residues result in almost pure fertilizer being dumped into the river, and eventually into Lake Winnipesaukee.

[loonguy]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

Some may be surprised to learn that one of the biggest polluters of Winnipesaukee is the state itself.

The Powder Mill Fish Hatchery in New Durham, is at the head of the Merrymeeting River, right below the dam on Merrymeeting Lake. When the water leaves the lake, the phosphorus content is 4 ppb (parts per billion). This is a normal amount occurring naturally in most environments. The EPA recommended limit is 12 ppb to avoid algae blooms. When the water leaves the hatchery and enters the river, which flows into Alton Bay, the measurements have been as high as 120 ppb.

The fish poop and food residues result in almost pure fertilizer being dumped into the river, and eventually into Lake Winnipesaukee.

Ugh! What is the state's justification for permitting this situation to continue? What can be done to resolve it?

[loonguy]

Originally Posted by loonguy

Ugh! What is the state's justification for permitting this situation to continue? What can be done to resolve it?

A news report today says the state is being sued by a conservation group to correct this situation of fishery discharges, asserting it violates clean water laws.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by loonguy

A news report today says the state is being sued by a conservation group to correct this situation of fishery discharges, asserting it violates clean water laws.

That great news. Where was it reported?


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[loonguy]

Originally Posted by joey2665

That great news. Where was it reported?


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WMUR news report this morning.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by loonguy

WMUR news report this morning.

Thank you I’ll check the website and try to post the link.


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[Lakegeezer]

The presentation from the 7/21 seminar is online at http://www.winnipesaukee.org/wp-cont...ty-7-21-18.pdf

You can also see the water quality measurements at http://winnipesaukeegateway.org/moni...ing-sites-map/

As a water tester for 7 years, my opinion is that the water quality is improving. Some of that is due to dry weather, but I think public education and shoreline protection laws are slowly having an impact.

[ushaggerb]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

The presentation from the 7/21 seminar is online at http://www.winnipesaukee.org/wp-cont...ty-7-21-18.pdf

You can also see the water quality measurements at http://winnipesaukeegateway.org/moni...ing-sites-map/

As a water tester for 7 years, my opinion is that the water quality is improving. Some of that is due to dry weather, but I think public education and shoreline protection laws are slowly having an impact.

While I am mindful that tampering with nature has it pitfalls, I have to ask: is there anything that can be added to the Lake, perhaps at the source, that can combat the negative mentioned throughout the posts?

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by ushaggerb

While I am mindful that tampering with nature has it pitfalls, I have to ask: is there anything that can be added to the Lake, perhaps at the source, that can combat the negative mentioned throughout the posts?

Even if the chemistry was available, the problem is too vast for chemical treatment. The issues identified are largely driven by phosphorous and nitrogen flowing into the lake from over a thousand locations. Basically, the lake is the bottom of a bowl, and all the phosphorous and nitrogen coming down the sides of the bowl land in Winni. The phosphorous is naturally occurring, but development increases phosphorous flow by up to 10X. Fertilizer, septic, rainwater from roadways, houses, and lack of plants near shoreline all play a role.

The good news though is that the lake turns over 20% of its water each year. If we can reduce the phosphorous flow into the lake by mitigating the problems above, the flushing of the lake will bring our count down over time.

The primary goal of the Lake Winnipesaukee Association is to identify all of these sources of phosphorous and identify action plans to mitigate the flow.

[Merrymeeting]

http://www.nhpr.org/post/fish-game-m...state-hatchery

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

The presentation from the 7/21 seminar is online at http://www.winnipesaukee.org/wp-cont...ty-7-21-18.pdf

You can also see the water quality measurements at http://winnipesaukeegateway.org/moni...ing-sites-map/

As a water tester for 7 years, my opinion is that the water quality is improving. Some of that is due to dry weather, but I think public education and shoreline protection laws are slowly having an impact.

Were you testing yesterday—Sunday, August 5th, 2018?

Off my dock, normally, I could see a penny on the bottom in ten feet of water. Yesterday, even with a reduced lake, I couldn't see any features on the bottom!

While out sailing, I saw the perfect icon for Lake Winnipesaukee's erosion problem. It is a three-foot diameter tree sitting on a small rock at water level. It couldn't have possibly grown from under the water's surface. This entire shoreline, including mine, is creeping into the lake!

Erosion is a fact, and the cause is Winnipesaukee's over-sized boats.

.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by ApS

Erosion is a fact, and the cause is Winnipesaukee's over-sized boats.

.

Half of this statement is correct.
-Erosion is a fact. That's the correct part
-Erosion is caused by boats. That's the incorrect part. Erosion has several causes, including boats, wind, storms, and humans removing vegetation along shore lines.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by chipj29

Half of this statement is correct.
-Erosion is a fact. That's the correct part
-Erosion is caused by boats. That's the incorrect part. Erosion has several causes, including
boats, wind, storms, and humans removing vegetation along shore lines.

This shoreline (pictured below) is still undeveloped. While no vegetation is being removed directly by humans, this shoreline displays erosion of the soil, and tree loss. This shore has recently become eligible for breakwater approvals. Why now?

Until recently, we had not seen boatlifts being installed along all Winter Harbor's shorelines. Even breakwaters seemed like an extreme answer within this quiet backwater.

However, breakwaters started appearing a couple of decades ago on The Broads exposures of Lake Winnipesaukee's peninsulas, islands and necks.

We have windstorms towards our shore, but our dock stays dry. It is only when weekend boating occurs that our dock (and items on it) gets wet. (Wet, like today, with the usual over-sized boat crowd having entered Winter Harbor).

.

[loonguy]

Originally Posted by ApS

Were you testing yesterday—Sunday, August 5th, 2018?

Off my dock, normally, I could see a penny on the bottom in ten feet of water. Yesterday, even with a reduced lake, I couldn't see any features on the bottom!

While out sailing, I saw the perfect icon for Lake Winnipesaukee's erosion problem. It is a three-foot diameter tree sitting on a small rock at water level. It couldn't have possibly grown from under the water's surface. This entire shoreline, including mine, is creeping into the lake!

Erosion is a fact, and the cause is Winnipesaukee's over-sized boats.

.

I have seen the same type of erosion near my home in areas where the shoreline vegetation suffers from wave erosion with none of the other causes of erosion present.