No Dogs at Boat Launch

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

"...A large percentage of these deaths were caused by coliform and parasites in their drinking water. As a society we spend billions every year to keep excrement out of our drinking water...

We spend billions to chlorinate our drinking water—something that was unnecessary some thirty-plus years ago for Lake Winnipesaukee when it was a "Class A" water supply. Chlorine adds its own problems to our drinking water—namely trihalomethanes—carcinogens. "Treated" sewage only delays the resurgence of bacteria.

We can only hope that individual septic systems will keep a high bacteria count from the lake. Other solutions haven't worked out so well—with Gilford's several spills into the lake, Alton's big spill, and Wolfeboro's looming spill into Back Bay. (And Mirror Lake).

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

"...But then some idiot lets junior in the lake with a diaper full, or decides the lake will take care of what Fido left behind...

Were beaches monitored 30-40 years ago? Diapers are only closing the beaches in recent years.

I'm reminded that in 1938 the United States only had one hurricane! (We didn't know of any other hurricanes because we weren't monitoring them—or naming them—as we do today.)

Tamworth's pristine shores were closed last summer, but it wasn't because dogs had overrun the beaches!

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

"...Forget about the big chemical companies, the polluters are in your mirror. One of the things about Winnipesaukee that is not beautiful is its bacteria count....

The polluters are in your mirror—true enough—but "pollution" itself is multi-sourced.