For waterfront property owners and all lake lovers, the various threats to water quality are always a concern. The good news is that Conway Lake remains one of the cleanest lakes in New Hampshire! Good water quality is no accident. The actions of Conway Lakefront property owners and other concerned citizens has helped to maintain this beautiful resource. Below is a press release about cyanobacteria a potentially toxic type of algae being found in some southern New Hampshire lakes.
Concord, NH
Is there a toxic algae bloom in your lake? You may have read it in the papers or heard it on the radio-a few of New Hampshire’s lakes have already had cyanobacteria (toxic algae) advisories issued this year and scientific researchers report that cyanobacteria blooms may be linked to unusually high rates of Lou Gehrig’s disease around a few of New Hampshire’s lakes, and other lakes in New England.
This is an algal bloom; courtesy of DES
Pollen accumlating on a lake; courtesy of NH Lakes
Attend this year’s Lakes Congress hosted by NH LAKES at Colby Sawyer College on June 26th and find out exactly what this means for you and your summer on the lakes. Officials from the Department of Environmental Services (DES) will be there with specific information on this most current issue of concern. “State officials will be at Lakes Congress, so this is a perfect opportunity for people to come and get the most up to date details about the cyanobacteria blooms just reported in some of our lakes,” explains Andrea LaMoreaux, Education Director at NH LAKES and conference organizer, “they want to help clarify the facts and the myths for people. Not all algae that you see out there are cyanobacteria.”
Jared Teutsch, President of NH LAKES, seconds the need for clarity. “We don’t want people to be afraid to go in the water,” says Teutsch, explaining the need for awareness in helping to inform the public and create more eyes on potential lake issues of concern.
Cyanobacteria scums typically look like paint chips or bright green balls floating in the water and are usually caused by excessive nutrient pollution into surface waters coupled by warming water temperatures. DES advises that if you notice anything resembling cyanobacteria, to refrain from wading, swimming, or drinking the water. Keep all pets out of the water and contact DES at (603) 419-9229 to immediately report a potential bloom.
To learn more about cyanobacteria and what you can do to help prevent it from blooming in your lake, attend NH LAKES’ Lakes Congress to get first hand information. To find out more about the event, other lake-related issues being presented and discussed, and to register, visit NH LAKES online at www.nhlakes.org. For the latest advisories all summer long, click on “Beach Advisories” on the lower right hand side of the home page.
The 2009 Lakes Congress is taking place on Friday, June 26, 2009, at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, in the heart of the Lake Sunapee Region. The theme of the 2009 Lakes Congress is “Partnerships Protecting New Hampshire’s Lakes.” This sixteenth Lakes Congress offers an excellent opportunity for lake enthusiasts, lake association members, state agency personnel, researchers, lake and watershed management professionals, and political leaders to exchange information, ideas, and experiences.
NH LAKES is a statewide, nonprofit, member-supported organization headquartered in Concord. The organization is dedicated to protecting New Hampshire’s lakes, which are integral to the quality of life and economic health of the State. NH LAKES serves as a source of information about lakes and lake issues through educational materials and programs, and through its work with state legislators advocating on issues of water quality, boater education and boating safety, invasive species prevention, appropriate public access and a balance of lake uses.
For more information on the organization’s lake protection efforts across the state, please visit www.nhlakes.org.
