Report A Cyanobacteria Bloom
Chinese Mystery Snails
The Chinese Mystery snails are back and overtaking the shorelines of our lake. They reproduce quickly and can have hundreds of eggs inside their shell ready to mass-produce.
Grab a bucket and collect as many as you can. It is recommended that they be killed so they don't make it back to the lake. Do not dump the bucket close to the shoreline or near streams. They can be buried, burned or thrown into the woods.
Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are microscopic organisms found naturally in all types of water. These organisms use sunlight to make their own food. In warm, nutrient-rich (high in phosphorus and nitrogen) environments, cyanobacteria can multiply quickly, creating blooms that spread across the water’s surface and become visible.
Please check your shoreline before swimming and letting your dog in the water as it can be harmful and toxic for both humans and pets.
If you spot it, please contact NH DES at 603-848-8094 and send photos to HAB@des.nh.gov.
Bladderwort
You may have noticed the massive mats of bladderwort floating everywhere on the lake. Disgusting as they are, as they are massive and thick, they are noninvasive and not of “concern” to the health of our lake. As they wash up on your beaches, it is recommended to scoop them up and get rid of them.
Bladderwort looks very similar to invasive milfoil to many people. There are differences such as the branches that come off the stem and the seed-like “bladders” that act as carnivores. The bright green tops scream out MILFOIL but it’s not. The bladderwort stems break down and break free from their roots, float to the top and gather in masses.
Webinar Series
Explore our lakes through the seasons from the comfort of your own home! These webinars are FREE but pre-registration is required.
If you can't make a webinar live? Not a problem! We post the recordings online and are available to watch anytime.
Check out the monthly Webinar Series that NH Lakes host.
Power Loading
Power Loading is when you use your boat's motor to load and unload your boat on and off a trailer.
Propeller wash creates a significant force that can erode the lakebed and create a large hole at the end of the ramp. The eroded material is often deposited beyond the ramp to create a mound, which can result in a barrier for launching and loading.
In the worse cases, the end of the ramp could collapse, resulting in an unusable launch ramp. The mound can also get so large that it will change the overall current of the water.
