Putting a Lake on a Low-Salt Diet: the Little Sunapee Story Volume XXII, No

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Putting a Lake on a Low-Salt Diet: The Little Sunapee Story Volume XXII, No. 4, Winter, 2013 by Jack Sheehan, Little Sunapee Protective Association member

Here’s a story of two associations, a college, a municipality, and a state agency working together to protect the health of one of our precious lakes… Little Lake Sunapee (or Little Sunapee as it is called locally) is a 500 acre natural lake in the towns of New London and Springfield, New Hampshire. It is part of the Lake Sunapee watershed, fed primarily by the outlet from Morgan Pond adjacent to Gile State Forest and springs from the underlying aquifer. It serves as a major recreational resource for surrounding communities and as the public water supply for the local water precinct. Little Sunapee is bordered on all four sides by State Route 114, Newport Road, Little Sunapee Road, and several residential developments accessed by local roads. In many locations these roads are immediately adjacent to the lake. Roadside culverts and runoff water from the roads drain directly into the lake. Water quality is monitored regularly by Little Sunapee Protective Association volunteers as part of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (commonly referred to as VLAP). Despite significant shoreland development and recreational use of the lake in summer, water quality has remained high and relatively steady since monitoring began in the early 1970s. A trend that concerned us was observed. Analysis of the water quality data has shown that beginning in the summer of 2001, conductivity levels measured within the lake have risen sharply.

During the period 1996 - 2000, the average conductivity was 69.5 uMhos/cm (micromhos per centimeter). During the period of 2001 - 2005, it rose to 98.6

uMhos/cm—a 42% increase in 5 years. Our association felt this change was significant given some 20+ years of relatively stable levels. Conductivity is the ability of the water to carry an electrical current—a characteristic that is determined by the number of ionic particles present, typically salt. New Hampshire waters in undeveloped, remote areas typically have relatively low and stable conductivity values. Elevated and increasing levels typically indi- cate pollution from sources such as road salting, septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, or urban/agricultural runoff. Salts and other similar sub- stances can negatively affect the quality of water for drinking and the health and reproductive success of aquatic organisms. First time testing of water samples collected from the lake for chloride, a typical component of road salt, began in 2004 and indicated that chloride levels were also quite high—five times higher than the New Hampshire lake median level (23 parts per million in Little Sunapee versus 4 parts per million for the state median). The association initiated a focused effort to identify the major sources of chlorides to the lake. The challenge was that chloride water samples must be analyzed in a laboratory—a service not available in New London. The closest available lab was the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Chemistry Laboratory in Concord, a 1.5 hour round trip each time samples were collected. To minimize cost and to facilitate testing by the lake association, conductivity—which can be measured in the field or in water samples brought to the Lake Sunapee Protective Association/ Colby Sawyer College Water Quality Laboratory in New London—was used as a surrogate for chlorides and other dissolved solids. Testing of the major tributaries feeding Little Sunapee found that most had low conductivity levels, but that conductivity levels in roadside culverts and tributary streams were quite high. These conclusions were confirmed in a study of the Lake Sunapee watershed sponsored by the Lake Sunapee Protective Association in the fall and winter of 2004 - 2005. This study, conducted by students and staff of Bates College and The Institute of Ecosystem Studies1, provided detailed chemical analyses of tributary streams throughout the Lake Sunapee watershed. The results showed that sodium chloride was a major contributor to elevated conductivity levels in Little Sunapee. The Little Sunapee Story, continued on page 3

Winter 2013 Protecting New Hampshire’s lakes and their watersheds. 1 Lakeside published quarterly by the From the President... New Hampshire Lakes Association 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane Concord, NH 03301 ress—we will be adding events throughout the 603.226.0299 fax 603.224.9442 year.) General information on winter fun in New www.nhlakes.org [email protected] Hampshire can also be found at www.nhmaga- Officers zine.com/calendar/#winterfun. When you aren’t outside enjoying the winter wonderland, we hope Susan Goodwin Wolfeboro Chair you’ll find some time to put up your feet to read this winter issue of Lakeside—here’s a preview of Carl Lehner Holderness Treasurer what this issue has in store for you... Theodore W. Braun Merrimack Jack Sheehan, Little Sunapee Protective Secretary Association member (and 2011 Morten Award Board of Directors recipient for exemplary lake stewardship),

Kevin Ash Northwood It’s Winter Time! shares the story of how local and state groups George Dana Bisbee Concord worked together to reduce winter road salt use John Edie Meredith Or at least it felt like winter when I wrote this. It while not undermining public safety. Reducing June Fichter Newbury was so cold… Well, cold enough to say so, but road salt is proving to be effective in maintain- Joseph Goodnough Sunapee with a warming trend on the horizon. And, ing good lake water quality. James F. Haney Durham although the days grow longer, winter is still J. “Woodie” Laverack Ashland young. Many lakes and ponds in New Hampshire Amy Smagula, Limnologist and Exotic Species Stuart Lord Silver Lake Coordinator with the New Hampshire Jim Lovell Ossipee first iced over at the end of December—not safe James W. Nelson Moultonborough to tread on, but flaunting a skim coat of ice, fore- Department of Environmental Service, describes David W. Packard Goffstown shadowing the thicker ice that is hopefully soon how we are faring in the battle against aquatic Boyd Smith Concord to come. I don’t know about you, but the prospect nuisance species, and explains the very real Peter Sorlien Moultonborough threats of additional plants and animals that Robert W. Varney Bow of solid and safe ice, and snow cover throughout are either already present in New Hampshire or John Wilson New London New Hampshire, has me planning for a real winter and I hope you are too. Ice fishing, skating, on our doorstep. Honorary Directors snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or simply Donna Danis, Lake Host Program Point Person Courtland Cross New London walking in the winter woods awaits us all. If you at Pawtuckaway Lake, writes about how Lake Joseph Farrelly Concord venture out on the ice, have fun, but please be Hosts have successfully prevented exotic plants Anne Lovett Holderness Sidney Lovett Holderness careful. Before going out, be sure to check out the from hitchhiking their way into that lake, James Moore New London ice safety tips found at www.wildnh.com/ despite its popularity among boaters, during the Philip Parsons Sandwich Outdoor_Recreation/ice_safety.html. past eleven years. Staff I expect that many of our lake association and And, last but not least, we honor those that we Tom O’Brien municipal partners will be hosting winter festi- have lost, people who have been important to President vals and activities during the next couple of this mission we all share—protecting the lakes Andrea LaMoreaux months. Be sure to check out our events calendar and ponds of New Hampshire. Vice President at www.nhlakes.org/profile-calendar. (And, check Judy King Stay safe and keep in touch, Operatons Assistant back often as this calendar is a work in prog- Martha Lovejoy Tom Bookkeeper NH LAKES gratefully acknowledges the support of: Robie Parsons Program Coordinator

Lakeside Printing Speedy Printing, Concord, NH Newsletter Layout Tracey George, Speedy Printing, Concord, NH [email protected] www.MyLakeTown.com Lakeside Sponsors MyLakeTown.com Our partner in lake protection. Wastewater Alternatives, Inc Have you seen your new NH LAKES website? The address is still the same— www.nhlakes.org—but the site is much improved. Be sure to read through this For information on sponsorship, contact the issue of Lakeside to learn about the variety of benefits our new website offers to all NH Lakes office at (603) 226-0299. NH LAKES members—individuals, association, and corporate members alike.

2 Lakeside The Little Sunapee Story, continued from page 1

A possible solution was identified. While road salt is only one of many contributors to high chloride and conductivity levels in our lakes, it is a significant factor and one that can be mitigated to some extent under specific conditions. Discussion with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT) indicated that they were also sensitive to the environmental impact of road salting in winter months. DOT’s Winter Maintenance Snow Removal and Ice Control Policy includes a provision for estab- lishing low or no salt sections on selected low volume roadways. The details of this program are accessible online at www.nh.gov/dot/org/operations/ highwaymaintenance/documents/wmsrip.pdf. DOT’s Reduced Winter Maintenance Area Program is summarized in the following table: Recommended Snow & Ice Treatments per Lane Mile for Reduced Winter Maintenance Areas Conditions Temperature Type 4 (less than 2,500 vehicles/day) Type 5 (less than 1,000 vehicles/day) Sleet & Freezing Rain Variable Salt 250 lbs/lane mile and/or abrasives as Abrasives only needed Snow 20 degrees Fahrenheit Salt 250 lbs/lane mile at beginning and/or Abrasives only end of storm Snow Below 20 degrees Fahrenheit Abrasives only except salt 250 lbs/lane mile Abrasives only at end of storm (Source: New Hampshire Department of Transportation, www.nh.gov/dot/org/operations/highwaymaintenance/documents/wmsrip.pdf.) A Reduced Winter Maintenance Plan generally results in less frequent application of salt treatments, reductions in the amount of salt when applied, and, in some situations, salt applications being completely replaced with the application of abrasives (i.e. sand and fine mineral aggregates). As detailed in the DOT policy, implementation of a Reduced Winter Maintenance Area program for a state roadway requires a written request from a municipality, following approvals within that municipality from all selectmen, the police chief, the fire chief, the chief of ambulance service and the superintendent of schools or the school board. While sensitive to safety concerns and winter driving hazards, the Little Sunapee Protective Association felt that at least two portions of the roadways adjacent to Little Sunapee met the traffic density criterion for reduced winter maintenance. Route 114 along the northeast shore of the lake falls into the 1,000 – 2,500 vehicle/day category and Little Sunapee Road, along the northwest shore carries less than 1,000 vehi- Along Route 114 and Little Sunapee Road, signs advise drivers about The Little Sunapee Story, continued on page 5 roadway salt reduction areas designated in accordance with the Reduced Winter Maintenance Area. In Memoriam Haley Martin Haley Martin passed away unexpectedly on October 23, 2012. Haley was born on April 9, 1993, and throughout her short life brought much happiness to her parents, family, and friends. She graduated from the Coe-Brown Northwood Academy. During the summer of 2011 and 2012 she worked as a Lake Host at Pleasant Lake in Deerfield/Northwood, first as a volunteer and later as a paid Lake Host. She loved boating on Pleasant Lake in her Boston Whaler and was also an avid photographer. She will be greatly missed. Bob Patterson Robert “Bob” Patterson passed away unexpectedly on December 15, 2012. Bob was the owner of AB Aquatics, Inc.,where he displayed, as always, his ambition, drive and work ethic, as well as his passion for scuba diving. His efforts to remove exotic aquatic plants made many of New Hampshire’s and New England’s lakes a better place. He will be missed.

Winter 2013 3 Nuisance Aquatic Plants, Algae, Clams and Snails: Where Does it End? by Amy Smagula, Limnologist/Exotic Species Program Coordinator, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

You may have heard it in the news—during The Mollusks sis must be placed on preventing its spread into summer 2012 two more lakes were added to During the past couple of years, sightings of the uninfested waterbodies and, in infested waterbod- the list of waterbodies infested with variable Chinese mystery snail have been on the rise, and ies, controlling its impacts. milfoil, the number one offending plant in the Asian clam has been found in our waters. Both The Chinese Mystery Snail: The Chinese mys- New Hampshire waters. Unfortunately, these species are popular in the Asian food trade and tery snail has been in New Hampshire for quite newly discovered infestations in Otter Pond in perhaps found their way into the United States some time and there are at least a few dozen Greenfield and Naticook Lake in Merrimack were years ago through those markets. Once introduced waterbodies where its presence has been con- well established—likely present for more than a into freshwater, these mollusks can move from firmed. This creature can become fairly large year—and will require significant effort and waterbody to waterbody on their own and also by compared to native snails, measuring up to two resources to bring under control. On a positive the aid of humans on boats, recreational gear, and inches in diameter (walnut to golf ball sized). The note, the exotic and invasive alga Didymo (com- in bait buckets, much like their exotic aquatic shell often has six to seven whorls and is uniform monly referred to as ‘rock snot’) has apparently plant counterparts. in color with no banding or stripes. Juveniles can not spread beyond its documented range in the be light to dark olive green and adults range from Connecticut River and associated tributaries. The Asian Clam: The Asian clam has been confirmed in the Merrimack River from the Town of brown to reddish-brown. They are often found in Bow south through the Town of Merrimack since muddy or silty-bottomed, still water, or slow mov- approximately 2010; in 2011, it was reported and ing waterbodies. They can outcompete native confirmed in Cobbetts Pond in Windham, and in snails for food and, like many other snails, are 2012, reported and confirmed in Long Pond in known to carry parasites which can be harmful to Pelham. Asian clams are round, yellow-green to other organisms, including humans. They also dark brown shellfish with thick, concentric rings foul beaches and other nearshore areas with shells on their shells. They are typically small, averaging and odors as they decompose. less than 1.5 inches in size, and prefer the shallow, relatively sun-lit, warmer areas of waterbodies with sand or gravel bottoms. Its ability to rapidly reproduce and physically attach to objects creates several problems, including altering the aquatic food web, clogging water intake pipes, and making recreation unpleasant by littering swimming areas with shells. Asian clams can also cause serious water quality problems—by feeding from the bot- tom sediment they can release phosphorus into the water, which in turn fuels plant and algal growth and increases the likelihood of potentially hazardous cyanobacteria blooms. An effective Chinese Mystery Snail. means to permanently eliminate Asian clam infes- (Photo courtesy of the New Hampshire tations has not yet been found; therefore, empha- Department of Environmental Services.) Variable milfoil was discovered in Otter Pond in Greenfield during summer 2012. Beyond Our Borders (Photo source: www.nhstateparks.org) There are more aquatic nuisance animal species lurking just beyond our borders. The spiny water The New Hampshire Department of flea was confirmed in Lake George, New York, this Environmental Services (DES) began reporting on summer, and appears to be on its way into the invasive exotic aquatic plants in the Granite State Lake Champlain system through a hydrologic con- in the 1980s—variable milfoil in particular—and nection between the basins. This creature is a more recently on several other plant species predator that feeds on algae-eating zooplankton, including fanwort, water chestnut, hydrilla, and which in turn can alter the food web and result in naiads. Unfortunately, we have had to expand the algal blooms. conversation to a whole array of species, including And there are more nuisance exotic aquatic plants exotic and potentially invasive animals that are moving toward New Hampshire, including hydril- already in our waters, or just outside our borders. Asian Clam. (Photo source: Lake George Association) Where Does it End?, continued on page 5 4 Lakeside Where Does it End?, continued from page 4

la, which has been confirmed in Maine, 2012 Control Activities However, since the threat of unwanted aquatic Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. There is some good news to share—DES, local nuisance species being transported within and into Hydrilla is a serious threat as it can grow faster groups, and the New Hampshire Lakes Association the state remains, we need to stay vigilant. These and denser than variable milfoil. worked together during 2012 on a number of invaders could be plants or animals and their exotic aquatic plant control projects. These includ- impacts varied and far reaching. With a warming ed approximately 42 hand-pulling activities, more climate, we can also expect that threats from these than 200 days of diver-assisted suction harvesting species will continue to increase. Will our lakes as (commonly referred to as ‘DASH’), the placement we know them today look different in the future? of one benthic barrier, one mechanical harvesting DES will be working this winter on finalizing project, four restricted use areas, and 27 herbicide grants for 2013 control projects, and will be work- treatments. Most of the 2012 projects were per- ing with local groups that are updating existing formed as part of a waterbody-specific long-term Long-Term Management Plans to prepare for management plan and employed an integrated action as soon as the ice goes out in the spring. approach of two or more types of control practices. Please keep in mind that some exotic plants 2013 and Beyond can grow under the ice. Feel free to report Overall, exotic plant control practices are becoming any potential plant growth that you see to Hydrilla. more focused and effective as a result of better map- DES at [email protected] or (603) (Photo source: Aquatic Control Technology ping technologies and better science. These practices 271-2248. at www.aquaticcontroltech.com.) are also becoming more ‘hands on’ as with DASH methods–a trend we hope will continue.

The Little Sunapee Story, continued from page 3

cles/day. While there are other state maintained roads adjacent to the lake, the traffic volume on those roads exceeds the 2,500 vehicle/day maximum that qualifies for reduced maintenance. Several town-maintained roads are also adjacent to the lake. However, the Town of New London does not routinely use salt for snow and ice control on its roads, so no change was necessary. Action was taken. In the fall of 2005, the association initiated a meeting with the members of the New London Board of Selectmen and the required safety agencies to present our data on lake water quality, changes in conductivity, and our suspicion that road salt was a significant contributor. The Board of Selectmen and the safety agencies felt that a reduced winter maintenance program was appropriate and would not pose an undue hazard to winter driving on these particular roads. Accordingly, a written request was sub- mitted by the Town to the DOT District Office in Enfield for implementa- Little Sunapee in winter. (Photo source: www.wmur.com) tion of such a program. applicable) is, in combination with continued education of lakefront own- A public hearing was held in February 2006 to provide opportunity for ers and those who use the lake on the importance of using limited public comment on the proposal. There were no objections and the pro- amounts of deicing agents, planting and maintaining vegetated buffers, gram was approved; the program was implemented beginning in the late and reducing stormwater runoff, an important step in maintaining high winter of 2006. water quality in Little Sunapee. Has the program been successful? We are also happy to report that there has been no increase in accidents or It is hard to tell with seasonal fluctuations in weather and precipitation, safety related issues on these roadways since the program began. but we see encouraging signs. In the five-year period beginning in 2007, For more information: following implementation of the program, conductivity levels have aver- If you are interested in learning more about how to implement a similar aged 77.1 Mhos/cm, which is 22% less than the preceding five year aver- u program in your watershed, contact Jack Sheehan at [email protected]. age. Likewise, chloride levels are down, averaging 16.8 parts per million or 27% below their peak. Sources: 1 Christina Maki, Holly A. Ewing, Bates College While it may be too early to come to a definite conclusion on the effects of Kak Weathers, LSPA and Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2004 - 2005 our effort, we believe that a reduced winter maintenance program (where

Winter 2013 5 Lake Hosts and Weed Waters Team Up to Protect Pawtuckaway Lake!

by Donna Danis, NH LAKES Lake Host Point Person, Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association

Some might call the 2012 Lake Host Program at Pawtuckaway Lake the most successful ever, but I call it our scariest. It was my third season as Lake Host Program Point Person and we had a record breaking number of exotic aquatic plant ‘saves.’ I’d like to tell you a story… In 2010, I volunteered to become the Lake Host Program Point Person for the Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association (PLIA). PLIA has participated in the New Hampshire Lakes Association (NH LAKES) Lake Host Program since 2002—the inception of the statewide exotic aquatic plant education and prevention program. My predecessors, Celeste Schmitt and Andrea Lawson, had done an excellent job estab- lishing and managing the Lake Hosts at Pawtuckaway, so I was fortunate to be taking over a well-organized effort. During my first year at the helm, our Lake Host crew conducted 2,200 Together, dedicated Lake Hosts and Weed Watchers have courtesy boat inspections and made three ‘saves’ of exotic aquatic protected Pawtuckaway Lake from exotic aquatic plants. plants. In 2011, we ramped up our paid and volunteer hours and (Photo courtesy of the Pawtuckaway Lake logged 4,000 boat inspections and, again, three ‘saves.’ In the summer Improvement Association.) of 2012, our crew conducted 4,400 inspections and made eight ‘saves’: five variable milfoil and three Eurasian milfoil. Labor Day, while at the Fundy Cove ramp it runs to mid-October, the Indeed, 2012 was a record breaking year for Lake Hosting at end of the fishing season for most freshwater fish species. I use an Pawtuckaway Lake, but it was a sobering year. Consider this: online Google calendar to set up and share our summer schedule with • Nearly 80 waterbodies in New Hampshire contain exotic plant growth. the team of hosts—both paid and volunteer. • Many waterbodies in our fellow New England states are plagued by In addition to the regular ramp hours, Lake Hosts at Pawtuckaway exotic aquatic plants. At least 23 waterbodies in Maine, approxi- provide coverage for an average of ten fishing tournaments each sum- mately 100 waterbodies in Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, mer. When I say ‘we’, I really mean Therese Thompson. When there’s a and approximately 500 waterbodies in Massachusetts contain tournament, Therese arrives at the ramp as early as 4 a.m., surprising growths of exotic aquatic plants. many fishermen! Given the number of ‘saves’ Therese has to her cred- it, providing coverage of fishing tournaments is clearly critical to the • Each summer, thousands of people launch their boat into Pawtuckaway protection of our lake. Unfortunately, Therese’s schedule will not allow and they come from New Hampshire, New England, and beyond. her to do this for us next summer and so we have a big gap to fill. • It can take only one exotic plant fragment to infest an entire lake. (Please contact me if you would like to volunteer!) In other words, here at Pawtuckaway Lake, we’re surrounded by water- Weed Watchers Have our Backs bodies with exotic plants and the threat of invasion is very, very real. At Pawtuckaway Lake, we cannot talk about protecting our lake from Lake Hosts Cover Two Ramps exotic plants without also talking about our Weed Watchers Program. On Pawtuckaway, we conduct courtesy boat and trailer inspections This all-volunteer effort is supported by the New Hampshire through the NH LAKES Lake Host Program at the New Hampshire Fish Department of Environmental Services and coordinated by and Game Department boat ramp in Fundy Cove and the Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association members Steve Soreff Pawtuckaway State Park boat ramp. Beginning in mid-May, Lake and Peggy Tucker. While the Lake Hosts are Pawtuckaway Lake’s front Hosts staff the Fundy ramp Thursday through Sunday for approxi- line of defense against exotic plants, Weed Watchers have our backs. mately 12 hours per day. In the State Park, we staff the launch Weed Watchers are responsible for surveying the entire lake to find Thursday and Friday afternoons (3 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and Saturday exotic aquatic plants that have snuck into the lake. Each Weed morning (8 a.m. to noon) to coincide with the typical camper check Watcher is assigned one section of the lake to patrol at least once a in hours. Lake Host coverage at the State Park ramp runs through month during the growing season. Over time, the volunteers become Protect Pawtuckaway Lake, continued on page 7 6 Lakeside Protect Pawtuckaway Lake, continued from page 6

familiar with the native plant growth in their section of the lake and can’t thank the voters of Nottingham enough for their long-term sup- become increasingly skilled at spotting new or unusual plants. To port. To that end, each year I try to ensure that the monies provided date, our Weed Watchers have not found any exotic aquatic plants by the Town are helping to employ our high school and college stu- growing in Pawtuckaway Lake! dents in the paid Lake Host positions. A Three-pronged Funding Strategy Looking Forward to Next Summer The cost of running the Lake Host Program at Pawtuckaway Lake Given the increasing threat that exotic plants pose to Pawtuckaway each summer is approximately $10,000. Historically, funding has Lake, our goal for the 2013 Lake Host Program is to increase Lake come from NH LAKES payroll grants (through funding from DES) and Host coverage hours through more volunteer participation. While boat from the Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association. Since 2009 traffic is greatest on weekends, there’s nothing stopping a boat trans- we’ve been fortunate to receive additional funding from the Town of porting milfoil from entering our lake on a lazy Tuesday afternoon. Nottingham via a Warrant Article passed by voters at Town Meeting in I would like to thank the great individuals we had as part of our the spring. This three-pronged funding strategy is critical to the long- Pawtuckaway Lake Host Team in 2012: Kathy Jacques, Evan Koester, term success of the Lake Host Program at Pawtuckaway Lake and I Krystal Costa, John Johnson, Luke Grammont, and Therese Thompson. I look forward to working with many of these same folks next year, and welcome any new volunteers who would like to join us. Interesting in Learning More or Volunteering? If you would like to learn more about the Lake Host or Weed Watchers programs at Pawtuckaway Lake, or would like to volunteer to help, Donna Danis can be contacted at [email protected].

Pawtuckaway Lake in Nottingham is visited and enjoyed by thousands of boaters each year. (Photo source: www.nhstateparks.org) Membership NH LAKES’ New Website Offers Matters

New Membership Benefits! New Members and Grants

NH LAKES’ new website (www.nhlakes.org) allows us to share with visitors in cyberspace and most September 27, 2012, importantly, our members—individuals, associations, and corporate members—what we are through January 7, 2013 working on and important information regarding our lakes and their watersheds. Our new website also provides the opportunity to offer our business, individual, and association members added Individuals benefits through online advertising. Linda Bremner • Cyndy Currier Linda Gardner • Linda Halverson Thanks to the new NH LAKES website, our Corporate members can now market directly to our membership while helping to support our mission. Four levels of business membership are avail- Marvin Konha • Otto & Sandra Nielson able, with each level giving businesses increased visibility on our website, in our publications, and Stephen Otway • Paul Santos throughout the NH LAKES member community. Individual and Association members can benefit from online advertising by learning about businesses that can best address their needs and by tak- Lakes Legacy ing advantage of special offers available only to NH LAKES members. Dennis & Jeri Bothamley If you haven’t already done so, please check out our website to view the profiles from companies who have already signed on. Just go to www.nhlakes.org/local-businesses. Grants/Foundations If you represent a business and would like to receive more information about this exciting new mem- Alden N. Young Trust Fund bership benefit, or if you would like to recommend a local businesses for NH LAKES membership, con- Neil & Louise Tillotson Fund of the New tact Robie Parsons, NH LAKES Program Coordinator, at (603) 226-0299 or [email protected]. Hampshire Charitable Foundation

Winter 2013 7 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane, Concord, NH 03301 NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #726 CONCORD, NH

Inside this issue Putting a Lake on a Low-Salt Diet: The Little Sunapee Story From the President In Memoriam Nuisance Aquatic Plants, Algae, Clams and Snails: Where Does it End? Lake Hosts and Weed Waters Team Up to Protect Pawtuckaway Lake! NH LAKES’ New Website Offers New Membership Benefits! Membership Matters

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Attention Lake Association Directors: Add Your Events to the NH LAKES Event Need a new website? Need an easier way to manage your organization? Calendar for FREE! If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, we want to tell you about the new NH LAKES website! NH LAKES’ new website (www.nhlakes.org) is built on the MyLakeTown.com plat- We are pleased to introduce NH form—the only online tool specifically built to give Lake Associations the things they need: a LAKES’ new online events calendar! beautiful, easy to use website, helpful tools for association directors, and a place that increases You can now share your events with the the visibility of the association and increases its value in the eyes of its members. NH LAKES community at no charge. It is With a MyLakeTown.com website, your Lake Association Board can save time, reduce costs, and as simple as sending an email to increase revenues. The website tools will help simplify the work that every association needs to [email protected] that includes: do, including collecting dues, contacting members, and communicating the latest news. • Name of your organization or association For lake association members, MyLakeTown.com enhances their appreciation for their lake, • Name of your event even when they aren’t at the lake. Members can easily get information on lake weather, news, and events, connect with their neighbors, and find the resources they need to take care of • Event start and end dates and time their lake property. • Event location and driving directions MyLakeTown.com makes membership in the Lake Association a must have. By stitching the • Event description and any associated costs lakes community together and adding immeasurable value to your members, it could be the • Contact information with name and website for you. phone number If you would like more information about bringing MyLakeTown.com to your association, we You can add logos, photos, and website links invite you to view a short video at www.MyLakeTown.com (on the upper right hand of the as well! (Please attach these items to your screen, click on the triangle on the red canoe). Then, contact Michael or Dan Cronin at info@ email when you forward your information.) MyLakeTown.com or 855-LakeTown (855-525-3869) to discuss your lake association needs. To view the NH LAKES event calendar You, and your members, will be happy you did. visit: www.nhlakes.org/profile-calendar.