July 1, 2018 - Lake Host Program

Who doesn't love getting out on the water on hot sunny days like we had this weekend!

Even the pets enjoy a day on the lake

The dog days of summer came early this year, and there's nothing more refreshing than a swim or a paddle on a beautiful clear lake.

As more and more people come to New Hampshire's lakes there is an ever increasing risk of losing the very thing we all come here to enjoy.  Already this year there have been cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Winnipsaukee, and E. coli alerts on several area beaches.  Increased recreation, warmer lake temperatures, and greater water runoff - along with its sediment, nutrients, and chemicals - all exacerbate these outbreaks.  Another well known concern, and one that can destroy the quality of a lake in just a couple of years, is invasive species.  There are many bad actors here, both plant and animal, but the biggest problem in this area is Eurasian milfoil.  This non-native species grows incredibly fast once in a lake and it can completely choke a clear bay in just a couple of years.

Milfoil in Lake Massaebsec.  Photo from NH DES

The NH Lakes organization is leading the way in slowing the spread of this weed through a program called Lake Host, where volunteers and paid hosts help inspect boats as they are launched and retrieved from lakes, removing any weeds before they can be transported to another water body.  Most of the lakes in New Hampshire participate in this program, including Lake Wicwas where I volunteer - and it's a pretty sweet way to spend a couple of hours while helping to protect the places we love.  I like the early morning time slot when the lakes are calm and peaceful, and I get to see sun rises and morning wildlife.

Sunrise over the Chemung State Forest

On one warm morning this week, the sun shinning through the morning mist was spectacular.

There is plenty of time between boat arrivals to walk down past the Chemung State Cemetery to see the morning sights.

As usual at this time of day there were plenty of birds singing and swimming around me.

And an annoyed red squirrel running around beside the boat ramp telling me to leave its territory.

Morning is also a good time to notice spider webs as the dew reflects the low rays of the sun.  This morning I saw two very different types of webs;  the first one is the story-book web of an orb-weaving spider. 

Capital punishment is swiftly applied for any insect parking here

These webs are almost free-standing with just a few support threads suspending them from trees, branches or sometimes dock posts.  A second web next to this one was suspended between the fence and a tree, and the support  thread leading to the tree was over two feet long.

A completely different kind of web was constructed close to the ground, probably to catch mosquitoes, flies, and other low flying insects.

Not a morning person?  You can volunteer whatever time of day works for you.  Whether your interest leans towards wildlife, beautiful lake views, or preserving the quality of New Hampshire's lakes (and an important aspect of our economy and property values) consider becoming a Lake Host - it's an easy and enjoyable way to help protect our lakes.  If you want to get involved at your favorite lake, just contact NH Lakes, or leave me note and I will point you in the right direction.

This is how we want our lakes to look

Loon update:  We expect the first egg to hatch this coming week, so if you are out on the lake, be extra careful watching out for loons.