The 2024 water quality report that is created from the sampling the PLA does through out the year with UNH is not available at this link …. Water Quality Report
Author Archives: Jon Samuelson
2025 ANNUAL MEETING PRE-READ MATERIAL AVAILABLE
The annual meeting on July 26th, at 9:00am at Edge Lake Farm (Province Lake Golf Course).
A virtual option is provided below if you are unable to attend in person.
Our guest speaker this year is James Shimansky, Program Coordinator for the Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance (AWWA). James will be speaking on the recently conducted Watershed Survey as well as our upcoming Septic Survey.
Attached, please find (.pdf) a copy of the meeting packet, which includes the agenda, information about the purpose and roles within the PLA, and bios for our Board of Director members that are up for re-election and those being newly elected.
Physical copies of the packet will also be made available at the meeting.
We look forward to seeing everyone there!
When:
July 26th, 9:00am-12:00pm
In-Person Location:
Parsonsfield, ME 04047
Edge Lake Farm (Province Lake Golf Course)
1804 Province Lake Road
BEACH CLEAN UPS FOR 2025
There will be two beach clean ups this year. One in July and one in September. Mark your calendars and come meet some people, help the lake and just feel good about it.
LOON RAFT PLACED MAY 3, 2025
Hi All,
So you all are aware, the loon raft was put out on Saturday May 3 over in the Hobbs Brook area as normal. A big thanks to Steve Craig for maintaining the raft over the winter and getting it ready to put out this spring. Also a big thanks to Jim Aiken and David Luce for getting the raft situated in the lake. Please stay away from the nest while the loons decide if they want to nest there or not.
The Loon’s have also been seen checking things out around the island. As you may recall, the Loons nested on the island in 2023 and had a baby as well as an abandoned egg. Should they nest there again, we will come out with some more warnings etc..
The PLA
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – WATERSHED SURVEY APRIL 26, 2025
Hello PLA Community,
As you may or may not know, the PLA had a watershed management plan completed back in 2014. Included in that was what is called a watershed survey, which entails walking the watershed and identifying areas where erosion and nutrient/pollution loading is occurring.
We will be updating this watershed survey on April 26, 2025 and desperately need volunteers to help. Since erosion is one of the primary contributors to the excess phosphorus in the lake, which in turn causes cyanobacteria blooms, this is a great opportunity for those who want to do something to help to get involved!
See flyer for more information. PLEASE NOTE … the flyer below indicates an all day event. It will be no more than 8 hours and some folks will be done sooner.
Further information will be emailed as the event gets closer including the virtual meeting link, meet up location, etc
If you have any questions, prior to signing up, please reach out and ask.
Sign up using google form: https://forms.gle/KQJnhEbGqh7Wvbu47
While the Google Form is the preferred method, feel free to contact Marcia directly (see flyer) and sign up with her if that’s easier.
Thank you for your support in helping Province Lake!
The PLA
RESEARCH BUOY PLACED IN THE LAKE
Hello Province Lake Community,
We are sending you a quick note to inform you that NH DES has put a Research Buoy on the lake near the deep spot over toward the golf course. The picture below shows what it looks like. The purpose of the buoy is to gather temperature and oxygen levels at various depths of the lake to see if the lake ever truly stratifies and if so whether the oxygen level gets depleted at the deepest area. This will give us more information on whether phosphorus coming from the sediment at the bottom is a larger contributor to the phosphorus in the lake than we have previously thought.
There is a light on the buoy as well, so if you happen to be out at night, you will see it. Please stay away from it and tell your friends and neighbors to do the same. It is going to remain in the lake until fall of 2025, so basically a full year from now.
Again, please help us by not going near it and help spread the word.
Regards,
The PLA
CYANOBACTERIA WATCH REMAINS – SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
Hi All,
DES did get samples yesterday and sent the following to us …..
Hi All,
Two samples were collected from Province Lake yesterday, from Ames Park and off of Bonnyman Road. Both had only low levels of cyanobacteria, 27,800 and 5,500 cells/mL of Dolichospermum.
The bloom has been reported as coming and going. For now, it appears to have passed, but may reappear! Keep us posted through the bloom report form and we’ll resample as necessary. Otherwise, the watch will remain active for a week, then we will take it off our map.
Best,
Kate
The CyanoHAB Team
Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Bloom Program
Watershed Management Bureau, Water Division
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095
603-848-8094 hab@des.nh.gov
CYANOBACTERIA WATCH ISSUED – SEPTEMBER 13, 2024
Hi All,
NH DES has issued a Cyanobacteria WATCH for Province Lake. There have been some blooms seen on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. But, today the water is clear. DES will be here on Monday to get a sample. If the water looks as it does in the pictures below, a Warning will more than likely be issued. The attached pictures were from yesterday along Bonnyman Rd near Ames Park.
Bottom line of this is to keep your eyes open. It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend. If the water doesn’t look good, stay out.
The PLA
CYANOBACTERIA WARNING REMOVED – SEPTEMBER 3, 2024
PLA Community,
After a beautiful holiday weekend, NH DES came out yesterday and sampled the water again. The Warning has been removed and the signs will be coming down. The official notice is below.
The PLA
Hi All,
The cyanobacteria warning at your lake has been removed, please see below for details.
| Waterbody | Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield |
| Status | WARNING REMOVED |
| Issued | 8/2/2024 |
| Removed | 9/3/2024 |
| Notes | Bloom conditions have passed based on sampling performed today. Four locations were sampled, and densities varied from no cyanobacteria present to 1,667 cells/mL. All samples had a fair amount of detritus, indicating that degrading material may still be present in the water. |
While the bloom accumulation has dissipated, NHDES advises that lake-goers look out for discoloration or surface accumulations in the future. Please continue to monitor your individual shoreline for changing conditions.
The cyanobacteria warning signs can now be removed from public access points.
Thank you all for your communication. If you see cyanobacteria in the future, please report it through the bloom report form.
Please forward this email to other residents / community members who need this information. If they would like to be added to the email distribution list, please have them sign up to be directly included on future communications from NHDES. If you prefer to no longer receive these sampling updates, simply respond, and indicate “unsubscribe”.
Best,
The CyanoHAB Team
Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Bloom Program
Watershed Management Bureau, Water Division
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095
603-848-8094 hab@des.nh.gov
CYANOBACTERIA WARNING REMAINS – AUGUST 28, 2024
Hi All,
After the very bad lake water this past weekend and multiple reports being sent in to NH DES, DES has decided not to resample this week and leave the warning as it is. Not surprising as the lake was in bad shape this past weekend.
Having said that, the last couple of days has shown a very good clearing. Much much better and with not a lot of rain forecasted, we hope it will remain good for the long weekend ahead.
But, as always, blooms can occur at any time and everyone must pay attention to how the water looks and make their own judgement on whether or not to go in.
Regards,
The PLA