CYANOBACTERIA WARNING REMAINS – AUGUST 22, 2025

Hi Folks,

As you can see below, DES came and sampled the lake again on Thursday and no surprise, the warning remains for the lake.  You can see the results in the table below.  As usual please keep your eyes open and if the water looks bad, stay out.  This can change quickly, so you need to be vigilant.

Regards,

The PLA

Hello everyone,

Unfortunately, the cyanobacteria warning at your waterbody REMAINS, please see below for details.  

WaterbodyProvince Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
StatusWARNING
Issued8/13/2025
Resampling Date8/21/2025
Cyanobacteria TaxaDolichospermum
NotesNHDES continued to observe bloom conditions during the resampling event on 8/21. Multiple samples were collected around the waterbody, with the cyanobacteria cell density ranging from 71,800 – 1,920,000 cells/mL.   Please report through the Bloom Report Form if you continue to observe bloom conditions and to aid in resampling efforts next week. NHDES is tentatively scheduled to resample on 8/27.
  

Please visit the Healthy Swimming Mapper for the most current information about bloom location, status, and severity.

Cyanobacteria reports depict only what an observer sees in the water. The report may reflect a waterbody wide perspective if they boated around the waterbody and made observations, or it could be a single sighting from the shoreline. One sighting does not indicate that a watch or warning is necessary, but it does indicate that those on or around the waterbody should be aware that cyanobacteria have been observed beyond what is natural, and that they should be on the lookout for shifting bloom conditions and report them via theBloom Report Form. Reports will be removed from the Healthy Swimming Mapper after one week if no further reports are received.

Watches are issued when samples are evaluated and cyanobacteria are in higher abundance than normal background levels at multiple locations, but that densities are below 70,000 cells/mL or when clear photographic evidence indicates a bloom is occurring.  

Warnings are issued when samples are evaluated microscopically, and cell counts exceed 70,000 cells/mL and the bloom is widespread or extends to multiple locations on the waterbody. A warning does not close the waterbody to recreational use. The warning is intended as a precautionary measure to inform the public of the potential health risks associated with cyanobacteria blooms. Please see our updated FAQs for more information.

NHDES advises lake users to not swim in or near the vicinity of where bloom material is visible. Please also keep pets and livestock out of areas where bloom material is observed. It is suggested that local authorities post the 2025 cyanobacteria sign at public access points while a warning is in place to alert the public of current conditions.  

Please forward this email to other residents / community members who may benefit from 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  

LOON BANDING ON PROVINCE LAKE – AUGUST 13, 2025

Hi All,

This is way too cool not to share with all of you.  Our Loon Ranger, Donna Luce, shared the following and the attached pictures.  Enjoy!

Last night Linda McKelvie, her granddaughter Taylor and I (Donna)  had the privilege of watching Caroline, Kayden and Logan, under the auspices of the Loon Preservation Committee, band the loons on Province Lake.  Both parents of Lord and Taylor were banded and the juvenile Taylor was also banded. They were able to band Hobbs, one of Hobb’s parents had already been banded and the other parent avoided being captured. The evening began at 7pm and continued until 1:15! 

CYANOBACTERIA WARNING ISSUED – AUGUST 13, 2025

Hi Folks,

Unfortunately, as reported late last week, the lake has not been looking that great for the last week or so.  DES came yesterday, one of the worst days we have had and sampled the water.  The results are below, but basically the lake is under a warning and we are sharing that with you now.  DES also said that they are targeting to return next Wednesday to sample again.

As always, keep your eyes open and if the water doesn’t look good, stay out.  Per our previous email in regards to the vegetative buffer, we are trying to make some progress on reducing the phosphorus that gets into the lake and hopefully we can get the lake to turn a corner.  Of course, that doesn’t happen overnight.  The best way to help is to get  involved.  Join the PLA to get info, check out the important info section of our website for things that homeowners can do, and join in to an event as we had on Tuesday.

We will keep you posted.

Regards,
The PLA

———- Forwarded message ———
From: DES: Harmful Algal Bloom Program<DES.HAB@des.nh.gov>
Date: Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Subject: Cyanobacteria WARNING issued – Province Lake
To: DES: Harmful Algal Bloom Program <DES.HAB@des.nh.gov>

Hi all,

The status of the cyanobacteria bloom has been elevated at your waterbody, please see below for details.  

WaterbodyProvince Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
StatusWARNING
Issued8/13/2025
Bloom DescriptionGreen surface scums accumulating along the shorelines.
NotesMinor bloom conditions were first observed on 8/8 but developed into a more severe bloom over the weekend. NHDES staff collected multiple samples from around the waterbody on 8/12 that had cyanobacteria present at densities too numerous to count.   Please report through the Bloom Report Form so we can monitor bloom conditions.
  

Please visit the Healthy Swimming Mapper for the most current information about bloom location, status, and severity.

Cyanobacteria reports depict only what an observer sees in the water. The report may reflect a waterbody wide perspective if they boated around the waterbody and made observations, or it could be a single sighting from the shoreline. One sighting does not indicate that a watch or warning is necessary, but it does indicate that those on or around the waterbody should be aware that cyanobacteria have been observed beyond what is natural, and that they should be on the lookout for shifting bloom conditions and report them via theBloom Report Form. Reports will be removed from the Healthy Swimming Mapper after one week if no further reports are received.

Watches are issued when samples are evaluated and cyanobacteria are in higher abundance than normal background levels at multiple locations, but that densities are below 70,000 cells/mL or when clear photographic evidence indicates a bloom is occurring.  

Warnings are issued when samples are evaluated microscopically, and cell counts exceed 70,000 cells/mL and the bloom is widespread or extends to multiple locations on the waterbody. A warning does not close the waterbody to recreational use. The warning is intended as a precautionary measure to inform the public of the potential health risks associated with cyanobacteria blooms. Please see our updated FAQs for more information.

NHDES advises lake users to not swim in or near the vicinity of where bloom material is visible. Please also keep pets and livestock out of areas where bloom material is observed. It is suggested that local authorities post the 2025 cyanobacteria sign at public access points while a warning is in place to alert the public of current conditions.  

Please forward this email to other residents / community members who may benefit from 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  

RTE 153 VEGETATIVE BUFFER PART 1 A HUGE SUCCESS

On Tuesday, August 12, 2025 a team of volunteers arrived at the beach area along Rte 153 in New Hampshire. There were 18 volunteers including 5 team members of our PLA partners the Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance. The task at hand on the day was to plant 120 plants (a combination of sweet fern, huckleberry and juniper), and spread 40 yards of erosion control mulch along 300 feet of the guardrail at the beach. It was a warm day, but that didn’t stop the team of volunteers. We got going at about 8:15 and we finished up at about 12:30. We did have some equipment help with a power auger to dig some of the holes and two tractors to bucket the mulch from across Rte 153 to the guard rail and then dump it for folks to spread it manually around the plants. We now have the task to keep them watered, which is not that bad of a task as there is lots of water in the lake.

This is phase one and we will be doing the exact same amount of planting and spreading next year as we complete the project that was funded by a grant from the NH DES cyanobacteria mitigation fund. Keep your eyes open for volunteer opportunities next year.

A big thank you to all the volunteers, including the AWWA Youth Conservation Corps, and of course NH DES for approving the funding of the project.

Here are some pictures from the day.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR BEACH PLANTING

Hi All,
See attached flyer.  The PLA is looking for volunteers to help install a vegetative buffer along the guardrail on Rte 153.

f you have already emailed us that you will volunteer, if it’s not too much, we request that you please submit the google form. 

Below is the link to sign up using the google form.  Anyone with this link can access this form.  

https://forms.gle/jDpQDhsg5RiyDwuq5

If you have any questions, please reach out to Marcia.
Thank you for your support!

The PLA

TRIBUTARY SEDIMENT CONTROL RFQ

The PLA has issued a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) for Qualified Environmental Professionals to submit applications to us for the design of sediment control options for our major tributaries.  This is just another step to help reduce the amount of nutrients entering the lake and hopefully reduce the occurrence of cyanobacteria blooms.

You can read more at this link from NH DES https://www4.des.state.nh.us/blogs/watershed/?p=5420

Also, the actual RFQ package/instructions is HERE

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

Annual Meeting Pre-Read Doc