PLA Members,

The cyanobacteria advisory for Province Lake has been lifted as of today (June 8th). The red cyanobacteria signs at public access points around the lake are being taken down.

A message from the NH DES:

“The cyanobacteria WARNING (ADVISORY) that was issued on 1 June 2023 has been REMOVED for Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield as of today 8 June 2023. While the bloom accumulation has dissipated, NHDES advises that lake-goers look out for green surface accumulations in the future. Please continue to monitor your individual shoreline for changing conditions.”

Regards,
The PLA Board

PLA Members,

The cyanobacteria blooms we have been monitoring since this past weekend have unfortunately worsened.

NHDES has now issued a cyanobacteria advisory for Province Lake.

Signs are being placed around the lake at all public access points.

The NHDES warning is as follows:

“A cyanobacteria WARNING (ADVISORY) has been issued for Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield. The sample reviewed today had cyanobacteria (Dolichospermum) in concentrations up to 504,000 cells/mL in areas of highest observed accumulations. Advisories are issued when cell counts exceed 70,000 cells/mL. NHDES advises lake users to not wade or swim in the water during an advisory. Please also keep pets and livestock out. The advisory is not based on a toxin evaluation and is intended as a precautionary measure for short term exposure.  

NHDES will resample in a week. I will reach out to you before then for updates. If you have information on where accumulated material is being observed at that time, please let us know to guide our sampling efforts. Advisories remain active until the bloom subsides.”

Regards,

The PLA Board

Hello PLA Membership,

Below is a link to another Advisory from NHDES regarding the stubborn bloom we are experiencing on Province Lake.  

Hoping this goes away soon,

Jim Aiken 

PLA

Oct 6 2022 DES Press Release

Unfortunately we are still seeing sporadic localized blooms at Province Lake and NH DES has reissued a local alert.

They write …

Hi All,

Province Lake has continued to have sporadic cyanobacteria blooms since NHDES lifted the advisory on 9/21/22. I am issuing a local alert, going into effect today, 10/3/22 to keep residents aware of the situation. Cyanobacteria bloom conditions can change rapidly, so it is best to be on the watch for developing conditions. Please see the attached alert document. NHDES will resample if bloom conditions persist on the water long enough for samples to be representative of current conditions.

This is not an official cyanobacteria advisory, and signs do not need to be posted. I will be in contact again if conditions change, and an official advisory is issued.  

Please forward to other residents / community members around the waterbody, and provide me with any contacts (first and last names, and emails) of folks who would want to be directly included on future communications from NHDES. 

Best,
Kate Langley Hastings
Cyanobacteria HAB Program Coordinator
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  kate.l.hastings@des.nh.gov
she/her

Province Lake Alert Oct 3 2022

Hello PLA Members,

Recent NHDES testing found that Province Lake did not have any measurable bloom forming cyanobacteria present and decided to lift the cyanobacteria advisory today.  While that news was welcome our members have continued to see sporadic visual signs of a cyanobacteria bloom as recent as today 9/21/22.  We will be taking the red cyanobacteria warning signs down but NHDES guidance is to not go into the water if visual signs of a bloom are present.  It is particularly important to keep dogs and children out of the water when a bloom is observed.

The official press release can be read here.

Thank you,

Jim Aiken

PLA