Well, the cyanobacteria warning for Province Lake has been lifted. The water has been looking quite good lately. See details from DES below.
Regards,
The PLA
———- Forwarded message ——— From: DES: Harmful Algal Bloom Program<DES.HAB@des.nh.gov> Date: Tue, Sep 23, 2025 at 12:01 PM Subject: Cyanobacteria WARNING REMOVED – Province Lake To: DES: Harmful Algal Bloom Program <DES.HAB@des.nh.gov>
Hi all,
The cyanobacteria warning at your waterbody has been REMOVED, please see below for details.
Waterbody
Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
Status
WARNING
Issued
8/13/2025
Removed
9/23/2025
Notes
There have been no reports of bloom conditions. Additionally, NHDES staff visited Province Lake on 9/22/25 and no bloom conditions were observed. There were very low levels of cyanobacteria present in three samples that were collected, which are representative of background levels. Please report through the Bloom Report Form if you bloom conditions reappear.
Please visit the Healthy Swimming Mapper for the most current information about bloom location, status, and severity.
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 603-848-8094hab@des.nh.gov
Although the unofficial end to summer has passed, there is still time for those who have not joined the PLA to join for this year. We run our membership on a calendar year basis, so a donation can be made anytime between Jan and Dec.
These past 4 weeks have been a tough time, with the Cyano bloom curtailing most of our recreational lake activities. But, …your lake association continues it’s work to try to make those blooms become a thing of the past.* Working with AWWA and several volunteers, the first 300 foot segment of a vegetated buffer for erosion control along Rt 153 is complete. The next 300 feet will be done in 2026.* Another beach cleanup is complete, preventing that trash from entering the lake.* The Lake Host inspectors have concluded their season.* We are awaiting State reimbursement on one grant, and are actively working to hire an engineering firm to analyze and propose solutions to reduce run-off of sediment from the major tributaries.* The results of the spring watershed survey will be available soon and we will then target the largest phosphorus contributing areas for mitigation.* We will be reaching out to NH Lakes Association and NH-DES for suggestions on what we as a lake community can do.* There is an upcoming septic system survey being prepared. The larger the PLA membership list is, – the more impact we can have when reaching out for assistance and advice.
It is disappointing that of the approximately 540 names we have on our contact list, only 160 have joined or about 30%. Also, although we have gained 11 new members this year, we also have lost 11 from last year as our membership is exactly at where we ended 2024. Many of you have been members in the past. Can we get you back? As you know, we also are always looking for volunteers. Many folks aren’t able to devote their time, which we understand, but a great alternative is to join the PLA. It is a small price ($25 for the basic membership) to say you are at least doing your part to help. Also, your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
For those who have already joined, thank you. You can verify your membership by viewing the membership page on our website or replying to this email and asking.
DES sampled the lake again on Tuesday and informed us late yesterday that the Warning remains in effect. They didn’t supply a lot of information other than that they sampled several spots and the counts were again too high to even count.
Sorry for the delay in sending this out. DES took another sample on Wednesday and to no surprise, the counts were high again, so the Warning remains. You can see the details below.
The PLA
———- Forwarded message ——— From: DES: Harmful Algal Bloom Program<DES.HAB@des.nh.gov> Date: Thu, Sep 4, 2025 at 9:22 AM Subject: Cyanobacteria WARNING Remains – Province Lake To: DES: Harmful Algal Bloom Program <DES.HAB@des.nh.gov>
Hi all,
The cyanobacteria warning at your waterbody REMAINS, please see below for details.
Waterbody
Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
Status
WARNING
Issued
8/13/2025
Resampling Date
9/3/2025
Cyanobacteria Taxa
Dolichospermum
Notes
NHDES continued to observe bloom conditions during the resampling event on 9/3. Multiple samples were collected around the waterbody, with the cyanobacteria cell density at levels too numerous to count. 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 9/9.
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 603-848-8094hab@des.nh.gov
No surprise here. DES sampled yesterday and the Warning remains. See below.
Regards,
The PLA
Hi again,
Unfortunately, the cyanobacteria warning at your waterbody REMAINS, please see below for details.
Waterbody
Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
Status
WARNING
Issued
8/13/2025
Resampling Date
8/27/2025
Cyanobacteria Taxa
Dolichospermum
Notes
NHDES continued to observe bloom conditions during the resampling event on 8/27. Multiple samples were collected around the waterbody, with the cyanobacteria cell density ranging from 50,400 – 656,000 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 9/3.
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 603-848-8094hab@des.nh.gov
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.
Waterbody
Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
Status
WARNING
Issued
8/13/2025
Resampling Date
8/21/2025
Cyanobacteria Taxa
Dolichospermum
Notes
NHDES 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 603-848-8094hab@des.nh.gov
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.
Waterbody
Province Lake, Effingham/Wakefield
Status
WARNING
Issued
8/13/2025
Bloom Description
Green surface scums accumulating along the shorelines.
Notes
Minor 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 603-848-8094hab@des.nh.gov
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
