News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: July 19, 2013

CONTACT: Sonya Carlson (603) 271-0698 or (603) 419-9229

des.nh.gov

twitter.com/NHDES

twitter.com/NHDES_Beaches

State Removes Cyanobacteria Warning for Province Lake, Effingham, NH

Concord, NH – The cyanobacteria cell concentration in Province Lake, Effingham, NH, is below a level of public health concern.  As a result, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) has removed the cyanobacteria lake warning issued on July 11, 2013.

Areas examined today, July 19, 2013, included areas along Bonnyman Point, Bailey & Remick Roads.  The growth has been reduced to small specks throughout the water column, but the overall concentration of cyanobacteria in the samples collected was low.  However, once a bloom has been seen in a lake, that lake is more likely to have future blooms.  Please continue to monitor your individual shoreline for changing conditions and avoid any large amounts of growth in the water.

DES routinely monitors public beaches and public waters of the state for cyanobacteria.  Cyanobacteria are natural components of water bodies worldwide, but blooms and surface scums may form when excess phosphorus is available to the water.  Some cyanobacteria produce toxins that are stored within the cells but released upon cell death.  Toxins can cause both acute and chronic health effects that range in severity.  Acute health effects include irritation of skin and mucous membranes, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Chronic effects include liver and central nervous system damage.

Visit the DES Beach Program website for photos and more information about cyanobacteria at http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/beaches/index.htm

Updates on advisories and warnings may be obtained at http://www2.des.state.nh.us/WaterShed_BeachMaps/WaterShed_BeachMaps.aspx

Follow the Beaches twitter feed:

http://twitter.com/NHDES_Beaches

If you notice anything resembling cyanobacteria, please refrain from wading, swimming, or drinking the water.  Keep all pets out of the water and contact DES immediately. Please call DES to report a cyanobacteria bloom at (603) 419-9229

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President, PLA

News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: July 11, 2013

CONTACT: Sonya Carlson (603) 271-0698 or (603) 419-9229

des.nh.gov

twitter.com/NHDES

twitter.com/NHDES_Beaches

 State Issues Cyanobacteria Warning for Province Lake, Effingham, NH

 Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) has issued a cyanobacteria lake warning for those who recreate on Province Lake, Effingham, NH, due to extensive greenish clouds and streaks of cyanobacteria.  Areas where the bloom has been spotted include the boat launch on Bonnyman Road and along Point, Bailey & Remick Roads, however, the bloom may appear anywhere on the lake.  In windy conditions, the lake appears cloudy.  During calm periods, large swaths of blue-green material can be seen along the shore.  Please continue to monitor your individual shoreline for changing conditions

This warning is intended as a precautionary measure to prevent short term exposure to cyanobacteria toxins and is not based on a toxin evaluation.  DES advises lake users to avoid contact with the water in areas experiencing a surface scum or blue-green clouds.  DES also advises pet owners to keep their pets out of water that has a surface scum or blue-green clouds.

DES routinely monitors public beaches and public waters of the state for cyanobacteria. Once a cyanobacteria warning has been issued, DES returns to affected waterbodies on a weekly basis until the cyanobacteria bloom is not evident.  Cyanobacteria are natural components of water bodies worldwide, but blooms and surface scums may form when excess phosphorus is available to the water.  Some cyanobacteria produce toxins that are stored within the cells but released upon cell death.  Toxins can cause both acute and chronic health effects that range in severity.  Acute health effects include irritation of skin and mucous membranes, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Chronic effects include liver and central nervous system damage.

The July 11, 2013, warning will remain in effect until additional samples reveal cyanobacteria levels have diminished.

Visit the DES Beach Program website for photos and more information about cyanobacteria at http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/beaches/index.htm

Updates on advisories and warnings may be obtained at http://www2.des.state.nh.us/WaterShed_BeachMaps/WaterShed_BeachMaps.aspx

Follow the Beaches twitter feed:

http://twitter.com/NHDES_Beaches

If you notice anything resembling cyanobacteria, please refrain from wading, swimming, or drinking the water.  Keep all pets out of the water and contact DES immediately. Please call DES to report a cyanobacteria bloom at (603) 419-9229

Hello Fellow Lakers,

Please see the note below from NH DES.  We seem to have a cyanobacteria bloom in the lake and it is most noticeable near the boat ramp on Bonnyman, but everyone on the lake needs to keep their eyes open.  It is mixed with pollen and instead of being blue/green, it is whitish and yellow small clumps that not only is on the surface, but also goes down in the water.  The concern is for ingesting it, not necessarily touching it.  Keep children and pets out of it.  And rinse off if you go in it.

 Regards,

Jon Samuelson

President, PLA

President Of Province Lake Association,

As we discussed on the phone, we will be issuing a cyanobacteria advisory for the boat launch on Bonnyman Road, Province Lake based on your recent description of the changing conditions from this morning.  The two samples that were submitted to DES were not at levels that would initiate a lake wide warning.  Both were below the 70,000 cells/mL that prompt further action.  However, the clumps/material that were in the sample are a type of cyanobacteria so if this is reoccurring and at elevated concentrations at the boat ramp it is best to advise the folks entering at this public access point.  It should be especially helpful to have the lake host convey this information as folks come in.

Please do post that area with the red sign(s) as soon as you are able and I will go through the usual protocol for issuing an advisory so that the information is available on our website.  To review, if conditions change over the weekend – the boat launch area has cleared up, the beach area on route 153 or campground beach are showing signs of elevated cell concentrations- please call 271-8803 (I will check messages) or 419-9229 so that we can adjust the website information accordingly.

The important points to get across

1. A cyanobacteria advisory is not a lake closure.
2. Our assessment of cyanobacteria involves a microscopic evaluation which serves only as a precautionary measure for short term exposure to cyanobacteria.  Our recommendation is to avoid contact with any area of water experiencing a bloom.  Ingestion of the bloom/scum is one of our primary concerns.  Keep pets out. 
3. Due to the nature of cyanobacteria it can be very frustrating to track a bloom as it is visible at one time but in a few hours it appears to have dispersed dependent on wind, current and/or rain.  Be vigilant to the changing conditions of individual shorelines. 
4. Cyanobacteria (formerly called blue-green algae) are present in all lakes around the world and it is true that some species of cyanobacteria produce toxins however; it is only when a visible bloom of cyanobacteria is present that we recommend avoiding contact as a precaution.    

Other potentially useful information resources:

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/beaches/cyano_bacteria.htm (recreational exposure)

http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/publications/wd/documents/cyano_id_flyer.pdf  (how to identify, who to contact)

Current Advisories: http://www2.des.state.nh.us/Advisories/Beaches/
Beach Twitter Feed: http://twitter.com/NHDES_Beaches
DES Beach Advisories Email Newsletter: http://des.nh.gov/media/enews/index.htm

 ________________________________________________

Teresa Ptak

Clean Vessel Act Coordinator/Beach Program Assistant

Biology-NH Department of Environmental Services

29 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95

Concord NH 03302-0095

Ph: (603) 271-8803

Fax: (603) 271-7894

Teresa.Ptak@des.nh.gov or cva@des.nh.gov