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.  

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  

The Q&A for the RFQ tributary sediment control is available and can be viewed at this link.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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