Lake Health

New Shoreline Protection Act in effect July 1. Details here.

A report was developed through a state funded grant and provides specific recommendations for areas around the lake about how to reduce the negative impact storm water runoff has on the lake.  Many of these projects and ideas relate to specific homeowner properties as well as the Fours Seasons beach and the Town of Amherst beach. Contact the board if you are interested in more detail.

Why should you be concerned about the health of Baboosic Lake?

Simply put, if you appreciate the value of your property and its surroundings, you need to care about and be active in maintaining the health and water quality of Baboosic Lake. Poor water clarity has a direct impact on your waterfront property value and everyone's personnel enjoyment of the lake.

Illegal sand dumping is harming the lake. Numerous homes around the lake have been doing it this year, despite significant educational efforts on the part of this board and the state. Permits are required for all sand applied to a shoreline.  Adding sand for the beautification of your own property harms the lake's health for everyone else. It is NOT your right to dump sand on your own property.

The BLA will be reporting violators to the Wetlands Bureau as this is incumbent upon the board according to its charter. You are also encouraged to report violators using this Wetlands Complaint form. Note that complaints can be made anonymously.  You may need the tax map number of the property. In Amherst, this can be found online here.

Details from the NH State DES about sand.

Fertilizing lawns increases algae production in the lake. Rule of thumb: If you are adding something to your lawn to help it grow, you are helping algae grow. You are making your lawn prettier and our lake uglier. You are also contributing to the Cyanobacteria blooms we experience.

If your neighbor is adding sand or fertilizing their lawn, they are contributing to the algae condition of the lake.

Details about Phosphorous, a major component of any fertilizer.

Details on fertilizing lawns within the bounds of the Shoreland Protection Act

Septic Systems - Good news here. The BLA board has negotiated a significant discount for septic pumping, services and even portapotty rentals with Dave's Septic.  You can save $70 on a typical 1000 gallon tank pumping. and rent a portapotty for $60 - significantly less than market rates.

Proper maintenance of septic systems in the watershed is vital to reducing ecoli outbreaks which can cause serious health concerns. If you are aware of a house with a septic system that overflows or smells of sewage during rain, contact your town's board of health. They take complaints very seriously and can force homeowners to remedy situations that impact the health of neighbors and the lake.

Repair or replacement of failed Septic systems must be done with proper town environmental agency approval and proper permits.

Contact Dave's web site or by phone at (603) 668-3402

State DES info on septic systems.  

State info on eColi.

How can you help?

DO NOT: 

·          Bathe, wash animals, use soap of any kind of relieve yourself in the lake!

·          Use fertilizer near the shoreline!

·          Dump leaves or grass in or around the lake!

·          Throw cigarette butts, empty cans or bottles or trash of any kind in the lake!

·          Spill gas in or near the lake!

·          Dump sand in or near the lake!

·          Change the shoreline in any way!

·         DO - Have your septic system inspected and pumped yearly!   

... and please DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS OR FISH! Feeding the ducks and fish causes them to depend on human food instead of nature.

Always: 

·         Have your septic system inspected and pumped yearly!   

·         Be Extremely careful to thoroughly inspect and wash your boat and trailer whenever you put it into the lake.  Realize that  we are lucky to have no milfoil on the lake, and only continued vigilance will keep it that way.

Remember that if you have your boat serviced by a local dealer, they may put it into their own lake for water tests, and that your boat could pick up milfoil that way, so always check when it comes back from the dealer.

What is Milfoil?

Milfoil is a nasty weed that spreads rapidly and displaces beneficial native plant life. It makes swimming difficult and may devalue waterfront property.

Visit the NH DES web page with details about Milfiol. Click Here.

Shown below are some common "look-alike" plants. The native species are considered harmless. The exotic (non-native) species are invasive and will take over a water body unless addressed in time.

If you see any of the exotic versions of these weeds in the lake, contact a board member.

Things we should all know about living around the lake

Your septic systems consist of a septic tank and a leach field. As sewage enters the tank, the larger solids sink to the bottom and liquids and smaller solids rise to the surface.  They are then partially decomposed by bacteria and other natural processes.  The leach field then takes the wastewater through a series of perforated pipes that allows the water to infiltrate through layers of stone, gravel and natural soils.  Even a modern system can get clogged if it is not maintained properly and pumped out periodically. 

Some important points to remember:

·       Know the location of your septic system and leaching area; mark top of tank with rocks.

·       Inspect your tank yearly, have it pumped out by a licensed professional.

·       DO NOT flush bulky items such as disposable diapers or sanitary items into the system.

·       DO NOT flush toxic materials such as paint thinner, pesticides or chlorine into your system since they kill the good bacteria in the tank.

·       Repair leaking fixtures promptly, use water-reducing fixtures wherever possible.

·       Avoid putting food wastes and grease into the system.

·       Keep deep rooted trees and bushes away from the leach field.

·       DO NOT allow vehicles over the leach field.

·       Avoid colored toilet paper, it doesn't break down as rapidly as white, and 1 ply is better than 2 ply.

·       Many bathroom cleaning products contain chlorine - seek alternatives.

Watershed is defined as the surrounding land area that drains into the particular body of water.  Because water moves through lakes and ponds more slowly than rivers and streams, it allows algae (aquatic plants) to use the nutrients for growth.

As lakes age they go through Eutrophication.  This occurs when nutrients are added to a lake.  The characteristics are an abundance of aquatic plants, green or turbid water and a shallow, mucky bottom.  Artificial nutrients sources such as septic systems and fertilizer accelerate the decline of the lake.  The more phosphorus that enters the lake the greater the algae growth and reduced water clarity.  It is important to maintain or restore shoreline plantings and vegetations along the shoreline as it reduces the amount of phosphorus that enters the lake.

Visit the State DES web site for more info on lake health.

If you put your boat in other lakes, look at this map. It shows which lakes have reported hostile plant or species growth.