What do December showers bring?

It’s raining in the watershed! With two inches of rain predicted, residents are facing flood warnings, road closures, and downed power lines. Along with disrupting daily lives, winter rain can have a devastating impact on Newfound Lake. Here’s why rain can be even more damaging in the winter than in the summer:

• Soils are frozen. Healthy soils act like a sponge, absorbing water and slowly releasing it following a rainstorm. In winter, soil freezes from the top down, which keeps water from soaking in.
• Plants are dormant. Throughout the growing season, plants take up large amounts of water from the soil. In winter, many plants lie dormant, drawing up less water from the ground.
• Ice and snow changes the flow. Snow banks and ice along roads and driveways can prevent rain from draining into ditches, and ice from rivers and streams can block culverts. This forces the water to cut new paths through the landscape, leading to washouts and flooding.

Winter storms strain our stormwater systems and can be especially damaging to water quality, infrastructure, and private property. Here’s how you can help limit damage from winter rains:

• Slow the flow. Roofs, driveways, and lawns concentrate stormwater and heighten its damage to the surrounding landscape. Slow it down at the source with stormwater management structures like dripline trenches, drywells, and rain gardens. We can help!
• Clear your culverts. Keeping culverts clear keeps stormwater off roads, minimizing erosion and pollution downstream.
• Keep a buffer. Maintain natural vegetation along the shoreline of any streams, rivers, or lakes along your property. Buffers act as a last line of defense, catching and filtering stormwater before it pollutes waterways.
• Leave the leaves. Instead of disposing of your fall leaves, rake them into your garden beds or along the edges of your lawn. Leaf piles are habitat for hibernating pollinators, add nutrients to the soil, and do a great job of soaking up winter stormwater!

Learn more about stormwater pollution and our work to stop it at NewfoundLake.org/stormwater.

Upcoming NLRA Events

What kinds of plants are still green in December?Come find out and make an evergreen clay press pendant! Nature Station is a drop-in program with activities designed for kids of all ages.

Practice bird ID, make a bird journal, and learn about three big birding events happening in NH this winter.

Investigate what's going on under the ice and snow and make a craft to take home. Nature Station is a drop-in program with activities designed for kids of all ages.

Visit NewfoundLake.org/events 

to register and see all upcoming events.

Gratitude for the Dark

Throughout the watershed we can appreciate crystal clear views of the moon and stars and hillsides unadorned by bright nighttime lights. As we near the longest night of the year, this is a great time to think about the value of dark skies now and all year round. How does your permanent outdoor lighting impact the nocturnal environment and the Newfound viewshed?

Light pollution is harmful for birds and other wildlife, and has even been shown to have adverse health affects for people. Responsible outdoor lighting meets the needs of people to see at night, conserves energy, avoids harmful effects on wildlife, and protects the night sky. Guide your use of nighttime lights with DarkSky International's five principles for outdoor lighting:



1. Useful. All light should have a clear purpose.
2. Targeted. Direct light so it falls only where it is needed.
3. Low level. The light should be no brighter than necessary.
4. Controlled. Use light only when it is needed.
5. Warm-colored. Use warmer-color lights where possible.

Learn more at DarkSky.org.

Tax-Smart Charitable Giving

Are you making a year-end gift to a local charity like NLRA? Here's how you can maximize your impact and see potential tax benefits:

Donate stocks and marketable securities. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you may avoid capital gains taxes and be eligible to deduct the full fair-market value from your income taxes. Here's how to donate stock to protect Newfound.

Give from your IRA. Charitable distributions from your IRA can fulfill your required minimum distribution and decrease your tax liabilities by not taking the distribution as income.

Donate cryptocurrency and NFTs. Similar to stock, cryptocurrency and NFTs may be subject to capital gains tax. You can donate cryptocurrency and NFTs to NLRA or thousands of other charities through the fee-free service Crypto for Charity.

See more ways to give and donate online today: