Volume L XVII ~ October 2023 | |
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Lake Sunapee Protective Association
Devoted to the Environmental Quality of the Lake Sunapee Watershed
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A Flash Of The Beacon
Welcome to A Flash of the Beacon!
A quick look at what's happening
at the Center for Lake Studies,
highlights of current news and events,
plus what's going on outside in nature.
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October is here and the cool weather and changing leaves officially confirms autumn's arrival. Here at the Center for Lake Studies we have wrapped up our 125th celebration of LSPA's historic legacy and are now headed into our fall programming. A huge thank you to the 125th Committee for organizing this year's fantastic series of events! We've had a wonderful time celebrating 125 years of caring for our waters and we look forward to the next 125 years of on-going education, research and collaborative actions that will continue to enhance and preserve this beautiful watershed!
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Although it is fall, we happily welcome Summer! We are excited to announce that Summer Sanderson has joined LSPA as our new Communications and Development Coordinator. Summer grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire and attended college at CSU Sacramento where she received a BS in environmental science. After college Summer moved briefly to Humboldt County California before moving back to New Hampshire in 2022 and currently resides in Bedford - soon to be New London. In her spare time Summer enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going outside as much as possible, and trying to keep her house plants alive.
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Summer has jumped into learning everything about our work here at LSPA. The last deep site sampling was done on a very calm morning and she participated and experienced all the procedures and protocols that goes into the collection of water samples. | |
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As the lake begins to cool and the activity on it slows, we want to express our gratitude for the many, many volunteers who take time to monitor the area lakes’ health. This work is so vital! The ever diligent efforts of these amazing volunteers - who are out on the water sampling, watching, and caring for the waters of the Lake Sunapee Watershed - exemplifies the dedication and passion needed for stopping the spread of invasive species and keeping our waterbodies free of pollutants. These wonderful individuals demonstrate how each of us can do one small part to protect the beauty and health of our beautiful area lakes! Our gratitude abounds! LSPA is supported by its incredibly gifted and dedicated committees and its members. We are ever grateful to all those who continue to be actively engaged in helping to keep the Lake Sunapee Watershed a healthy place to live and enjoy.
Want to help out?
Click here for volunteer information.
Click here to become a member.
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2023 Full Moon Cruise ~
LSPA's 2023 Full Moon Cruise on Lake Sunapee was a wonderful success! The moon was glorious and delighted all! Thanks to all who joined us on this beautiful outing, the proceeds of which support our educational programming. A huge shout out to Sunapee Cruises and Captain Kara for an exceptional evening!
| A Gathering of Past LSPA Presidents ~ | |
LSPA's past presidents gathered in September at the Center for Lake Studies to share their insights and on-going support for the current work of the organization.
| Pictured here L to R: Al Griggs, Bo Quackenbos, Midge Eliassen, Deb Benjamin, Tanya Wilkie, Charlie Forbes, Kristen Begor, William McLaughlin. Not pictured Walt Goddard. | |
Lake Sunapee's Fall Drawdown ~
October 9th
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announces the annual fall drawdown of the lakes and ponds controlled by dams owned by NHDES.
October is always the annual Lake Sunapee drawdown. This year it will occur on the 9th. Large lakes, like Lake Sunapee, generally do not reach their full drawdowns until mid or late March.
NHDES states that "lake drawdowns are conducted each fall to reduce winter ice damage to shoreline properties and to reduce spring flooding. Drawdowns also give property owners an opportunity to conduct any necessary repairs to their waterfront property, provided they first secure a permit from the DES Wetlands Bureau at (603) 271-2147."
To learn more watch a presentation LSPA hosted with Jim Gallagher and Dan Mattaini from the NHDES Dam Bureau on Lake Level Management. Click here.
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Colby-Sawyer Collaborative Project -
This fall Colby-Sawyer College (CSC) is offering a Community Based Project class, run by CSC professors Nick Baer, David Lutz and LSPA’s Lab Manager Teriko MacConnell. This class selects a project within the community to research and present their findings, with proposed action suggestions. The focus this year is on providing more details to the Pleasant Lake Protective Association (PLPA) and the Town of New London regarding the possible inputs of phosphorus into Pleasant Lake. PLPA has an extensive amount of data, but this will add to that data by sampling into the fall and winter, and offer more details with stream flow. The students are using LSPA's water quality lab equipment and following the water lab's protocols to ensure accurate data.
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NHDES Aquatic Ecologist Visits ~
Kirsten Hugger, NH Department of Environmental Services Aquatic Ecologist, joined LSPA's Watershed Director Geoff Lizotte mid-September for her annual visit to collect plankton samples - specifically macrozooplankton, rotifers, and phytoplankton. Her long-term objective is to record, monitor and measure changes in the plankton populations over time. Using a large plankton net, Kirsten gathered samples from two of Lake Sunapee's deep site locations.
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Tuesday, October 10
8:00 AM - 2:30 PM
LSPA Center for Lake Studies (map)
LSPA will host UNH Technology Transfer Center's "Snowfighters' Seminar" on the 10th. Participants will prepare their teams and equipment for winter with a full day reviewing best practices & innovations in winter operations including equipment and anti-icing & de-icing options and a hands-on equipment calibration. Discussion will include how salt works - and how it doesn't work - brine, liquids, and pre-treat & pre-wet options, as well as determining application rates from awareness of pavement and air temperature, weather forecast, and other variables. They’ll also discuss winter safety, pre-season and pre and post-trip inspection, as well as driver wellness and defensive and safe driving. Snowfighters' Seminar is an approved NHDES Green SnowPro Salt Applicator Certification Initial Training.
This event is full. For more information on UNH T2 Seminars click here.
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Tuesday's Nature Exploration Story Time
10:00 AM
October 3rd ~ Leaves
October 10th ~ Acorns and Seeds
October 17th ~ Chipmunks
October 24th ~ Pumpkins
October 31st ~ Bats
Come join LSPA environmental educators for nature themed activities on Tuesday mornings in October at LSPA’s Center for Lake Studies starting on the 3rd.
Each Tuesday will offer a different theme and include a story, activities, a craft, and exploration. These programs are designed for young children and their caregivers. They are free and open to all! We look forward to welcoming you in the Discovery Room, a room full of fun ways to investigate the out of doors. On October 3rd we will explore autumn leaves - in all their colorful glory! We look forward to seeing you!
Nature Exploration Story Hour Schedule
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Tuesday morning story time this past month was great fun as the little ones explored the meadow at LSPA’s Center, investigated what animals like to eat apples, and learned all about the amazing monarch butterfly. | |
Watershed Management Plan - Beck Brook Update ~ | |
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On September 27th, LSPA Watershed Director, Geoff Lizotte, went electrofishing with John Magee, Program Supervisor, NH Fish & Game Inland Fisheries Division and Jeff Marcoux, NHDES Watershed Supervisor at Beck Brook, one of the project sites identified as needing stormwater improvements in LSPA’s Watershed Management Plan. Funding for this project was provided in part by a Watershed Assistance Grant from the NHDES with Clean Water Act Section 319 funds from the EPA.
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Electrofishing is a standard way to measure the fish population in streams. In this process an electric meter is placed into the stream, causing the fish to be stunned for a short period of time. While the fish are stunned, they are collected in nets and placed in buckets. The weight and length of the fish are recorded, and the fish are placed back into the same section of stream they came from.
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Geoff Lizotte, John Magee and Jeff Marcoux were collecting data on the brook trout population a year after the grant project was completed. Overall, John Magee was impressed with the number of fish in the stream as well as the size of the one-year-old fish which were large compared to the standard size of brook trout of the same age. Monitoring the brook trout population is a way to measure the success of the Beck Brook grant project, and there is a healthy population of brook trout in the stream!
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LSPA's Water Quality Assistant ~
LSPA’s Water Quality Assistant, Tehya Kloster, has been working on a wide variety of projects from Colby-Sawyer College to Dartmouth to Little Lake Sunapee and their association. In the lab, Tehya and LSPA’s Lab Manager Teriko MacConnell are still running full steam ahead, analyzing water samples from area lakes. In mid-September, Tehya also ventured out in the watershed and collected tributary samples to be analyzed. In addition to the lab work, she has been helping Teriko teach the community research project class how to run all the water quality testing equipment with their various protocol parameters.
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Tehya is working with the Catabot team from Dartmouth going out weekly to collect tributary and general water samples which are tested back at the Dartmouth lab. In addition, another Dartmouth collaboration has Tehya assisting with the Sunapee Foodweb Project by examining water samples that were collected this summer. Dr. Jessica Trout-Haney has been training her in the proper protocol, identifying and processing of the samples.
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At LSPA, Tehya is collecting contacts for all of the property management companies within the Lake Sunapee Watershed region and entering them into a searchable database. She is also putting her GIS knowledge to use by creating a few maps for various purposes within LSPA. The shift from summer lab work to the fall has given no shortage of fun projects and valuable experience for Tehya!
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Lake Sunapee Remains Free of Toxic Cyanobacteria Blooms ~ | |
This has been a record year for cyanobacteria blooms in New Hampshire lakes, but we have not had any blooms reported on Lake Sunapee. September is a time when we often see an increase in Gloeotrichia echinulata (or Gloeo for short), which is a type of cyanobacteria found in Lake Sunapee. Individual colonies of Gloeo are visible to the naked eye and look like small, fuzzy yellowish spheres in the water. There are 7 other prevalent species of cyanobacteria in the lake but the others are only visible when they form a bloom. Click here to read more.
| Water Quality and Leaves ~ | |
This time of year as trees let go of their colorful leaves many will naturally fall into lakes and streams. NH LAKES reminds us “if leaves do get into the lake, it is best to leave them there—do not use a rake in the water to remove them. Raking the bottom disturbs the critters living in and on the lake bottom. Raking in the lake also suspends sediment and phosphorus into the water column, causing violations of state water quality standards and fueling algae blooms.”
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Please be aware that dumping leaves in the lake is not only a nuisance to others, it can cause a multitude of problems... murky waters, slimy lake floors, algal issues... to name just a few. Leaves, grass clippings and similar debris add nutrients to the water that use up precious oxygen as they decompose. A wide variety of aquatic organisms need that oxygen. Please be good stewards of our water and land by disposing of leaves and similar waste to a compost pile either on your land, or at a designated compost site near you. Check in with your town transfer stations; most are now accepting leaf and yard waste.
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Note that even leaf piles left on impervious surfaces like a driveway or along the road (a place they can’t recycle naturally back into the earth) can end up contributing additional nutrients to the lake via rainwater runoff. Raking leaves off your driveway or street could dramatically reduce the amount of phosphorus in runoff!
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Please talk with your landscape contractors to make sure we are all working together to maintain our healthy waterbodies. Enjoy the wonder of autumn leaves as you recycle and add them to your plants and gardens as mulch, or shred them with your mower and put the nutrients right back into your lawn where the earth will decompose them naturally.
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Leave the leaves for wildlife. The National Wildlife Federation writes, "You shouldn’t feel obligated to get rid of every last fallen leaf in your yard this fall. Leave the leaves — they offer a lot of benefits for wildlife and your garden." Read on to find out why and for tips on how to minimize the time you spend raking this autumn and maximize the benefit to wildlife and the greater environment that fallen leaves offer.
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This summer LSPA recognized several landowners in the Lake Sunapee Watershed as Watershed Wise Partners. The purpose of the Watershed Wise program is to encourage good land stewardship practices that protect the water quality of streams, lakes and ponds within the Lake Sunapee Watershed.
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Join LSPA in protecting and enhancing this beautiful watershed. LSPA offers free consultations and advice on caring for any erosion and stormwater runoff issues you may have. What takes place on your property can affect groundwater, streams, rivers, ponds and lakes—whether you live along them or are miles from them. Watershed Wise properties support a healthy watershed, recreational opportunities, higher property values, and better habitats for wildlife. Do your part to protect streams, ponds and lakes - Become a Watershed Wise Partner.
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Closing up for the season?
Thinking about winter preparations?
Now is the time to check to make sure
your dock de-icer is up to code and working properly.
- Set up your de-icer to form a narrow open water area around your dock (bubbler device works best for this)
- Point a circulator device in a vertical direction rather than at an angle towards the middle of the lake to minimize dangerously thin ice (use a purpose built bracket rather than ropes for easier adjustment - most manufacturers offer them as an accessory)
- Use a thermostat or timer to run the de-icer only when the air temperature drops below freezing
- Run the device for only 2-4 hours a day
This month if you are into fall projects and working on docks and considering de-icers, please check out our website for information, guidelines plus lake safety and environmental concerns. Lake residents are encouraged, as they prepare for winter, to double check the wiring that connects to their docks and de-icers. Remember, regular inspection, testing, and maintenance can find electrical system deficiencies that permit electric currents to pass through the water.
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Winter Dock Preparations?
Having maintenance done on your dock? Check for invasives!
When you go to take your dock or boat out this fall, keep an eye out for any unusual looking plants, animals, or shells. If you spot anything unusual check in with
Susie Burbidge, LSPA’s aquatic Invasive Watch program coordinator. You can also check our website for images and information on a wide variety of harmful aquatic invasives. Thank you for being a valuable and positive steward of the lake!
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Loon News ~
In the fall, loons are preparing to leave the freshwater lakes and head to the ocean where they will spend the winter. If you get a close look at an adult loon (with a pair of binoculars, of course!), you will notice that they are molting into their gray and white winter plumage. The feathers near the bill are usually the first ones to change, followed by the head and back. Loons do not molt their flight feathers until they are on their ocean wintering grounds, although with climate change, some begin their wing molt before leaving our lakes. If we get a sudden cold snap and the lake freezes, they find themselves trapped and in need of a rescue. The adults leave the lakes usually in October or November but the chicks will remain on the lakes almost until ice-in.
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It's not uncommon to see a large group of loons together in the fall, especially on a big lake like Sunapee. They become more social at this time of year and often gather in staging areas as they head to the ocean. Loons that breed in New Hampshire typically spend the winter off the New England Coast and as far south as the Long Island Sound.
This winter, if you are missing the loons, take a ride to the New Hampshire coast (Rye Harbor is a good spot to check) and you will most likely see one. Keep in mind it won't be dressed in its formal attire of black and white but it will be beautiful nonetheless. Photos by K. Wilson and M. Eliassen.
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October ushers in cool fall temperatures and grandly displays a pageant of colors throughout the hillsides. Here in our beautiful Lake Sunapee region the trees are turning their brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange, with the white ash tree throwing their reddish-purple leaves into the mix. Peak foliage viewing will be around the second week of October.
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 |  | This is the time of year when seasonal changes and the oncoming of winter can be observed in so many ways and on so many levels. A wide range of migratory birds are coming and going. Check out BirdCast, an app showcasing the spectacle of bird migration with tools that help you tell how many, when, where, and how far birds will migrate. Food is the main concern animals have right now as they keenly focus on eating everything they can find in order to migrate or store up enough fat for the next five months. A host of animals are changing into their winter garb as they make their necessary winter preparations. Ruffed grouse are growing their “snowshoes” – seasonal horny fringes on their toes that will allow them to walk on top of the snow. Beaver activity is at an all-time high as beavers prepare for the cold months ahead. Active all winter, beavers can be seen patching up their lodges, repairing and maybe raising their dams, and stockpiling lots of food in the bottom of the pond for future eating.
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Here in the harbor we are watching the boats leave and the waters becoming quieter. Autumn is lake turnover time, when oxygen is dispersed throughout the lake layers to the many grateful plants and animals that live there. Simply put, lake turnover is the seasonal mixing of the entire water column. | |
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The Clean Lakes Alliance defines lake turnover as a process in which "twice a year, unseen forces churn water from the depths of our deeper lakes and deliver oxygen and nutrients essential to aquatic life. This temperature-driven process of lake 'turnover' allows aquatic life to inhabit the entirety of the lake as oxygen becomes more available. Without this natural process, our lakes would not be the vibrant and dynamic ecosystems we see today." Robert Ladwig, hydrologist for UW Center for Limnology, says, “I think of turnover as the lake taking a deep breath as everything is mixed. It’s like a fresh start every spring and fall.” The LSPA buoy, which documents dissolved oxygen (among many other things), will be noting the changes in the lake and will continue to collect data during the next few final weeks of the season before it returns to the harbor for the winter.
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October is a glorious time to be outside and marvel at all the animal activity plus the amazing colors and beauty that surrounds us! Delight in it all and truly enjoy the glory that these autumn days bring!
To read more about what’s going on during this time of year check out:
BirdCast
Northern Woodlands
Naturally Curious with Mary Holland
NH Garden Solutions
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Resources ~
Check out LSPA's Resource Page for ideas, articles, things to do, and other resource information!
LSPA's Autumn Discoveries page has an abundance of resources for adults to explore the local area during these beautiful autumn days. Following LSPA's theme of "discovery, learning, and research" you'll find this page shares information not only on what and where to explore safely, but wildlife links, webinars, courses and much more!
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This month LSPA Kid's Ecology Corner page highlights a wide variety of activities. Find out about the incredibly beautiful autumn leaves, when, where birds are migrating, plus the amazing adaptations of the black bear and loon that make them so unique. October is a wonderful time to explore the outdoors!
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Be a Lake Sunapee Watershed Explorer! | |
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Autumn is a perfect time to get to know the Lake Sunapee Watershed! LSPA invites you and your family to explore the Lake Sunapee Watershed. Enjoy the lake and the forests of the watershed while you learn a bit about the science and history of Lake Sunapee. Pick 5 activities from the attached list and when you have completed them fill out the simple documentation form. You will have good memories, new knowledge and a patch to remember the experience by!
Click here for the list and form!
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Read, Listen and Participate in Local Ecology ~ | |
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Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America - Second Edition
Interested in learning more about the plants you see in the lake? This second edition of Garrett E. Crow and C. Barre Hellquist’s widely acclaimed work provides the most comprehensive and illustrated guide to the native and naturalized vascular plants—ferns, conifers, and flowering plants—growing in aquatic and wetland habitats in northeastern North America. Check out this great resource here.
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The Night Visitors:
Wildlife Images Captured on Backyard Game Cameras
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Presented by
NH Forest Society Naturalist &
NHPR Something Wild Co-Host
Dave Anderson
Tuesday, October 17
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm (doors open at 6:30)
Grantham Town Hall
300 Rt. 10S, Grantham NH 03753
This hybrid event will also be available online.
Please register for the online option.
Learn about wildlife habits and habitats including seasonal breeding seasons and behaviors of local native wildlife in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region. How do forest food cycles drive the relative abundance or shortage of wildlife we see on our backyards? What is the current status of bobcats and bears in NH? How do oak acorn cycles affect the populations of the rodent prey base? When do porcupines mate? How might climate change affect long term wildlife populations found in NH forests? When cameras are placed strategically, they can provide unique opportunities to learn more about wildlife behavior. Bring your own wildlife photographs and your various NH wildlife questions to this entertaining and informative evening presentation. Do you have any game cam images of your own? Email photos to treasurer@ecfnh.org by Oct. 10 for inclusion in a pre-talk slide show!
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Ausbon Sargent's Fall Foliage Guided Hike
Friday, October 13
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Enjoy the shifting seasons with Ausbon Sargent and the New London Conservation Commission along the Cook Trails. While walking the meandering footpaths learn about the science behind trees changing color and the other less obvious changes that come with the transition to winter. The walk will be approximately 1-2 miles over well-established walking paths, with steeper sections to a view. This event is free to members and non-members, but registration is required and can be done by emailing stewardship@ausbonsargent.org (link sends e-mail)
or by calling the office at: 603-526-6555
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Tracking the Signs of the Season: Exploring Phenology with Senior Biologist Diane De Luca |
October 26
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
$12.00 – $15.00
This presentation will take place virtually via Zoom.
What do budding wildflowers, metamorphosing frogs, and migrating hawks have in common? They are all undergoing life cycle phases that can be affected by climate change. Have you ever made notes about the first peeper you heard calling, the arrival of your first warbler, or your first sighting of a mourning cloak butterfly? Then you have been monitoring phenology! Documenting stories in our own backyards contributes to the impacts of climate change. This online presentation will share a nationwide effort to monitor these life cycle events, the phenology project at NH Audubon, and opportunities for you to get involved.
Registration Required by October 25, 2023
Click here to register.
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Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests | |
5 Hikes Challenge
Start Date:
Thursday, August 31, 2023
End Date:
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
The Forest Society's 4th annual 5 Hikes Challenge will take place from August 31 to October 31. Hit the trail with your family, friends, or on your own for a do-it-yourself hiking experience. Hike five trails located on Forest Society reservations after choosing from more than 30 properties across the state.
Register Here!
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Do you have any spectacular photos of Lake Sunapee’s watershed to share with our readers? Send them to Nancy - nancy@lakesunapee.org
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Lake Sunapee Protective Association
Center for Lake Studies
63 Main Street
Sunapee, NH 03782
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