Volume L XIX ~ December 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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 |  | December is always a busy time of year with holiday celebrations and preparations for the winter ahead. Here at LSPA our lights are on and we are continuing the work of our mission to protect this beautiful watershed. This mission could not be accomplished without the work of our steadfast committees and their dedicated volunteers. Here is just a glimpse of some of the committee work being carried out during this festive time of the year! The Education Committee is preparing for next year’s programs and outreach, and the Loon Committee is keeping an active watch on the remaining loons (hoping they all head to the coast soon!). The Legislative Committee has been meeting with legislators to discuss bills related to water quality for the upcoming legislative session. The Membership Committee is reaching out to the community for support, as the annual operating budget of LSPA is funded almost entirely by membership contributions. The Watershed Committee is continuing its focus on the Watershed Management Plan and promoting the "Let's Be Clear" campaign. We truly appreciate the work and effort of our committee members and their passion to help preserve and enhance the health of the gorgeous Lake Sunapee Watershed!
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LSPA’s Watershed Management Plan Projects are Ahead of Schedule!
On November 15th Don Kretchmer of DK Water Resources Consulting presented his assessment of LSPA’s progress on the Watershed Management Plan (WMP) to an audience of board members, volunteers and partners. We are three years into executing a 10 year watershed management plan and have already completed over half of the action items and more than twenty major stormwater management projects. The most recent projects were completed on Pine Cliff Road in Newbury and Granliden Community Association in Sunapee.
Here are a few highlights from Don’s assessment:
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The first few years of implementation progress on the Sunapee WMP is better than progress observed on similar watershed plans in the region. Much of this progress is attributable to the efforts of the LSPA staff and volunteers.
Implementation of the Lake Sunapee WMP is essential to the long-term health of Lake Sunapee and its watershed. The stewardship of LSPA, individuals and other groups has served the lake well to date. Any additional effort and resources deployed now will further that mission and avoid many of the undesired characteristics of a nutrient rich Lake Sunapee in the future. It is much easier and cheaper to preserve a high-quality lake than it is to restore a future degraded lake.
What can you do to help with these efforts?
Show up, volunteer, donate, take care of your own property, tell your neighbors, provide expertise if you have it!
You can read more about the impact of our proactive strategies in a recent article in the Valley News.
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LSPA's Buoy Made Its Final Voyage into Sunapee Harbor ~ | |
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LSPA’s water quality buoy, first launched in 2007, is a key component of LSPA’s ability to engage in global research. The buoy gathers year-round water quality and meteorological data that is used by local residents as well as lake scientists around the world. With financial support from generous donors, LSPA will be making major upgrades to the water quality buoy this fall and during the winter, further enhancing our ability to participate in global science, including our important partnerships with Dr. Kathleen Weathers at the Cary Institute, Dr. Cayelan Carey at Virginia Tech, and the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON).
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In November Virginia Tech’s Adrienne Breef-Pilz (Carey Lab Manager) and Katie Hoffman (graduate student at the Carey Lab) arrived in Sunapee to help deliver the buoy from its location by Loon Island (its home since 2008) and dismantle it and begin the process of upgrading its components. With the help of Water Quality Assistant Tehya Kloster, and Watershed Director Geoff Lizotte, Adrienne and Katie were able to carry the frame and the box of the buoy to LSPA’s basement where the two began their work.
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Soon they had removed all of the sensors from the data logger, and then proceeded to dismantle all the wires and the hardware from the metal structure itself. Now all the cleaned sensors and hardware components have been stored for the winter and for future use.
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The new buoy will be a total makeover from the original with new components and new capacities. While the work on the buoy is taking place, you can still view weather conditions from local LSPA monitoring stations around the lake, click here.
LSPA’s newly refurbished Water Quality Buoy will be deployed in May 2024. Thank you for your patience as we transition to the new buoy.
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Click here to read a recent press release about the buoy upgrade. | |
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Area Lakes Meeting ~
An Area Lakes meeting was held at LSPA in early November. After introductions, Amy Smagula from NHDES gave a great presentation with an update on the aquatic invasive species program around the state and more specific updates from the Lake Sunapee region. Folks from Little Lake Sunapee Protective Association and Otter Pond Protective Association also shared updates on recent projects they are working on. The meeting ended with an open discussion about potential topics for future meetings. It was a great afternoon! A follow-up session is scheduled for January 24th. More information will follow soon.
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New Lab Equipment for the Water Quality Lab ~
With a generous donation from the Burkehaven Family Foundation we have recently purchased new E. coli equipment to allow for more accurate and efficient collection of this important water quality metric. During last summer's high-water events it was clear that inundated and failing septic systems around the lake were likely resulting in E. coli levels that were of concern to water quality and human health. The capacity of LSPA’s water quality lab at Colby-Sawyer College and the state's water quality lab to increase our testing during that time was limited. With this updated lab equipment, we will be able to collect more samples each year at more sites across the watershed, allowing us to communicate this information to the public and to NHDES much more quickly. Thank you to the Burkehaven Family Foundation for their support!
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New England College's
Conservation Biology Class visits LSPA ~
Executive Director Elizabeth Harper went back to her roots, guest lecturing for New England College’s Conservation Biology course - a course she started when she was a professor there. One concept that she impressed on the students was the importance of working with stakeholders and communicating effectively with diverse groups of individuals, which is at the core of conservation work.
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Keeping the Lights On ~
The work on the Burkehaven Lighthouse has been completed and the light is now back on! A new lantern housing will be installed in the spring to replace the current one that is over 20 years old. We are currently gearing up for the major project of rebuilding the cribs (bases) of the Burkehaven and Herrick Cove Lighthouses. LSPA has maintained Lake Sunapee’s three lighthouses since the 1980’s and we ever grateful for the continued collaboration and volunteer support that keeps the historic structures strong and their lights shining over Lake Sunapee's waters.
To learn more about Lake Sunapee's iconic lighthouses, click here.
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Collaboration with Dartmouth College: Catabot Project ~
If you ventured out on Lake Sunapee this past summer or fall, you may have spotted a “manless” boat, called a Catabot, navigating the waters. This robot is designed to collect water quality data, as part of a highly collaborative PhD project at Dartmouth College. With the help of LSPA summer interns Isabella Knazik and Tehya Kloster, the Catabot was deployed once per week during the 2023 field season, and water samples were collected manually from tributaries at different spots around the lake. The final Catabot deployment was in the beginning of November, when waders, coats, and mittens were donned to brave the cold air. Some of the water quality parameters being monitored are specific conductance, temperature, pressure, dissolved oxygen, and others. The collaborations that LSPA has with various researchers in the scientific community are extremely important to us in furthering the understanding and knowledge of not only Lake Sunapee, but the surrounding lakes in our region as well.
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LSPA Education ~
This November LSPA educators have taught lessons on the impacts of climate change in regards to wildlife and migration, had students explore local habitats and investigate their seasonal changes, and introduced "What is a Watershed" to fourth graders. Pictured here are students building a watershed within a basin and then observing how and where the water flows. Preschoolers learned about how bears prepare for winter.
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Tuesday's Nature Exploration Story Time
10:00 AM
December 5th ~ Winter Birds
December 12th~ Winter Light
Come join LSPA environmental educators for nature themed activities on Tuesday mornings in November at LSPA’s Center for Lake Studies starting on December 5th. 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 the 5th we will explore the unique attributes of birds and investigate how they survive the winter cold! We look forward to seeing you!
Nature Exploration Story Time Schedule
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New Hampshire's Cyanobacteria Plan ~
New Hampshire's Cyanobacteria Plan has been released! The main goal of the plan is to tackle the increase of toxic cyanobacteria blooms in New Hampshire's lakes and ponds and eventually control them in our waters. It was also developed to protect public health where blooms occur, especially in a drinking water supply.
The main strategies from the plan include:
- Developing the policies and practices to reduce, control and prevent the nutrient inputs that cause cyanobacteria blooms.
- Advancing education and outreach efforts that allow individuals who recreate or use surface waters to access the cyanobacteria risks and respond accordingly.
- Enhancing cyanobacteria monitoring to track when and where blooms occur and clearly communicate current conditions to the public.
- Establishing policies and procedures for prevention, early detection and response and treatment of cyanobacteria blooms and cyanotoxins in surface waters that serve as public drinking water supplies to minimize risks to customers.
Thanks to the efforts of everyone on the Cyanobacteria Advisory Committee and to NHDES for putting the final plan together.
To read the whole plan click here.
To read more visit https://www.lakesunapee.org/cyanobacteria
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Watershed Wise ~
Road salt is by far the major source of conductivity in our waters. Salt (sodium chloride), starting after World War II, has been applied liberally to our roads and is now the leading cause of rising conductivity levels in our lakes and rivers. Current in-lake conductivity has increased about 45% since LSPA began collecting water samples to analyze in the eighties. For decades there have been reports on the issues of salting our roads during the winter months. The data shows that salt is a very real threat to fish and wildlife as well as human health. Salt leaches through the top soil and into the groundwater and water systems as it dissolves. Runoff from roadways, driveways and sidewalks carries salt into our waterways. Salt, after it dissolves into our fresh water systems, cannot be removed easily and poses a serious hazard to the environment.
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Read how Lakes Are More Sensitive To Salt Than We Thought and how "salt can throw entire ecosystems out of balance. It damages aquatic biodiversity, affecting plankton, fish, amphibians and plants. Salt doesn’t have to kill off a species to change a lake’s ecology."
Read more:
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The best way to protect our water quality is to properly manage and reduce the use of salt, ice melt products, sand and other accumulating sediments. Make your snow and ice management plan this fall. Have your service provider walk your property with you. Map out the areas where snow should be piled. Snowbanks should ideally be placed in areas which slope away from the waterfront, where spring runoff to the lake is minimal, and where spring cleanup is straight forward. Plan ahead! Snow will be here to stay before we know it!
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Dock De-Icers ~
The NH law on de-icers reflects new technologies, increased safety and access for property owners. Timers and temperature controllers are easy to install. Double check to make sure your de-icer is up to code, safe and protecting both your property and your environment.
De-icers only need a few hours each day to do their jobs! In addition, a device that runs for only 2-4 hours a day will significantly reduce operating costs.
Dock De-Icer Information
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Use a thermostat to run the de-icer only when the air temperature drops below freezing
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Use a timer - run the device for only 2 - 4 hours a day
- Set up your de-icer to form a narrow open water area around your dock
- 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)
To read more or the entire law click below.
NH RSA270:33
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June Fichter Honored
for Years of Dedicated Service ~
Past Executive Director June Fichter was honored on Sunday, November 19th at the Center Meeting House in Newbury for her years of dedication to lake science, environmental leadership, educational innovation and stewardship of Lake Sunapee Protective Association. Congratulations June!
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Thank You to Sue Godin!
LSPA acknowledges and thanks former Office Manager Sue Godin for her 19 years of dedicated service to this organization. We wish her great joy as she pursues new adventures ahead.
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Holiday Gifts from LSPA ~
Our lighthouse coasters make great stocking stuffers or hostess gifts so stop by LSPA's Center for Lake Studies in Sunapee Harbor to pick up a set soon! We also have beautiful lighthouse prints for sale--you can purchase one of your favorite lighthouse or get all three on a single sheet! We are open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
If you are not in the area, we are happy to ship merchandise to you. You can see the full selection of items in our store. Please make purchases before December 11th for best scheduling of holiday deliveries.
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You can also visit us at the Sunapee Village Christmas event on December 9. We will have information and merchandise available to purchase! | |
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Tis the Season!
Give the gift that keeps on giving!
Our area lakes and streams refresh, revive, and renew us. They give us endless beauty and delight. You can help support their health and continued joie de vivre by becoming part of a mission to enhance and preserve the environmental integrity of this Lake Sunapee region. Give a gift membership or donate in someone's name and give back to the very lakes that you so enjoy. Click Here for Gift Giving
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As Lake Sunapee and its watershed will be here long after any of us, and as it will continue to take vigilant effort to sustain their environmental quality, the work of LSPA is especially well-matched to legacy giving support. There are many ways to make a planned gift to LSPA, and such philanthropy does not require enormous wealth. To discuss your potential legacy giving, please contact LSPA's Executive Director Elizabeth Harper at elizabeth@lakesunapee.org or 603-763-2210.
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The Lake Sunapee Pendant ~
The stunning double-sided Lake Sunapee pendant, created by NH native Jane Winchester Paradis, is available through her company - Jane Win Jewelry.
Her company shares. When the company succeeds, they share the good fortune. When you purchase this gorgeous pendant (also available in silver), 50% of the proceeds go to support LSPA. A beautiful necklace of a beautiful lake and one of its lighthouses! It's a win-win!!
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Shop Local! Support businesses right here in the Sunapee area.
The Tri-Chamber Sugar River Region Holiday Shop Local Program is underway!
Shop Local cards will be available here at LSPA, at the Greater Claremont Chamber, Newport Area Chamber, and Lake Sunapee Region Chamber offices, participating businesses across the region and chamber events throughout the holiday season.
Pick up a Shop Local Card, make a purchase at a participating location and receive a stamp for the amount spent, in increments of $5. Fill up your cards and turn in each completed card at one of the three Chamber offices. Prizes will be drawn in a Facebook Live video broadcast simultaneously by all three Chambers on January 16, 2024. Customers can pick up a card at any participating location, Chamber office or Chamber event.
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December delivers the excitement of the winter season. Many eagerly anticipate the first big snow. According to the calendar winter doesn't officially begin until December 21st. Yet we all know, Mother Nature doesn't follow the calendar! Snow sends everyone hurrying to finish their final preparations for the long cold days ahead. Animals that are dormant or hibernate have responded to the cold temperatures and shorter daylight hours and are ready to snuggle down into their dens by now. Outside, animals are moving very efficiently to save their energy as they search for food and water. As the lakes freeze over, River Otters will rely on any open water in lakes and streams to catch prey such as crayfish and small fish. Watch for their tracks and “slides” along stream beds and lake shores. Otters make good use of snow to move quickly and efficiently down slopes by sliding on their bellies! Who says animals don’t have a sense of humor?
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 | | This time of year the beautiful shades of green of the holly, evergreens and hardy ferns stand out against both the winter white and the bare browns outside. The yellow leaves of the beech tree are also a contrast to December's landscape. Marcescence, the fancy word for winter leaf retention, can be seen in our area's oaks and beech trees. While scientists have identified the process, there remains a mystery as to why it exists. One theory is that by dropping their leaves in spring, these trees will provide a fresh layer of mulch which adds nutrients for growth in the new year. Another concept is that when marcescence leaves drop they help hold moisture by adding protective layers beneath the tree. The process of marcescence may also be a defense mechanism against browsers such as deer. Deer prefer to browse on tender, nutritious buds and twigs. The speculations is that the dry leaves discourage browsing, making it difficult for deer to nip the new buds, which in turn protects the tree’s new growth. There's no sure answer for this fascinating process, but the beech's bright yellow leaves are a wonderful reminder of nature's perseverance and grit.
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Winter is definitely upon us. The constellation Orion can now be seen in the southeastern sky. Take advantage of the dark skies and go out around the 13th or 14th of December and look for the Peak of the Geminids, one of the best meteor showers of the year. Light a candle on the Winter Solstice, our corner of the world’s furthest point from the sun, and delight in this festive season of sparkling snow, starry skies, and winter wonders! Get outside, marvel at all the gifts winter brings, and enjoy!
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To read more about what’s going on
during this time of year check out:
Northern Woodlands
Naturally Curious with Mary Holland
NH Garden Solutions
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A reminder from Mary Holland,
Black Bears are still active!
Black Bears often enter into hibernation in November, but their exact timing depends in large part on the weather as well as the availability of food such as hard mast (acorns, beechnuts, etc.). Cold temperatures and scarce food hastens their entry, and warm weather and ample food delays it. As long as bears are active (and they still are in the Northeast due in part to relatively warm weather), one would be wise to delay feeding birds. Even though a Black Bear’s metabolic rate during hibernation can drop to a quarter of its (non-hibernating) basal metabolic rate, it still needs to put on a considerable amount of fat (some bears double their weight) in order to sustain itself while it fasts through the winter. A pre-hibernation feeding frenzy by Black Bears is why putting up bird feeders prematurely (before Black Bears hibernate) is discouraged by most northern Fish & Wildlife Departments. If a bear comes upon a filled bird feeder it is very likely to return to it repeatedly until it goes into hibernation. A Black Bear’s memory is very impressive and most are unable to resist a free lunch. If you can’t put off feeding the birds for another few weeks, it’s a good idea to bring feeders inside at night if you live in bear country.
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Soon the Snow Will Fly and
It Will Be Bird Feeding Season ~
New Hampshire has a wide variety of winter birds. The majority of them are seed eaters. Although some would prefer worms, grubs or other insects, they make do with what nature and you provide. Here are a few bird feeding tips:
· Locate feeders at different levels
· Offer a variety of seeds in separate feeders
· Locate feeders to reduce window collisions
· Provide suet using a mix of peanut butter or lard, cornmeal and seeds
· Provide fruit for berry-eating birds
· Keep cats indoors
The Do's and Don'ts of Winter Bird Feeding - Audubon
How to Feed Birds Safely This Winter - Audubon
Winter Bird Feeding - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Winter Bird Feeding - UNH Extension
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Resources ~
Check out LSPA's Resource Page for ideas, articles, things to do, and other resource information!
LSPA's Winter Discoveries page has an abundance of resources for adults to explore the local area during these beautiful winter 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 amazing adaptations animals have to protect themselves in winter, how plants survive the freezing cold, plus some fun winter science experiments. December is a wonderful time to explore the outdoors!
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Be a Lake Sunapee Watershed Explorer! | |
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Winter 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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Podcasts ~
Whether you are commuting to work or relaxing in the evening, podcasts are a great way to learn more about the world around you. Check out 22 of the best environmental podcasts available in 2023 by clicking here from Earth.Org.
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Project Feeder Watch ~
Project FeederWatch turns your love of feeding birds into scientific discoveries. FeederWatch is a November-April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. You don’t even need a feeder! All you need is an area with plantings, habitat, water or food that attracts birds. The schedule is completely flexible. Count your birds for as long as you like on days of your choosing, then enter your counts online. Your counts allow you to track what is happening to birds around your home and contribute to a continental data-set of bird distribution and abundance.
Click here to sign up for FeederWatch
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Audubon's 124th Christmas Bird Count ~
Dec 14, 2023 to January 5, 2024!
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with over 100 years of community science involvement. It is an early-winter bird census, where thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds.
Add to a century of community science data by signing up for a count near you.
A map view of the circles expected to be included in the 124th CBC is available here. If you're interested in participating in the Sunapee area this season contact Dylan Jackson. New participants welcome! Please reach out by email at Jacksonwrxt@hotmail.com. Outside the Sunapee area please contact compilers by email using the information from the pop-ups on the map.
For answers to your top questions about Christmas Bird Count click here.
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NH LAKES' Webinar Series Continues ~
Otterly Amazing: Dive into the Fascinating World of Otters and Our Lakes
Tuesday, December 5
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Join NH LAKES for a lively talk on the bounding, sliding, and swimming otter. We’ll spend some time getting to know this charismatic local mammal and learn how to recognize its tracks and signs. Plus, otters are an excellent indicator of good water quality in a healthy, intact aquatic ecosystem. That’s good news for our lakes!
Presented by Susie Spikol, Community Programs Director and Naturalist, Harris Center for Conservation Education
Register here.
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Climate and Health Initiative for Caregivers and Kids ~ |
Climate Cafes for Parents
Saturday, December 2nd
from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM or 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
The Montshire Museum Of Science
Climate Cafés are facilitated small-group gatherings for parents of young children to share thoughts and emotions on the impact of climate change on parenting and their children’s health. Pre-registration is required as space will be limited in each session. Free on-site childcare is available. Participating families will also receive free museum admission for the day.
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Monday, December 4th
7:00 - 8:00 PM
Zoom Registration Here
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We are so very grateful for the many businesses, individuals and partners who support our efforts to keep the watershed vibrant and healthy and invasive free.
Enjoy the holiday season!
May it be full of wonders and delight!
LSPA wishes each of you
great joy and light this holiday season.
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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
Physical Address:
63 Main Street
Sunapee, NH 03782
Mailing Address:
PO Box 683, Sunapee, NH 03782
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