16 Beaches, Lakes, Ponds In New Hampshire Have Fecal, Other Bacteria

CONCORD, NH — With the warmer days beginning to wane in the Granite State, finding a lake, pond, or beach, without fecal bacteria, bacteria, and cyanobacteria may take some planning.

The state’s Beach Inspection Program has been monitoring public beaches and ponds since Memorial Day. Officials will stop testing water bodies on Labor Day. As of Thursday, New Hampshire had 16 ponds, lakes, and beaches swimmers will want to avoid due to the bacteria.

Environmental officials said cyanobacteria are natural components of water bodies through blooms and surface scums may form when excess nutrients are in the water, state officials said. Some produce toxins that can cause acute and chronic health effects that vary in severity.

“Acute health effects include irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and diarrhea,” officials said. “Chronic effects may include liver and central nervous system damage. Be cautious of lake water that has a surface scum, changes colors, or appears to have green streaks or blue-green flecks aggregating along the shore.”

The state’s latest list was slightly larger, showing increased water bodies affected by bacteria during the past two weeks. But also, three advisories have been closed.

Environmental officials have posted two new cyanobacteria warnings: Blackey Cove in Moultonborough on Lake Winnipesaukee and Sunrise Lake in Middleton.

Seven more water bodies swimmers were previously warned about remain on the state’s warning list: Province Lake in Effingham-Wakefield, Arlington Mill Reservoir in Salem, Tucker Pond in Salisbury, Showell Pond in Sandown, Captains Pond in Salem, Lake Kanasatka in Moultonborough, and Baboosic Lake in Amherst.

Cyanobacteria alerts were also active at Pearly Pond in Rindge, Franklin Pierce Lake in Hillsborough-Antrim, Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro, and Spofford Lake in Chesterfield.

Fecal bacteria advisories were active at three beaches — Pawtuckaway State Park Beach on Pawtuckaway Lake in Nottingham, Silver Lake State Park Beach on Silver Lake in Hollis, and Hudson Town Beach on Robinson Road.

Warnings at Hunkins Pond in Sanbornton, Mascoma Lake in Enfield-Lebanon, and Crystal Lake in Enfield have been removed.

To check the latest healthy swimming mapper, click this link.

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