More Than A Dozen Water Bodies In New Hampshire Have Fecal, Cyanobacteria Warnings

CONCORD, NH — As everyone tries to keep cool this weekend in New Hampshire, state officials warn more than a dozen lakes and ponds have bacteria warnings, alerts, and advisories.

Both the cyanobacteria weekly update and the healthy swimming map are reporting 13 water bodies that have issues. Two — Mascoma Lake in Enfield and Lebanon and Tucker Pond in Salisbury have been cleared from the list. Most of the latest advisories and warnings have been issued during the past week, although two — Province Lake in Effingham and Wakefield and the Deering Reservoir have been on the list for weeks.

Current cyanobacteria alerts include Swains Lake in Barrington; Pool Pond in Rindge; Baboosic Lake in Amherst; Crystal Lake in Enfield; and Silver Lake in Harrisville and Nelson. Current cyanobacteria warnings-advisories include Province Lake in Wakefield; Hunkins Pond in Sanbornton; the Arlington Mill Reservoir in Salem; Mirror Lake in Whitefield; and Lake Winona in New Hampton and Center Harbor.

Officials warned swimmers to be cautious of lake water with surface scum that changes color or appears to have green streaks or blue-green flecks aggregating along the shore. Cyanobacteria is a harmful algal bloom that changes the color of the water and can cause illness if toxins stored in the cells are released into the water. The state said toxins can cause both acute and chronic health effects that vary in severity — including skin and mucous membranes irritation, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, seizures, diarrhea, and liver and central nervous system damage.

Fecal bacteria advisories have been reported at Echo Lake State Park Beach in North Conway and Picnic Beach at the Greenfield State Park Beach on Otter Lake.

The state’s Healthy Swimming Mapper, with the most up-to-date information, can be viewed here. Blooms can be reported online here.

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