2 New Hampshire Water Bodies Have ‘Cyanobacteria Warnings’

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has restarted its water safety and healthy swimming mapping and tracking for the 2024 season.

On Thursday, the state released the latest information about cyanobacteria and fecal bacteria warnings, alerts, and advisories. Officials warn swimmers, waders, and pet owners to be cautious of water bodies with surface scum that change color or appear 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 membrane irritation, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, seizures, diarrhea, and liver and central nervous system damage.

Currently, only two water bodies in the Granite State have cyanobacteria warnings-advisories: Arlington Mill Reservoir in Salem, issued on Wednesday, and Partridge Lake in Littleton, issued on Thursday.

The healthy swimming map can be found here, while the weekly statewide cyanobacteria update information can be found linked here.

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