WOLFEBORO, NH — On Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 7:30 p.m., in the Kingswood Arts Center, a report on the quality of Mirror Lake’s water will be presented to the public by Geosyntec Consultants, environmental advisors from Acton, Mass., and the Mirror Lake Protective Association (MLPA). This report is the result of extensive data collection and analysis of Mirror Lake and its watershed. The study of Mirror Lake’s water quality was triggered by the press releases, beach advisory, and lake- wide warnings issued by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Resources (DES) when toxic cyanobacteria blooms were discovered in Mirror Lake in August 2007 and 2008. The warnings advised lake users to avoid the toxic blooms which can cause both acute and chronic health effects. In a 2005 Administrative Order issued by DES, Wolfeboro was ordered not to allow expansion to its sewer collection system if it would increase the volume of waste water flow into its waste water treatment facility. Among the reasons was “the amount of phosphorous and nitrogen that is discharged into Mirror Lake”. Alarmed, MLPA sought funding for a study and was the recipient of a $65,000 grant for a $108,000 project to identify the sources of the excess phosphorus causing cyanobacteria blooms in Mirror Lake and recommend remediation efforts.
Highlights of the evening’s presentation will include the identification of the sources and amount of excess phosphorus in Mirror Lake based on comprehensive watershed and water quality data collected by Geosyntec, DES, the University of New Hampshire and Mirror Lake residents, as analyzed and reported on by Geosyntec and DES. Future Mirror Lake watershed management planning and the costs thereof will be included.
The public is invited. The remediation information to be provided is applicable to all residents in the lakes region as everyone lives in a watershed and each of us has an impact on the quality of New Hampshire’s lakes, ponds and streams. Please join us and learn what you can do to preserve the quality of the lakes and rivers in the Wolfeboro area. Simple protective measures make a substantial difference. More information about Mirror Lake and the Association is available at www.mirrorlakenh.org.
Funding for the Mirror Lake Watershed Management Plan was provided in part from DES, through the Clean Water Act Section 319 Grant Program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Tuftonboro Conservation Commission and the Mirror Lake Watershed Management Plan stakeholders.