the Loon Flyer Spring 2001

Published by the Squam Lakes Association

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

As the Squam Lakes Association enters its 97th year I would like to bring to everyone’s attention a current picture of our organization and some comparisons to our recent past. Our current budget is $435,000. Five years ago it was only $60,000. This year we have five full-time employees whereas in 1997 we had only one. SLA’s current commodious headquarters is not only functional and functioning but additionally sits on one of the most eye-filling sites in all of New Hampshire. Seven years ago the SLA headquarters were in the basement of the Holderness Library with a dirt floor. Today’s membership count approaches 2,000 families whereas in 1996 we had around 1,500. Three years ago the State of New Hampshire was vilifying the SLA in the national press. Today we are being included in the congratulations that Fish & Game is bestowing on all those who made Public Access available to the Squam Lakes.

Armed with that information let me give you some of the reasons that these good things have come about. First of all SLA is no longer an organization wherein the Directors and volunteers administer the day-to-day operations. Our full-time staff has not only efficiently reconfigured our administrative procedures but they have recognized and incorporated opportunities that make our lakes the most prestigious in the State. Examples include, the expanded JSLA, now capably headed by Chris Little, the very successful Sailing Program, Boat Rentals, complete control of our financial and membership data, boating safety programs, the maintenance of 50 miles of hiking trails in the Squam region, plus a variety of special summer & winter events. Of particular success is our attention to and respect from the Legislature whereby there is now valued give and take between us as we participate to save the pristine character of our beautiful lakes.

It is my pleasure to tell you that as the 2001 summer season begins, the team of Chris Devine, Eric Morse, Rachel Brooker, Carol Snelling and Steve Sanders have our organization well in hand. As a result the Directors are no longer having to cope with the day to day problems and are now allowed to focus on the overall direction and continuing evolution of The Squam Lakes Association.

Pete Richards

THE SLA BOOK PROJECT: A HISTORY OF SQUAM

In 1998 the President of the Squam Lakes Association announced that the SLA hoped to publish a book about the history of Squam and the association. Many people were enthusiastic about the concept of incorporating family memoirs and local history into a cohesive story. This history will document the long commitment to conservation of the watershed and we want to preserve this history in the form of a book.

Over the past summer, Chris Kuhn led an ad hoc committee to develop this project. In March 2001 the committee presented its plan to the SLA board. The board approved the commencement of the project aiming to commemorate the associations’ 100-year anniversary in 2004. Highlights on the book committees’ efforts are:

First, they defined the theme and appearance of this book. There is great interest in understanding more about the early families who came to Squam and of recording this history for the future. Did the pristine beauty of the landscape cause for them to preserve, or were they conservation minded before they came? This will be a personal historical perspective that would appeal mostly to those who already know and love Squam.

Second, the committee felt that a quality effort and publication would require a professional. After an extensive search, Rachel Carley was selected to research and write the book. Rachel holds a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and is a former staff member of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Her previous books include several on conservation and architecture, most importantly, Cabin Fever published in 1998 which includes features from Squam Lake. Hopefully, many of you will have the opportunity to meet Rachel over the next three years as she will be spending a great deal of time here, gathering data and speaking with many of you.

Through the Loon Flyer and other media, we will keep you up to date on our progress. If you would like to share a piece of your family history with us, or have reproducible family photos, maps or other artifacts, we would love to hear from you. Our secondary goal beyond producing this book is to establish a permanent archive for historical documents. This collection of data will ultimately be even more important that the book itself as it will allow future generations to explore and define the history of Squam for themselves.

If you would like to discuss your thoughts or provide information, please e-mail, write or call Rachel Brooker/e-mail: info@squamlakes.org Phone: (603) 968-7336 FAX: (603) 968-7444.

THE CONCORD BEAT...

HB592-FN-A is an bill to create a milfoil prevention and research grant program. Currently fees are collected from boat registrations to fund state efforts for aquatic plant management. This bill would increase this funding and allow municipalities and lake associations to apply for matching grant funds. This bill passed a full House vote and is currently in the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration of the funding implications.

SB146 is a bill to create a definition for personal watercraft that would include the currently regulated 1 and 2 person ‘skicraft’ as well as the larger 3 or more person craft. This bill would not result in further prohibitions or bans but would allow for consistent regulation of similar craft. A public hearing was held before the Senate Wildlife Committee and the committee re-referred the bill for further study and discussion.

SB89 is a bill to request that a legislative committee be formed to study the effectiveness of the Shoreland Protection Act (SPA) passed in 1996. The study committee would be established to review the SPA and make recommendations for strengthening the act. This bill passed a full Senate vote and is awaiting assignment to a House Committee for consideration.

GRASSROOTS LOBBYING

The New Hampshire Lakes Association (NHLA) developed a grassroots-lobbying network through coordination with lake associations throughout New Hampshire. The NHLA sends interested parties a handbook on how to contact your legislator and keeps all participants informed of active legislation via e-mail. This legislative session the results of these efforts are beginning to pay off. The Squam Lakes Association is an active participant and to date has organized close to 40 participants. If you would like to help or just want to stay informed of lakes-related legislation issues, please e-mail a note to info@squamlakes.org.

BOATING SAFETY COURSES OFFERED AT SLA

In April 2000, a bill (HB449) requiring mandatory boater education, was signed into law by Governor Shaheen. The requirement will phase in over a seven-year period beginning in January 2002 and applying to those 19 years of age and younger during the first year. At the end of the phase–in all those operating motorized boats will be required to have a certificate. Importantly, this law also changes the minimum age of operation. As of January, no one 16 years of age of younger can operate a boat in excess of 15 horsepower unless they have completed the boating education course and passed the exam or an adult who has a valid boater education certificate accompanies them.

Courses are being offered at year round at locations throughout the state. This summer the SLA is hosting boating education classes in July and August and the classes will be offered through the New Hampshire Marine Patrol. The course is approximately 6-hours in length and concludes with an examination. Upon achieving a score of 70% or better on the exam the attendee will be given a certificate that is good for life. The course is FREE and taught in two-three hour sessions.

The first course will be held on Thursday, July 19, 2001 at 6pm and Friday, July 20, 2001 at 6pm. The second course will be held on Thursday, August 9, 2001 at 6pm and Friday, August 10, 2001 at 6pm. To register please call the NHMP at 1-888-254-2125.

LOOKING BACK

In June 1881, a young Dartmouth sophomore named Ernest Balch sailed the first sailboat on Squam Lake. Upon rounding Mooney Point he saw and landed upon Burnt Island and thought it to be the ideal location for a boys’ camp. Supposing the island belonged to no one, he set about to build some buildings. The rightful owner showed up and after some strong words and the exchange of $40, the island became the property of Ernest Balch and renamed Chocorua Island and the first boys’ camp in America was founded.

WEED WATCHERS WANTED

Last summer an exotic species of milfoil was confirmed in the Squam River below the dam, in the vicinity of Kimball Marina on Little Squam Lake and under several boathouses connecting the Squam Lakes. At present there is no method for complete eradication of this plant and the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) has and will continue to implement management techniques to control the spreading of invasive milfoil. The state has placed buoys and netting at the entrance to Kimball Marina and plans to apply an herbicide in this cove in June 2001. Handpicking was also performed under the boathouses in the channel next to the Route 113 Ramp.

Early detection of exotic occurrences is one of the most effective tools for management because limited infestations can be managed with great success. The SLA is looking for additional volunteers to help monitor shoreline areas and detect exotic plants under the DES Weed Watchers Program. Volunteers perform monthly surveys of their areas and collect samples of any questionable plants.

If you would like to help and become a volunteer Weed Watcher, please contact Rachel Brooker at the SLA offices and she will send you a Weed Watcher’s kit. Also if you would like to learn more about invasive aquatic plants, Amy Smagula, the DES Exotic Species Coordinator will be offering a Weed Watcher’s training session at the SLA headquarters on the morning of July 29, 2001.

ASK THE WATER QUALITY EXPERT

Jeff Schloss, Coordinator of the New Hampshire Lay Lakes Monitoring Program and Water Resource Specialist for the University of New Hampshire answers your Squam water quality questions in each issue of the Loon Flyer.

Dear Jeff,

What problems with water quality have been the cause of the fish kill reported on Squam last summer? Are such problems likely to occur again and what do our ongoing measurements tell us about reoccurrence? What, if any, actions by the SLA could prevent that cause?

Chuck Gibson

Hi Chuck,

Nothing puts a scare into us all like an unexpected fish kill. Most typical kills occur due to “natural causes” and are due to a combination of stress and/or oxygen depletion (anoxia). Such was the case this past spring in many shallow ponds and lakes in New England where the extended ice-cover and a consistent snow pack that limited light penetration through the ice, which in turn limited plant and algae photosynthesis and caused anoxic conditions to occur. We also tend to see vast die-offs of suckers (and some times larger sunfish) in the early spring when they are under substantial stress from spawning activity and acid rain runoff, and when initial spring turnover brings up anoxic waters to the surface. But the fish kill reported this past summer in Sandwich Bay remains a mystery.

Examination by NH Fish and Game biologists did not disclose any of the common signs of disease or parasites. These would include abnormal shape, swollen areas, abnormal lumps, or pop-eyes, abnormal distribution of the fish such as crowding at the surface, inlet, or lake edges or abnormal activity such as flashing, twisting, whirling, convulsions, loss of buoyancy, listlessness, weakness, sluggishness, or lack of activity. There were no lesions in the gill area either and examination of the liver ruled out some of the algae toxins that can affect fish. NH Department of Environmental Services biologists have hypothesized that a localized oil spill from a work barge traveling the Bay that day caused the problem as they reported some fish with “oily looking gills” but no oil residues remained to be found to prove that theory conclusive.

We at UNH were not apprised of the situation in time to “throw our towel into the ring” (not that we would have done any better) but I did have the chance to monitor the lake with our Field Limnology class less than a week after and that area did not show any problematic signs at that time. That the majority of fish impacted were cold water species leads me to lean towards a very short-term cataclysmic event that most likely involved carbon dioxide poisoning, anoxia or some other unknown stress. For its size, Sandwich Bay is a bit more productive than we would like to see and as a result it is not uncommon for the bottom waters to become anoxic by early to late summer. Lake trout and salmon have the tough job
of keeping themselves in the cooler bottom waters but require substantial amounts of oxygen so as the summer progresses they can be restricted to a small “layer” in the lake that meets these conditions. As the summer progresses this area becomes smaller and smaller. If an event like the release of carbon dioxide from the bottom or a slug of warmer water from a breached beaver flowage occurs, or if chlorine from pool water drainage or bleaching compounds, or oil, or some other toxin is released, the fish are often trapped with no where to go. As these fish have relatively fast metabolisms and the hormonal changes related to gearing up for fall reproduction can augment the stress, they are typically impacted more than the warm water species.

Any of these scenarios discussed above are possible but most likely we will never know the true reason of the fish kill (any icthyological Columbo out there?). We do know, however, that keeping as many nutrients out of the water as possible can reduce the risk of some types of fish kills. Sources of nutrients include septic fields, fertilized lawns, gardens and farm fields, and wastes from livestock and waterfowl. Reducing nutrient input starts the following favorable “chain reaction”: production by aquatic plants and algae is reduced, less organic matter accumulates and less decomposition occurs, and oxygen will not become depressed to critical levels. Toxins that can kill fish include all petroleum products, most paints, pesticides and chlorine. These should always be disposed of well away from the lake preferably at your local hazardous waste collection center.

Please send your water quality questions to the SLA by e-mail: info@squamlakes.org, fax (603) 968-7444 or mail: SLA,
PO Box 204, Holderness, NH 03245.

Squam Trail Guide Completed

The 5th edition of the Squam Trail Guide will be available at the SLA Store by Memorial Day weekend and will be sent to all members who renewed by May 31. The 32-page guide contains a history of Squam, Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics, trail descriptions of hiking trails in the Squam Range, Rattlesnakes, Red Hill, and the Sandwich Range, and the Squam Trail Map. The map, which was created using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is printed on waterproof paper and folded in the back pocket of the guide. SLA received a grant to obtain ArcView GIS software at from ESRI, at $900 below retail cost. The GIS software will be used for trail mapping, the Bio-monitoring project, and Water Quality programs.

SLA is printing a limited edition of 250 copies of the Squam Trail Map, which are suitable for framing. Each edition is hand numbered and are available at the SLA store for $15.00. Call today to purchase your limited edition of the Squam Trail Map.

SLA Volunteer Trail Day, part of National Trails Day is Saturday, June 2nd from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Meet at the Old Bridle Path trailhead to West Rattlesnake and bring lunch, a water bottle, gloves, and sturdy hiking boots. We will work at the summit of West Rattlesnake to protect Douglas’ Knotweed, a threatened plant in NH. There will be work for all ages and abilities.

SLA received a grant from the NH Department of Recreation and Economic Development (NH DRED) Recreational Trails Program for $4,816 to complete the Old Bridle Path reconstruction project. The work will begin this spring with the Student Conservation Association’s (SCA) Work Skills Program and will be completed by the SLA’s SCA trail crew. The reconstruction projects will reroute an eroded section of trail and construct new stairs and drainage to prevent erosion on the heavily used trail.

SLA has also received a Challenge Cost Share Agreement from the U.S. Forest Service to reconstruct the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail. The SLA will be reimbursed for $3,980 for constructing rock stairs and waterbars on the steep trail from Sandwich Notch to Doublehead.