Lake WinnipesaukeeWatershed Management Plan

A Phased Approach to a Comprehensive Plan

Project Update: January 25, 2010

PartnersLake Winnipesaukee Watershed AssociationLakes Region Planning CommissionNorth Country Resource Conservation & Development Area CouncilBelknap County Conservation DistrictUniversity of New Hampshire Center for Freshwater Biology & Cooperative ExtensionPlymouth State University – Center for the EnvironmentNH Dept. of Environmental ServicesMunicipalitiesOther Organizations

Funding

NH DES – 319 Program NOAA – Watershed PlanningAdditional funding is required and being sought to develop a truly comprehensive plan for the watershed.

Why develop a Lake Winni WMP?

Balance land uses with water quality Protect the lake and livelihood Generate new opportunities to protect and conserve Lake Winnipesaukee as a state and national resource Education and stewardship Establish water quality baseline for phosphorusID areas to restore/protect from ‘P’

Region is Growing1998-2003

N.H. fastest growing state in New England

43% population increase 1980-2008 11% population increase 1998-200897,025 new single family homes built 1998-2007

Economic Vitality

Tourism/Recreation

Physical Features

Chemical Features

Lake Biology

Watershed Management

Lake Winnipesaukee Watershed Management Plan

Primary concern is currently watershed phosphorus loading and its impact on lake water quality.

Lake 226

C+N

C+N+PPhosphorus: Important Limiting Nutrient

From: Schindler ELA, Ontario CA 1973

Nutrient Overloads Cause Blooms

EUTROPHICATION:

The natural process by which nutrients, organic matter and sediments gradually accumulate within a water body, resulting in decreased depth and increased biological productivity.

Eutrophication and Lake Trophic Status

This process can be dramatically accelerated by human activities that alter land uses, increasing sediment and nutrient loading, i.e. Cultural Eutrophication.

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

Source: lake.access project

Lake Winnipesaukee WMP

Proposed Phased ApproachPhase I: Meredith, Laconia, GilfordPhase II: Moultonborough, Center Harbor, TuftonboroPhase III: Wolfeboro, Tuftonboro, AltonPhase IV: Alton, New Durham, GilfordPhase V: Belmont, Sanbornton, Northfield, Tilton

Winnipesaukee River Watershed

Phased Process

Evaluate water quality dataCurrent Median Phosphorus or ‘P’Water quality monitoring in lake and streams Projected ‘P’ – future loading potentialEvaluate BMPsEvaluate Land UseRecommendations for limiting ‘P’

Public Involvement / OutreachCreate a web-based plan Expand to the next phase

Preliminary Water Quality Data Analysis

*P load data analysis from 25 years water quality monitoring from UNH and other sources

Lake Winnipesaukee Median Total Phosphorus Trend

6

4.9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Pre‐1998 Historical TPMedian

1998‐2008 Summer TPMedian

2008‐2018 Possible FutureMedian

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus

(ppb

)

8 ppb NH DES limit

Preliminary – Estimated In-Lake Phosphorus Loading

2009 In‐lake Phosphorus Loading per Land Use Category for Total MPSB Area

4%

73%

23%

Urban

Agriculture

Forested

2212.3 lbs

7194.9 lbs Crop = 84.6 lbsPasture = 543.3 lbs

*Estimate of P loading generated using STEPL Model and Predictive Models

Preliminary – Estimated In-Lake Phosphorus Loading per Urban Land Use

*Estimate of P loading generated using STEPL Model and Predictive Models

2009 In-Lake Phosphorus Loading per Urban Land Use Category in MPSB Watershed9%

2%

50%6%

31%

2%

Commercial

Industrial

Transportation

Multi‐Family

Single‐Family

Urban‐Cultivated

3501.74 lbs

2200.44 lbs

655.16 lbsRemainder ‐ 732.38 lbs

Where we are…

P predictive loading modelsPublic OutreachSubgroups

Planners GroupEducation/Outreach CommitteeWater Quality Advisory CommitteeStakeholder Focus Group

In the meantime, here are some things you can do to keep P out of the water…

ADOPT WINNI – Be a Bay WatcherWater Quality Monitoring Program

Tributaries, near shore, and deep lake water samplingWeekly, biweekly, or monthly sampling during the months of May—SeptemberFinancial support and volunteers needed

Water Quality Monitoring

#1 - Don’t ‘P’ in the water!

Protect vegetation - plant buffers on shores of lakes and riversApply low or no P- slow release N fertilizers where allowedCreate infiltration systems like rain gardens to capture runoff

Raingarden/Bioretention cell

Grassed Swale

Riser pipe

#2 - Use BMPs to keep P-free

Cross-section of a typical bioretention cell.

#3 – Get Involved!

Join Lake Winnipesaukee Watershed Assn.Attend Wi-CAN MeetingsLake Winnipesaukee Watershed PlanVolunteer

Weed Watchers – exotic plants Adopt Winni – Be a Bay Watcher - volunteer to be a water quality monitor- sponsor a site

Talk to your neighbors, friends, colleagues

Contacts

www.lakesrpc.org/lwwmp/

Erica Anderson, Senior Planner, LRPC 603-279-8171eanderson@lakesrpc.org

Pat Tarpey, Program Manager, NC RC&D603-527-2093patricia.tarpey@nh.usda.gov

Questions?

www.lakesrpc.org/lwwmp/