lake winnipesaukee watershed management plan
TRANSCRIPT
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
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.
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.
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
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
#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 [email protected]
Pat Tarpey, Program Manager, NC RC&[email protected]