Weed Watchers Program
2011 Summary Report
Number of volunteers in 2011 – eleven
We experienced a very active year for this program. In June, we received reports of a possible exotic milfoil sighting at the foot of the lake where the Newfound River crosses under the bridge at West Shore Road. The DES was alerted and we sent our team of Weed Watchers out to survey the scene and discover if that sight was, indeed, fact or fiction. After an extensive investigation, it was verified that only tape grass, bladderwort, and quillwort were present at the specified location.
Weed Watchers patrolled the Wellington boat launch throughout the summer. In late June, it was reported that tape grass, water lilies, and a basic variety of native pond weeds were present. A large amount of muscles were also visible which is always a lovely sign!
Reports were submitted in July concerning areas around the Cockermouth, West Shore Marina, Greenwood, Camp Wulamat, Arrowhead Point and Pop’s Cove. The temperatures were generally in the 70’s and weed growth was increasing. Bladderwort was abundant but no suspicious weeds were found.
In August, a report was submitted involving the area south of Arrowhead, near Turner’s condos. Significant concentrations of tape grass, lobelia, quillwort and grassy spike rush (4 feet in height) were noted. Large pockets of leaf and tree debris, pine needles, bark, twigs, branches, etc., were also observed. I received reports from Hebron Bay in August, noting bladderwort, yellow lilies, duck weed and native milfoil present. My WW in Sanborn Bay reported no significant changes. A report was submitted from Hemlock Brook’s outflow and the Route 3A culvert, stating that tape grass and yellow lilies were present along the shoreline.
Significant amounts of rainfall occurred on August 17th and 18th. A WW report noted 4.5 inches of rainfall over the course of that two day period. The Newfound Dam recorded a 3 inch increase during that time frame. Due to that intense rainfall, reports came in stating that visibility had declined to less than 3 feet in several various shallow locations around the lake.
August 28th marked the arrival of Hurricane Irene. Nine hours after the storm past, the lake rose two feet. Readings of 4.2 to 8 inches of rainfall were noted in the surrounding areas. After the storm had subsided, we asked our participating Weed Watchers to head out into the field for additional storm observations. Visibility had diminished to as low as 1.9 meters in many locations. Mayhew, Belle and Cliff Islands, Wellington Beach and Follansbee Cove were giving 2 to 2.5 meter readings of visibility. (Normal readings range from 7 to 9 meter.) Huge amounts of silt, leaf, moss and tree debris were throughout the lake.
September 8th reports showed that visibility had only increased to approximately 4 to 5 meters in the same locations mentioned above. On September 17th, visibility had reached 5.5 to 6 meters in depth. The improvements have been slow but the lake is gradually recovering.
Weed Watchers will continue to monitor the lake until the weather will no longer permit. I do anticipate additional reports throughout the month of October.
|
