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Lake Protection Tips
Some Do's and Don'ts for Maintaining Healthy Lakes
Activities that increase the input of phosphorus and sediment erosion into lakes are not good;
however those that decrease these inputs will greatly help prolong the health of lakes. Listed
below are activities that lake residents and others can do to help reduce phosphorus and sediment
inputs.
Pump out your septic tank every three to five years, or whenever the sludge level exceeds one-third of the tank capacity.
Maintain your septic system properly (Contact the NHDES to obtain several free informational brochures). Be sure your system is designed to handle the load it receives. A leach field should be increased in size whenever the
frequency (seasonal to year-round) or volume (additional people, washing
machines, etc.) of use increases.
Check your leach field for soft or wet areas or septic smells. Replace faulty
systems.
Do not bathe, shampoo, or wash boats, pets, or other objects in the lake with
soap or phosphorus-containing detergents. Do not wash automobiles near lakes
where the detergent can run into the water.
Use low or non-phosphate detergent. Take your clothes to a laundromat
located outside the lake's drainage area.
Keep land clearing to a minimum. Revegetate bare areas to minimize erosion to
the lake. Roads and paths leading to the lake should be curved to reduce erosion.
Maintain a buffer zone of natural vegetation along the shore to contain erosion
and assimilate nutrients before they reach the lake.
Do not use fertilizer near the lake shore. Encourage shore fronts with natural
vegetation, rather than green, manicured lawns.
Do not burn brush or leaves near the shore; the nutrients remain behind to be
washed into the lake during the first rain. Do not dump leaves or grass clippings
in or near the lake. They also add nutrients to the water.
Do not urinate or defecate in the lake, and don't allow pets to do the same. Cows,
horses, or other groups of animals should not be housed near the lake where the
phosphorus in their manure can be washed into the lake by rain.
Do not feed ducks or other aquatic organisms; there is plenty of natural food
available. Nutrients in the feed material, which is produced outside the lake's
watershed, will be added to the lake through the organism's feces. Also, by
discouraging the duck population, you can reduce the risk of swimmers' itch in
your area.
Do not use powerful outboard motors in shallow areas. The nutrient-laden
bottom sediments can be churned into the overlying water to support increased
algae growth.
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