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New lake reports released on the NHDES Lake Information Mapper

CONCORD — The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announces the release of comprehensive lake reports generated by the Lake Trophic Survey (LTS) and Volunteer Lake Assessment Programs (VLAP). The 2018 lake reports can be accessed via the NHDES Lake Information Mapper. VLAP provides approximately 180 annual reports to volunteers and lake associations involved with collecting annual water quality data to learn about the health of their lake and track changes over time. The reports include the waterbody report cards, watershed and land use maps, discuss current year water quality data and historical water quality trends, and make observations and recommendations on ways to protect, improve and maintain these valuable natural resources. The LTS reports assess a waterbodies’ current condition to assign a trophic class, or to determine how quickly a waterbody is aging over time, a process called lake eutrophication. The LTS program releases approximately 10 reports annually that include a three-year compilation of information on water quality, lake bathymetry, aquatic plant species, distribution and abundance, and plankton species distribution and abundance to determine the current trophic state.

Visit the Lake Information Mapper to view the 2018 LTS and VLAP reports, and while there, you can also access lake ice-in and ice-out data, applicable watershed and exotic species management plans, and mercury in fish tissue data. The Lake Information Mapper is your one-stop-shop for the most current information on a lake or pond of interest. Visit tinyurl.com/NH-LakeMapper today to learn about your favorite lake or pond!

For more information, please contact Sara Steiner, NHDES VLAP Coordinator at (603) 271-2658.

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