RECAP:  The 2018-19 winter around Highland Lake was about average – not a ton of snow but enough for typical winter sports and enough ice for fishing.  Ice-in was November 24 and Ice-out was on April 19, so there were 116 days of coverage – 1.8 days shorter than the most recent 9-year average. Last winter in 2018 we enjoyed 130 days of ice.  The ice coverage over the last 9 years has ranged from 73 days in 2016 to 141 days in 2014.

WATER QUALITY:  The 2018 individual test results show the lake is holding steady by most measurements, showing average readings with no significant trends in either direction for phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, PH and chlorophyll-a.  Geese on the public and private beaches can be a nuisance and can contribute to e-coli levels, so it’s important not to encourage them by feeding. Continued management of storm water runoff and the maintaining of vegetative buffers to reduce nutrient loading have continued to pay dividends to continued lake water health.  As of this writing the official 2018 water quality assessment has not yet been published but can be accessed via website des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/vlap/annual reports when it is.

LOON UPDATE:  Our resident pair of Loons are “in the house” and currently nesting with 2 eggs on the west shore of Halycon Island. Now on the outer, more exposed side of the island, the nest is subject to bigger wave action from wind and boats.  It is important for boaters to please be cautious of waves created in that area as the nest is only about 2 feet in and big waves can dislodge the eggs. Distance away applies to paddle-boaters as well (kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, etc.), because they are so quiet loons will frighten if they do not hear you coming.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT:  New this year the HLPA is streamlining the organization and embracing technology by using electronic media and PR to communicate with our community, as mailing costs for the annual letter are becoming prohibitive.  We are no longer collecting dues but welcome donations from the community to offset expenses as needed. We also encourage additional energy and input from new benefactors, as dues-based membership has been in decline for some time.  Questions posed via email (hlpanh@nullgmail.com) or our Facebook page will be responded to accordingly. (Facebook: The Highland Lake Protective Association)

Supporting the HLPA is a good way to get to know your fellow lake residents and demonstrate your dedication for keeping Highland Lake a clean, safe and healthy place to live and play.  The HLPA thanks you for your past support, and hope you plan to continue.

Importantly, remember that any activity within the defined watershed boundaries of Highland Lake can ultimately impact water quality, not just the shoreline.  As always, the HLPA welcomes all members of the community who are interested in protecting and celebrating the beauty of Highland Lake, particularly those living within its watershed and not just along the shoreline.  What your donation supports:

• The HLPA supports the State of NH’s VLAP program to closely follow the quality of our lake water. Samples are collected monthly and voluntarily driven to the DES lab in Concord for testing. This is a fee-based service.
• We provide and maintain the Porta-Potty by the boat launch for a fee and have contributed monetary resources to area organizations as appropriate.
• We support protection of our loons, bald eagles and fish, and encourage invasive weed monitoring practices.

Feel Free to donate by filling out the form below, or just mailing your check to our East Andover mailing address of PO Box 252, East Andover, NH 03231.   

EVENTS:  The HLPA slate of events starts with our Annual Ice Cream Social at the East Andover Fire Station on Wednesday, July 3 beginning at 7:00 PM.  The lighting of the flares around the edge of the lake starts at 9:00 PM that same evening, July 3. July 4th will feature our boat parade around the lake starting at 4 PM on the west shore, with a $50 cash prize for the best decorated boat.  Amazingly, last year there was only one participant, likely due to it being a Wednesday, so we are hoping for a bigger turnout this summer! The Annual Meeting will be on July 13 at 9 AM at the East Andover Fire Station.

HLPA Schedule of Events—–Summer of 2019

Date Time Event Location
Wednesday, July 3 7-8:30 PM Ice Cream Social East Andover Fire Station
Wednesday, July 3 9 PM Lighting of the flares All around the lake
Thursday, July 4 4 PM Boat Parade (judging for best decorated boat!) Gather on the west shore, to begin procession around lake perimeter
Saturday, July 13 9 AM Annual Meeting East Andover Fire Station

Highland Lake Protective Association
P.O. Box 252   East Andover, NH   03231-0252

***** DONATION FORM 2019-20 *****

Please donate what you feel you can to support the HLPA efforts to keep our lake clean:
Names of donors:

1._________________2.   ________________3.________________4.________________

Mailing address: Street Address: ___________________________

Town, State, Zip: _________________________

Phone numbers:  __________________________

E-mails PLEASE UPDATE: _________________________________

All monies raised from donations and fundraising is used to defray the expense of the lake monitoring program, ramp, porta-potty, PR, educational programs, and other projects agreed to by the association community.

# Members____ x $XX.00/member = Total Donation of:   $__________ Thank you!!

FLARES:  Flares may be requested by email (hlpanh@nullgmail.com) and will be delivered upon your request prior to 9 pm on July 3rd, or may be picked up at Beth Frost’s home on Maple St, or Earle Davis’ on West Shore Drive.  Flares cost $5.00 each or $18.00 for 4 flares.

Clean Water Disciplines for all Waterways

The VLAP Program volunteer for Highland Lake performs monthly lake testing for monitoring the lake quality.   From June through August, samples are collected at 5 points around the lake and driven that day to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) lab in Concord.  The samples are run through a variety of tests indicating how healthy the lake is. Annual results are always viewable at: www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/vlap/annual_reports

-Maintain your septic system properly.   Pump out your septic tank every 3-5 years, or whenever the sludge level exceeds one-third of the tank capacity.   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.

-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 or streams where the detergent can run into the water.

-Keep land clearing to a minimum by maintaining a buffer zone of natural vegetation along the shore to contain bank erosion.  Roads and paths leading to the lake should be curved to reduce erosion.

-Tree cutting must be approved by the NHDES, per recently enacted laws, for 250 feet margin from the lakeshore.  

-Do not use fertilizer near the lakeshore (or only non-phosphorus fertilizers).

-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.

Our testing has shown that while they have been holding somewhat steady, we always must be careful about rising phosphorus levels.  High phosphorous levels can cause blooms of cyanobacteria, which can be fatal to pets and livestock if ingested. One of the most common sources of phosphorus is erosion from the shore around the lake.   We’re hoping that everyone will do their part to protect the lake. As a reminder, here’s a list (taken from the NHDES web site) of things that you can do to help limit the amount of phosphorous going into the lake for both shoreline residents and anyone within the watershed boundaries.