February 2009

The Samuel P. Pardoe Foundation awarded the Lake Winnipesaukee Watershed Association a grant to perform the following four components:

a.      development of composting operations on state-owned property in Laconia,

b.     water quality monitoring of tributaries of Paugus Bay,

c.      public outreach and dissemination of information and data to the citizens of Laconia and the Lakes Region, and

d.     educational seminars for students and interested citizenry.  

Three interns, who were students at the Lakes Region Community, participated in the project by working on the four components of the projects during the 2008 summer.

I.                Composting Operation

The composting operations were located on property owned by the state of New Hampshire along Route 106 in Laconia.  The beautiful property overlooks Lake Opechee and is vegetated with grasses that were hayed twice during the summer of 2008 following the bird nesting season in the field.  There are City of Laconia community gardens also located on the site where local residents planted vegetables that were either consumed by them or donated to local community food pantries.

The source of materials that were composted included:

a.     Hannaford in Gilford =a wide variety of fruits and vegetables including coconuts and flowers

b.     Dunkin’ Donuts = used coffee grounds, filters, donuts

c.      Food pantry in Laconia = all spoiled fruits and vegetables

d.     Local landscaper = grass clippings, leaves and woodchips

e.     Newspaper = local resident

f.      Manure = local residents who own chickens and cows

The compostable materials were placed in three-sided holding bins made of wooden shipping pallets.  The compost piles were turned by hand on a weekly basis during the summer using shovels.  The turning activity mixed the piles and accelerated the breakdown of materials which reduced the quantity of materials to approximately 20 percent by volume.

In the late summer and fall, significant amounts of corn husks and ears were included in the materials received from Hannaford.  These materials take longer periods of time to breakdown in compost so they were separated from other compostable materials and put in a separate pile.   A local dairy farmer removed some of the corn materials and fed it to his cows and the remainder was left to compost. 

  All compost will be used at the community gardens to improve soils by retaining moisture in the soil, moderating soil temperature, suppressing weeds and diseases and adding nutrients. Surprisingly, the compost operation did not attract vermin or other nuisance animals.

II.              Water Quality Monitoring of the Tributaries of Paugus Bay

Paugus Bay is the outlet for the waters of Lake Winnipesaukee and the source of drinking water for the City of Laconia.  There are 20 major tributaries and10 major outfalls that drain into the Bay.

The purpose of the water quality sampling was to gather additional data to supplement that gathered by the Laconia Watershed Advisory Committee (LWAC) between September 2001 and June 2003.  Currently, the 2008 are being compared to the 2001 and 2003 data.

III.            Educational and Public Outreach

The interns and LWWA continue to participate in a variety of Educational and Public Outreach opportunities. During the Summer, Interlakes Middle School brought approximately 100 students to the community park in Center Harbor as part of an environmental experience.  The interns and LWWA representative were asked to describe and demonstrate the differences between Atlantic and Pacific Salmon.  The Laconia Middle School performed a stream cleanup of one of the tributaries of Paugus Bay.  We participated in that cleanup and in coordinating the Lakeport Dam field trip.  The City of Laconia Conservation Commission asked the interns and LWWA to participate in the field data gathering portion of the Natural Resource Inventory for the City.  We shared the water quality data with the Conservation Commission which paid for approximately two-thirds of the laboratory analytical fees.  The Conservation Commission has agreed to pay for all of the laboratory analytical fees for the 2009 sampling.

IV.            Educational Seminars for Interns and Local Citizens

Local experts volunteered to give lectures and instructions regarding environmental issues, composting and water quality sampling techniques.  These experts included:

Rick DeMark and Pat Tarpey, North Country Resource Conservation & Development

Lisa Morin, Belknap County Conservation District

Greg Jones, City of Laconia Planning Department

Wes Golomb, Lakes Region Community College, Alternative Energy Services

Floyd Dumbleman, Laconia Water Department

Mike Lynch, Belknap County Conservationist

Eva Christensen, EarthTenders, Inc.

Scott Fitzpatrick, Prescott Farm Conservancy and NH Audubon

Harry Vogel, Loon Conservation

Walt Kalin, Chairman of Laconia Conservation Commission

Jen Droziak, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

Janet Towse, Plymouth State University, Laboratory Director