Millville Lake Protective Association
Salem, NH
Salem, NH
MLPA News
Fish Management Project Update
October 31, 2023 - Millville Lake has been stocked with 3,500 giant blue gill (purchased from SOLitude Lake Management) which are a fish that bass like to eat. 32 fish habitat structures have been deployed throughout the lake and 1 fish feeder is in operation with 2 more waiting to be deployed.
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Fish Feeder Video
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Fish Habitat Structure
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Millville Lake Current Water Quality Conditions Presentation Slides
October 30, 2023 - Over the summer a group of MLPA volunteers took water samples from Millville Lake to determine the lake water quality. Sara Steiner, the NH DES Program Coordinator for the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP), gave a presentation on the Millville Lake water quality results at the MLPA fall meeting on October 24th. The presentation slides can be viewed by clicking here.
Fall Meeting Minutes
October 31, 2023 - The MLPA fall meeting was held on October 24th. The meeting minutes can be viewed by clicking here.
Millville Lake Drawdown
September 7, 2023 - Good news boaters! Lake drawdown now starts October 10th!
Fred Wallace, the Director of the Salem Municipal Services Utilities Division, has revised the drawdown date for Millville Lake from September 15th to October 10th. It will still be a slow drawdown.
The only caveat to that date is if the long rang forecast indicates heavy rains and/or multiple hurricanes, they will have to start the drawdown earlier. Fred will give us a heads up as far in advance as he can.
The draw downs of all the lakes in Salem are particularly challenging this year due to the amount of rain and the amount of water held in all the lakes. The Town is trying its best to mitigate any chance of downstream flooding and potential damage to property. We are very fortunate to have someone like Fred Wallace to work with.
Fred Wallace, the Director of the Salem Municipal Services Utilities Division, has revised the drawdown date for Millville Lake from September 15th to October 10th. It will still be a slow drawdown.
The only caveat to that date is if the long rang forecast indicates heavy rains and/or multiple hurricanes, they will have to start the drawdown earlier. Fred will give us a heads up as far in advance as he can.
The draw downs of all the lakes in Salem are particularly challenging this year due to the amount of rain and the amount of water held in all the lakes. The Town is trying its best to mitigate any chance of downstream flooding and potential damage to property. We are very fortunate to have someone like Fred Wallace to work with.
SOLitude Watering Restriction Lifted
August 28, 2023 - SOLitude Lake Management has notified us that it is now safe to use lake water for irrigation and for mixing sprays for agricultural and ornamental plants.
MLPA Fall Meeting
August 25, 2023 - MLPA Fall Meeting will be on Tuesday October 24, 2023 at 6:30pm at the Centerpoint Community Church 101 School St. Salem, NH. This is a members-only meeting and membership forms will be available for non-members to join and current members to renew their membership (yearly dues are $30.00) prior to the start of the meeting. Guest Speaker:
Sara Steiner Program Coordinator for the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP).
Sara Steiner Program Coordinator for the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP).
Summer Beach Testing Results August 2023
August 23, 2023 - On August 3,4,7 & 17, 2023, water samples from association and public beaches in Salem were collected and submitted for microbiological analysis to a NH accredited laboratory.
The samples were analyzed for bacteria, (E. coli), the indicator organism utilized to determine safe swimming conditions. At a freshwater beach, an advisory is posted if either two samples exceed the state standard of 88 counts or when one sample exceeds 158 counts.
Two samples were collected from each beach in accordance with the NH DES “Standard Operating Procedure for Bacteria Sampling”. The following beach sites were sampled and the results are as follows:
Location: Results:
Millville Lake --------------------------------- 4, 5
Brian A. Lockard
Health Officer
Town of Salem
33 Geremonty Drive
Salem, NH 03079
603-890-2050
The samples were analyzed for bacteria, (E. coli), the indicator organism utilized to determine safe swimming conditions. At a freshwater beach, an advisory is posted if either two samples exceed the state standard of 88 counts or when one sample exceeds 158 counts.
Two samples were collected from each beach in accordance with the NH DES “Standard Operating Procedure for Bacteria Sampling”. The following beach sites were sampled and the results are as follows:
Location: Results:
Millville Lake --------------------------------- 4, 5
Brian A. Lockard
Health Officer
Town of Salem
33 Geremonty Drive
Salem, NH 03079
603-890-2050
LakeFest Photos
August 17, 2023 - We hope everyone had a fantastic time at this year's LakeFest. Thank you to all the event hosts who made LakeFest such a success. We have some photos from the day that you can view here. If you have LakeFest photos you'd like to see on the website please email them to info@millvillelake.org.
SOLitude Lake Management Weed Treatment Update
July 19, 2023 - The first of two SOLitude Lake Management weed treatments is scheduled to take place on Friday July 21, 2023 at 10:00am. A followup (booster) treatment will be performed on or about Tuesday August 8, 2023 at 10:00am.
The following temporary water use restrictions will be imposed on the day of treatment for all treatments:
• No swimming for 6 hours following each treatment (7/21 & 8/8), within 200 feet of treated areas.
• Do not use this water for irrigation or for mixing sprays for agricultural or ornamental plants until further notice. Irrigation restrictions will be lifted according to a timetable specified on the product label and/or, as applicable, on the basis of analyses of the water to determine that herbicide concentration has dropped to acceptable levels. These restrictions apply to all intakes within 1,320 feet downstream of the treatment area, and to all wells within 50 feet of shoreline that itself is within 1,320 feet downstream of a treatment area. Contact Pete Beisler at SŌLitude Lake Management, 590 Lake Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, Telephone 866-480-1271, email NewHampshire@SolitudeLake.com for information on the release dates of these restrictions or for additional information on the irrigation restrictions.
SOLitude recommends that you not water anything (such as lawns & plants) with lake water from the first application on July 21st until further notice. SOLitude will be testing the lake water at different intervals and will determine when lake water can be used again for irrigation or for mixing sprays for agricultural or ornamental plants. It could be a 3 week restriction after the August 8th treatment but it may be less. We will notify on this website and via email to MLPA members when this temporary restriction is lifted.
Some of our lake residents have expressed concern that on the SOLitude weed treatment registered letter/map that their shore line property is not shown as being part of the actual weed treatment section (hatch lined). We have discussed this with SOLitude and they have assured us that those areas (with no hatched lines) will in fact receive treatment even if the application is not done directly past your shoreline. The weed treatment application materials have significant migration properties and as such will treat weeds throughout our lake.
Please click here for more information and important temporary water restrictions.
The following temporary water use restrictions will be imposed on the day of treatment for all treatments:
• No swimming for 6 hours following each treatment (7/21 & 8/8), within 200 feet of treated areas.
• Do not use this water for irrigation or for mixing sprays for agricultural or ornamental plants until further notice. Irrigation restrictions will be lifted according to a timetable specified on the product label and/or, as applicable, on the basis of analyses of the water to determine that herbicide concentration has dropped to acceptable levels. These restrictions apply to all intakes within 1,320 feet downstream of the treatment area, and to all wells within 50 feet of shoreline that itself is within 1,320 feet downstream of a treatment area. Contact Pete Beisler at SŌLitude Lake Management, 590 Lake Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, Telephone 866-480-1271, email NewHampshire@SolitudeLake.com for information on the release dates of these restrictions or for additional information on the irrigation restrictions.
SOLitude recommends that you not water anything (such as lawns & plants) with lake water from the first application on July 21st until further notice. SOLitude will be testing the lake water at different intervals and will determine when lake water can be used again for irrigation or for mixing sprays for agricultural or ornamental plants. It could be a 3 week restriction after the August 8th treatment but it may be less. We will notify on this website and via email to MLPA members when this temporary restriction is lifted.
Some of our lake residents have expressed concern that on the SOLitude weed treatment registered letter/map that their shore line property is not shown as being part of the actual weed treatment section (hatch lined). We have discussed this with SOLitude and they have assured us that those areas (with no hatched lines) will in fact receive treatment even if the application is not done directly past your shoreline. The weed treatment application materials have significant migration properties and as such will treat weeds throughout our lake.
Please click here for more information and important temporary water restrictions.
Say Hello to Potamogeton Vaseyi
July 6, 2023 - Say hello to Potamogeton vaseyi aka Vasey's pondweed, the plant that is a state of New Hampshire listed endangered species. The plant is described in "Aquatic Plants & Algae of New Hampshire" (Page 65): "Stipules are not fused. Submersed leaves are narrow and thread-like, and pointed at tip. Floating leaves are small, less than 1/2 inch long. This pondweed commonly forms winter buds."
VLAP on Millville Lake
July 1, 2023 - MLPA members participating in the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) had a great first round of lake water quality testing on June 22nd. A report of their activities (with photos) can be read here.
MLPA Spring Meeting Minutes
June 29, 2023 - MLPA spring meeting minutes are available for MLPA members to read here.
Phosphorus - Too Much of a Good Thing
June 9, 2023 - Phosphorus is a non-metallic chemical element that is commonly found in nature. It is an important mineral required by most living organisms. Even a small increase in phosphorus concentration can increase levels of algae, including
cyanobacteria. You can read more about phosphorus in the NH Department of Environmental Services fact sheet by clicking here.
cyanobacteria. You can read more about phosphorus in the NH Department of Environmental Services fact sheet by clicking here.
NH Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP)
June 9, 2023 - The Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) was initiated in 1985 in response to an expressed desire of lake associations to be involved in lake protection and watershed management. By collecting water samples from their water bodies at regular intervals, VLAP volunteers make it possible for the state (with only eight aquatic biologists) to better understand water quality trends for New Hampshire’s more than 900 lakes and ponds. You can read more about VLAP in the NH Department of Environmental Services fact sheet by clicking here.
NHDES Cyanobacteria HAB Updates
May 25, 2023 - We recently received this important email from Kate Hastings, Cyanobacteria HAB Program Coordinator Watershed Management Bureau, Water Division NH DES to help you stay safe on the lake this summer.
"When you head to the water this summer, always perform your personal risk-assessment prior to swimming or letting your pets in. Look for any discoloration or unusual growth, and if you see something suspicious stay out of the water and report it! Please report through our NEW bloom report form. This survey will get all the information we need from you in one round of communication, allowing us to more quickly respond to your reports. You can also find this form by searching "NHDES HAB" on the internet, navigating to our page, and scrolling down the "See a bloom?" section.
Our Healthy Swimming Mapper also has new features, including more information about each warning, pictures of the bloom, and alerts posted directly on the map. We are working on adding links to the cyanobacteria history for each waterbody, but that will be coming soon! There is also a link to the bloom report form on this website.
We will also be issuing a weekly statewide cyanobacteria update. Sign up by selecting the "Healthy Swimming Updates" email list. Thank you all for being our "eyes on the water", I look forward to working with you to help your communities swim safely this season!"
"When you head to the water this summer, always perform your personal risk-assessment prior to swimming or letting your pets in. Look for any discoloration or unusual growth, and if you see something suspicious stay out of the water and report it! Please report through our NEW bloom report form. This survey will get all the information we need from you in one round of communication, allowing us to more quickly respond to your reports. You can also find this form by searching "NHDES HAB" on the internet, navigating to our page, and scrolling down the "See a bloom?" section.
Our Healthy Swimming Mapper also has new features, including more information about each warning, pictures of the bloom, and alerts posted directly on the map. We are working on adding links to the cyanobacteria history for each waterbody, but that will be coming soon! There is also a link to the bloom report form on this website.
We will also be issuing a weekly statewide cyanobacteria update. Sign up by selecting the "Healthy Swimming Updates" email list. Thank you all for being our "eyes on the water", I look forward to working with you to help your communities swim safely this season!"
Town of Salem Shore Lands and Wetlands Brochure
The town of Salem has produced a shore lands and wetlands brochure for regulations governing properties that are adjacent to a lake, pond, or the Spicket River. The brochure is available here.
Salem BOS Accepts Millville Lake Dam Grant
February 6, 2023 - At the February 6th Salem Board of Selectmen meeting the BOS accepted a grant in the amount of $1,000,000.00 from the NH Department of Environmental Services in State ARPA Funds for Millville Lake Dam.
Roy Sorenson, Municipal Services Director, spoke at the meeting and said the design is being finalized and there may be a Warrant article in 2024 for the project. He will provide updates to the BOS throughout the year. We will pass along any information regarding the dam project to MLPA members. You can view that portion of the meeting by clicking here (starting at 6:14.)
In regards to the dam project, we were told last year by Fred Wallace, Director of the Salem Municipal Services Utilities Division "Results of the subsurface explorations and revised stability analyses from spring 2021 indicate that the dam is founded on glacial outwash material, and depths to bedrock below the assumed bottom of the dam varied between the test borings from 7± feet to 23± feet. SLR, our engineering contractor, recommends the construction of concrete buttresses on the downstream face of the dam to provide the additional required normal force."
Roy Sorenson, Municipal Services Director, spoke at the meeting and said the design is being finalized and there may be a Warrant article in 2024 for the project. He will provide updates to the BOS throughout the year. We will pass along any information regarding the dam project to MLPA members. You can view that portion of the meeting by clicking here (starting at 6:14.)
In regards to the dam project, we were told last year by Fred Wallace, Director of the Salem Municipal Services Utilities Division "Results of the subsurface explorations and revised stability analyses from spring 2021 indicate that the dam is founded on glacial outwash material, and depths to bedrock below the assumed bottom of the dam varied between the test borings from 7± feet to 23± feet. SLR, our engineering contractor, recommends the construction of concrete buttresses on the downstream face of the dam to provide the additional required normal force."
MLPA Fall 2022 Meeting Notes
The MLPA Fall 2022 Meeting notes can be read by clicking here.
Electrofishing Report
An electrofishing study was done by SOLitude Lake Management on June 23, 2022 to provide an in-depth representation and analysis of the current state of the Millville Lake fishery. This was done to collect data for a possible future fish stocking project. The report can be read by downloading the file below.
| millville_lake_electrofishing_report_spring_2022.pdf |
NH Cyanobacteria Bill HB 1066 Update
August 26, 2022 - House Bill 1066 requiring the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Services (DES) to prepare a plan relative to cyanobacteria blooms in New Hampshire, was signed by Governor Sununu in June! In addition to the plan, the bill creates an advisory committee to DES made up of expert stakeholders from state agencies, nonprofits, the medical, veterinary, and scientific communities, and members of local lake and watershed associations to ensure the plans success.
If you'd like to learn more about cyanobacteria visit our website here.
If you'd like to learn more about cyanobacteria visit our website here.
Linda Mele Receives NH Lakes LakeSmart Award
August 22, 2022 - MLPA Board of Directors Secretary, Linda Mele, completed a shoreline restoration and erosion mitigation project to receive the coveted NH LAKES LakeSmart Award. Linda was thrilled to receive the award and told us "I would encourage anyone to take the time to complete the survey on the LakeSmart website, educate yourself to the safe practices of lake living, and schedule a site visit. We can all do a little bit to keep our unique properties safe for the lake." You can read Linda's LakeSmart story here.
Lead Fishing Tackle Ban and Lead Buy Back Program
July 16, 2022 - We have been informed by the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) to remind anglers about the ban on the sale and freshwater use of lead sinkers and jigs weighing one ounce or less for all freshwater in the state. The Loon Preservation Committee recently recorded its first lead-poisoned loon of the year. You can read the article by clicking here. Full details of the buyback and participating shops can be found at https://loon.org/loonsafe/lpc-2022-lead-tackle-buyback/loon.org/loonsafe/lpc-2022-lead-tackle-buyback/
Dredging 101 Webinar
February 12, 2022 - SOLitude Lake Management recently presented an overview of lake dredging, something that is on the minds of the MLPA board of directors as a potential way of decreasing weeds and increasing the recreational benefits of the lake. Click here to view the webinar.
Millville Lake Dam Repair Update
February 12, 2022 - We received an update on the Millville Lake dam repair from Fred Wallace, Director of the Salem Municipal Services Utilities Division. Fred tells us:
"Results of the subsurface explorations and revised stability analyses from spring 2021 indicate that the dam is founded on glacial outwash material, and depths to bedrock below the assumed bottom of the dam varied between the test borings from 7± feet to 23± feet. SLR, our engineering contractor, recommends the construction of concrete buttresses on the downstream face of the dam to provide the additional required normal force. We’ve budgeted to move ahead with survey, overtopping assessment, design of repairs, and permitting in 2022. I don’t believe we will need to lower the lake below normal levels for the summer.
You should be able to go ahead with your plans for weed treatment. We will reach out to you as we get closer to design and set up an informational meeting with your association."
"Results of the subsurface explorations and revised stability analyses from spring 2021 indicate that the dam is founded on glacial outwash material, and depths to bedrock below the assumed bottom of the dam varied between the test borings from 7± feet to 23± feet. SLR, our engineering contractor, recommends the construction of concrete buttresses on the downstream face of the dam to provide the additional required normal force. We’ve budgeted to move ahead with survey, overtopping assessment, design of repairs, and permitting in 2022. I don’t believe we will need to lower the lake below normal levels for the summer.
You should be able to go ahead with your plans for weed treatment. We will reach out to you as we get closer to design and set up an informational meeting with your association."
Keep Leaves Out of the Lake
From the Salem Municipal Services Department - Engineering Division. "Did you know yard waste, including leaves and grass clippings, can be a source of water pollution? When yard waste ends up in our town streets and sidewalks it flows into our storm drains. From there, it goes directly to our local streams, rivers, wetlands, ponds and lakes where it decays increasing the amount of nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus in the water body, and degrading water quality. Learn more about leaf and yard waste handling, including how to properly dispose of it here: https://www.townofsalemnh.org/.../salemnh_yardwaste..."
NH Lakes Lake Smart PowerPoint Slides
June 9, 2021 - Andrea LaMoreaux's, NH LAKES President, PowerPoint slides from her LakeSmart Living presentation given at the MLPA Spring meeting of June 8th, 2021 are available below to download.
| millville_lake_association_lakesmart_intro_06-08-2021.pdf |
NH Lakes Canada Geese - The Ugly Truth
June 9, 2021 - "Canada Geese - Ugly Truth" provided by NH Lakes is available available to read here.
April 12, 2021 - More details of the planned drilling at the Millville Lake dam scheduled for April 16th and April 19th.
NH Lakes LakeSmart Booklet
April 11, 2021 - NH Lakes provided a must-read booklet filled with helpful information on lake friendly living. Download your copy today.
| lakesmartbooklet_2019.pdf |
A Message From MLPA President, Jim Falls
October 26, 2020 - Please read an important message from the MLPA President, Jim Falls, on our blog.
SOLitude Lake Management 2019 Water Quality Testing
March 20, 2020 - SOLitude Lake Management performed Millville Lake water quality testing on August 29, 2019 and September 27, 2019. I received the August water quality results, reviewed them and nothing popped out to me as bad or out of the ordinary. I did not receive the September results until late October (due to a billing mix up), so I did not want to report back to you with only one set of results. When I finally received the September results I reviewed them again and again saw nothing of concern. Our Fisheries Biologist (Ben German) reviewed both sets of results and for the most part he also saw no red flags. He did however feel like it was worth mentioning that the Conductivity was a little higher than he would expect for a water body in this region/geography. Conductivity is a measure of water’s capability to pass electrical flow. This ability is directly related to the concentration of ions in the water. These conductive ions come from dissolved salts and inorganic materials such as alkalis, chlorides, sulfides and carbonate compounds. Compounds that dissolve into ions are also known as electrolytes. The more ions that are present, the higher the conductivity of water. (definition taken from: https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/parameters/water-quality/conductivity-salinity-tds/.)
Ben's opinion was that the slightly elevated conductivity was possibly due to road salts from the winter. There is no harm at all with the readings seen (330-350 umhos/cm), as they fall well within the acceptable range to support diverse aquatic life (100-1,000 umhos/cm.)
All water quality results looked good, with no reason for concern.
Peter Beisler SOLitude Environmental Scientist
Ben's opinion was that the slightly elevated conductivity was possibly due to road salts from the winter. There is no harm at all with the readings seen (330-350 umhos/cm), as they fall well within the acceptable range to support diverse aquatic life (100-1,000 umhos/cm.)
All water quality results looked good, with no reason for concern.
Peter Beisler SOLitude Environmental Scientist
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