Fecal micro organism advisories issued at 4 NH seashores, extra below blue-green algae warnings

The New Hampshire Division of Environmental Providers put 4 of the state’s seashores below fecal micro organism advisories within the final week.

Over the identical time interval, the division put 4 different our bodies of water below blue-green algae warnings, bringing the overall variety of lakes and ponds below such warnings to eight.

All in all, the division recommends avoiding swimming or wading in 12 totally different New Hampshire our bodies of water.

Fecal micro organism advisories

The Environmental Providers Division issued the primary fecal micro organism advisory on Aug. 2 for Clough State Park Seashore in Weare. The subsequent day, it added Griffin Seashore in Franklin and North Hampton State Park Seashore in North Hampton to the checklist. Lastly, on Aug. 4, it issued an advisory for Pirate’s Cove in Rye.

The division frequently exams seashores for fecal micro organism, and points advisories after they attain unsafe ranges, it stated on its web site. As soon as an advisory is issued, the division exams the seaside daily till the quantity of micro organism returns to a secure stage.

Seashores can accumulate excessive ranges of fecal micro organism when rainwater encounters human or pet waste earlier than it empties right into a physique of water. Publicity to the micro organism may cause people and pets to undergo nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.

Blue-green algae warnings

The Environmental Providers Division issued a blue-green algae warning for Showell Pond in Sandown on Aug. 1. The subsequent day, it issued a warning for Northwood Lake in Northwood, and on Aug. 4, it issued warnings for Captain Pond in Salem and Mascoma Lake in Enfield.

The 4 our bodies of water joined three others the division issued blue-green algae warnings for the week earlier than — Hunkins Pond in Sanbornton, Arlington Mill Reservoir in Salem, and Tucker Pond in Salisbury. In early July, it issued a warning for Province Lake in Effingham.

The division frequently exams our bodies of water for cyanobacteria ranges, generally often known as blue-green algae, it stated on its web site. As soon as a warning is issued, the division exams the physique of water weekly till the cyanobacteria bloom subsides.

Publicity to cyanobacteria may cause gastrointestinal issues, fever, and dizziness, amongst different signs, based on the CDC. Animals also can get sick, it stated, and generally die.

The division is at present watching cyanobacteria blooms at Alton Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton, Deering Reservoir in Deering, and Little Sunapee Lake in New London.

Checking for seaside advisories

For up-to-date info on New Hampshire swimming advisories and alerts, go to the Division of Environmental Providers’ seaside map.

The Massachusetts Division of Public Well being now additionally makes this info publicly obtainable on Mass.gov.