Bacteria at Weirs Beach

ITD · 08-06-2010, 08:53 AM

From the article Skip references:

"........ there have been anecdotal reports of recreational vehicles in the area emptying their waste tanks into drainage basins with subsequent e. coli spikes later recorded in nearby lakes."

That's just gross, some people are pigs. I've also seen some, ahem, "slicks" on the lake that I thought were from boats with illegal discharge valves, I didn't want to get close enough to "verify" it, but if it looks like a duck........

jrc · 08-06-2010, 02:20 PM

If you see a boat you suspect is dumping call the DES and the MP. The DES guys come to the boat and test it. They check in the marinas a lot. We actually have let the DES boat use a small spare dock in our marina.

Remember NH is stricter than most states, like all states you cannot dump "black" water from toilets. But here you cannot dump "gray" water from showers and sinks either. Gray water usually exits above water. If you see dirty or soapy water exiting a boat call the DES or MP.

NH boats must not discharge gray water.

Skip · 08-06-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrc

If you see a boat you suspect is dumping call the DES and the MP. The DES guys come to the boat and test it. They check in the marinas a lot. We actually have let the DES boat use a small spare dock in our marina.

Remember NH is stricter than most states, like all states you cannot dump "black" water from toilets. But here you cannot dump "gray" water from showers and sinks either. Gray water usually exits above water. If you see dirty or soapy water exiting a boat call the DES or MP.

NH boats must not discharge gray water.

JRC is absolutely correct, and gray water discharge is one of the least understood, and all to common, inland water pollution violations.

Click HERE for a neat little fact sheet courtesy of NHDES!

pm203 · 08-06-2010, 06:27 PM

Is the majority of the lake safe to swim in or is it just in these particular affected areas?

ishoot308 · 08-06-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pm203

Is the majority of the lake safe to swim in or is it just in these particular affected areas?

Only where people frequent... That should tell you something...

ITD · 08-07-2010, 11:14 AM

I would call on a boat discharging in a heartbeat, unfortunately I've only come upon the result, with no boats within miles. Again, I'm not 100 percent sure it was sewage, didn't want to get that close, but it really did look bad.

fatlazyless · 08-08-2010, 08:57 PM

About twelve days straight now with the DES posted beach signs for bacteria down at the beach at Weirs Beach! Was back over there today to do some more kayaking, and lo & behold, the ten dollar collection fee was being collected by the city. Apparently, people want to go to the beach and enjoy the water, bacteria or no bacteria, because there was plenty of people, like maybe 40 or so, in the water.

One of the employees collecting the ten bucks was saying how they should get the latest DES test results back on Monday, and they are sure hoping that the bacteria test levels have fallen enough so they can lose the yellow DES signs. The state does the testing and posting of signs, and it is up to the individual town as to how it wants to run their local beach. Nobody really seems to care too much; bacteria or no bacteria, high bacteria or low bacteria; it's August, they are at the beach and they want to go get in that Winnipesaukee water, and that's what everyone is going to do, so the bacteria will just be ignored.....like, so what, big deal....bacteria....too bad! Who knows, maybe there is good bacteria, and bad bacteria, and some bacteria which is just so-so bacteria. Could be the Weirs bacteria is probably the good bacteria, or at least the so-so bacteria?

Someone was saying that it has to do with the beach at Weirs Beach being located in a shallow water area without too much circulation, and how hopefully the big winds of Friday and Saturday, plus the cooler weather would be enough to churn & burn all the bacteria down to DES acceptable levels. And, maybe it has to do with people feeding the ducks, too!

For ten dollars to park in their parking lot that's real close to the Channel, I took a pass on Weirs Beach, and headed up to the Winnipesaukee River kayak launch that's close to the Laconia City Hall. That is a no-charge, freebie, and can be used in tandem with the Winnisquam state boat launch which is further down the Winnipesaukee River, and very close to Lake Winnisquam.

VitaBene · 08-09-2010, 02:36 PM

Maybe we can pull the NWZ closer to get more wave action (or beach a few of those big cruisers and get them to churn the water up

)

SIKSUKR · 08-09-2010, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Someone was saying that it has to do with the beach at Weirs Beach being located in a shallow water area without too much circulation

I do find it interesting though that Weirs beach has this problem with the outflow of the channel located right next to it.If any place would get flushed out,you would think this would be the one.

ITD · 08-09-2010, 04:27 PM

You know, I went by there on my Jet ski on Sunday and counted at least 7 or 8 dogs, that I could see on the rocks by the channel. Most of the them large. Probably many more that I couldn't see. All seemed well behaved and on leashes but maybe it's time to try a dog ban and see if the problem goes away........

nvtngtxpyr · 08-10-2010, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ITD

You know, I went by there on my Jet ski on Sunday and counted at least 7 or 8 dogs, that I could see on the rocks by the channel. Most of the them large. Probably many more that I couldn't see. All seemed well behaved and on leashes but maybe it's try a dog ban and see if the problem goes away........

Not trolling, are you?

ITD · 08-10-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvtngtxpyr

Not trolling, are you?

Actually not, just takes a few loads of "puppy manure" left behind plus a heavy rain to cause the problems they are seeing at the Weirs. We seem to be getting the heavy rains once or twice a week this year, do the math.

jmen24 · 08-10-2010, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ITD

Actually not, just takes a few loads of "puppy manure" left behind plus a heavy rain to cause the problems they are seeing at the Weirs. We seem to be getting the heavy rains once or twice a week this year, do the math.

Yea, dogs, yea that's the problem over there. Pay no attention to the 800lb gorilla in the center of the room.

Maybe some better policing of the sanitary concerns on any given day at that beach would help with keeping the water bacteria free. Floating baby diaper anyone, just one of the many issues seen when traversing the channel by boat on any given summer day.

ITD · 08-10-2010, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmen24

Yea, dogs, yea that's the problem over there. Pay no attention to the 800lb gorilla in the center of the room.

Maybe some better policing of the sanitary concerns on any given day at that beach would help with keeping the water bacteria free. Floating baby diaper anyone, just one of the many issues seen when traversing the channel by boat on any given summer day.

Yea, that too!!

ishoot308 · 08-10-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmen24

Yea, dogs, yea that's the problem over there. Pay no attention to the 800lb gorilla in the center of the room.

Maybe some better policing of the sanitary concerns on any given day at that beach would help with keeping the water bacteria free. Floating baby diaper anyone, just one of the many issues seen when traversing the channel by boat on any given summer day.

Yup! Seen that more than once and it is disgusting. Any parent who let's their child go swimming in a dirty diaper needs some serious help!!

It's not the dogs, it's not the powerboats, it's not the geese, and it's not runoff from the street... It's people with no hygiene or parenting skills that cause most of this!

Dan

08-08-2010, 08:57 PM	#7
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 9,169 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 310 Thanked 1,103 Times in 812 Posts	...twelve days of bacteria? About twelve days straight now with the DES posted beach signs for bacteria down at the beach at Weirs Beach! Was back over there today to do some more kayaking, and lo & behold, the ten dollar collection fee was being collected by the city. Apparently, people want to go to the beach and enjoy the water, bacteria or no bacteria, because there was plenty of people, like maybe 40 or so, in the water. One of the employees collecting the ten bucks was saying how they should get the latest DES test results back on Monday, and they are sure hoping that the bacteria test levels have fallen enough so they can lose the yellow DES signs. The state does the testing and posting of signs, and it is up to the individual town as to how it wants to run their local beach. Nobody really seems to care too much; bacteria or no bacteria, high bacteria or low bacteria; it's August, they are at the beach and they want to go get in that Winnipesaukee water, and that's what everyone is going to do, so the bacteria will just be ignored.....like, so what, big deal....bacteria....too bad! Who knows, maybe there is good bacteria, and bad bacteria, and some bacteria which is just so-so bacteria. Could be the Weirs bacteria is probably the good bacteria, or at least the so-so bacteria? Someone was saying that it has to do with the beach at Weirs Beach being located in a shallow water area without too much circulation, and how hopefully the big winds of Friday and Saturday, plus the cooler weather would be enough to churn & burn all the bacteria down to DES acceptable levels. And, maybe it has to do with people feeding the ducks, too! For ten dollars to park in their parking lot that's real close to the Channel, I took a pass on Weirs Beach, and headed up to the Winnipesaukee River kayak launch that's close to the Laconia City Hall. That is a no-charge, freebie, and can be used in tandem with the Winnisquam state boat launch which is further down the Winnipesaukee River, and very close to Lake Winnisquam. __________________ .... Banned for life from local thrift store!

08-09-2010, 04:27 PM	#10
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,953 Thanks: 484 Thanked 703 Times in 393 Posts	You know, I went by there on my Jet ski on Sunday and counted at least 7 or 8 dogs, that I could see on the rocks by the channel. Most of the them large. Probably many more that I couldn't see. All seemed well behaved and on leashes but maybe it's time to try a dog ban and see if the problem goes away........ Last edited by ITD; 08-10-2010 at 09:31 AM. Reason: added "time to"

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-06-2010, 08:53 AM	#1
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,953 Thanks: 484 Thanked 703 Times in 393 Posts	From the article Skip references: "........ there have been anecdotal reports of recreational vehicles in the area emptying their waste tanks into drainage basins with subsequent e. coli spikes later recorded in nearby lakes." That's just gross, some people are pigs. I've also seen some, ahem, "slicks" on the lake that I thought were from boats with illegal discharge valves, I didn't want to get close enough to "verify" it, but if it looks like a duck........

08-06-2010, 02:20 PM	#2
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	If you see a boat you suspect is dumping call the DES and the MP. The DES guys come to the boat and test it. They check in the marinas a lot. We actually have let the DES boat use a small spare dock in our marina. Remember NH is stricter than most states, like all states you cannot dump "black" water from toilets. But here you cannot dump "gray" water from showers and sinks either. Gray water usually exits above water. If you see dirty or soapy water exiting a boat call the DES or MP. NH boats must not discharge gray water.

08-06-2010, 06:27 PM	#4
pm203 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 225 Thanks: 41 Thanked 86 Times in 46 Posts	Is the majority of the lake safe to swim in or is it just in these particular affected areas?

08-07-2010, 11:14 AM	#6
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,953 Thanks: 484 Thanked 703 Times in 393 Posts	I would call on a boat discharging in a heartbeat, unfortunately I've only come upon the result, with no boats within miles. Again, I'm not 100 percent sure it was sewage, didn't want to get that close, but it really did look bad.

08-09-2010, 02:36 PM	#8
VitaBene Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 3,644 Thanks: 1,718 Thanked 1,662 Times in 861 Posts	Maybe we can pull the NWZ closer to get more wave action (or beach a few of those big cruisers and get them to churn the water up )