Major Watershed Plan Aims to Keep Newfound Lake Clean

The Newfound Region Lake Association and Plymouth State University have spent almost three years designing the state’s largest watershed plan.
It the first time in the state that so many communities have helped protect a lake that’s already clean.
But Boyd Smith, with the Newfound Region Lake Association says it faces threats –particularly from stormwater runoff from the hills and mountains that surround the lake.
“Boyd 4:42 we’ve got stormwater coming into these lakes and tributaries that is horrible in water quality that can happen naturally, the situation is made worse by irresponsible development or fertilizer, stormwater is the biggest threat to water quality.”
Development is also a threat – of the 63-thousand acre watershed almost 70-percent of the land is buildable.
At a recent public hearing – residents of surrounding communities say regional planning is needed to keep the lake clean.
Alexandria resident Dan McGlaughlin says residents who don’t live on the waterfront don’t think about water quality.
Dan4 the idea of protecting the watershed within the whole town of Alexandria is paramount, they don’t often think of that they’re two three five miles from the lake and they don’t think they impact the lake and they do
Groton Planning Board Chair Steve Spafford says his town faces a similar problem.
2:07 my town doesn’t have lakefront on New found Lake we’re one of the upland towns, and everything that comes out of Groton, eventually into cockermouth
The Cockermouth River flows directly in Newfound Lake.
The Newfound Watershed Master Plan is designed to help town planners not only recognize pollution threats to the lake, but guides them on actions they can take.
Dan McLaughlin of Alexandria says it’s important for communities to know it is not creating regulations.
Dan1 –25 A lot of people are afraid of a plan because they think it’s another regulation and it’s not, it’s a guide as to what direction we want to go, what are we looking at protecting, what are we looking at saving, what are we looking at creating so we have a better economy around the lake
The watershed plan includes suggestions on how to create sound land use plans and guide development away from rivers, wetlands and steep slopes.
One of its main goals is to prevent phosphorus and other pollutants from reaching the lake.
A 300-thousand dollar federal clean water act grant paid for most of the plan’s development.
Designers and residents in surrounding towns are hoping that money doesn’t go to waste.
Towns still have to decide whether to adopt the plan and if they’ll take any suggested actions to protect Newfound lake.
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.