11 Beaches In New Hampshire Report Fecal Bacteria Advisories

CONCORD, NH — Before the weather gets too chilly, as the warmer days of summer begin to wind down, Granite Staters will want to take advantage of all the great lakes, ponds, and beaches that abound — but 21 of them this week have bacteria issues, according to officials.

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Healthy Swimming Mapper has posted 11 beaches with fecal bacteria advisories and 10 ponds and lakes with cyanobacteria warnings or watches. Most of the warnings and watches are new to the map.

This week, fecal bacteria advisories were posted at Canaan Street Lake Town Beach, Hampstead Town Beach, Hudson Town Beach, Kingston State Park Beach, New Castle Town Beach, North Hampton State Park Beach, Pirate’s Cove in Rye, Seabrook Harbor Beach, Seeley Park Beach in Sandown, and Silver Lake State Park Beach in Hollis.

Clough State Park Beach in Weare has a fecal bacteria advisory posted for a week.

Exposure to fecal bacteria can cause digestive and respiratory illnesses, infections, skin rashes, diarrhea, and other major health issues.

Four current cyanobacteria watches-alerts are also new this week: Winkley Pond in Barrington, Silver Lake in Hollis, Arlington Mill Reservoir in Salem, and Winnisquam Lake (Belmont, Laconia, Meredith, Sanbornton, and Tilton).

Two current cyanobacteria warnings-advisories are a week or more old: Cobbetts Pond in Windham, posted since July 25, and Province Lake in Effingham and Wakefield.

Four new current cyanobacteria warnings-advisories include Baboosic Lake in Amherst, Huntress Pond in Barnstead, Halfmoon Pond in Kingston, and Hopkinton Dike Elm Brook in Hopkinton.

Warnings are no longer valid at Gorham Pond in Dunbarton and Elm Brook in Hopkinton.

Officials warned swimmers, waders, and pet owners that the blooms and surface scum from cyanobacteria are natural occurrences, but exposure can bring acute health effects, including skin irritation and mucous membranes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.

To view the updated Healthy Swimming Mapper, visit this link. To view this week’s cyanobacteria update, click here.

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