Posts Tagged ‘water quality’
Protecting the Lake: The Watershed
What is a watershed? A watershed is an area that drains into a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, wetland or even the ocean. Watersheds provide our drinking water, habitat for wildlife and the streams and lakes that we use for fishing, boating and swimming. What happens on the land within our…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Trees
How Trees Can Save Lakes from Algae Blooms Lake Attitash is blessed with many mature and beautiful trees around its shores. Have you ever wondered why the Conservation Commissions works so hard to protect trees and other vegetation near our lake? Why do we need to protect them? Why should we plant more trees? Trees,…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Soil Erosion
Believe it or not, the biggest threat to Lake Attitash water quality is plain old dirt, washing into our streams and lake…from our lawns, roads, driveways and construction areas. What’s wrong with soil? It clogs waterways, hurts fishes’ gills, and carries a lot of nutrients from decaying vegetation, fertilizer, pesticides, oil, detergents and other chemicals…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Buffer Gardens, Rain Gardens, and Shoreline Planting
Having a “natural” shoreline with native plants and stones is probably the best thing you can do to protect the lake. The Conservation Commissions strongly discourage walls, preferring more natural slopes filled with stone and native plants. A buffer garden is a planted or wild vegetated area along the lake that functions to filter runoff,…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Fertilizers and Lawn Care
Let’s get serious! No fertilizer of any sort can be applied within 100’ of Lake Attitash as it used as a secondary water supply for Amesbury’s drinking water. Fertilizer use in the watershed is serious business! You need to know about the law! If you want to continue to see cleaner water in Lake Attitash,…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Stormwater, Rain Barrels, Gardens, Surfaces
AFTER THE STORM – A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING STORMWATER What is storm water runoff? Storm water runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and streets prevent storm water from naturally soaking into the ground. Why is storm water runoff a problem? Storm water can pick…
Read MoreProtecting the Lake: Alum Grant
$600,000 Department of Environmental Protection Grant 2019 and 2020 Alum Treatment This alum treatment was hard earned and was the result of diligent research, long term planning, persistent effort and the support and wisdom of the LAA, lake residents, local leaders and the Department of Environmental Protection. Seeking clean and safe water – It was…
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