Pawtuckaway Lake Association

The Lake Host program is already in full swing with volunteers working both the Fundy and State Park boat launches during the weekends. And, it is a really good thing that they are there. Saturday morning, May 3rd, Lake Host Volunteer Therese Thompson found an invasive species of plant, Water Chestnut, on a fisherman's boat trailer just before they launched their boat into the lake. Water Chestnut is on the NH Dept. of Environmental Services "Frightful Fourteen" most invasive exotic species list. These plants are some of the most feared species due to their ability to choke surface waters, harm native vegetation and wildlife, impact recreation, and lower property values.

Thank you Lake Host Program participants for another "Save"! If you would like to learn more about the program or even participate, contact Andrea Lawson, Lake Host Program Coordinator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

On Saturday, June 21, 9:30-12:00 noon Amy Smagula of the NH Department of Environmental Services will conduct a weed watch program training session at 32 Dolloff Dam Road. There will be an on water component to the training. Then, we will assign Weed Watch Warriors sections of the lake to perform a monthly survey for any new exotic weeds. Finally, we will continue our eradication efforts at the existing seven known exotic weed (Common Reed, also known as Phragmities) growth sites.

If you like to kayak, canoe or boat and would like to help keep the Lake free of exotic weeds, please contact Steve Soreff at 895-6120 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Fosters Daily Democrat ran a story titled, "Townhouse Pond toxins worry UNH expert" about the dangers of high chlorophyll levels in a lake. In the case of Townhouse Pond, the levels climbed high enough that toxic cynobacteria, more familiarly known as blue-green algae, began to grow at an alarming rate.  The article quotes Dr. Jim Haney of UNH's Zoology Department, "Three teaspoonfuls are enough to kill a small child," he said. "If you see any green material, send it to UNH or DES (Department of Environmental Services). They'll test it, and they could shut the beach down. It is deadly."

Pawtuckaway Lake has had some small outbreaks of blue-green algae in the past but, nothing close to what Townhouse Pond is experiencing. However, if our water quality continues to decline and effective phosophorous/nutrient loading into the lake is not curtailed, we may see more blue-green algae in the lake. The entire news story is available here: Townhouse Pond Story

Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. (Geosyntec) was contracted by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to develop a Watershed Based Plan (WBP) for Pawtuckaway Lake (1,180 acres), located in Nottingham, NH. The lake has an 18.5 square mile watershed, including Pawtuckaway Lake State Park and an estimated 309 year-round and seasonal homes located around the lake’s perimeter.