SPRINGFIELD, N.H. — A recently completed planting and restoration project aims to help reduce nutrient levels and cyanobacteria blooms in Little Lake Sunapee.
The nonprofit Lake Sunapee Protective Association, or LSPA, worked with Twin Lake Village Golf Course in Springfield, volunteers and an engineering consultant to plant more than 1,100 native plants along Kidder Brook, according to a Wednesday news release from the organization.
Kidder Brook flows through Twin Lake Village Golf Course and into Little Lake Sunapee.
The project was completed in two phases, with one planting in May and another in October.
The native plants are intended to stabilize the streambank to reduce erosion and absorb nutrients such as phosphorus before they enter the river. Phosphorus is a primary contributor to harmful cyanobacteria blooms.
The department issued a one week-long cyanobacteria warning for Little Lake Sunapee in 2024, according to data from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. The department issues a warning when cyanobacteria is confirmed to have surpassed healthy levels.
Cyanobacteria produces toxins that are harmful to humans and animals and can range from causing skin irritation and digestive issues to, in extreme and long-term cases, acute liver damage or nervous system issues.
The department also issued a week-long cyanobacteria watch on Little Lake Sunapee in 2023. The department issues watches when it receives cyanobacteria photographs and reports, but a sample isn’t tested, or when cyanobacteria levels are approaching unsafe levels.
Before 2023 there had been no cyanobacteria watches or warnings issued on Little Lake Sunapee since 2008.