News
Annual 2024 Fall Letter to Members
Click HERE
Member Dues and Voting - CLAPA bylaws require that attendees should be paid up members in order to vote. If you are not a current member, we look forward to your future support. Membership Dues and Donations schedule
Website - Since early 2020 we have been updating our website. We trust you will find it very informational regarding activiites on Contoocook Lake, and if you have any suggestions for future news, pictures, and information, please forward them to the board at our email address: [email protected].
Boating Regulations - This summer a number of Contoocook Lake residents have expressed concern over the lack of respect from certain motorboat and PWC users towards other lake boaters, kayakers, swimmers, sailors, fishermen, etc. relative to following NH boating regulations. For everyone's education, we have included on this website, a summary of these regulations relative to Contoocook Lake in addition to the NH Boating Regulations themselves.
Parking Restrictions - The town of Jaffrey has restricted parking at Town Beaches with fines for out-of-town residents. Read HERE for more details.
Algae in Contoocook Lake - We have received a number of concerning questions regarding the presence of algae in Contoocook Lake. It's a natural occurrence and an educational article has been written to help us understand what types of algae are safe or harmful to humans, fish, and wildlife. Please review this article and follow up accordingly on any harmful sightings.
Lake Lowering - Each fall the Jaffrey DPW lowers the water level of Contoocook Lake for the winter months. This is a good time for all lakefront residents to clean up their beaches from debris, leaves, and other vegetation that could effect water quality. This year the lake will be lowered on October 18, 2024.
Elections - There have been changes to the slate of CLAPA officers and directors for 2024/2025. See the Contact list.
Fundraisers - Several fundraisers are being promoted to support our organization. Currently, we have Logo T-shirts and Sweatshirts available for purchase with logo design by CLAPA member, Linda Harris. Additionally, we are promoting some beautiful handmade burnt wooden plaques made by CLAPA member, Candy Phillips. Click on the appropriate pictures below to see more items and information about purchasing. Thank you for your support!
Annual 2024 Fall Letter to Members
Click HERE
Member Dues and Voting - CLAPA bylaws require that attendees should be paid up members in order to vote. If you are not a current member, we look forward to your future support. Membership Dues and Donations schedule
Website - Since early 2020 we have been updating our website. We trust you will find it very informational regarding activiites on Contoocook Lake, and if you have any suggestions for future news, pictures, and information, please forward them to the board at our email address: [email protected].
Boating Regulations - This summer a number of Contoocook Lake residents have expressed concern over the lack of respect from certain motorboat and PWC users towards other lake boaters, kayakers, swimmers, sailors, fishermen, etc. relative to following NH boating regulations. For everyone's education, we have included on this website, a summary of these regulations relative to Contoocook Lake in addition to the NH Boating Regulations themselves.
Parking Restrictions - The town of Jaffrey has restricted parking at Town Beaches with fines for out-of-town residents. Read HERE for more details.
Algae in Contoocook Lake - We have received a number of concerning questions regarding the presence of algae in Contoocook Lake. It's a natural occurrence and an educational article has been written to help us understand what types of algae are safe or harmful to humans, fish, and wildlife. Please review this article and follow up accordingly on any harmful sightings.
Lake Lowering - Each fall the Jaffrey DPW lowers the water level of Contoocook Lake for the winter months. This is a good time for all lakefront residents to clean up their beaches from debris, leaves, and other vegetation that could effect water quality. This year the lake will be lowered on October 18, 2024.
Elections - There have been changes to the slate of CLAPA officers and directors for 2024/2025. See the Contact list.
Fundraisers - Several fundraisers are being promoted to support our organization. Currently, we have Logo T-shirts and Sweatshirts available for purchase with logo design by CLAPA member, Linda Harris. Additionally, we are promoting some beautiful handmade burnt wooden plaques made by CLAPA member, Candy Phillips. Click on the appropriate pictures below to see more items and information about purchasing. Thank you for your support!
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Milfoil Update -
A reminder to our local "weed watchers", please as you travel around the lake in your various aquatic vehicles, if you see plant growth of milfoil, please report it's location ASAP via email to……[email protected].
June 2024 - Based on the NHDES survey of Contoocook Lake on June 10, 2024, we continue to see significant growth of variable milfoil on our lake. As indicated on the maps below, the major concentration of milfoil was identified in the following areas:
- Across campground and heading east along Lake Drive frontage
- Woodbound Cove / Townline Inlet
- Cochrane Cove
- Additional small sightings around the lake
- From County Road boat drop heading north along river to Jaffrey (downstream wetland outlet)
For the 2024 summer season we have contracted Aqualogic Dash/Dive services to extract the milfoil. We budgeted 10 days at a rate of $1,650 per day. Their harvest reports for six days in June; 6/21-6/24-6/25-6/26-6/27-6/28, confirmed a total milfoil extraction of 275 gallons.
We expect NHDES to provide an additional survey in September for which we will again utilize Aqualogic completing the last four days of our contract.
Regarding the milfoil past the County Road boat drop through the downstream wetland outlet, we will most likely be scheduling a herbicide chemical treatment during 2025.
Note: See below for an Aqualogic report on the June 2024 dash/dive activity.
A reminder to our local "weed watchers", please as you travel around the lake in your various aquatic vehicles, if you see plant growth of milfoil, please report it's location ASAP via email to……[email protected].
June 2024 - Based on the NHDES survey of Contoocook Lake on June 10, 2024, we continue to see significant growth of variable milfoil on our lake. As indicated on the maps below, the major concentration of milfoil was identified in the following areas:
- Across campground and heading east along Lake Drive frontage
- Woodbound Cove / Townline Inlet
- Cochrane Cove
- Additional small sightings around the lake
- From County Road boat drop heading north along river to Jaffrey (downstream wetland outlet)
For the 2024 summer season we have contracted Aqualogic Dash/Dive services to extract the milfoil. We budgeted 10 days at a rate of $1,650 per day. Their harvest reports for six days in June; 6/21-6/24-6/25-6/26-6/27-6/28, confirmed a total milfoil extraction of 275 gallons.
We expect NHDES to provide an additional survey in September for which we will again utilize Aqualogic completing the last four days of our contract.
Regarding the milfoil past the County Road boat drop through the downstream wetland outlet, we will most likely be scheduling a herbicide chemical treatment during 2025.
Note: See below for an Aqualogic report on the June 2024 dash/dive activity.
Comparison NH DES Maps of Contoocook Lake Milfoil June 2023 (left) June 2024 (right)
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Click file below to read the full Aqualogic report for June 2024
| 2024_contoocook_lake_harvest_reports_phase_1a.pdf |
References Below: Contookcook Lake Milfoil Map 2018( pre-treatment), ProcellaCOR information
| contoocook_treatment_map_2018_draft.pdf |
| contoocook_lake_nh_-_procellaCOR_slides_for_frank_battaglia.pdf |
Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) Update:
In 2023, the VLAP team, Carolyn West, Frank Belfsky and Russ Phillips, sampled the lake waters in June, July and August. A state biologist accompanied them in July. Samples are generally taken at eleven locations, but as the summer progressed several tributaries dried up due to lack of rain. The water quality remained generally good. We have had an upward trend in Conductivity and Chlorine, generally caused by road salt, and septic sewage. There is also a slight, but continuous upward trend in Phosphorus. These chemical pollutants can ultimately cause significant degradation of our lake water and we must all work to abate them by restricting stormwater runoff, over fertilization and proper maintenance of septic systems. Click the files below to see a summary of all NH lakes tested in 2023 and the specifics for Contoocook Lake.
In 2023, the VLAP team, Carolyn West, Frank Belfsky and Russ Phillips, sampled the lake waters in June, July and August. A state biologist accompanied them in July. Samples are generally taken at eleven locations, but as the summer progressed several tributaries dried up due to lack of rain. The water quality remained generally good. We have had an upward trend in Conductivity and Chlorine, generally caused by road salt, and septic sewage. There is also a slight, but continuous upward trend in Phosphorus. These chemical pollutants can ultimately cause significant degradation of our lake water and we must all work to abate them by restricting stormwater runoff, over fertilization and proper maintenance of septic systems. Click the files below to see a summary of all NH lakes tested in 2023 and the specifics for Contoocook Lake.
| vlap-2023-year-end-summary.pdf |
| 2023-contoocook-jaffrey.pdf |
Click the file below to get more information on the VLAP program from DES.
| vlap_fact_sheet.pdf |
| chemical_biological_parameter_explanations.pdf |
| how-to-read-your-report.pdf |
Click the files below to get information on the Weed Watcher program run by VLAP.
| weed_watchers_fact_sheet.pdf |
Click on the various files below to see the most recent results of our water testing.
| vlap-contoocook-jaffrey-aug_2023.pdf |
| contoocook-jaffrey-june_and_july_2023.pdf |
| 2022-contoocook-jaffrey.pdf |
| vlap_contoocook-june_2022.pdf |
| 2021-contoocook-jaffrey.pdf |
| vlap_results_sept_22_-_2021.pdf |
| vlap_results_june_22_-_2021.pdf |
| 2020-contoocook-jaffrey_vlap_report.pdf |
| vlap_results_-_august_2020.pdf |
| vlap_results_-_june_2020.pdf |
| summary_-_vlap_lake_report_2019.pdf |
| contoocook_vlap_results_sept_2019.pdf |
| vlap_results_july_12_-_2019.pdf |
| contoocook_2018_vlap_report.pdf |
VLAP at Contoocook Lake in the NEWS!
| contoocook_lake_vlap_8_11_20...monadnock_ledger_transcript.pdf |
Monthly Newsletter from the Loon Preservation Committee (loon.org): Click HERE for the latest monthly issues.
Monthly Newsletter from New Hampshire Lakes : Shorelines (NHLakes.org)
| nh_lakes_newsletter_8.2024.pdf |
Contoocook Lake Baby Loon in the News
| mlt.loons...7.11.2024.pdf |