Starting in March 2026, the SLA will be monitoring streams leading into the Squam Lakes after runoff events, such as snow melt and big rain events. This monitoring will help us gain a better understanding of where potential pollutants or excess nutrients may be flowing into the lakes.
When it rains, any water that does not get absorbed into the soil flows downhill and collects into streams that then flow into larger bodies of water, such as Squam Lake, Little Squam, and White Oak Pond. As the rainwater flows across the ground, it can also pick up nutrients and sediments that get washed into streams. These nutrients and sediments then make their way into the lakes, which can potentially affect the overall health of the lake.
An example of something that can be swept into our lakes via rain is fertilizers. When fertilizers make their way into the lake, nutrients are then released into the lake’s water column. This, in turn, can lead to large algal or cyanobacterial blooms, which can be detrimental to the water quality and harmful to both the wildlife and humans. Another example of a major pollutant is road salt. When the road salt is dissolved by water, by rain, or by snowmelt, it eventually makes its way into local watersheds. This in turn raises the local salinity of the water, which leads to changes in local microbial communities, flora, and fauna.
We collect water samples from local streams that lead into the Squam Lakes. We use a YSI probe to test for dissolved oxygen, oxygen saturation, specific conductivity, and water temperature. The data and water samples are later analyzed by the Squam Lakes Association for phosphorus, aluminum, and other nutrients. This allows us to track what flows into our lakes and compare the data to our regular stream sampling data.
