Several calls came into the office this summer from pond owners concerned about the apparent decline in the health of their pond. After site visits, some background data collection and sampling of these ponds several common themes emerged, including:

• High water temperatures and depressed dissolved oxygen (DO) throughout
• Buildup of silt and organics and low DO at depth and at shallow pond edges
• Increased fine sediment and algae
• An apparent decrease in fish populations.

Some of these negative characteristics are due to weather – this year, we had lower than normal rainfall at the beginning of the summer followed by higher than usual summer temperatures – that can lead to declines in pond health. However some are due to pond maturity and how water circulates through a pond system.

Most ponds have an inflow and outflow and many are fed by groundwater as well, but only some of the water in the pond is regularly refreshed, especially in the summer months when warmer upper waters generally don’t mix with the cooler bottom water. This can lead to build up of sediment and organic matter in the pond bottom and lead to lower levels of dissolved oxygen than desirable for pond health. Excess nutrients can also build up and lead to growth of unwanted algae or in some cases harmful algal blooms.

Some fall pond maintenance tips can help —

• Complete a fall cleanup to limit leaf and plant material from accumulating in the pond;
• Allow native plant materials to grow adjacent to the pond to help trap sediment, utilize nutrients in runoff and to reduce erosion;
• Add plants and trees that will shade areas of intense summer sun and moderate pond temperatures; and
• Temporarily lower the pond outflow level to enhance flow through the pond in fall and spring.

For guidelines on maintaining or improving water quality of ponds, lakes, rivers, streams and coastal areas see the UNH Cooperative Extension (UNHCE) site and review (for free) or purchase UNH “Landscaping at the Water’s Edge” booklet. More information from UNHCE can be found here.

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The Latest on PFAS

In order to stay abreast of the latest news on per- and polyflouralkyl substances (PFAS), a man-made chemical with widespread use that may have negative health impacts, I have made a point to attend local and regional meetings on the topic. (For more on PFAS see NGWA PFAS Guidance .)

The first nationwide EPA hosted summit on PFAS was in late May in DC (which I did not attend) but I did attend the first regional stakeholder meeting held at Exeter High School, Exeter, NH this past Monday and Tuesday. Local stakeholders, state environmental agency officials, environmental professionals, and regional organizations were there to tell their stories, voice concerns and to provide recommendations to tackle this growing issue.

In introductory remarks and throughout the meeting the EPA agree to the following:

• EPA will initiate steps to evaluate the need for a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS. We will convene our federal partners and examine everything we know about PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
• EPA is beginning the necessary steps to propose designating PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” through one of the available statutory mechanisms, including potentially CERCLA Section 102.
• EPA is currently developing groundwater cleanup recommendations for PFOA and PFOS at contaminated sites and will complete this task by fall of this year.
• EPA is taking action in close collaboration with our federal and state partners to develop toxicity values for GenX and PFbS by this summer.

Stakeholders and state environmental leaders at the meeting repeatedly called for timely action and pushed EPA to respond more quickly and more holistically to regulating these substances and moving to understand the fate and human/environmental health effects that these compounds may cause. We are all on a steep learning curve on this subject. New Hampshire and other New England states are moving forward on establishing PFAS cleanup levels and guidance. I will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Following Regional EPA Summit on PFAS in New Hampshire, Senators Shaheen and Hassan Call on EPA to Take Immediate Action to Protect Granite Staters from Further Contamination

Senators: “It is critical for the EPA to take immediate action to protect citizens from further contamination and ensure that responsible parties are held liable for addressing any resulting health and safety concerns.”

WASHINGTON – Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan today called on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to take immediate action to protect Granite Staters from further contamination from per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The letter comes following the inaugural PFAS community engagement event in Exeter, New Hampshire earlier this week.

The senators urged the EPA to take the concerns and recommendations that were raised by community leaders at the summit and take immediate action to prevent exposure to further contamination from these emerging contaminants.

“We are hopeful that the EPA will take the concerns and recommendations that were raised by community leaders, as well as state and local officials, to help inform future meaningful federal action on these chemicals,” the senators wrote. “It is critical for the EPA to take immediate action to protect citizens from further contamination and ensure that responsible parties are held liable for addressing any resulting health and safety concerns.”

Specifically, the senators called on the EPA to evaluate the necessary steps to designate PFAS as ‘hazardous substances,’ which would make PFAS covered under the EPA’s Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 102, and require responsible parties to be held accountable for any future release.

“As EPA staff travels to other communities impacted by PFAS contamination, we encourage the agency to continue listening, and to not lose sight of the urgent need to move forward in protecting our citizens and our natural resources from these toxic chemicals,” the senators concluded.

Since 2014 Anna Boudreau has served as our staff land conservation specialist, grant writer and marketing coordinator. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Anna’s interest in natural resource protection and conservation was launched in 1991 when she became a “Natural Resources Steward” for UNH Cooperative Extension (UNHCE). Her subsequent participation in 1996 in UNHCE’s NH Coverts Project, a wildlife habitat management program for volunteers and landowners, solidified her passion for educating the public about land and water conservation which led to a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Community Development from the University of New Hampshire.

Anna was a founding member of both the Cochecho River Watershed Coalition, established in 1998 and the City of Dover’s Open Lands Committee (OLC) established in 2000. She has played a key role on the OLC, which has conserved over 800 acres of important forest and farm lands, by negotiating easement acquisitions and leveraging over $2 million in federal and state grant funds. She remains active on the OLC, serving as the current chair and stewardship coordinator, and represented the OLC on the Climate Adaptation Chapter Steering Committee for the City of Dover’s Master Plan, which was approved by the Planning Board in March of 2018.

Prior to coming to Truslow RC, Anna worked for over 9 years as the Executive Director of the Strafford Rivers Conservancy, now merged with the Southeast Land Trust of NH (SELT). At Truslow RC she utilizes her experience in natural resource protection through land conservation to help municipalities, landowners, and non-profit organizations navigate through the complicated conservation easement acquisition and due diligence process.

When not assisting conservation commissions and private landowners with their long term land conservation goals and objectives, Anna works as our marketing coordinator, preparing regular informational and newsletter updates for clients and collaborators, and staying up to date on relevant news and topics. During the field season, she also enjoys assisting with water quality sampling and data quality assurance.

Anna lives in Dover, NH with her family which includes her husband, two daughters and her mother-in-law. She remains very involved with UNH Cooperative Extension, currently serving as Chair of the State Advisory Council and often turns to their experts in natural resource conservation, community development, or climate adaptation and sea level rise impacts for the latest research and information available.  

In March, I traveled to Washington, D.C. for the National Groundwater Association (NGWA) Fly-In and Water Resources Summit. With the uncertainty about budgets and support for many critical water resource and drinking water programs, it seemed like a good year to participate in this important effort to travel to our nation’s capital and speak to our elected representatives about important groundwater issues and funding needs. Prior to the meeting I communicated with colleagues and clients regarding their needs and interests and was armed with great information to share.

On the first day we were briefed on US Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior and the US Department of Agriculture policy, the overall budget picture, and bills and initiatives being tracked and advanced by NGWA on water policy and infrastructure. The following day we received our schedule for meetings with senators and congresswomen/men from New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Bob Schreiber of CDM-Smith and I were paired to meet with senators or their staff in the morning and congressional representatives in the afternoon. We attended Senator Maggie Hassan’s coffee and had a chance to speak with her and her environmental policy aide (Photo below, l to r – Bob Schreiber, Senator Maggie Hassan (NH), and Danna Truslow). We also updated them on the issues and resources that NGWA provides on important topics such as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and homeowner water wells. The visit restored some of my faith in our legislative branch. Not only were we able to provide new and important information but I was also impressed at how informed staff was on the many water resource topics important to their constituents.

 

 

 

General PRB information

This slide shows gives you an intro on how nitrate reducing permeable reactive barriers work.  The focus is on wood chip based bioreactors.  The file is about 14 MB.

Oct 31 2017 GBNERR talk – GB PRBs-to post

 

This talk was presented as part of the October 31, 2017 Nitrate Workshop held at the Hugh Gregg Center in Greenland, NH.  It summarizes a four year pilot project to test the efficacy of permeable reactive barriers at sites in Brentwood and Durham, NH.  A final report will be realeased by the end of 2017.

Our summer 2017 newsletter reviewed our work so far on the Alfred wetland and stream restoration project for Three Rivers Land Trust. Here are a few photos showing the area before we started and progress so far.  We’ll update the blog as we complete restoration. We’ve already seen frogs and dragonflies visiting the new wetland ponds!

 

Check out our work with Permeable Reactive Barriers in the Great Bay Watershed!

On October 22, 2015 Truslow RC presented at the New England Water Works Association  Symposium on the topic of: The Evolving Role of Local Planning and Land Conservation in Protecting Aquifers for Future Community Water Supplies. Check out our presentation below:

Source Water Protection and Development – Conflicts and Convergence
New England Water Works Association Symposium 2015 (Agenda)