Lake Kanasatka was resampled yesterday, 9/11/2022. The cyanobacteria density is back above the advisory level. A sample taken from a surface scum by the dam area had a total of 177,420 cyanobacteria cells/mL. There are three types of Dolichospermum present, as well as lower levels of Microcystis and Aphanizomenon. There was also a lot of general detritus, potentially indicating the decomposition of some of the bloom material. The non cyanobacteria (and harmless!) phytoplankton called Botryococcuswas also fairly high in samples, and could be contributing to the brown appearance of more recently observed scums and accumulated material.

 

Please keep signs posted at public access points. NHDES will review samples again early next week. If people ask for updates on the current cyanobacteria advisory status, please direct them to the Beach Advisories Mapper. If you click on the advisory symbol, you can see our most recent sampling date. When advisories are lifted, the red symbol for the waterbody will no longer be on the map.

 

Please forward to other residents / community members around the waterbody, and provide me with any contacts (first and last names, and emails) of folks who want to be directly included on future communications from NHDES.

 

Kate Langley Hastings, Cyanobacteria HAB Program Coordinator, Watershed Management Bureau, Water Division, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services