News

PLIA now has an Instagram account!

A picture is worth a thousand words. Our members have a history of taking great pictures of wildlife, scenery and lake activities which can be seen in our Photo Gallery.   Instagram is another great platform which allows us to easily capture images, videos, and stories to share Pawtuckaway Lake with the world.  Please follow our new Instagram account to stay in touch with PLIA activities and to see beautiful images of the lake from our members and fellow lake lovers.

You can now follow the PLIA on Instagram @Pawtuckawaylake_PLIA

Please feel free to tag @pawtuckawaylake_plia in your lake pictures or share them via a direct message if you would like them to be featured on the PLIA page.

The PLIA Team Declares Victory Over Route 156 Trash

The turnout of volunteers to pick up trash along a stretch of Route 156 on Sunday morning was the best ever! Because so many folks showed up to help, mountains of refuse were collected in record time. The sun was shining, a breeze kept the air fresh, and one or two passing drivers even slowed down to yell their thanks to those toiling by the roadside.
The PLIA has participated in NH’s Clean and Scenic roadside trash removal program for many years. Not just content to keep the waters of Pawtuckaway Lake clean, our volunteers bring their talents to dry land to remove the bottles, bags, cups, wrappers, containers, and other litter that accumulates over the months from motorists tossing these items out their windows. This summer one volunteer even found a discarded artificial Christmas tree!
Heartfelt thanks to all who came out at 9:00 AM on a beautiful Sunday morning to dedicate themselves to this civic effort! It was a show of love for this Town and appreciation for the entire community.
THANK YOU, ALL!

2020 Annual Meeting Recap

For those of you who missed the 2020 Annual Meeting held live via Zoom on July 25th, 2020 or attended but were not able to re-join after the “technical difficulties”, the recordings of the presentation are available for your viewing below.

Introduction

Election of the PLIA Board

Membership

Treasurer’s Report

Water Testing

Lake Hosting

Weed Watchers

Milfoil Management

Fundraising and Grants

Government Relations

Lake Hero Award

Fourth of July Boat Parade

Questions and Closing

PLIA Annual Meeting Coming Soon

July 25, 2020 9:30 AM
ZOOM WITH THE PLIA!
Wondering what the Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association does for Pawtuckaway Lake?
Join us for our Annual Meeting and find out!
 We care about the health and safety of our members as much as we care about the health and safety of Pawtuckaway Lake. So In recognition of the restrictions imposed on all of us by the coronavirus epidemic, we have planned our Annual Meeting to be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of your homes, or wherever you have access to a computer, smart phone, or tablet.
We will be offering video clips and presentations about our work. There’s a lot to share about what we are doing and what we have planned for the coming year, so PLEASE JOIN US!
Date:  July 25, 2020
Time:  9:30 AM
Where:  The comfort of your home
How: By clicking on this link
Agenda
 
                                                                 1. Election of PLIA Board
                                                                 2. Committee Reports
                                                                         a. Membership
                                                                                b. Treasurer
                                                                                c. Water Testing
                                                                                d. Lake Hosts
                                                                                e. Weed Watchers
                                                                                f. Milfoil Management
                                                                               g. Fund Raising/Grants
                                                                               h. Government Relations
                                                               3. Local Hero Award
                                                               4. Fourth of July Boat Parade
                                                               5. Questions & Answers
                                                               6. Closing

THE FOURTH OF JULY BOAT PARADE IS ON!

The PLIA is planning this year’s annual Independence Day Boat Parade with some precautions to accommodate distancing protocols and out of courtesy to others. Below are guidelines that will ensure the safety of all participants during coronavirus conditions, from the New Hampshire Fire Academy & Emergency Medical Services:


The date for the event is July 4, 2020; rain date July 5, 2020. Starting at 10:00 AM, all boats gather at the northern end of the lake by Twin Islands. At 10:30 AM, John Decker’s boat will lead the parade in its clockwise progress around the lake ending at the State Park beach.
Decorate your boat—and yourselves!—however your fancy takes you.
PLEASE, NO WATER BALLOONS!
So, what’s wrong with water balloons?
1. Water balloons can cause injuries and they hurt
2. Water balloons are harmful to wildlife
3. And there is the danger of potential virus contamination
For these reasons, even if you personally love a good water balloon fight, please resist the temptation at least until after the boat parade, and keep it on land. Super soakers are the perfect alternative, but only with others similarly equipped. Not everyone welcomes the spray!

2020 Pawprints is out!

Every Spring, we mail out printed versions of our newsletter, the PawPrints. This year, we have focused on the topic of invasive aquatic species because Variable Milfoil continues to threaten our lake.
There is information about our Annual Meeting this year as well, and we promise more details as the time nears.
Meanwhile, you can read the color version of PawPrints by clicking  here.
Stay safe, keep social distancing and, See You on the Lake!

Mud Season in the Time of Social Distancing

Enjoy Mud Season and Protect Our Lakes!

by Andrea LaMoreaux, NH LAKES
(This article was originally published by NH LAKES. As long as you’re going to be at home, you might as well do some yard work!)
 
In New Hampshire, we take mud season and winter storm damage clean-up in stride. Despite the complaints, I think most of us actually enjoy mud season-often referred to the ‘fifth season’ in New England. Mud season typically starts in March and extends through April, and is advertised by the gaudy orange load limit signs that are posted on many town roads. After a long winter, mud season brings a welcomed opportunity to go outside and get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise-just what the doctor ordered for a bad case of cabin fever. It is a time to clean up the yard, plan home improvement and landscaping projects, and guess when ice-out will occur on the lake. (Ed. note:  it was March 11 this year on Pawtuckaway)
 
If you are looking for an excuse to get outside this spring and enjoy what mud season has to offer, here are a few things you can do to clean up your property and protect the health of local lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams…
Sweep your driveway, walkways, and steps to remove leftover sand. Sand used to help keep roadways, driveways, and walkways passable during the icy and snowy winter months can cause serious problems when washed into waterbodies by spring rains. Sand deposited in aquatic environments can destroy fish spawning or nesting sites and sand particles suspended in the water can clog fish gills. Deposited sand also causes waterbodies to become shallower, often facilitating plant and algal growth-while having some plants and algae in a lake is a good thing, too much of either is not good for the health of the lake, or our enjoyment of the lake.
Survey your property for areas where runoff water has caused erosion. Take a walk around your property to see if recent rains have created any gullies or other eroded areas. If possible, fix eroded areas before the next rainstorm occurs. If you aren’t sure how to fix an erosion problem, contact a local landscaper or NH LAKES to get pointed in the right direction.
Remove storm debris in accordance with the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act. If your property is located within 250 feet of a lake or river, downed and damaged trees and trees posing an imminent hazard or threat may be felled and removed.
But, be sure to leave the stumps in the ground since stumps do a very good job preventing soil from being eroded off of the landscape and polluting the water (and, it is also illegal to remove the stumps). Trees and storm debris from severe weather events can be removed from waterbodies. If equipment is necessary for the removal of debris from a waterbody, be sure to monitor the equipment for fluid leakage and use temporary work pads to lessen the impacts to the shoreline. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services recommends that property owners take photographs of damaged trees and structures for documentation.
For the sake of our lakes-and for my mental health!-I’m looking forward to the next warm day to get outside and clean up my driveway and yard. Are you?
NH LAKES is the only statewide, member-supported nonprofit organization working to keep New Hampshire’s lakes clean and healthy, now and in the future. The organization works with partners, promotes clean water policies and responsible use, and inspires the public to care for our lakes. For more lake-friendly tips, visit www.nhlakes.org, email info@nhlakes.org, or call 603.226.0299.

 

Get Your 2020 PLIA Membership Stickers Now!

   
       

The 2020 Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association stickers have arrived! This year’s beautiful design features a photo captured by PLIA member Susan Medeiros: the Mama Loon with her chicks, our favorite lake residents.
Lake Association membership starts on January 1st and is good for the calendar year. Membership dues go towards educating the public on the conservation, protection, and improvement of water quality, natural shoreline, wildlife habitat, recreational resources, safety, and natural resources as they pertain to the welfare and interests of Pawtuckaway Lake.
The largest threat to lake health currently is milfoil and the PLIA has taken the lead on locating and eradicating it, scaling up and supporting a network of weed watches, snorkelers, and divers.
Please help support the PLIA by joining or renewing your membership for the 2020 year. It’s easy to do online or through the mail, by clicking here. You’ll be in good company!

Food at the Polls Fundraiser

New Fundraising Opportunity for the PLIA
 
voting_people.jpg  
The polls open early this year–7:00 AM! Both poll workers and the public will welcome refreshments throughout the long day.
We would like to offer food and snacks to the folks working at the polls as well the voting public on Nottingham election day, March 10, 2020. The polls are open from 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
To do this, we need volunteers willing to help coordinate a “food bank” for donations of baked goods, sandwiches, and crock pots with soups, stews, casseroles, and chilis to have for sale while the polls are open. You can bring your donation with you when you come to vote! We are also looking for volunteers to take a shift overseeing the food tables during the day.
We would love to hear from those of you willing to help with the coordinating, but also those able to donate sandwiches, baked goods, or crock pot dishes. This is a new venture for the PLIA but we hope it will be a successful one, and a chance to let the general public know who we are and what we do!
Please  email Info@PawtuckawayLake.com with your name, contact information, and message with how you can help. Thanks!