Stoddard forms Cyanobacteria Committee, elects officers and sets monitoring and education priorities

The Town of Stoddard’s newly formed Cyanobacteria Committee elected officers, set a monthly meeting schedule and outlined early steps to monitor and educate the public about harmful cyanobacteria blooms at a meeting on Feb. 11, 2025, at Town Hall.

Committee members unanimously elected Rex Rodanas as chair after a nomination by Helen Tam-Semmens and a second from Steve Jacobs. Steve Jacobs was elected vice chair and Naomi Risch was elected clerk; each election passed by unanimous voice vote. Bob Maden, representing the Planning Board, attended and offered to add a "Cyanobacteria" tab to the town website to host minutes and educational materials.

The committee’s formation comes amid local concern about more frequent cyanobacteria blooms. Helen Tam-Semmens shared observational data from her property on Island Pond and described the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services’ (DES) three-tier response system: no detection; alert (cyanobacteria present but not a full bloom); and advisory (a full bloom, when people and pets should avoid the water). Members said blooms appear to be occurring more often and discussed possible causes including debris churned in the water, spring runoff and warmer temperatures, failing septic systems, and nutrients from lawn care and some deck-cleaning products.

Committee members prioritized public education and visible notification. They discussed creating an infographic for Old Home Days, providing a beach- or lakeside display showing current cyanobacteria status, and publishing clear instructions for residents on where and how to report sightings. The group also discussed partnering with LakeSmart to encourage property-owner practices that reduce runoff and nutrients.

On mitigation options, members suggested exploring a watershed-district overlay or lakeside district to target regulations and incentives, revisiting road maintenance practices to reduce runoff (including reducing salt use and increasing sand near lakes), and developing regulatory or voluntary programs to reduce nutrient inputs from private properties. Members noted some measures could require Planning Board approval or state involvement.

The group assigned research tasks to move the work forward: Rodanas and Patrick Leonard will research steep-slope runoff mitigation; Tam-Semmens will consolidate her observational and educational material; Jacobs will examine septic regulations, including RSA 458; and Naomi Risch will research existing programs (LakeSmart, DES) and contacts. Bob Maden said he will post the committee page on the Planning Board’s website and notify members when it is live.

The committee agreed to hold regular meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m.