Responsibilities for boaters to help maintain lake health

As boating season kicks off across the Lakes Region, it’s crucial for everyone enjoying these waters to adopt simple practices that help protect them.

One easy and inexpensive way to prevent pollution is by installing a bilge sock in your boat. These absorbent pads capture fuel, oil, and other contaminants from bilge water before it’s discharged into the lake. In fact, a single bilge sock can absorb up to one quart of oil, enough to pollute over 250,000 gallons of water. Most socks last an entire season, but it’s important to check them periodically and replace them if needed. You can find bilge socks online, or ask your local marina.

Beyond chemical pollutants, Lake Winnipesaukee also faces ecological threats like the spiny water flea (Bythotrephes longimanus). This invasive species disrupts the food chain by outcompeting native zooplankton, which play a vital role in maintaining the lake’s health. 

Another significant concern is variable milfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum), an aggressive aquatic plant first identified in the lake in the mid-1960s. Milfoil spreads rapidly, forming dense mats that crowd out native vegetation, degrade fish habitats, and hinder recreational activities such as swimming and boating. Its presence can also negatively impact property values around the lake. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, in collaboration with local municipalities and volunteer organizations, actively monitors and manages milfoil infestations through various control methods, including mechanical removal and public education campaigns to prevent its spread.

To help prevent the spread of invasive species, all boaters should follow clean, drain, dry practices every time they move between waterbodies. Clean off all mud, plants, animals, and debris from boats, trailers, and gear. Don’t forget anchors, jet intakes, compartments, cockpits, and paddles. Be sure to dispose of any removed material far from the water, never where it could wash back in. Drain bilges, motors, live wells, ballast tanks, compartments, and other water-holding areas. Open drain plugs while trailering and drain all water away from the lake. Allow your boat and gear to dry for at least five days in the sun. If you need to relaunch sooner, rinse everything thoroughly with clean water and towel dry away from the lake.

Other lake-friendly boating practices include keeping your vessel in good repair, fixing leaks promptly, using proper fueling techniques, securing all trash and taking it ashore,

choosing non-toxic cleaning materials, and never cleaning your boat in the lake. Boaters should also be mindful of their wake, especially near shorelines and shallow areas where excessive wave action can erode the shoreline, disturb wildlife, and create safety hazards for others.

Boating on Lake Winnipesaukee is one of the best ways to experience its beauty, but it comes with a responsibility to protect it. Every action counts. Use a bilge sock; follow clean, drain, dry practices, and learn to recognize invasive species. If you’re already doing these things, thank you. If not, now is the time to start. Talk to others, lead by example, and be part of the effort to keep our lake clean, healthy, and safe.

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Bree Rossiter is the conservation program manager for the Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance. She leads the water quality and cyanobacteria monitoring efforts, coordinates the LakeSmart program to promote lake-friendly practices among property owners, and supports community education and outreach initiatives. Bree can be reached at brossiter@winnipesaukee.org. The Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance is the only nonprofit dedicated to protecting the water quality and natural resources of Lake Winnipesaukee and its watershed. To learn more visit winnipesaukee.org.