August is National Water Quality Month, dates back to two pieces of legislation

The history of National Water Quality Month dates back to two landmark pieces of legislation passed by Congress in the early 1970s. The Clean Water Act of 1972 established the first comprehensive federal framework for reducing pollution in the nation's rivers, lakes, and streams, while the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 established standards to protect public drinking water systems and groundwater.

While these landmark laws created the framework for protecting our nation's waters, safeguarding them today continues to depend on local communities, dedicated water resource professionals, and the volunteers who generously give their time to monitor and steward them.

Since the late 1970s, the University of New Hampshire's Lakes Lay Monitoring Program has partnered with volunteers and lake associations to monitor lakes across the state, including Lake Winnipesaukee. Together, Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance and LLMP maintain nearly 70 monitoring sites on Winni with the help of more than two dozen volunteers.

Complementing this effort are the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program and Volunteer River Assessment Program, coordinated by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Together, these programs track the condition of New Hampshire's lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. LWA also monitors 17 tributaries throughout the Winnipesaukee watershed through VRAP.

Lakes are dynamic ecosystems that naturally change with the seasons and from year to year. Water temperatures rise and fall, algae populations fluctuate, and weather patterns influence everything from water clarity to nutrient concentrations. Long-term monitoring can provide the perspective needed to distinguish these natural fluctuations from meaningful trends, measure the impacts of human activities and restoration efforts, and evaluate whether management actions are improving water quality.

Here in the Lakes Region, lake associations, conservation organizations, and volunteers are also monitoring Squam Lake, Newfound Lake, Lake Wentworth, Ossipee Lake, Lake Winnisquam, Merrymeeting Lake, Waukewan, and many other waterbodies.

Collectively, these efforts provide a comprehensive freshwater monitoring network and support scientific research, watershed planning, restoration projects, and informed local decision-making.

At the Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance, these long-term records are the foundation of our work. They help us identify emerging water quality concerns, prioritize restoration efforts, evaluate outcomes, and focus future research where it is needed most.

This National Water Quality Month, we encourage everyone to appreciate not only the beauty of New Hampshire's waters, but also the volunteers who make their protection possible. Their dedication reminds us that protecting our lakes begins with understanding them, and that every measurement taken today helps inform the decisions that will shape their future. To learn more, visit nationalwaterqualitymonth.org.

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Bree Rossiter is the associate director of the Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance, the only nonprofit dedicated to protecting the water quality and natural resources of Lake Winnipesaukee and its watershed through science, education, advocacy, and collaborative solutions. Her work focuses on advancing long-term watershed protection initiatives and connecting science with practical solutions to help preserve the lake for future generations. To learn more, visit winnipesaukee.org.