Heavy rains swamp docks, may persist for weeks

SALISBURY — Sustained heavy rainfall this month has raised the water level at the Twin Lakes by at least a foot, swamping docks and causing headaches for boat and property owners.

“The impact on homeowners has mainly been having to move boats to moorings and having to put weights on docks to keep them from floating away,” said Grant Bogle, president of the Twin Lakes Association, on Saturday, July 22.

The TLA official estimated that the majority of stationary docks on Twin Lakes were either under water at some point or the water was cresting above the docks at the peak due to waves and wind.

Although water levels have eased in recent days, lake officials said it may persist for several more weeks, especially in the East Twin, which must push water through a narrow passage to drain and thus responds more slowly to the open gate at the end of the channel feeding Shenob Brook.

According to the organization’s July newsletter, with rain this month coming at “seven times the normal amount,” lake levels have been difficult to manage even though the channel gates have been wide open for weeks.

Boat owners are advised to lengthen ropes used to tie up at their dock or risk damage to their boat or dock as the rope tightens.

But even on days without rain, the lake has risen as runoff from surrounding hills flows into the lake system, said officials, noting that long-time residents say they haven’t seen such a sustained high lake level in many decades.

But there may be a silver lining. The heavy rainfall not only helped clear smog pushing south from the Canadian wildfires, but it also helped disperse unsightly but non-toxic algae blooms, known as Green Filamentous, due to nutrient load in the lake.

This algae bloom, said lake officials, is not to be confused with the more concerning cyanobacteria, which may have a harmful effect on children and pets.

The TLA is awaiting approval from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to treat invasive weeds.

TLA officials said the increasingly stringent testing process required by the state is largely responsible for the late treatment this year, which normally takes place near the end of June but is expected to happen by the end of July.

“We submitted our permit application at the end of February, and we are hopeful that we will receive approval shortly,” said Bogle. “Going forward, we will endeavor to submit our application even earlier to give the DEEP as much time as possible to issue the permit, which should allow us to treat earlier in the season.”

Earlier treatment is more effective, lake officials noted, but even a late treatment is better than skipping a year.

Bogle explained that the algae bloom seen this year around the Twin Lakes, as well as nearby Lake Wononscopomuc and other lakes in the Northeast, is not directly related to the late treatment of the milfoil, but by runoff and nutrient flow into the lake.

“This is why we are increasing our efforts to educate the community about the steps each homeowner can take to reduce runoff and nutrient flow into the lake.”

While not harmful, the algae bloom is unsightly and suggests rising levels of nitrogen, and TLA officials are urging property owners around the lake and throughout the watershed to minimize use of fertilizer containing phosphorous, which spurs algae blooms. They also recommend planting buffers between lawns and the shoreline.