NH LAKES

09/02/2026

❄️ New Hampshire municipalities: Get ready for winter!

Our partners at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services are now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Municipal Green SnowPro Certification program.

This voluntary certification helps municipal winter maintenance teams use best practices for snow and ice management—protecting roads, budgets, and New Hampshire’s water resources.

Municipalities interested in participating must complete and mail the application to NHDES. Application forms and certification requirements are available on the NHDES Municipal Green SnowPro webpage.

👉 Learn more and apply: https://www.des.nh.gov/land/roads/road-salt-reduction/municipal-green-snowpro-certification

Questions? Contact Aubrey Voelker at [email protected].

Certifying municipalities in their efforts toward salt reduction practices to benefit infrastructure, budgets and the environment.

08/28/2026

NH LAKES President Andrea LaMoreaux is taking a much-deserved vacation and soaking in the incredible views at Crater Lake in Oregon!

We’re pretty sure “lake appreciation” counts as work when you’re standing beside one of the most spectacular lakes in the country.

08/28/2026

At Lake Wicwas, two longtime members of the lake association helped lead the way in bringing their neighbors into the LakeSmart movement. Lake Wicwas has earned the LakeSmart Community Award!

Eric and Dean have encouraged conversations about what each of us can do to protect the lake we love. Those conversations have even opened the door to working with the town on improvements to the boat launch—showing how small conversations can lead to big differences.

That’s the power of a LakeSmart Community: neighbors sharing ideas, learning from one another, and taking action together to protect their lake for generations to come. 🌿🌊

Read how Lake Wicwas is coming together to protect the lake they love—and get inspired to bring LakeSmart to your community!

👉 https://nhlakes.org/lake-wicwas-community-comes-together-to-protect-the-lake-they-love/

08/27/2026

🌊 When a community comes together, big things can happen for a lake.

Crystal Lake in Enfield is a shining example of what’s possible when neighbors turn their love for a lake into action. 💙

The Crystal Lake Improvement Association has earned NH LAKES’ LakeSmart Community Award, with 32% of eligible shoreline properties now earning LakeSmart Awards—the highest percentage among LakeSmart Communities statewide! Even more impressive, nearly 50% of shoreline property owners have participated in a LakeSmart property tour.

But the real impact goes beyond the numbers. LakeSmart has sparked conversations among neighbors, inspired lake-friendly changes, and helped residents advocate for policies that protect water quality.

And they’re not stopping at 32%. Their next goal? 50%—and eventually, maybe even 100%! 🙌

Congratulations to Crystal Lake for showing how small changes, shared commitment, and a community willing to keep moving forward can make a big difference for a lake.

💚 Read the story and get inspired by Crystal Lake’s lake-friendly journey: https://nhlakes.org/crystal-lake-community-rallies-around-lake-friendly-living/

08/24/2026

🛶Our Lake Explorer Quest is helping paddlers break out of their usual routines and discover more of New Hampshire’s beautiful lakes. 🌊

Holly from Loudon shared:

“Thank you for this amazing challenge. My husband and I have always enjoyed kayaking, but I found that we would always paddle the same ponds or lakes around our hometown of Loudon. When I discovered this challenge I used it to discover 3 new lakes we had never explored. Our state is beautiful with many places to see. I’m going to keep thinking outside the box and continue to paddle on new lakes we have not been to keep this challenge going.”

We LOVE this spirit of adventure! 💙 Whether you’re exploring your first new lake or adding another to your list, there’s always somewhere new to discover.

As you discover new places to paddle, remember to Clean, Drain, and Dry your kayak and gear every time you leave the water. Taking a few extra minutes helps prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species from one lake to another.

Where will your paddle take you next?

👉 Learn more and join the Lake Explorer Quest: nhlakes.org/lake-explorer-quest

08/21/2026

You may remember we thought we were saying goodbye to Bec Rand about a year ago—but their plans to move to Canada were slightly delayed. Now, sadly for us, they’re really leaving NH LAKES. But, yay for Bec!

Please join us in thanking Bec for all they’ve done for NH LAKES and New Hampshire’s lakes over the past four years—and congratulating them on their next adventure!

With an upbeat spirit, a can-do attitude, and always ready to lend a helping hand, Bec has kept our office on track and supported our team and mission behind the scenes. They brought energy, organization, and positivity to everything they touched, and we’re going to miss having them on the NH LAKES team.

Bec had a farewell message to share:

"I have learned so much from NH LAKES and all of the communities that we serve, and I've had a ton of fun in these last four years. Thank you so much for having me. I wish NH LAKES (and New Hampshire's lakes!) all the luck in the world going forward in your amazing work. And thank you to everyone who I have had a chance to work with outside of NH LAKES - it has been my pleasure!"

Thank you, Bec, for everything you’ve done to help protect New Hampshire’s lakes—and to support the people who care for them. Your next chapter is lucky to have you!

Wishing you all the best on your journey ahead. We’ll miss you! 💙

08/21/2026

💙 Protecting a lake starts with people who care deeply about it.

Meet Shauna Kondrat, this year’s recipient of the John F. Morten Award for Exemplary Lake Stewardship!

For seven years, Shauna has turned her concern for Big Pea Porridge Pond into action. As president of the Big Pea Porridge Pond Watershed Preservation Association, she has brought neighbors together, strengthened water quality monitoring, promoted LakeSmart lake-friendly living practices, built partnerships across communities, and helped secure state and federal funding to address runoff and sedimentation threatening the pond.

But Shauna’s impact goes beyond projects and grants. She’s helping build a community of people who care about their lake—and are willing to work together to protect it. 💙

That’s what lake stewardship is all about. And it’s why volunteers like Shauna are so important to the future of New Hampshire’s lakes.

Congratulations, Shauna, and thank you for leading the way! 👏🌊

📷 Shauna Kondrat (center) receives the Morten Award surrounded by members of the Big Pea Porridge Pond Watershed Preservation Association Board of Directors.

08/20/2026

🌿 As summer winds down, we’re saying goodbye to Olivia and Tori, who spent the summer helping advance NH LAKES’ conservation programs and connect with people across New Hampshire who care deeply about protecting our lakes. We’re so grateful for the energy, curiosity, and dedication they brought to the team—and we’re going to miss them!

Olivia Murphy shared:

“This position has opened my eyes to how many people are committed to protecting our lakes and the natural beauty of our state. It is easy to feel hopeless sometimes, like nothing you do as an individual matters, but talking to residents and sharing stories of success around the lakes they call home has been so inspiring!”

Olivia said she leaves the summer reminded that individual actions really do add up to make a huge difference. 💙

Tori has this to share:

"It's been such a great summer! Everyone on the NH LAKES team is so wonderful, and I've learned a lot about how we can keep our lakes healthy. I doubled my time at NH LAKES with my graduate internship credit, and since I'm working on a master's that focuses on Environmental Advocacy, I've spent a lot of time thinking about how NH LAKES programs, both Lake Host and LakeSmart, meet people where they are to teach them about things they can do to protect the lakes they care about. On many of the LakeSmart Property Tours we did this summer, people would tell us, "That was so easy!" after we'd given them recommendations for best management practices for water on their properties. I think that makes a big difference because it means that the education we are offering feels accessible to folks and reminds them that they have agency in how their actions impact the lake. Collectively, those positive attitudes and actions build long-term community engagement when neighbors talk to one another and encourage them to do the same. Oh, and I definitely already knew this, but after spending so much time outdoors this summer, I am reminded of how beautiful our state is!"

Thank you, Olivia and Tori for all you’ve done for New Hampshire’s lakes this summer. We’ll miss having you around and wish you both the very best in whatever comes next! 🌊💚

08/20/2026

LakeSmart Communities Share the Love 💚

One of the best things about being part of a LakeSmart Community? Sharing what you have with others who are working to protect their lakes, too.

Beth Olshansky, the LakeSmart Ambassador for Mendums Pond recently received an incredible donation from her local firehouse: 11 retired firehoses! 🚒 She shared some with her LakeSmart Community to make firehose diverters for runoff water and donated the rest to other LakeSmart Communities looking to do the same.

So, why firehoses? They’re tough, flexible, and designed to withstand heavy use. When placed strategically across a driveway or other hard surface, they can help redirect and slow down runoff water, giving it a chance to soak into the ground rather than rushing downhill toward the lake. That can mean less erosion and fewer nutrients and pollutants washing into our lakes.💧

Now, communities are picking them up directly from Beth or meeting us along the way as we help transport the hoses to their new homes.

It’s a great example of what happens when LakeSmart Communities work together: sharing resources, sharing ideas, and helping each other make a difference for our lakes.

Check out that last slide—even Dolly, one of our office pups, can't contain her excitement!

That’s the LakeSmart spirit! 💚

08/19/2026

🌊 Welcome to the NH LAKES team, Crystal Lemay! 💙

We’re thrilled to welcome Crystal Lemay as our new Office Manager!

Crystal brings significant administrative and managerial experience in healthcare and education, along with something just as important: a lifelong love of New Hampshire’s lakes. Growing up on the waters of New Hampshire and Maine, Crystal has seen firsthand what makes these places so special.

“I'm excited to join the NH LAKES team because it gives me the opportunity to blend my professional experience with my passion for making a difference and my lifelong love of New Hampshire’s lakes. Having grown up on the waters of New Hampshire and Maine, I’ve seen firsthand how special these lakes are. I’m thrilled to be part of an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving them so that future generations can continue to enjoy and love them as much as I do.”

We couldn’t be happier to have Crystal on board and are excited for all she’ll bring to the NH LAKES team! Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to NH LAKES! 👋🌊