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Lake Conservation CorpsSM Program
The NH LAKES Lake Conservation CorpsSM Program is a natural resource stewardship learning program designed to actively involve
youth in hands-on shoreline and watershed restoration projects to improve the quality of New Hampshire's surface waters. In addition, NH
LAKES hopes that the students who participate in the Lake Conservation Corps will develop a lifelong interest in the responsible
stewardship of natural resources.
The program is coordinated by NH LAKES. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension provides erosion
control methods and project design expertise to Lake Conservation Corps students and local coordinators. Professional development and
technical training in watershed management and land restoration techniques for local coordinators is provided. These projects are
accomplished with guidance from local science teachers in partnership with state agencies, local towns, conservation commissions, schools,
and lake associations.
2009 Projects
Laconia Middle School, Lake Opechee, Laconia:
NH LAKES, in partnership with the Laconia School System, and with funding from the Samuel P. Pardoe Foundation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, constructed a rain garden behind the middle school to minimize the amount of polluted water that runs off the landscape and into Lake Opechee.
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The Laconia Lake Conservation Corps crew in action!
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The Tilton Nursery provided the crew with project materials, including native plants, at a discounted cost.
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Interpretive signs are placed at every Lake Conservation Corps Program installation project to educate the public about how the new landscape feature protects, and improves, lake quality.
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Lake Waukewan Park, Lake Waukewan, Meredith:
With remaining Department of Environmental Services’ grant funds awarded to the Town of Meredith in 2005 to advance the Waukewan Watershed Management Plan, NH LAKES partnered with the Town and employed its Lake Conservation CorpsSM Program to fix stormwater runoff and shoreline erosion problems at Lake Waukewan Park.
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Wave action from Lake Waukewan was continually eroding the shoreline contributing pollutants, including sediment, into the lake and undermining trees along the shoreline at the park, creating a safety hazard.
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The Town of Meredith Department of Public Works stabilized 45 linear feet of eroded shoreline by replacing boulders that had fallen into the water and filling the void spaces with smaller rocks, and removed dead trees. Then, students and their teachers from Interlakes High School in Meredith and Laconia High School planted 125 feet of vegetated buffer.
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The crew also constructed a rain garden and another vegetated buffer on the site to allow stormwater runoff from an adjacent roadway and residential development to slow down and soak into the ground instead of flowing into the lake.
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TransCanada Boat Launch, Fist Connecticut Lake, Pittsburg, NH:
In partnership with the Pittsburg School and TransCanada, and with funding from the Tillotson Fund and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, students constructed a vegetated buffer at the TransCanada boat launch at First Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg.
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Before the project there was no vegetated buffer between the grass and the lake so polluted water could flow directly off the landscape and into the lake.
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The crew worked during the hottest week of the summer installing a vegetative buffer of native shrubs along the shoreline.
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The vegetated buffer not only beautifies the site, but provides for wildlife habitat and food, and also minimizes the amount of polluted water flowing off the landscape and into the lake.
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2008 Pilot Projects
French's Park, Lake Massasecum, Bradford:
During 2008, NH LAKES, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, the Town of Bradford and the Lake
Massasecum Improvement Association, paid students and a crew leader to construct numerous drainage improvements on the landscape to reduce
the amount of polluted water that runs off of a dirt parking lot and roadway across a town beach and into Lake Massasecum.
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Before the project, the access path to the Town Beach was hazardous for foot travel and polluted water flowed across the beach and
into the lake.
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Infiltration steps were installed so that any polluted water flowing off a nearby dirt parking lot and road sinks into the ground
instead of flowing across the beach and into the lake. The steps also provide a safe way for visitors to walk down to the beach.
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The Lake Conservation Corps crew of Bradford.
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Philbrook Beach, Back Lake, Pittsburg:
Also in 2008, NH LAKES, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and the Town of Pittsburg, paid students
and two crew leaders to construct numerous drainage improvements on the landscape to reduce the amount of polluted water that runs off a
paved roadway and across a dirt parking lot into Back Lake.
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Prior to the project, rainwater flowed off of the road and driveway, pooling in a lawn area and eroding away the beach with every
major storm.
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Pittsburg students came together to build a rain garden as well as infiltration trenches, a dry well, and rubber razors (similar in
effect to water bars) made of reused industrial conveyor belts.
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The Best Management Practices implemented at the site work to divert stormwater, thus allowing it soak into the ground instead of
eroding sediment off the beach and into the lake.
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2007 Pilot Project
Newfound Lake Region Association Parking Lot drainage to Newfound River, Bristol:
During 2007, the program's first pilot year, NH LAKES, in partnership with Newfound Lake Region Association (NLRA), University of New
Hampshire Cooperative Extension, and the Acton Wakefield Watershed Alliance, paid students to construct a rain garden which reduces the
amount of polluted water that runs off the landscape and into a river.
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Before the construction of the rain garden, large volumes of polluted stormwater runoff from the nearby office building rooftop and
parking lot flowed into a catch basin which leads to the Newfound River.
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During the four-day construction of the rain garden, NH LAKES and NLRA staff worked side-by-side with students to remove existing
compacted soil. After a depression was created, a layer of stone, filter fabric, topsoil and erosion control mulch were added.
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The rain garden was planted with attractive native species which will help absorb and filter stormwater runoff from the office building
roof and parking lot before it flows into the catch basis which leads to the Newfound River.
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Does your Community Need a Lake Conservation Corps?
If you know of a similar drainage problem on a town-owned property that is affecting the water quality of a waterbody in your community,
please email NH LAKES at info@nhlakes.org with a description of the problem and attach
photos if possible. NH LAKES may be able to work with your town, association, and local students to help improve the quality of your lake!
After the 2007-2009 pilot program period, NH LAKES anticipates that the program will become statewide, seeking local coordinators and
natural resource specialists to recruit and oversee teams of students to do land restoration service projects around the state's lakes and
rivers.
The Lake Conservation Corps Needs Your Support!
NH LAKES is currently developing additional partnerships and identifying funding sources to implement a statewide Lake Conservation Corps.
If you would like to become a program partner or sponsor, please contact NH LAKES at (603) 226-0299 or
info@nhlakes.org or
donate online.
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