New Hampshire waterfront property owners appreciate a clean beach

Location, location, location is the rule of thumb for much of the national market. However, like politics, real estate is local and here in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire we will place a great emphasis on Clarity, clarity, clarity.

Waterfront property demands its own level of priorities, and a clean, sandy lake bottom with a pleasant swimming area is often at the top of the list. But, New Hampshire is not known as the Granite State for nothing and so the ideal beach is often a rarity. This does not preclude that most beachfronts cannot be improved by what I label “aqua landscaping.’’

The dynamics of each water body should be carefully considered by any buyer: average depth, nutrient recycling capabilities, dissolved oxygen levels, rates of decomposition and water temperature are the primary evaluative tools. Phosphorus is at the root of most beachfront problems; it promotes plant growth and is introduced to a water body by lawn fertilizers, soil erosion, sewage, animal waste and decomposing vegetative matter.

Over the past dozen years impressive technical strides in water treatment have led to effective means of improving or eliminating problem beachfront concerns. Ultrasonic procedures, electric powered mechanical weed rollers, chemical additives and tools that agitate the lakebed are being used effectively without any negative effects to the aquatic life.

The impact of The New Hampshire Shore Land Protection Act by establishing rules for waterfront property owners has become a valuable piece of legislation for maintaining the quality of the way of life for waterfront owners in The Lakes Region. I encourage you to contact our offices and speak with our knowledgeable realtors prior to making your buying decisions.
Jim Ferriman Jferriman@spencerhughes.com 603-520-5385

Image by Golden Eye via Flickr

Some believe the translation of “Winnipesaukee” to be “Beautiful Water in a High Place;” an apt description, and one that has been in use for more than just a short while. After all, the earliest known community along Lake Winnipesaukee’s shores was the large village of Aquedoctan, established by the Abnaki Tribe along the Weirs channel some 500 years ago, perhaps a great deal earlier. The historical evidence leads to the great mystery surrounding the “Big Lake”—that being how this large lake can maintain its water quality in such a confined watershed. Winnipesaukee is extraordinarily pure for a body of fresh water, in spite of heavy and sustained use. The continuous efforts of the past and current inhabitants to preserve its rare qualities account for this end result.

Winnipesaukee 101: Lakes Region Facts

The basic facts: Winnipesaukee has 183 miles of shoreline and a surface area of nearly 72 square miles, is 21+ miles long and up to 9 ½ miles wide, has a multitude of islands (300 or so, depending on who is doing the counting), and possesses some 600 navigation aids. It was born of the Wisconsin Glacier Period, when glaciers 2 miles thick gouged out fractured and less competent rock, leaving citadels of the more substantial host granite. At their end 13,000 years ago, the glaciers retreated, leaving their mark in the form of moraines, eskers, and kettle depressions, and in effect sculpted all of the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. read more »