Smelly Lake Water

catdon · 06-22-2012, 07:45 PM

We bought our dream cottage in Moultonborough this past August, so we're just coming up on a full year here. We were here last weekend, but when we got here this weekend, our water (lake water) was really stinky!! I'm just wondering - does that happen occasionally? Is anyone else experiencing this? Will it just pass or is it something I should worry about? We don't drink it, of course, but even taking a shower was a harrowing experience....

Slickcraft · 06-22-2012, 08:01 PM

Never heard of smelly lake water on Winni. The upper end of Moultonborough Bay does have some of the poorer water quality on the lake, see
http://winnipesaukeegateway.org/moni...ing-sites-map/
You can zoom using your scroll wheel like on google maps.

Suggest you give a call to the NH DES water division.
http://des.nh.gov/contactus/subject.htm#W

mas1992bc · 06-22-2012, 08:58 PM

Where in Moultonborough?

catdon · 06-23-2012, 11:03 AM

Moultonborough Bay, near Black Island. Not as bad today, but the water still has a noticeable smell that we've never had before. We'll be making some calls...

bclaker · 06-23-2012, 01:08 PM

Have you checked to see if there are any dead fish near the intake?

jrc · 06-23-2012, 02:56 PM

What kind of smell is it?

Every so often, when anchored or riding slowly we get a strong fish smell for no visible reason. We always talk about getting out the fishing rods.

garysanfran · 06-23-2012, 04:47 PM

A few years ago someone posted that the water "turns over" due to the warming after ice-out, I think was the explanation. The bottom water moves to the top. Every year this is an occurrence. I noticed a fishy smell a couple days ago. It goes away quickly.

Slickcraft · 06-23-2012, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garysanfran

A few years ago someone posted that the water "turns over" due to the warming after ice-out, I think was the explanation. The bottom water moves to the top. Every year this is an occurrence. I noticed a fishy smell a couple days ago. It goes away quickly.

There is a spring turn over, shortly after ice out. That would have been about 3 months ago.

Hopefully it is a natural cause. However there are many old and failing septic units associated with old camps so there could be something amiss nearby.

Jonas Pilot · 06-23-2012, 06:41 PM

Wasn't Moultonborough scheduled for chemical applications to the water due to eurasian milfoil?

Lakegeezer · 06-23-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonas Pilot

Wasn't Moultonborough scheduled for chemical applications to the water due to eurasian milfoil?

Scheduled for Tuesday, June 26th, but only in the Moultonborough Bay Inlet sub-watershed and Harilla Landing, not in Catdon's area (Black Island).

catdon · 07-08-2012, 01:16 AM

Quick update - we came back up the following weekend and the odor was gone. I checked with our neighbors who are also on lake water and they never detected anything out of the ordinary, so it seems like it was probably something going on around our intake, which seemed to self-correct. Thanks everyone for the input and advice.

06-22-2012, 07:45 PM	#1
catdon Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 7 Thanks: 20 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Smelly Lake Water We bought our dream cottage in Moultonborough this past August, so we're just coming up on a full year here. We were here last weekend, but when we got here this weekend, our water (lake water) was really stinky!! I'm just wondering - does that happen occasionally? Is anyone else experiencing this? Will it just pass or is it something I should worry about? We don't drink it, of course, but even taking a shower was a harrowing experience....

06-23-2012, 04:47 PM	#7
garysanfran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Francisco/Meredith Posts: 1,491 Thanks: 604 Thanked 631 Times in 321 Posts	Water turnover... A few years ago someone posted that the water "turns over" due to the warming after ice-out, I think was the explanation. The bottom water moves to the top. Every year this is an occurrence. I noticed a fishy smell a couple days ago. It goes away quickly. __________________ Gary ~~~~_/) ~~~ ~~~~~~~~

06-22-2012, 08:01 PM	#2
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and West Alton Posts: 3,218 Thanks: 1,175 Thanked 2,002 Times in 915 Posts	Never heard of smelly lake water on Winni. The upper end of Moultonborough Bay does have some of the poorer water quality on the lake, see http://winnipesaukeegateway.org/moni...ing-sites-map/ You can zoom using your scroll wheel like on google maps. Suggest you give a call to the NH DES water division. http://des.nh.gov/contactus/subject.htm#W

06-22-2012, 08:58 PM	#3
mas1992bc Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Tewksbury, MA Posts: 71 Thanks: 24 Thanked 102 Times in 19 Posts	Where in Moultonborough?

06-23-2012, 11:03 AM	#4
catdon Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 7 Thanks: 20 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Moultonborough Bay, near Black Island. Not as bad today, but the water still has a noticeable smell that we've never had before. We'll be making some calls...

06-23-2012, 01:08 PM	#5
bclaker Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Laconia Posts: 479 Thanks: 545 Thanked 147 Times in 66 Posts	Have you checked to see if there are any dead fish near the intake?

06-23-2012, 02:56 PM	#6
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	What kind of smell is it? Every so often, when anchored or riding slowly we get a strong fish smell for no visible reason. We always talk about getting out the fishing rods.

06-23-2012, 06:41 PM	#9
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	Wasn't Moultonborough scheduled for chemical applications to the water due to eurasian milfoil?

07-08-2012, 01:16 AM	#11
catdon Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 7 Thanks: 20 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Quick update - we came back up the following weekend and the odor was gone. I checked with our neighbors who are also on lake water and they never detected anything out of the ordinary, so it seems like it was probably something going on around our intake, which seemed to self-correct. Thanks everyone for the input and advice.