During Saturday night’s thunderstorm a large pine tree was severely damaged with splits appearing all the way up the trunk that are not visible from the water side. Boaters and especially fishing boats should stay away from that area south of the dam, near 112 Barton Road, Stow. The owner is making arrangements to have the tree taken down later this week.
The Lake Boon Commission will meet on Zoom on Wednesday, September 22 at 7 p.m. Public participation via calling in or using your computer is encouraged.
For login and dial-in information please see the posted agenda on the Town of Hudson’s website.
…check out the Centenniel Lake Boon Water Carnival on Stow TV YouTube!
and the Carousel Organ. Our thanks to Jonathan Daisy and the TV crew, Roger Wiegand for bringing out the antique Carousel Organ, all the volunteers and participants in the events, as well as the many sponsors!
The band Hard Knox, which recently played on the Lake Boon Music Boat during the Lighting of the Lake festivities, will be performing again at Lake Boon this Sunday, September 19, at 3:00 p.m. Set up will be at the Stow town beach, so people can come by land or by sea. Donations will be collected for the Lake Boon Association throughout the show. We hope you can come and enjoy some familiar music, and please tell friends and neighbors about the fundraising efforts.
Because a dense algae bloom appeared along the northern shoreline of Pine Point Road waterfront on September 6, a couple of “quick tests” for cyanotoxins were done by the Lake Boon Association. These were NOT the official state-sanctioned test that requires laboratory work and several days turnaround. The test at 10 am at the north end of the first basin indicated the presence of cyanotoxins. A notice was then sent out to the LBA email list including the MA information sheet on Hazardous Algae Blooms to warn folks around the lake.
Another quick test was done on a sample taken the same day at 12:30 pm at the town beach which showed no toxins present.
Subsequently, a quick test was done on September 10 at 4:00 pm at the east end of the second basin that showed no toxins present.
This type of test is unofficial, but we believe is appropriate for giving a timely warning. However, it is not appropriate to use it to indicate safe conditions. In fact, no testing can assure safe conditions throughout a water body. Conditions can change rapidly with temperatures, sunlight, wind/wave speed and direction. Residents must use their own judgment.
The Mass DPH recommendation is to require two official negative cyanobacteria tests a week apart (plus testing time) to open a swimming beach that has been closed. But we are not aware of Stow or Nashoba Boards of Health doing any testing or closing the beach. The life guarded swimming season is over so they have less responsibility.
Again, residents must use their own judgment about swimming, etc. based largely on appearance of the water. If cyanobacteria are present the highest risk is to small children and pets that may ingest lake water. Dogs have died from this in Massachusetts.
There is information on cyanobacteria and the quick test being used by the LBA at
https://www.mass.gov/doc/harmful-algae-blooms-in-fresh-water-bodies-english-0/download
and https://www.5strands.com/products/blue-green-algae-water-test.
A very visible green and brown algae bloom appeared in the north end of the first basin this morning 9/6 and was given a quick test. It showed positive results for cyanotoxins. Lake conditions are similar and may be producing similar algae blooms in other parts of the lake.
Small children and animals at high risk of ingesting lake water should be kept out of the water! Contact with the toxins can also cause skin rashes and other symptoms. See this bulletin on Harmful Algae Blooms for more information.
Vote by texting Sunday afternoon as soon as all the boats have passed your waterfront!
Text the word VOTE to 833-575–0877 and then type in the letter of your favorite boat as listed on the side of the boat. One vote per phone!
Lake Boon Association 