Welcome to Otter Pond! We love our pond and hope
that we
will each show our care for Otter Pond by protecting the water quality while enjoying this
wonderful resource.
About us
The Otter Pond Protective Association (OPPA)
was
founded in 1980 as a result of environmental concerns that
threatened the pond. Our responsibility is to build on this legacy as described in
our. Mission Statement:
The Otter Pond Protective
Association
serves to improve and preserve the quality of
Otter Pond, through the promotion of proper water, shoreline and watershed
practices,
avoidance of invasive species and pollution, and collaboration on protective
efforts;
all to ensure the value, enjoyment and longevity of Otter Pond for current and
future
generations.
OPPA Volunteers are the lifeblood of our community. People and businesses become OPPA
members
not only to offer their support for the protection of Otter Pond, but to affirm their
commitment
to our sense of place, share their capabilities, and have a voice in protecting the
watershed.
We welcome our newer residents and guests to join us in caring for the pond.
Our Pond
We love our pond for the beautiful sunrises, the view of the marsh and undeveloped land
across
the
pond, and the all season recreation. We enjoy the call of the
loons, the otters playfully swimming after eating mussels, or the herons feeding in the
shallows.
We truly believe we can keep our pond clean and protected if we all help.
Otter Pond is a natural pond raised by damming with an altitude of 1, 125 feet. The pond,
located in Sunapee (Georges Mills) and New London, NH, covers 187 acres and it is 32
feet deep. It is fed by springs and lake tributaries from Star Lake, Baptist Pond, and Little
Lake Sunapee via Goose
Hole. Its outflow over Otter Pond Dam provides over half the surface water (epilimnion layer) of
Lake Sunapee. Classified as “mesotrophic”, it
has clear water and beds of submerged aquatic plants.
The water is regularly tested
under
the
oversight of the NH Department of Environmental Services Voluntary Lake Assessment Program.
Almost half of the shoreline is conserved or undeveloped, providing Otter Pond with some
protection from human-based water quality decline. Several parcels are owned by OPPA and
conserved by the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust, including a small beach which we allow
public use of and ask
visitors to show care for.
Recreation includes swimming, boating (jet skis are prohibited), waterskiing,
ice
skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and fishing.
Otter Pond is home to many
forms of wildlife.
Fish
Birds
Mammals
Due to the Great
New England Hurricane of 1938, when New England lost most of its pine trees, local saw
mills filled Otter Pond with logs, some of which still rise to the surface today.
1910 Postcard
1938 Hurricane
Pine logs stored on Otter Pond
Care of our pond
We encourage you to learn about the challenges of New Hampshire lakes and ponds by
reviewing resource information. We believe that those of us who
understand the threats to our pond will become better stewards of their land and reduce the
threats to our watershed.
While Otter Pond’s water is clean, it won’t stay that way without action by each one of us.
Water quality in New Hampshire lakes and ponds is in decline and Otter Pond is no exception.
Most is caused by runoff carrying contaminants that lead to algae and cyanobacteria
growth, which, if left unchecked, will ruin the pond. Contamination includes phosphorus,
herbicides,
pesticides, salt, pet waste, trash and others.
The overwhelming majority of causes of decline are from the actions of those who enjoy the pond
most – us. We control the pond’s current and future quality (it only takes 3-5 years for
material on land to leach into the water). Not only is this an environmental investment, it is
an economic one as the value of watershed real estate is directly impacted by the quality of the
water.
We also need to be careful about invasive species in or near the water. Non-native plants
and wildlife can overtake native species and/or the water.
Beyond individual actions, the opportunities to help through participating in one or more of
OPPA’s Working Groups allows us to more quickly accomplish objectives through teamwork.
What can individuals do to preserve the enjoyment of the pond and their property
investment?
Eliminate the use of fertilizer or use those without phosphorus
Use safe alternatives to pesticides and herbicides
Clean your boat and trailer of all plants before launching
Follow state and local building, zoning, tree and vegetation cutting codes
Don’t feed the waterfowl
To protect our loons, use no lead tackle
Use no soaps near the water
Use snow-melt salt sparingly or not at all
Reduce lawns and plant/maintain trees and shrubs along the shoreline
Pick up after your pet and properly dispose of waste with your household trash
Leave no trace of your visit - carry out what you carry in.
