The following is an exert from the Trophic State Assessment and Watershed Management Plan for Nuangola Lake Watershed March 31, 2004
Lake and Watershed Management
By following some easy-to-use Best Management Practices (BMP's) in your Borough, around your home, and in and along the lake, you can reduce the amount of harmful impacts to the surrounding environment and ensure the continued health of your lake. You have told us that a "healthy lake" to you is one that is safe to swim in, supports a healthy fish community, and is aesthetically pleasing. The following BMP's can help to ensure that you continue to enjoy swimming, fishing, boating and just enjoying the view at Nuangola Lake:
1. Reduce the amount of storm water runoff to the lake.
2. Manage the landscape around your home.
3. Maintain you septic system.
4. Protect you shoreline area.
6. In addition, regularly monitor the lake's indicators to keep you informed on the lake's health.
If all watershed residents use these BMP's, your lake can remain healthy for a long time!
Reducing Storm water runoff to the Lake
When an area is developed, land surfaces get covered with roads, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots and houses; surfaces which allow less water to seep into the soil. Such conditions increase the amount of runoff during and after a rain event, or snowmelt, that can reach your lake. This runoff carries with it sediment, chemicals, nutrients, road salts, and other pollutants that can affect the health of your lake. Runoff can also erode the lake's shoreline.
What can you do to reduce the amount of runoff?
The following BMP's can be implemented by the Borough and its residents to reduce runoff:
1. Design or retrofit culverts and drainage structures to slow runoff velocities and decrease sediment transport.
2. Ensure that proper erosion and sedimentation controls are in place at construction sites to minimize sediment runoff.
3. Limit paved and covered areas that prevent water from seeping into the ground; use gravel or paving stones where you can.
4. Limit vegetation clearing and grading on slopes to minimize erosion; locate driveways, sidewalks and footpaths away from or perpendicular to slopes so that runoff does not have a direct path to the lake.
5. Sweep driveways or sidewalks instead of washing them down with a hose to prevent sediment, oil, and other debris from washing into storm drains or the lake.
For more information on managing storm water runoff, go to: http://www.cwp.orglstormwater-practices.htm
Managing the Landscape around your home Top of Page
Lawns and gardens near the shoreline must be carefully planned and maintained to prevent contamination of the lake. Proper landscaping can actually benefit the lake by providing a buffer zone around the lake that can filter pollutants out before they enter the lake.
How can you manage your landscape to protect the lake?
The following BMP's are especially important to those residents that live directly on the lake:
1. Prevent erosion and runoff from slopes using a filter strip of native vegetation at the shoreline, a terraced garden or dense turf in a yard; the best filter is composed of mature trees with undisturbed grass and shrubs. A buffer strip can filter runoff and help stabilize the shoreline.
2. When possible, avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides; native vegetation generally doesn't require any. If you do use them, read and closely follow the directions. Never apply chemicals when rain is forecast, as they could get washed in the lake.
3. Keep unwanted waterfowl (ducks, geese) off your property by breaking up your lawn with vegetation that is taller than a goose, especially in areas along the shoreline; waterfowl prefer areas where their line of sight is uninterrupted by vegetation. Also, DON'T FEED THE WATERFOWL! Ducks and geese that live around your lake can add significant amounts of nutrients and even bacteria to the lake.
For more information on native plants, go to: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/wildplant/native.aspx
Maintaining your septic system Top of Page
Septic systems within close proximity of shorelines are potential sources of pollutants to the lake. A failing system can leach bacteria, viruses and nutrients into the lake, resulting in potential health concerns for swimmers and excess nutrients which can cause algal blooms. An improperly functioning or overloaded system is also a leading cause of well water contamination.
What can you do to maintain your system?
The following BMP's can help ensure that your septic system is working properly and that you don't do anything around your home to damage it or impact its proper operation:
1. Do not put too much water into the system; use water-saving appliances and devices in your home that will help conserve water.
2. Do not flush non-biodegradable materials, grease or cooking oils, paints, fertilizers, pesticides or any other chemicals into the system.
3. The use of additives to help maintain the system is not recommended; they may not harm the tank, but they could contaminate the soil.
4. Protect your drain field; never park vehicles on the drain field, avoid planting water-loving shrubs with deep root systems or trees near the field, and sump pumps and roof drains should not be connected to the system or discharge near it.
5. Check septic tanks, pipes in and out of the tank, and the level of sludge in the tank annually.
6. Pump your septic tank out based on the frequency detailed in the following table.
For more septic system maintenance info go to: http://www.epa.gov/seahome/decentlsrc/tank.htm
Protecting your shoreline area Top of Page
Decks, docks and boathouses are all common features along the lake's shoreline and are your direct connection to the lake. Often times they are installed at the expense of the shoreline's vegetative buffer, leading to quickly eroding shorelines that add sediment to the lake. In addition, winter storm waves, boat wakes, fluctuating lake levels and wind all contribute to the erosion of lakefront property. Not only does erosion reduce the size of your land, but the sediment that erodes into the lake can create shallow water conditions in front of your property. Such conditions can promote the growth of aquatic weeds, which can eventually hinder your recreational access to the lake.
How can you protect your lakes shoreline?
The following BMP's can help to ensure that you properly protect the lake's shoreline and keep it from eroding into the lake:
1. Construction and maintenance tips for your shoreline structure:
* Minimize shore land alteration and use proper erosion control methods when working within close proximity of the shoreline.
* Construct all docks to allow free flow of water beneath them to prevent shoreline erosion.
* Use naturally resistant wood, metal, or plastic instead of treated wood, as the chemicals may cause water quality problems.
* Never apply wood preservatives or paint to decks or docks while they're still over the water.
2. Re-establish vegetation along bare shorelines to reduce the potential for erosion.
Shorelines that receive considerable wave action may be anchored with rock (usually referred to as rip-rap).
3. Rooted aquatic plants along the shoreline can help buffer the shore from wave action, don't remove them unless they become a nuisance. You can selectively pull plants growing in the lake near shore if they become to numerous and interfere with lake access. At this point in time, we noticed very little nuisance growth of aquatic plants.
For more information on shoreline buffers, go to: http://www.state.me.us/dep/blwq/docwatershed/bufa2.htm
Responsible recreational use of the lake Top of Page
What you do, or don't do, while using your lake for recreational purposes can have an impact on the lake's water quality. Responsible recreational practices can limit unintentional impacts to the lake.
How can you use the lake responsibly for recreational purposes?
By using the following BMP's you can prevent contamination of the lake while using it for recreational purposes:
1. Make sure your boat or Jet Ski is working properly; ensure that you are not leaking fuel into the lake.
2. Avoid spilling gas, oil, paint, varnish, or stripper; never pour over the water during fueling or conducting boat maintenance; do not "top-off" tanks and fuel boats on the trailer whenever possible.
3. Store fuel tanks far away from the shoreline.
4. Adjust your speed to reduce the wake and consequent erosion causing wave action near shorelines.
5. Fish responsible, don't deposit fish waste into the lake; they add nutrients to the lake and may attract unwanted pests.
6. Do not use soap or shampoo in the lake.
For more general information on responsible recreation practices, go to: http://www.treadIightly.orgledu.mv?edu=Recreation%20Tips
Monitoring the lake's indicators Top of Page
Monitoring the lake's water quality keeps you informed on the lake's health, and provides you with information when making management decisions about your lake. It also helps avoid speculation about how the lake is doing. A lake monitoring study design has been prepared and can be found at the Nuangola Lake Association.
A word about invasive plants
What is the problem?
Invasive species threaten biodiversity, habitat quality, and ecosystem function. They have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species.
Keep track of unwanted invasive species.
Invasive species can grow and reproduce very quickly. Preventative maintenance and Education are effective: remove solitary or groups of plants, pass out brochures and put up signs at boat launches.
Most invasive species are hitchhikers.
Biologists believe the plant travels from one body of water to another by becoming attached to boats and boat trailers and then being dislodged when boats are launched in a body of water. The fragments of the plants are able to take root and grow.
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestrylwildplant/invasive.aspx
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/plants/index.html