Founded in late 2021, the Silver Lake Improvement Association (SLIA) is dedicated to protecting and improving the Silver Lake watershed surrounding Silver lake in Hollis, NH. Our goal is to restore Silver Lake to its once clear and pristine water quality for all to enjoy.
History:
Silver Lake, one of many Silver Lakes in the State of NH, was originally called Long Pond until assuming its new name in the early 1900’s. The Lake has been celebrated for its recreational value for a few hundred years and was once the gem of New Hampshire. It hosted two resorts on both ends, Morrill’s Grove on the south shore and Wallace’s Grove on the north. This popular vacation spot drew trainloads of folks coming from all over New England. Morrill’s Grove was eventually sold, and, many years later in the 1960’s when purchased by the State of NH, it became Silver Lake State Park.
In particular Wallace’s Grove was hopping as a popular dance hall and live music hall. It offered obstacle golf, stay-over cabins, and great fishing and swimming. These features dwindled in the late 1980’s, and Wallace’s became just a swimming/recreational area. Now, as of the late 1990″s, the Grove is a private community.
Problems Facing the Lake Today and Solutions:
Silver Lake has seen many transformations, such as more year-round residents, higher overall population, and climate swings. As a result, some of these changes have not helpful to lake quality. Cyanobacteria has closed beaches and threatened recreational activities in and around the water. These outbreaks started in the early 2000’s, and, although very rare back then, they have become more frequent with more closures.
As a result, residents around the Lake joined together and initiated increased volunteer efforts to stop outbreaks and ensure clean, safe water for everyone’s enjoyment. Silver Lake Improvement Association was formed as a non-profit to raise funds from local residents to participate in the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) water testing program with New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). VLAP is a tributary testing plan with NHDES to monitor the incoming streams to determine nutrient loading from runoff.
Additionally, SLIA has also been working closely with the Town of Hills and the Hollis Conservation Commission (HCC) to restore this valuable gem in our watershed. back to health. The Town of Hollis successfully applied and was pre-approved for a $100K CWSRF fully-forgivable loan to pay for a Watershed-based Study. This Study will pinpoint problems and make non-binding recommendations for a solution. All of our teamwork has led to progress toward our goal of restoring Silver Lake.
This sounds great, but in order to secure the loan, we need the Town to approve a warrant article by a 3/5 margin. WE NEED YOUR HELP – PLEASE SUPPORT AND VOTE YES ON WARRANT ARTICLE 2 – THERE IS NO TAX IMPACT TO YOU, THE FOLKS OF HOLLIS
We’re just at the onset of achieving our mission and will continue to work closely with the HCC, the Town of Hollis residents, and the State of NH to provide a cleaner, happier Silver Lake for all to enjoy!