LSPA Science

Monitoring was initiated on Lake Sunapee in the 1950's when LSPA conducted water sampling and testing for the presence of E. coli. Those early monitoring results indicated that, at the time, Lake Sunapee had “Class A” water quality - which meant that the lake water was adequate as drinking water.

Since those first samplings and tests, LSPA has broadened its sampling and testing capacities and breadth to include thousands of annual samplings and tests from Lake Sunapee and over 25 surrounding lakes, ponds and watershed. Click here to learn more about our Water Quality monitoring.

Since the early 2000s, researchers have focused their attention and resources on Lake Sunapee, so much so that the lake is now considered to be a famous site of lake science (limnological) research! Much of the research over the past two decades has been initiated by members of LSPA’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and their colleagues:

Kak Weathers (SAC Chair), Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Tim Allen, Ph.D., Professor, Keene State University

Nick Baer, Ph.D., Professor, Colby-Sawyer College

Celia Chen, Ph.D., Research Professor, Dartmouth College

Kathy Cottingham, Ph.D. (SAC Vice Chair), Professor, Dartmouth College

Holly Ewing, Ph.D. (SAC Vice Chair), Professor, Bates College

James Haney, Ph.D., Professor, University of New Hampshire

Michael Simpson, MS, Core Faculty and Chair, Antioch University

Ben Steele, Ph.D., Professor, Colby-Sawyer College