Canobie Lake is in trouble — and the people most affected aren't getting answers.

 

Over 90 properties in Windham abut Canobie Lake, making Windham the largest group of lakefront neighbors on the water. Yet residents have been left in the dark about how the lake is being managed, how much water is being taken from it, and what protections exist to keep it healthy.

 

Here's what we know:

• The Town of Salem has drawn drinking water from Canobie Lake since 1889
• Salem's demand already exceeded the lake's safe yield nearly 20 years ago — and that data predates Tuscan Village
• Salem is permitted to pump from the lake when its backup reservoir (Arlington Pond) falls below a required water level threshold
• Residents report Salem began pumping from the lake earlier than planned this season — with no public notice
• Cyanobacteria blooms have been documented in Arlington Pond in 2023 and 2024, potentially increasing pressure on Canobie Lake

We've seen Windham act before — and we need that same commitment here.

 

The Windham Board of Selectmen stepped in when Cobbetts Pond began to show signs of failure due to overdevelopment around its shores. That intervention was the right call, and residents were grateful for it. Canobie Lake now faces a different but equally serious threat: not overdevelopment, but the long-term mismanagement of its water supply by a neighboring municipality — and that mismanagement could damage the lake's ecosystem and diminish property values should the lake fail. We are asking the Board to bring that same sense of urgency and responsibility to Canobie Lake before it is too late.

 

We are asking the Windham Board of Selectmen to:

 

1. Publicly state what water levels are acceptable for Canobie Lake
2. Identify who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing those levels
3. Release the agreements and permits that govern Salem's withdrawals
4. Formally inquire about this season's early pumping and whether all safeguards were followed
5. Hold a public meeting so residents can participate in decisions about the lake's future
6. Work with Salem, NHDES, and other agencies to ensure the lake is protected long-term

This is not about conflict between neighbors. It is about transparency, accountability, and protecting a natural resource that Windham residents — as the majority of lakefront property owners — have every right to understand and defend. The Board acted for Cobbetts Pond. We are asking it to act for Canobie Lake.