A long-time resident of Freedom, Ned Hatfield, author of this article, died in July 2017. He was a retired teacher who served his town for a number of years on the zoning board. His deep interest in the lake is evident in this thoughtful article about the environmental implications of winter drawdowns, a topic he felt had not received sufficient attention. We’re reposting it, along with other similar articles, to provide context for the August 25th public meeting we’re hosting at which the state will present its plan to replace the Ossipee River Dam.