How Does VRAP Work?

Serious water quality testing volunteers hard at work!  :)

It is expected that our results will be compiled and analyzed over the next couple of months.  As soon as the report is released it will be posted here!

From the NHDES website for VRAP information:

During the summer months, VRAP receives water quality data from trained volunteers. The data are reviewed for quality assurance, and are entered into the environmental monitoring database (EMD) at DES. During the off-season, VRAP interprets the data and compiles the results into an annual report for each river. VRAP volunteers can use the data as a means of understanding the details of water quality, as well as guide future sampling efforts. DES can use the data for making surface water quality assessments, provided that the data met certain quality assurance/quality control guidelines.

Remains of a former grist mill, Stratham, NH

During our last biological sampling day we came across these old grist mill wheels at the Winnicut Rd. bridge site in Stratham.  An old photo of the former mill was found online, as was a cool graphic on how a grist mill operated.  Interesting stuff!  Make a mental note of the various parts and pieces you see in the photos, then see below for details.

The former Winnicut Mill in Stratham, NH, in ~1937/8...

This mill functioned in the 1930's. In this picture the river is flowing to the left (to the north, that is), which means the perspective is from the northwest, looking southeast. Imagine the 4-way intersection of Union Rd. and Winnicutt Rd. in Stratham behind you if you were the photographer. The present day Winnicut River Farm  would be off the photo's right, and the Golf Club of New England off the left.

To see how grist mills operated, click here for a unique graphic that was created as part of a collaborative project between a 6th grade class in Amherst, MA, and a computer technology group from UMass Amherst.  Cool stuff!

Interested in historic mill use on the Winnicut River? From the historical Weeks Brick House and Gardens website:  The first dam, millpond, and sawmill on the Winnicut River were constructed by Philip Lewis & Isaac Cole about 1660, near what is now the intersection of the river and Rte. 33. Between 1670 and 1790, seven sawmills and gristmills were built on the upper Winnicut River. In the early 18th century, additional mills were constructed further up the Winnicut, about one mile south of the river's Rte. 33 intersection.

Third and final VBAP site

Yet another great day for sampling for aquatic insects in the Winnicut River was had on Wednesday, September 14th.  Exeter volunteer David Loch assisted WRWC project director Jean Eno (perhaps the other way around!), and Andy Gould from the Coastal Program also helped.

Biotic scores will be posted as soon as the data sheets are completed.  These scores are indicative of the kinds of insects found during sampling, with values assigned to certain insects having various tolerances to polluted water conditions.  We found some insects that are somewhat intolerant of polluted water, which is a good thing, but while a positive consideration at first glance, it would have been more reassuring if we had found insects that are outright intolerant of unhealthy water.

Exeter volunteer David Loch collects the day's bucket of water for holding the 5 samples that will be collected via kicknet.  He is just downstream of the bridge on Winnicut Rd. in Stratham, NH.

This little branch of the Winnicut main stem has just the right depth and riffling for our purposes!

The bridge is hard to see here, but it runs right to left near the top of the photo.  So, looking upstream. 

Facing upstream.  Winnicut Rd. bridge in Stratham.  Notice the old timbers from the former grist mill that once stood at this location.

"Scrubbing" for bugs!  The flow of the water pushes insects and debris scrubbed off the rocks straight into the net.  After 30+ seconds of scrubbing by hand, one volunteer will then use their feet for kicking up gravel, which also helps send insects into the net. 

The flow from the left (immediately to David's left) and the flow from the right (over by where the bucket sits) are the result of a secondary culvert next to the bridge which splits the main stem for a brief time.

Once under the bridge and through the culvert, the river returns to one stem.  Here, the camera is facing downstream from the Winnicut Rd. bridge in Stratham, NH  

Armed and Dangerous!

Look out, bugs, no rock will be left unturned!

Okay, that's not true.

Sampling for biological indicators of water quality, i.e. aquatic "bugs," commenced on Friday, September 9, 2011.  Great day!  From left: Kevin Lucey, Restoration Coordinator, Coastal Program, NHDES; Jean Eno, Winnicut Project Director, New Hampshire Rivers Council; Sally Soule, Supervisor, Coastal Watershed Assistance Section, NHDES; and, Andrew Gould, biologist, Coastal Program, NHDES

Biological monitoring begins!

With September here and only two water quality sampling days to go, the time is right for sampling aquatic insects in various streams and sections of the Winnicut River.  So far, we have identified four areas where there's potential for sampling.  This site, which is part of some conserved land in Stratham, certainly makes this kind of work all the more worth it!

Standing on a Volkswagon-size boulder, looking south (upstream).  This ~200' section will be perfect for "scrubbing for bugs" (lifting rocks and looking underneath!) as it has many of the conditions that are suitable for them: shallow, flowing current, and lots of rocks, gravel and sand for a riverbed.  "Riffles" are what we look for--water splashing over rocks.

Exeter volunteer David Loch, who has a background in biology and macroinvertebrate sampling (macroinvertebrates are large aquatic organisms), assesses the center of the river's current.

WRWC at EPA OSV Bold "Open Boat" day

While hot and humid on Sunday, many people visited the OSV Bold.  Guests to the WRWC table received fun stickers, Iams dog bones, and doggie waste baggies for pledging to pick up after their pet!

Lots of new hands were added to the 'Just One Hand' board, with more than 40 new pledges collected by day's end.

We were welcomed aboard in the truest of gracious hosting.  Chef Amanda knocked out a luncheon buffet to suit all dietary requirements, and her dessert table--complete with tartlets and cheesecakes and cupcakes--was scrumptious!

Winnicut Coalition to participate in EPA OSV Bold open house

The Ocean Survey Vessel Bold (The Bold) is EPA's only ocean and coastal monitoring vessel.

On September 4th, from 10AM to 4PM, numerous organizations and state agencies from around the Great Bay/Piscataqua region, including the Winnicut River Watershed Coalition, will set up displays and host outreach efforts--both on the ship and state pier at which it will be docked--for a public open house.  Look at the size of this boat!  Pack up the family and come take a tour of this incredible research vessel, and learn first-hand how ocean habitat protection efforts are being conducted all over the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico!  Just what are they finding?  Read more here.

Winnicut Coalition at Portsmouth Open Market

The Winnicut Coalition was the featured watershed group at this Sunday's Gundalow tent during the Portsmouth Open Market at Strawbery Banke.  Rain and overcast skies kept attendance low, but there were still as many as a couple dozen visitors to the tent. 

Click on photo to enlarge, and then click again to zoom in on your watershed!

VRAP Sampling - July 28, 2011

With a new set of sites to sample (for a total of nine to date), volunteers set out early Thursday morning to conduct water quality testing on the Winnicut River and one of its tributaries.  All general parameters were tested, as were nutrients and bacteria.  It was a beautiful, clear day in the 70's, and we saw a Great Blue Heron at our first stop on the Packer Brook, pickerel frogs and an unidentified species of fish (~3-4" long) at our third stop (a quiet, scenic wet meadow/marsh area), and native Joe Pye Weed and Cardinal Flower at our last stop (among other flora).  Great rewards!

All photos by NHDES Habitat Restoration Coordinator Kevin Lucey (missing from photos), who volunteered his time for sampling assistance.  Also missing from photos, hydrologist and WRWC volunteer Danna Truslow.

Volunteer Nate Hazen (Greenland) performs an initial conductivity meter check at the first stop of the morning -- 03-PBG, Packer Brook in Greenland (refer to Sampling Locations map in right-hand column of this blog).

View of our second stop, this time on the Winnicut itself, just upstream from the former dam in Greenland (02-WNC on the Sampling Locations map). 

At the third site, also on the main stem of the Winnicut in Greenland (05-WNC), NHDES Coastal Program intern Andy Gould reviews sampling protocols while volunteer Jean Vincent (North Hampton) works with volunteer Nate Hazen and the WRWC's project director, Jean Eno (far right).

We're not always busy sampling...sometimes we take breaks for clay treatment on our feet.

Dick Pinney's Got the Trout Blues

IN a recent NewHampshire.com article, contributor Dick Pinney, a self proclaimed long-time angler, writes about the book 'Fishing Winnipesaukee' by Hal Lyons.  "A poignant book," writes Pinney, it reminded him of "fishing friends of long ago."  In Pinney's piece, he mentions an old favorite fishing spot right here on the Winnicut.  You can read the article here.

In another interesting article on blue fish, he provides a humorous and culinary take on fishing for blues right here in Great Bay.  It's a good, quick read!

For more info on fishing for blues (provided by NH Fish and Game), click on the picture.

VRAP Sampling - July 20, 2011

Ten newly trained citizen scientist volunteers began collecting water samples and testing for potential problems in the Winnicut River and some of its tributaries early Wednesday morning, starting with an area in North Hampton where the Winnicut River primarily begins (near the former town dump on South Rd...site '21-WNC' on the 'Sampling Stations' map at end of this post).

Using special meters to gauge the level of the river's health, volunteers tested for conditions such as turbidity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and specific conductance--all of which are described in the article "...Water Quality Parameters..." under the heading 'Pages' in the right-hand column.  At several sites bacteria (E. coli) and nutrient samples (nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorides) were also collected, which were delivered to a state laboratory for analysis immediately following the morning's end.  All results will be made available as soon as the sampling season is complete, some time in late October.

The WRWC will conduct this sampling regime next spring and summer as well, thereby increasing the amount of relevant information available to local, state and federal governments for making smarter land-use decisions and planning better protection of our river and streams.  In turn, these steps can improve community vitality (not to mention improve wildlife habitat!).

These volunteers are making a difference!  Left to right: Nate Hazen (Greenland), Kathy Grant (No. Hampton), Lisa Tutinas (No. Hampton), Brenda Tharp (No. Hampton) and Wendy Crowley (No. Hampton) begin reviewing sampling protocols at the day's first sampling site.

We welcome youths!  Junior High School student Petras Tutinas (No. Hampton) "grabs" the first sample of the day at a culvert crossing just west of North Hampton's former town dump.  Volunteer Danna Truslow (Rye), a surface water and groundwater hydrologist by trade, looks on.

Attention to detail is a must!  Nate, Brenda and Petras conduct a pH measurement at the first sampling site, while WRWC Project Director Jean Eno follows up on meter protocols.

Summer Reading: 'Four Fish' by Paul Greenberg

An excerpt from the book (pp 187-188):

“We must…rebuild the bottom of the food chain we have already lost by restoring the habitats where forage fish are born and reared.  Estuaries and river systems are vital zones of food production and not simply “natural” spaces.  Nearly every wild fish highlighted [in the book Four Fish]—striped bass, European sea bass, cod, Alaska Pollock, Atlantic and Pacific salmon, bluefin tuna—depends upon a supply of forage fish whose life cycles are in turn dependent upon rivers and estuaries.  Herring, menhaden, smelt—all these small fish are the silver coin, the coin of the marine realm, and their hatching and rearing often occur in direct association with access to rivers that enter the sea.  Restoring these areas increases the food supply for the fish we eat most.  Deny the restoration and…abundance will inevitably be limited by a low ceiling of limited food.”

Paul Greenberg, Author of Four Fish, 2010, The Penguin Press

The Winnicut Coalition and Portsmouth Open Market

The gundalow sailing on the  bay, as most people have seen her.

Click here to read an interesting NHPR article on the new Gundalow being built in Portsmouth, NH, for the Gundalow Company.  What a thrill it will be to sail the waters of the Piscataqua region when it is finished!

The Gundalow Company is also part of another great project this summer in the form of a series of Open Markets every Sunday at Strawbery Banke (pix of previous market days can be seen under the 'Blog' link found under the 'Home' drop-down).  The Gundalow Co. is featuring and celebrating a local river group working to protect rivers and streams in and around, and including, Great Bay.  The Winnicut Coalition is one of these such groups and will be on hand August 7th to answer questions about Winnicut River-related issues and events, pass out dog waste baggies and bones (part of the NH Coastal Program's 'Scoop-the-Poop' campaign), and share lots of other conservation info.  Come on into Portsmouth and enjoy a great afternoon of fun and shopping (market runs from 10am to 4pm), and learn about the maritime history of 'Puddle Dock' and 'Strawbery Banke'!  

Piscataqua Waterfront Festival 2011

The WRWC info table pre-start time at the 3rd annual Piscataqua Waterfront Festival in Portsmouth, NH.

It was a fantastically sunny and upbeat day yesterday down on the Ceres Street Wharf.  Folks from all around the region visited Portsmouth to partake in the 27th annual WOKQ Chowder Festival at Prescott Park, and the 3rd annual Piscataqua Waterfront Festival hosted by the historical Moffatt-Ladd House and Garden.

The Moffatt-Ladd Waterfront Festival is a celebration of Piscataqua River maritime history and contemporary water quality issues surrounding Great Bay.  The Winnicut River is a main tributary to Great Bay, and thus we were asked to participate in the celebration.  But of course!

The 'With Just One Hand' board was a successful attraction, and more than two dozen visitors pledged to support the 'Scoop the Poop' campaign!  Here, the green hands for writing pets' names have already started accumulating.

Interested folks scoping out the abundant information on many ways to help improve water quality (regardless of where one lives!).  For pledging to 'Scoop the Poop', visitors were given special poop bags tied around IAMs dog bones and an info tag.  As a NH Coverts Project volunteer, I also included lots of ways to protect wildlife and their habitat, and offered fun pocket guides to identifying wildlife tracks in NH. 

Piscataqua Waterfront Festival, June 4, 2011

http://www.moffattladd.org/calendar.html

One week from tomorrow the Winnicut River Watershed Coalition will be attending this event.  From the Moffatt-Ladd website:

"The festival features music, traditional maritime artisan demonstrations, free museum tours, hands-on children’s activities, boats, booths, and displays by area businesses and non-profit organizations, and an heirloom plant sale of plants from the Moffatt-Ladd garden.  The festival is designed to heighten awareness of our maritime history, contemporary water quality issues, boat building heritage and opportunities, marine management, water recreation, and conservation."

Curious how you'll manage to move back and forth between the PWF and the Chowder festival?  Portsmouth Harbor Cruises will be providing free boat shuttles between the Ceres Street Wharf and the Chowder Festival in Prescott Park! 

Stop on by our table and say hello!



Winnicut Coalition to Conduct Water Quality Monitoring

In addition to the critical grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to form the Winnicut River Watershed Coalition, and a generous grant from the Fuller Foundation to assist work in the towns within the Winnicut River watershed, the WRWC has just received a substantial grant from the New Hampshire Coastal Program to conduct some great work. Our press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 17, 2011

Contact: Jean Eno, Winnicut Project Director, New Hampshire Rivers Council, at 603-431-7009

Local Coalition Receives Funding for Water Quality Testing

North Hampton, Stratham, Greenland Communities to Benefit

Greenland, NH — The Winnicut River Watershed Coalition, an initiative of the New Hampshire Rivers Council, has received a two-year grant from the New Hampshire Coastal Program at the Department of Environmental Services to conduct water quality and biological monitoring on the Winnicut River and its tributaries in the towns of North Hampton, Stratham, and Greenland, NH, beginning in June, 2011.

Several sections of the Winnicut River are affected by one or more pollutants that impact swimming, fishing and boating, as well as, aquatic wildlife habitat. At as many as twelve sites, testing will be conducted for nitrogen, harmful bacteria, and water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and pH (acidity). The Winnicut River is the only main tributary unimpeded by dams
that flows directly to Great Bay.

“With a larger snapshot of the river’s condition throughout the watershed—the area of land that drains to the Winnicut—we hope to gain a greater understanding of the local impacts of stormwater runoff, which in turn will allow us to provide even greater water quality education and outreach to our citizens,” said Jean Eno, Winnicut Project Director.

“Ultimately, people and wildlife need and benefit from the Winnicut and Great Bay being clean and healthy,” said Michele L. Tremblay, President, New Hampshire Rivers Council. “Our state’s economy and the health of its people depend on it, and involving citizens in these initiatives is cost effective and creates long lasting results.”

Those interested in volunteering should contact Jean Eno at jeno@nhrivers.org. Further information can be found online at www.nhrivers.org.

Grant funding was provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act in conjunction with the N.H. Department of Environmental Services Coastal Program.

Trail Walking Within the Winnicut River Watershed

NOW'S the time to get out and see spring coming to life at the Weeks Brick House conservation trails. Turkeys are strutting, fox are hunting small prey to feed their kits, the earliest of migratory birds are appearing...and if you look hard, you may even see trout lilies emerging up from the earth underneath the hardwoods!

Click here to view the Weeks Brick House trail map online

STRATHAM hosts wonderful trails at the Stratham Hill Park area, a fun place to take the family, including the family dog (please remember the 'leave no trace' concept and bring dog poop baggies!). On clear, sunny days, you can see the peak of Mount Washington! Dare to climb the fire tower!

Click here to view the Stratham Hill Park trail map online

LASTLY, behind the North Hampton Elementary School on Atlantic Ave., there is a fanstastic network of nature trails that allows users access to many wonderful aspects of the Little River watershed (an adjoining watershed to the Winnicut's): from owl habitat in the uplands where there are gorgeous red pines, to wetland pools, and eventually to an extensive marshland...beautiful stuff.  Mike Caron, an Enrichment Coordinator at the school, has been instrumental in developing the trails and a unique nature program, and has a wonderful vision for implementing learning platforms to accomodate the inquisitive minds that utilize the trail network (in the past the trails were maintained by the North Hampton School students as part of their service learning component).  The public is allowed access to this school property dawn to dusk during non school hours.  There isn't a map, per se, for the trail system, so you'll need to rely on a compass and your smarts:  From behind the school, head to the northwest corner of the fields (diagonally to your left as you stand behind the school, with your back against the building where the swings are).  There you will find the entrance to the trails.  To see a map of North Hampton's conservation lands, including the Little River area that these trails fall within, click here (pdf - large file).

Happy trails!  Don't forget your binoculars, and don't forget to wear your Bean boots - it's mucky out there in some of those parts!

NH Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater Management DIY Solutions

The WRWC participated in a watershed managers roundtable last October hosted by NHDES' Watershed Assistance Section, and has since stayed informed on future restoration grant opportunities and other management tools through a blog for watershed managers (the WRWC is not a "manager," but rather a source for creating a local advisory committee which will act as a steward for Winnicut River watershed (the entire area of land that drains to the Winnicut River)).

The forum and blog were created for the purpose of providing additional resources and opportunities to network for those involved with NHDES' Watershed Assistance and Restoration Grants.

A recent post was deemed worthy of posting on WRWC's blog:

"Two new stormwater management tools have been created for homeowners and local building officials to help identify cost effective methods to offset potential impacts to water resources.

The “New Hampshire Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Management Do-It-Yourself Stormwater Solutions for Your Home” was developed to help homeowners better manage stormwater on their properties. It can also be used by communities as an outreach tool to encourage better stormwater management on private properties.  [See page 54 of this pdf for using the model below.]

DES has also created a modeling tool for homeowners to estimate their nutrient footprint called “The New Hampshire Residential Loading Model.”  [This is an Excel file, and you'll be best served if you refer to instructions on page 54 of the pdf document above!]

This model is based on the Center for Watershed Protection’s Runoff Reduction Method. It is designed for property owners to estimate the loading of nutrients, specifically phosphorus and nitrogen, running off of their properties."

2011 New Hampshire Water and Watershed Conference

On behalf of the WRWC, I will be exhibiting and participating in this comprehensive event.

"Conference participants will enhance their capacity to understand, protect, and manage New Hampshire’s water resources by:

1.Learning about ground-breaking research and its application.
2.Receiving latest updates on water related policies and agency programs.
3.Gaining knowledge about effective water education and outreach.
4.Participating in training sessions to improve organizational skills and functioning.
5.Sharing understanding, concerns, accomplishments, skills and perspectives with others.
6.Contributing to state-wide planning efforts for New Hampshire’s water future."


The talks I will be attending:

~Making instream flow protection work: the Lamprey Water Management Plan – Wayne Ives, NH Department of Environmental Services

~Introduction to social marketing ‐ Julia Peterson, NH Sea Grant & UNH Cooperative Extension

~Land resources management permitting – enhancing the local role ‐ Carolyn Russell and Steve Couture, NH Department of Environmental Services

~Status Update: 2011 Surface Water and Wetland Legislation and the 2010 Legislative Water Study Commissions ‐ Rene Pelletier, NH Department of Environmental Services

~The Southeast Watershed Alliance – building intermunicipal cooperation to improve water quality ‐ Alison Watts, Ph.D., Southeast Watershed Alliance


The conference is taking place at Plymouth State University.

Rivers Management Program

Happy Spring to All!

Here's an update on the various river nominations as they went through the House last week:

HB44, the bill to nominate the Oyster River, HB336, the bill to nominate the Mascoma River, and HB555, the bill to nominate the Exeter-Squamscott stretch, were passed on the House floor on February 23.

HB 149, the bill to nominate the Lamprey and its tributaries, passed in the House on March 17, but it was significantly amended. For those who fought long and hard for this bill (pre-amendments), the outcome is bittersweet: 1. the amendment was significant and weakened RSA 483, in that the very tribs that feed the river were not permitted to be included, and 2. the municipalities involved who wrote letters of support for the designation based on the statute as it existed BEFORE it was weakened are now not getting what they wanted.

View each of the nomination bills:

Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0044.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0336.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0555.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0149.html


Even more concerning, the House approved additional plans that weaken RSA 483 in bill HB 27, in which dreaded restrictions to septage and sludge land applications will not have to apply for another 5-1/2 years.

You are asked to help keep up the good fight in preserving the integrity of RSA 483 (which is also under attack via major budget cuts**--cuts that could virtually eliminate the program!). The next step is for all of these bills to be heard in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee:
Who's my legislator?

As pertinent info comes my way, it will be posted here. And, as Michele Tremblay noted in her Legislative Alert email, "Thank you to everyone who stepped up and made calls, sent letters and/or emails, and provided personal testimony at the hearings."



**House Division I will "exec" (vote) on these cuts on Monday, March 21, 2011 so it is essential that you call today:
Who's my legislator?

Very Good News for river conservation in New Hampshire

NH State House Representative Lawrence ‘Mike’ Kappler sent out notification today that three bills pertaining to the protection of certain rivers passed out of the House today and are on their way to the Senate: HB-44 Oyster, HB-336 Mascoma, and HB-555 Exeter. A fourth is soon to be following suit if all goes well:

“Congratulations to all involved in these three rivers.... Lamprey will be ex'd on 3/1/11 and I think it will be fine...,” said Rep. Kappler in an email received by the New Hampshire Rivers Council today.

For those unfamiliar with the recent legislative action pertaining to these bills, try these links:

Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0336.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0336.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0336.html
Bill text: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0555.html

Interested in showing your support for the Lamprey?

House RR&D: committee membership - http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/committeedetails.aspx?code=H22
Who's my Legislator? (search by city/town): http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx
House calendar and journal: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/caljourns/default.htm
NEW resource: state Rivers Management Advisory Committee blog with documents posted: http://xml2.des.state.nh.us/blogs/rmac/?p=350

Interesting Stormwater Workshop

Thermal Impacts of Stormwater BMPs,

Thermal Regimes of Northeast Streams,

and their Nexus

Thursday, February 17^th, 2011 1230-330PM

Location: Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center, 89 Depot Road, Greenland, NH

Presented by

UNH Stormwater Center, Environmental Research Group, and NH Coastal Training Program

_____________________________________________________________________________________

What: How does stormwater runoff impact stream temperature?

This workshop will present research results examining thermal characteristics as they relate to surface waters and runoff in the built and natural environment, an important issue facing the Northeast. As a watershed is developed, and impervious surface area increases, stormwater runoff can be a significant, or even the primary source of water to a surface water body. Small streams in New England are highly sensitive to changes in temperature. Increased temperature damages cold water fisheries, and altered temperature regimes interfere with spawning and migration patterns. Drs. Roseen, Ballestero and Watts are characterizing the thermal signature of stormwater runoff. Dr. Jacobs has explored the thermal regimes of streams throughout NH and MA. Recently, these teams have begun to combine their findings to determine the impact of specific stormwater management strategies on a range of stream types. This workshop will present the results of these ongoing research programs.

Workshop Partners: Robert Roseen, Jennifer Jacobs, Alison Watts, Tom Ballestero, Jamie Houle, Steve Miller (CTP Partner), Ralph Abele (EPA)

Agenda:

1. Introduction - Ralph Abele (EPA) (15 min)

2. Thermal Regimes of Northeast Streams – Jennifer Jacobs (ERG) (25 min)

3. Thermal Impacts of Stormwater BMPs – Robert Roseen (UNHSC) (25 min)

4. Persistence Characteristics of Stormwater BMPs – Tom Ballestero (UNHSC) (25 min)

5. Developing Models for Stormwater Thermal Impacts on Stream Temperature Regimes---Alison Watts (UNHSC) (25 min)

6. Next Steps to Quantifying and Mitigating Stormwater impacts on Streams (10 min)

7. Closing & Sponsor acknowledgements (5 min)

Registration: For more information goto http://www.unh.edu/unhsc/thermal.

To register online goto http://www.erg.unh.edu/stormwater/Onlinereg/register.asp

Or contact Maddy Wasiewski at 603-862-2206. There is no cost to this workshop.

Logistics: Parking is available on site. The workshop is located 89 Depot Road, Greenland, NH 03840.

Erosion of the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act and other protective conservation measures

The New Hampshire Rivers Council is providing a new and important service for those interested in the legislative aspect of water conservation and protection in our state. If you are interested in being notified of action relative to water conservation, please subscribe to LegislativeAlert by sending an email to LegislativeAlert-join@NHRivers.org.

To support this and other valuable watershed work, please visit New Hampshire Rivers Council's website.

Currently, there are three bills going before the Senate that aim to erode the integrity of important conservation and protection measures:

SB 19 is relative to the definition of prime wetlands;

SB 20 is relative to shoreland protection permits;

SB 21 is relative to the definition of wetlands.

All three are being heard by the NH Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in Room 102 at the Legislative Office Building at 10:15 AM on January 13, 2011. View the calendar (page 3 of the pdf) here.

From Michele Tremblay, President of NH Rivers Council:

These bills would dramatically and harmfully transform the regulatory framework and landscape of our waterbodies. Please ACT NOW on these three very important bills. Some of the senate hearing time overlaps with the Oyster River bill hearing in the House (HB 44, designating segments of the Oyster River as a protected river). It is recommended that the local focus of seacoast advocates be on this house hearing. Alternatively, you can drop off your House testimony letters/cards and then go to the Senate Committee hearings at 10:15.

What can you do now? Call or write your Senator and urge him/her to to vote against these three bills. This is especially effective if your Senator is on this committee. If you cannot be there, please take a moment to write a letter to or call your Senator.

Tools for action and what you need to know:

SB 19 would reduce prime wetlands to areas that are 5 or more acres.
SB 20 would remove the shoreland permit requirement when an applicant receives an alternation of terrain permit. As you are aware, these two programs are complementary and NOT redundant.
SB 21 would remove from wetland jurisdiction all man-made wetlands unless they are part of compensatory mitigation.

Committee membership

Who's my Legislator? (search by city/town)

It's important to close the circle. Please let us know when you have called your Representative or email/fax us your letter so that we can keep track of support when testifying at hearings. There is no assurance that the leadership and the committee membership will be notified of your support. We will make sure that ALL committee members know that you support this bill.