Nashua
    River
MA.NH
   WHY \S THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
   The Nashua River watershed encompasses 31
   communities in north central Massachusetts and
   southern New Hampshire. Nearly 240,000 people live
   and work within its 538 square miles. Still largely rural,
   yet at the edge of a major metropolitan area, the
   watershed is over 60 percent forested. The
   Massachusetts portion includes a designated
   Outstanding Natural Resource Area for cold water
   fisheries and supports more than 20 rare or endangered
   species. Because groundwater and surface water are
   closely linked, the watershed serves as an ideal study
   area for integrating drinking and surface water
   protection efforts.


   ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
   Protecting existing and future drinking water supply
   sources in the face of strong development pressures is a
   critical issue for rapidly growing states. Sharply
   increasing pressures from rapid growth and the
   resultant decline of open space contribute to two
   overarching water problems: nonpoint source pollution
   of the surface waters and increasingly comprised
   groundwater supplies. The growth  rate in the
   Massachusetts towns in the study area is projected to be
   25 to 40 percent through 2010, and 70 to 140  percent
   in the New Hampshire towns.
   • Build out analyses project water demand in
     Massachusetts to far exceed safe yields of ground
     water resources.
   • Public water supply land is not adequately protected
     despite state requirements.
   • New development poses threats to water quality
     from sodium and chloride, pesticides and fertilizers,
     fecal coliform, and chemicals and solvents.
• Impervious surfaces are about 7 percent, but studies
  suggest 10 percent is the threshold percent to protect
  water resources in the study area.
• About 79 percent of the Squannacook subbasin and
  66 percent of the Nissitissit subbasin are forested
  (research suggests 75 percent as the threshold
  percent to protect water resources).

• Forest land overall is at most only  25 percent actively
  managed.

RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA),
which has a proven record of success in taking on
difficult environmental issues, will use EPA Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds to:
• Increase incentives to individual and municipal forest
  landowners to voluntarily expand their stewardship
  and  land protection

• Explore market-based opportunity  for collective
  landowners through a forestry cooperative
• Increase incentives for foresters to  receive training in
  ecological approaches
• Provide practical model conservation and restoration
  sites
• Develop forward-looking smart growth regulatory
  approaches at the municipal and state level
• Provide baseline water quality information
• Act on new understanding of why some landowners
  can be resistant to pro-activity
                                                    Gulf Brook, a tributary of
                                                    the Nissitissit River.
EPA's TARGET ED WATERSHEDS GRANTS

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                                                                                                        ^2*8*^
 A STRONG  PARTNERSHIP
 FOR CHANGE

 EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds will allow the
 NRWA to continue in its strong collaborative work. This
 project follows directly from the recently completed
 bi-state Source Water Stewardship Demonstration
 Project, in which NRWA, the State of New Hampshire,
 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Trust for
 Public Land and other organizations all participated.
 NRWA is currently partnering with:

 •  Beaver Brook Association
 •  New England Forestry Foundation
 •  Trust for Public Land
 •  A broad interstate coalition of stakeholders
                                                     : mouth of the Nissitissit River.
"Working as a broad coalition, the NRWA and its partners are honored that the U.S.
EPA is supporting our proactive project to 'protect today's water for tomorrow' in a
threatened region of our watershed."


- Elizabeth Ainsley Campbell, Executive Director, Nashua River Watershed Association

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