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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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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