May 2004, #13 

CONTENTS (click on the topics below to get more information)

NHEP ACTIVITIES

4/02/04 - Water Quality Team Meeting 

The meeting at Kingman Farm in Madbury began with the discussion of a new project, specifically a sewer extension for the City of Portsmouth (approved). The group then discussed suggested changes to existing Water Quality Action Plans and addition of new ones dealing with topics such as mercury contamination, dam removal, dredging, and water resources. Phil Trowbridge discussed creating impervious surface maps for towns in the coastal watershed. The meeting concluded with a discussion of two new proposals for inclusion in the 2005 workplan. These projects involved constructing stormwater reuse and treatment practices at two sites on the UNH campus and monitoring the Squamscott River water, Exeter wastewater treatment plant effluent and other potentially significant nutrient sources during summer and autumn when conditions are conducive to depressed oxygen conditions. Water Quality Team reccomendations will be forwarded to the Management Committee for review. For more information contact Natalie Landry.

4/13/04 - Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

Jennifer Hunter and Phil Trowbridge attended the Technical Advisory Committee at NH F&G in Durham.  The main portion of the meeting was spent developing a study design to investigate apparent low dissolved oxygen episodes in the Lamprey and Squamscott Rivers.  UNH will lead a partially NHEP-funded effort to better characterize the spatial extent of low dissolved oxygen in these rivers over the summer. The group also discussed the process for updating NHEP Monitoring Plan.  Contact Phil Trowbridge for details.

4/15/04 - 2004 Coastal Illicit Discharge Elimination, Municipal Storm Sewer Mapping, and Stormdrain System Monitoring Grants 

The NHEP is providing funds for coastal municipalities to identify and eliminate illicit connections, map storm sewer systems, and monitor storm sewers. Funds are available through a Request for Proposals issued by NH Department of Environmental Services. Proposals are due to NH DES by Friday, May 28, 2004. Read the RFP online.

4/17/04 - Saving Special Places 2004: Conservation Tools for a Growing State

Matt Craig attended this all-day conference in Weare during which land conservation professionals from throughout NH conducted over 30 workshops on subjects ranging from land transactions to conservation planning and management. Knowledge gained from the conference will be directly applied to future NHEP land conservation and protection projects.  Contact Matt Craig for details.

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4/22/04 - Freshwater Wetlands Restoration and Protection Program RFP Release

The NHEP released a Request for Proposals for projects to restore and protect freshwater wetlands in New Hampshire's coastal watershed. Eligible activities include on-the-ground restoration work, projects to advance prime wetlands designation, and other efforts to protect freshwater wetlands. Up to $100,000 is available through the RFP. Proposals must be received by July 28, 2004, and projects must be completed by December 1, 2005. Read the RFP online or Contact Matt Craig for more information. 

4/23/04 - Coastal Data Management Meeting

The NHEP organized a meeting of the project managers for the long-term water quality monitoring programs in the estuary. The goal of the meeting was to develop reporting conventions to facilitate data sharing between organizations. NHDES presented its Environmental Monitoring Database as an option for a centralized data management platform for all estuarine water quality data.  Contact Phil Trowbridge for details.

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NEW PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS  All publications can be viewed at the NHEP website

4/13/04 - Environmental Sensitivity Index Maps 

Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps were created for use in oil spill response situations. The ESI maps include information on shoreline habitat and sensitive biological resources. The process for creating the new maps involved reviewing previous maps from the early 1980s, incorporating new information on intertidal shoreline habitats from overflights and ground surveys conducted in October 2003, and interviews with expert in species and habitats across the estuaries, including input from the NHEP's Technical Advisory Committee. See the maps.

4/22/04 - Conservation Data Layer Update 

One of the primary data sets maintained by Complex Systems Research Center and accessed through the clearinghouse is the GRANIT Conservation and Protected Lands Data Layer. This data set contains a digital record of parcels of land of two or more acres that are mostly undeveloped and are protected from future development. Through the GRANIT Conservation Lands Data Layer Update project, current protected lands data were collected, reviewed, and processed for the NH Estuaries Project study area. GRANIT staff contacted each community’s conservation commission to solicit updates. Concurrently, staff from the Society for the Protection of NH Forests contacted the active land trusts in the region. Through this collaborative process, 235 tracts covering 6,997 acres were added to the database. In addition to new tracts, information for existing tracts was modified to incorporate any reported corrections. The resulting, updated data set is available to municipal decision-makers, the land trust community, and the general public through the GRANIT web site and the GRANIT Conservation Lands Viewer.

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 Projects Starting   

4/07/04 - Moose Mountains Regional Greenways 

Approved by Governor & Council, this project is part of the local grants program and will enable the implementation of an outreach plan in Brookfield, Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham and Wakefield.  The plan will educate landowners, community leaders, and the public about the importance of preserving land, surface water, high value wetlands, buffers, aquifers, wildlife habitat and other critical natural resources.

4/07/04 - Center For Land Conservation Assistance (SPNHF)

Approved by Governor & Council, this project is part of the local grants program and will provide support and training in various elements of land protection to land trusts, county conservation districts, conservation commissions, open space committees, municipalities land use attorneys and real estate professionals. 

4/21/04 - UNH Marine Program

Approved by Governor & Council, the UNH Marine Program will conduct activities that will support the NHEP Monitoring Plan. Activities include mapping eelgrass distribution in Great Bay, maintaining water quality datasondes, analyzing water samples for organic species of nitrogen and light extinction, conducting sampling for dissolved oxygen in the Lamprey River, and assessing clam populations. 

4/21/04 - University of Maine at Machias 

Approved by Governor & Council, Dr. Brian Beal of the University of Maine at Machias will determine the interactive effects of predator exclusion netting, mesh netting aperture size, and planting area on survival and growth of cultured and wild juveniles of the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria L., in the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary. 

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NHEP UPCOMING EVENTS

5/20/04 Public Outreach and Education Team (POET) Meeting
9 - 11am, Kingman Farm, Madbury 
Contact Dave Kellam for details.

5/27/04 Shellfish and Living Resources Team Meeting
1-3pm, Fish and Game, Durham 
Contact Phil Trowbridge for details.

6/05/04 Exeter River Local Advisory Committee's Alewife Festival 
10am - 2pm, Swasey Park, Exeter
Contact Dave Kellam for details.

6/10/04 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting
1 - 3pm, Fish and Game, Durham 
Contact Phil Trowbridge for details.

6/17/04 Management Committee Meeting
9am - 12pm, Newington Town Hall, Newington 
Contact Jennifer Hunter for details.

7/01/04 NHEP Transfer to NH Department of Environmental Services 
Contact Jennifer Hunter for details.

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