Estuaries Update #47: New Hampshire Estuaries Project

March 2007, #47

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NEW NHEP PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

FEBRUARY ACTIVITIES

2/1/07 - House Bill 216 Hearing
Jennifer Hunter submitted written comments to the House Resources, Recreation, and Development (RRD) Committee for the hearing on House Bill 216, that would establish a commission to study the causes, effects and remediation options for siltation in the Great Bay Estuary. In her comments, she mentioned existing NHEP monitoring programs related to siltation and estuary sediments. The RRD Committee voted unanimously to approve the bill with slight amendments to the commission membership, including the addition of the NHEP. The Committee’s recommendation will be made to the full House on March 6. For more information, contact Jennifer Hunter.

2/8/07 - Cocheco River Watershed Coalition Buffer Presentation
Jodi Castallo presented an overview of the buffer outreach presentation to members of the Cocheco River Watershed Coalition. Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

2/13/07 - Senate Bill 68 Hearing
Jennifer Hunter and Management Committee members Dave Funk and Brian Giles attended the Senate Energy, Environment, and Economic Development Committee hearing on Senate Bill 68 that would appropriate $250,000 per year to support implementation of the NHEP Management Plan. Testimony in support of the bill also came from a number of communities, watershed groups, and other organizations. The funding would enable long-term monitoring programs to continue and would support a variety of community assistance programs aimed at improving water quality and supporting natural resource protection. The Committee has not yet voted on the bill. For more information, contact Jennifer Hunter.

2/13/07 - Exeter Buffer Presentation
Jodi Castallo conducted a presentation on protecting buffers to members of the Exeter Conservation Commission and the public. Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

2/13/07 - NROC Stormwater Sub-Committee
Jodi Castallo participated in a meeting between Natural Resources Outreach Coalition (NROC) members and UNH Stormwater Center to discuss how the two groups can collaborate on stormwater outreach. Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

2/21/07 - State of the Estuaries Reports and Customized Bookmarks Sent to Land Use Decision Makers
The NHEP mailed the 2006 State of the Estuaries Report to every planning board and conservation commission member in the 42 communities of the coastal watershed to help citizens understand how their land use policies and activities affect the regional environment. Specific town data on population growth, impervious surfaces, sprawling development rates, and key areas to target for conservation were included with the reports in a bookmark form. The timing of this mailing is intended to help better inform communities preparing for town votes in March. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

2006 State of the Estuaries Report and Community Bookmark

2/23/07 - NHEP Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
Phil Trowbridge led a meeting of the NHEP Technical Advisory Committee and other interested parties to discuss the latest developments in establishing nutrient criteria for New Hampshire’s estuaries. Presentations and discussions included: a review of Maine’s experience in attempting to change its marine dissolved oxygen standard; a summary of the various data analyses conducted by the NHEP on light availability and light attenuation factors for the Great Bay Estuary; a demonstration of an analytic mass balance model for nitrogen concentrations in Great Bay; and discussion of a proposed approach to classify Great Bay as a “Tier I” water. For more information, contact Phil Trowbridge.

2/26/07 - Eye On Estuaries Published in Portsmouth Herald
Wetland could get 'prime' classification
by Alison Watts, Newfields Conservation Commission Chair
online article or Adobe .pdf

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NEW NHEP PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS

Shoreland Buffers in the Towns of Candia and Deerfield
The towns of Candia and Deerfield worked with the Southern New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission (SNHPC) to develop and implement land use regulations to protect the remaining undisturbed natural shoreline buffers along the Lamprey and North Branch Rivers (2nd order or higher streams and tributaries) and other surface waters within these communities. The project was approached in two steps. Step one involved preparing an inventory, delineation and map of the remaining undisturbed natural vegetated buffers in both communities. Following completion of the inventory and mapping results, step two of the project consisted of a thorough analysis of both towns’ existing land use regulations primarily focusing on setbacks, buffers, and wetlands. Three major shoreland protection options were identified and evaluated. The preferred option consisted of improving the towns' existing regulations and educating town officials and town boards about the State’s Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act (CSPA) requirements and how/where these requirements apply within each town. Read Report

NHDHHS Public Health Laboratories Shellfish Program Activities, January-December 2006
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Public Health Laboratories, with funding from the NHEP, continued analyses to support the NHDES Shellfish Program's routine water quality monitoring, red tide monitoring, and additional testing after rainfall, excess sewage discharge, and other emergency events in 2006. Analyses for the year included bacterial, pH, and salinity tests for 868 water samples; bacterial tests for 91 shellfish tissue samples; and PSP toxin tests for 61 shellfish tissue samples. Results for all the tests are provided in the report appendices. Read Report

NHDES Shellfish Program Activities, January-December 2006
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Shellfish Program's work in 2006 included its many ongoing water quality sampling activities to minimize the health risks associated with consuming shellfish and to comply with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program guidelines. The Shellfish Program completed sanitary surveys in the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary and the Piscataqua River (North) growing area that includes the tidal portions of the Cocheco, Salmon Falls, and Upper Piscataqua Rivers. At present 87% of estuarine waters are classified. The Shellfish Program continued its study of two different bacterial analysis methods in 2006 to determine impacts of method on growing area classification. NHEP funding for the Shellfish Program in 2006 covered laboratory analytical costs associated with the sampling activities of the program. Read Report

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

3/5 - 3/8/07 - Annual Meeting of National Estuary Programs, Washington, DC
Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

4/1/07 - NHEP Public Outreach and Education (POET) Meeting, 9:00-11:00am, Location TBD
Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

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