The Oyster River The Oyster River Nominated for designation under - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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The Oyster River The Oyster River Nominated for designation under - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Oct 25, 2023 301 likes •596 views

The Oyster River The Oyster River Nominated for designation under the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program Nominating organization: Thanks to: A grant from: Special thanks to: Laura Weit-Marcum Acting Rivers Coordinator (NHDES, RMPP)

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The Oyster River The Oyster River

Nominated for designation under the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program

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Nominating organization: Thanks to: A grant from:

Special thanks to: Laura Weit-Marcum

Acting Rivers Coordinator (NHDES, RMPP)

Kyle Pimental

GIS/Communications Technician (SRPC)

All stakeholders and partners that provided technical and editorial assistance

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What is being What is being proposed? proposed?

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Why the Oyster River? Why the Oyster River?

  • Significant natural resources are associated

with the Oyster River

  • Rapid urban development in Seacoast;

water use increasing

  • Environmental quality of NH estuaries is

declining

  • No formal cross‐town body to address

water issues within the watershed

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Outstanding Features Outstanding Features

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Drinking Water Drinking Water

  • River is one of two surface

water sources for Durham and UNH

  • Third source: a well,

adjacent to Oyster River

  • All sources together meet

mean demand of 800,000 gallons per day

  • Value as water source

recognized by town zoning and UNH land use

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Tributary of Great Bay System Tributary of Great Bay System

(Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership)

Oyster River Great Bay

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  • Great Bay Estuary threatened by nitrogen pollution
  • Critical to maintain high water quality in tributaries
  • “Environmental standards in place at the local level

vary greatly, and are generally inadequate to address the pressing environmental threats to the water resources of the area.”

Derek Sowers Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership

Tributary of Great Bay System Tributary of Great Bay System

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Pristine Floodplains Pristine Floodplains

  • Hundreds of acres
  • Critical habitat for upland

and aquatic plants and animals

  • Serve important flood

control function

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Wildlife Resources Wildlife Resources

Taxonomic group Number of species known for watershed Likely additions

Mammals 48 16 Birds 93 50 Trees 28 ? Shrubs 34 ? Herbs >70 >100

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Rare Animal Species Rare Animal Species

  • Least Bittern
  • Blanding's Turtle
  • Spotted Turtle
  • Wood Turtle
  • Osprey
  • Ringed Bog Haunter
  • New England Cottontail
  • Gold‐Winged Warbler
  • Vesper Sparrow
  • Grasshopper Sparrow
  • Upland Sandpiper

cws necottontail.com

Maine Audubon nrcs

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Fish Fish

  • Endangered or threatened:

– American brook lamprey (S2) – Bridled shiner (S3)

  • Species of concern: 7

– More than any other river in the state

  • Native brook trout
  • Blueback

herring

– Anadromous

REDFIN PICKEREL REDFIN PICKEREL BROOK LAMPREY BROOK LAMPREY

BRIDLED SHINER

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Exemplary Natural Communities Exemplary Natural Communities

  • Atlantic White‐cedar

swamp

  • Black Spruce Poor Fen
  • Herbaceous Seepage

Marsh

  • Hemlock–Beech–Oak–

Pine Forest

  • Red Maple Floodplain

Forest

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Scientific and Educational Value Scientific and Educational Value

  • Adjacent to UNH

campus

  • Used extensively in

dozens of UNH classes, hundreds of students per year

  • Research projects
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Water Monitoring Program Water Monitoring Program

  • Partnership: DES

(VRAP), UNH, ORWA

  • Since 2001
  • 12‐14 sites, sampled

6‐8 times per year

  • 10‐15

volunteers/year

  • Has identified human

impacts

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History of Protection History of Protection

  • Tamposi

Water Supply Reserve, Barrington

  • Land protection in

Durham, Lee, Madbury

  • NRCS restoration in Lee

RMPP DESIGNATION WOULD MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING LAND AND WATER PROTECTION EFFORTS!

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Tamposi Tamposi Water Supply Reserve Water Supply Reserve

  • 1400 acres including

Oyster River head‐ waters

  • Purchased, in part,

with a grant from NH DES Water Supply Protection Program

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Community Support Community Support

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Community Support Community Support

  • Survey of riverfront land owners

– 158 sent – 21% responded

68% have owned their property for 10 yrs. or more

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Community Support Community Support

Landowners: Importance of river characteristics

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Community Support Community Support

Landowners:

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Action: Action:

Community Support Community Support

Interest: Interest:

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Community Support Community Support

Barrington Board of Selectmen Planning Board Conservation Commission Durham Town of Durham Conservation Commission Lee Planning Board Conservation Commission Board of Selectmen Madbury Board of Selectmen Water Resources Board Conservation Commission UNH/Durham Water System

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Community Support Community Support

  • New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
  • Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership
  • Strafford County Conservation District
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Great Bay Trout Unlimited
  • Coastal Conservation Association of NH
  • Strafford Rivers Conservancy
  • Gundalow Company
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Conclusion Conclusion

  • Oyster River has many unique features
  • Threatened by urbanization
  • No formal inter‐town communication about

the river

  • Much already done to protect the river
  • Designation would improve communication,

maximize effectiveness of what has been done

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