Introductory Material

Statement of Management Philosophy

The philosophy behind this Management Plan Update is based on two realizations:

The Lamprey River corridor is facing increasing pressure from development and recreational use as population grows.

Management of the river must strike a balance among protecting the river as an ecosystem, maintaining legitimate community uses, and respecting the interests and property rights of those who own its shore lands.

It is the firm belief of the Lamprey River Advisory Committee (LRAC) that individual actions are the key to river protection. This belief has been distilled into our unifying theme, “TREAD LIGHTLY.”

The theme relates to many aspects of river management. We hope that by “treading lightly”, people will enjoy a river that is characterized by appropriate recreational activities, natural scenic beauty, clean water, an abundance of fish and wildlife species, and protected historical and archaeological sites. We believe that the Lamprey can be simultaneously protected and utilized if landowners, town boards, recreationists, and the state and federal governments are well informed about its unique attributes and work to safeguard them.

Notwithstanding the protection afforded by the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program, local, state, and federal regulatory programs, and the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Program, the Lamprey’s future as a community asset rests most squarely on the willingness of individuals and the towns along the river to be careful stewards of it. Mindful of this reality, LRAC seeks partners, both organizations and individuals, to assist it in protecting the river and its resources.

Lamprey River Management Plan 2007 Update

Prepared by the Lamprey River Advisory Committee

November 2007

Newmarket: Sara Callaghan*, Fred Pearson, Ellen Snyder

Lee: Sharon Meeker, Kitty Miller, Frank Reinhold, Jr.

Durham: Cynthia Belowski, Bill Hall, Jim Hewitt, Richard Kelley, Dick Lord*, Judith Spang

Epping: Kevin Martin, Chair*

Member at Large: Brian Giles*

* Denotes November 2007 members

Executive Summary

This 2007 update of the 1995 Lamprey River Management Plan reflects changes in the river and its watershed, but also a deepening understanding and level of involvement with on-going river issues on the part of the Lamprey River Advisory Committee (LRAC).

Perhaps the biggest event since the writing of the 1995 plan has been the federal designation of the river as Wild and Scenic. Earlier, in 1990, the section of the Lamprey which runs through Lee and Durham had been added to the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program. In 1996, the US Congress designated an 11.5 mile segment of the Lamprey River in Lee, Durham, and part of Newmarket under the Wild and Scenic River program. This was followed in 2000 with the addition of 12 miles in Epping. Other major changes in the watershed in the past decade have included:

a new, greatly improved wastewater treatment plant in Epping
over a thousand acres of river corridor land permanently conserved
many new residences built or planned in Lamprey towns
the paradox of severe floods that caused property damage and droughts that challenged public water suppliers to meet the demands of their users while leaving enough water to preserve the river’s habitat.

Organizationally, both the LRAC and its member towns have established more extensive and sophisticated working relationships with other organizations to help realize watershed-related goals.

The LRAC has concentrated efforts in four main areas in the past decade:

addressing challenges in the watershed resulting from development of river corridor lands, which can result in the loss of wildlife habitat, degradation of water quality, and negative impacts on the river’s natural and scenic qualities
a multi-pronged initiative to encourage and inform landowners on being good stewards of their properties to protect the river and associated habitats
cultivating awareness and appreciation for the Lamprey River through educational programs and materials for schools and the general public, and creating public riverfront areas that provide both recreational access and information about the river
promoting the ecological health of the river by working with governmental agencies, the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and others to research wildlife presence and movement, provide for fish and wildlife passage, and encourage municipal water use policies that will yield a sustainable amount of water for aquatic and riparian life.

This Update is divided into eight sections that highlight accomplishments, goals, and key actions for the next ten years, as follows:

Water Quality

Diligent monitoring and safeguarding of the Lamprey’s water quality will always be a priority. The LRAC will continue its role as a watchdog, tracking the results of water quality monitoring being conducted by various groups, and reviewing and commenting upon development proposals to avoid or minimize degradation of the river.

The Committee now plans to undertake work with towns and the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to prevent runoff from carrying silt and pollutants into the river, whether from stormwater runoff or erosion at construction sites. It will continue to be important to inform owners of riverfront land on ways to prevent erosion and pollutants from reaching the river.

Instream Flow

Like other southern New Hampshire rivers, the Lamprey River is subject to extremely low flows during droughts. It is also seen as a major water resource by watershed towns. The UNH/Durham water system has been the largest consumptive user of the Lamprey, but in the future, it is anticipated that the river will be eyed as a water supply by other towns and businesses in and out of the watershed. Meeting the needs of aquatic plants and animals while addressing the growing human population is going to be increasingly challenging in the near future.

The Lamprey was selected by the NHDES for a pilot Instream Flow study on how to maintain adequate levels of water in the river while providing for human use. The LRAC has members on both the Technical Review Committee and Watershed Management Planning Advisory Committee of the Instream Flow pilot study.

Throughout the Instream Flow study and beyond, LRAC members will be working closely with the NHDES, Durham, UNH, and other river towns to encourage water conservation, balancing the use of groundwater and river water for water supply so that neither is overtaxed, and other good water resource management. Such cooperation will help to assure that withdrawals of water from the Lamprey will not degrade water quality, legitimate riverfront landowner uses of the river, nor the river’s ecology.

Wildlife and Ecology

The Lamprey River has maintained most of the healthy, diverse habitat types that made it eligible for protection under both the state and national river programs over a decade ago. In the next decade, the LRAC will continue to work to maintain this unspoiled natural ecosystem through land conservation, careful review of development proposals, measures to control invasive species, restoration of fish passage around the Wiswall Dam, and assuring adequate water levels in the river. These efforts will extend to encouraging member towns to establish standards that protect the river’s habitats and water quality and continuing to inform landowners on how to maintain the Lamprey’s value to a wide variety of plants and animals.

Ecological research commissioned by the LRAC has helped to track the health of the river and identify important lands for permanent protection. Future efforts will include follow-ups to this research, as well as studies of other plant and animal species, their habitats, and new geographical areas. Research findings from studies conducted by LRAC and others will be mapped to facilitate ecological management in the watershed.

Land Protection

Partnering with towns, land trusts, and other organizations, the LRAC has participated in the conservation of 20 properties totaling 1,072 acres and 7 ½ miles of river frontage. This will continue to be a key focus of the Committee’s work. Because of ecological research done in the past decade, the LRAC now has an even better understanding of which lands are most critical for protecting wildlife on the Lamprey.

In the next five years, the LRAC will undertake new work with town conservation commissions and other organizations to support their conservation efforts, extending information to residents and riverfront landowners on why and how to protect the Lamprey River corridor for the future.

History and Archaeology

The LRAC believes that a community’s sense of place depends in part upon knowledge of its history, especially when historical sites and documents can be enjoyed first-hand. In 1999, the LRAC researched and produced a videotape on the history of the river that revealed many sites of historical and archaeological significance in each watershed town.

The LRAC will continue to conduct further research and documentation of these areas, including funding professional work and collecting and preserving important documents. The goal will be to address one historical/archaeological feature in each town and where appropriate, develop access and on-site information for the public. Landowners will also be informed on how to find and protect historical sites and artifacts on their properties.

Recreation

Until recently, aside from the LRAC’s development of public parks at Wiswall Dam and Epping’s Route 87 bridge, there have been no efforts to create recreational opportunities on the Lamprey. Some areas are inaccessible and others are overused. The LRAC plans to proceed cautiously so recreational use will reflect its “Tread Lightly” philosophy toward providing for public enjoyment that does not degrade the river.

To this end, National Park Service Rivers and Trails staff will help the LRAC and towns develop the Lamprey’s first multi-town Recreational Tour, including implementation of first phase recreational facilities. This will enable towns, property owners and others to work cooperatively to develop more opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, walking, wildlife viewing, and other activities.

Project Review

The LRAC is charged with reviewing all projects requiring a state or federal permit that could impact the Lamprey River. With members from each of the four towns, it also closely follows river-related local issues such as proposed developments or changes in regulations.

In many instances, this will lead in the future, as it has in the past, to a cooperative effort among the town, the developer, and state and federal regulatory agencies that results in improvements to projects, making them more protective of the river and its corridor.

Outreach and Public Education

The LRAC strives to "speak for the river" and to help others to become its advocates as well. In the past decade, this has included working with schools in the watershed, creating public informational brochures, posting signs at river crossings, conducting workshops, and bringing displays to various public events.

In the coming years, this important work will continue with events, materials, building kiosks at reacreational or public vista points, workshops, and electronic media to convey the LRAC's goals and information about the river and to generate public participation in activities to promote enjoyment and protection of the Lamprey.