The Sunapee Area Watershed Coalition
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The Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA) has been monitoring watershed lakes,
ponds and streams since the early 1950’s. Long-term trends show that while water quality
still remains good in many respects, levels of phosphorus are steadily increasing. We have
actually begun to see some effects of increased phosphorus in the form of slippery growth on
rocks, clouds of floating green algae and strands of aquatic plants along the shoreline. The
increased popularity of the area, accompanied by new homes and development, raises
serious questions as to our ability to maintain the quality of our surface and ground water.
Build-Out Analysis – Phase I
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In an effort to better understand the impacts a more developed watershed might have on
water quality, a “build-out” analysis was undertaken by the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee
Regional Planning Commission in 1994. The first phase of this study projected how much the
use of the watershed could potentially grow if all possible land were developed according to
local zoning regulations in place at that time. The analysis found that:
In 1994
· 46% of the watershed was still developable
· 7,226 additional housing lots were developable
· the population could reach 25,000 (from 6,500)
Build-Out Analysis – Phase II
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Phase II looked at the impact a completely “built-out” watershed might have on water
quality – looking specifically at the nutrient phosphorus. A computer model was used to
estimate additional loads of phosphorus that might be expected with increases in population
and overall watershed development. The modeling results showed phosphorus loads would
probably more than triple – with a majority of that phosphorus coming from residential
sources as non-point pollution.
Taking the Next Step: Watershed Management
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So what do we do now? In
recent years, a scientific
consensus has developed that
watersheds are the natural
and best unit of management
for water resources.
Traditionally, management
has followed political
boundaries, that define towns
and counties, rather than
ecosystem boundaries of a
watershed. As a result,
management has often been
fragmented and incomplete,
with a town focusing only on
activities within its borders.
With an understanding that all
water in a watershed is
connected, the importance of
collaboration among
watershed residents becomes
clear.
Inventory and Identify
Problems
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Build a Project Team
and Gain Public
Support
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Set Goals and
Identify Solutions
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Measure Success and
Make Adjustments
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While each plan is
tailored to a specific
watershed, most
plans share these
common components
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Planning at the watershed level
brings together individuals,
businesses, associations and
municipalities to address and
identify local issues that affect the
watershed. The end result is an
actin plan which provides a
guideline for long term planning
for growth of the area. Hundreds
of watershed management plans
are already in effect around the
country, in watersheds big and
small.
This group has formed in our
watershed to begin the process
of creating a watershed action
plan. Part of the process will be
to collect individual and
community input. If you would
like further information, please
contact us at:
sunapeewatershed@earthlink.net
Reprinted from The Lake Sunapee Watershed, June 2003, with permission from Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA)
The Waukewan Watershed Advisory Committee
(WWAC) Management Plan
With participation from each of the five communities comprising the Lake Waukewan
Watershed (Ashland, Center harbor, Holderness, Meredith and New Hampton), a
sixteen-member volunteer Watershed Advisory Committee (WAC) was established to identify
and assess threats to water quality throughout the watershed.
The Committee has completed several tasks leading to the completion of a management plan
for the watershed including the identification and prioritization of activities that represent
potential threats to water quality and management strategies aimed at reducing threats to water
quality. On September 12, 2005the Waukewan Watershed Advisory Committee presented
the Management Plan for the Lake Waukewan Watershed to the Meredith Board of
Selectmen. The plan includes a detailed assessment of existing water quality data and over 65
strategies or recommended actions. Following an informative presentation, the Board of
Selectmen voted to accept the plan and tasked the Committee to draft an amendment to the
advisory committee's charge with an emphasis on plan implementation. The Committee's next
priority is to present and distribute the plan to the watershed communities (Ashland, Center
Harbor, Holderness, Meredith, New Hampton), community organizations and other interested
stakeholders. Copies of the plan will also be placed in the public libraries of each of the five
towns for public review. The plan is also available on CD from the Meredith Planning
Department (279-4538) at no charge.
SAWC: The link between land use and water quality
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Updated Build-Out Analysis
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An update of the above mentioned build-out analysis was completed by UVLSRPC in
December, 2006. Click below to download a Word (R) file of the complete text, and pdf
files of illustrations.
