The Sunapee Area Watershed Coalition
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SAWC Announcement to appear in 2006 Town Reports
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Sunapee Area Watershed Coalition (SAWC) Update
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The above article is scheduled to be published in the 2006 Annual Town Reports of the towns of Goshen,
Newbury, New London, Springfield, Sunapee and Sutton.
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SAWC: The link between land use and water quality
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SAWC was organized in January, 2005 in the Sunapee Area to protect water quality, to
raise community awareness of important issues concerning the Lake Sunapee watershed
and surrounding areas, to formulate clear guidelines for responsible, long-term stewardship
of the water resources, and to promote cooperation among Sunapee watershed towns in
using the guidelines for the implementation of programs effective in addressing the salient
issues to the common benefit of the area communities. Since all water within the boundaries
of a watershed is connected, collaboration among watershed towns and residents is
essential when dealing with water issues. SAWC is made up of representatives from each
watershed town (Goshen, Newbury, New London, Springfield, Sunapee and Sutton), the
Lake Sunapee Protective Association, Colby Sawyer College, Upper Valley Lake
Sunapee Regional Planning Commission, 13 lake and pond associations and interested
watershed residents, as well as DES. The inter-town Coalition was formed to develop a
long-term watershed management plan for the Lake Sunapee watershed. When
completed, it will be one of the first watershed management plans in the State of New
Hampshire.
During 2006, SAWC made strides toward its goal. There are three subcommittees each
focused on a distinct subject for watershed planning: Land Use, Water Quality, and
Education.
Three projects were initiated and are either complete or soon to be:
• Water Quality Model, which will take watershed input variables such as the number of
residences, and predict resulting phosphorus loading in water bodies;
• Town by town building and site regulation assessment, with sample and
recommended regulations;
• Updated build-out analysis of the Sunapee watershed.
These projects are supported by a DES Pilot Grant. During 2007, SAWC Subcommittees
will use the data from these projects to move forward with recommendations to the towns
and the public.
During 2007, SAWC will have a Watershed Planning Committee, which will work
specifically on the Watershed Plan. The watershed planning process is assisted by Granite
State Rural Water Association, who will help SAWC through the process, write the plan,
and provide initial implementation support on the plan recommendations. From the
beginning through present, the Sunapee area towns have been periodically updated with
SAWC’s activities and progress. The ultimate goal is to have the Watershed Plan, with its
recommendations, accepted by the towns into their Master Plans, and act as a living
document during implementation.
