Salmon Falls Salmon Falls Watershed Watershed

Collaborative Collaborative Progress Report - Progress Report -

May 2011May 2011Paul Susca, NH DESPaul Susca, NH DES

Andy Tolman, ME CDCAndy Tolman, ME CDC

SFWC Project AreaSFWC Project Area

Salmon Falls River Salmon Falls River WatershedWatershed

Approx. 250 square mile Approx. 250 square mile coastal watershedcoastal watershed

Includes over a dozen Includes over a dozen towns in ME and NHtowns in ME and NH

Surface water and multiple Surface water and multiple groundwater public water groundwater public water systems within watershedsystems within watershed

Increasing development Increasing development pressures and degraded pressures and degraded water quality, but little water quality, but little watershed-wide focus to watershed-wide focus to datedate

SFWC Project Overview: SFWC Project Overview: the Planthe Plan

One-day workshop focused on defining One-day workshop focused on defining watershed-wide approaches and priorities watershed-wide approaches and priorities for source water projectionfor source water projection

Blueprint for actionBlueprint for action Post-workshop priority action Post-workshop priority action

implementationimplementation Timeline (18-21 months)Timeline (18-21 months)

Planning for workshop began November 2009Planning for workshop began November 2009 Workshop held October 27, 2010Workshop held October 27, 2010 6-12 months to implement low-cost, high 6-12 months to implement low-cost, high

priority actions after workshoppriority actions after workshop

Project ParticipantsProject Participants

Project lead: Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (contractor: Wells NERR)

Core planning team: MECDC, NHDES, EPA Region 1, City of Somersworth, MRWA, GSRWA

Multiple project partners via Basecamp incl. SWC reps (& Salter>Mitchell)

Workshop participants

Support We Requested Support We Requested from SWCfrom SWC

Financial Support ($5K): venue, Financial Support ($5K): venue, facilitator, post-workshop facilitator, post-workshop implementation projectimplementation project

SWC Member Support: encourage local SWC Member Support: encourage local members/affiliates participationmembers/affiliates participation Esp. GSRWA, MRWA, NHWWAEsp. GSRWA, MRWA, NHWWA

Salter>Mitchell assistanceSalter>Mitchell assistance Liaison to SWCLiaison to SWC Assist project planning teamAssist project planning team Post-workshop communication assistancePost-workshop communication assistance

Project TransferabilityProject Transferability

Watershed-wide approach involving Watershed-wide approach involving many partnersmany partners Local-regional-state partnersLocal-regional-state partners Bi-state collaborationBi-state collaboration Integrating source water protection with Integrating source water protection with

watershed planning and land conservation watershed planning and land conservation efforts efforts

New partnership opportunity: 28 coastal New partnership opportunity: 28 coastal watershed programs across the country watershed programs across the country are part of the USEPA National Estuary are part of the USEPA National Estuary Program Program

Workshop ResultsWorkshop Results

We identified many possible actions We identified many possible actions Compiled a matrix of opportunities Compiled a matrix of opportunities Planning Team developed priorities Planning Team developed priorities

(this took a while!) (this took a while!) Developing Action PlanDeveloping Action Plan

There were and are too many things we There were and are too many things we could be doing. Rather than let the could be doing. Rather than let the energy dissipate like waves on a beach, energy dissipate like waves on a beach, we’re digging channels.we’re digging channels.

Action Plan expected within a few monthsAction Plan expected within a few months

Post-Workshop PrioritiesPost-Workshop Priorities Low Impact DevelopmentLow Impact Development

Field trips: LID examples and UNH Stormwater CenterField trips: LID examples and UNH Stormwater Center NEMO and Forging the LinkNEMO and Forging the Link Sponsor LID demonstration projectsSponsor LID demonstration projects Resources on SFWC webpageResources on SFWC webpage

Assist municipalities to develop & adopt ordinancesAssist municipalities to develop & adopt ordinances Drinking water/aquifer/source water protectionDrinking water/aquifer/source water protection Conservation subdivision, LID, stormwaterConservation subdivision, LID, stormwater

Support land conservation organizations efforts to Support land conservation organizations efforts to conserve lands with water quality benefits.conserve lands with water quality benefits.

Identify potential threats and sources of Identify potential threats and sources of contamination to public water supplies to guide contamination to public water supplies to guide planning and mitigation. planning and mitigation.

Meanwhile . . .Meanwhile . . .

Website hosted by PREP Website hosted by PREP www.prep.unh.edu/sfwc.htmwww.prep.unh.edu/sfwc.htm

E-NewsletterE-Newsletter PREP obtained grant from NHDESPREP obtained grant from NHDES NRCS conservation assistance planNRCS conservation assistance plan AWWA is a bright spotAWWA is a bright spot Field trips planned for summer 2011Field trips planned for summer 2011 Resources are limitedResources are limited

Acton Wakefield Acton Wakefield Watersheds AllianceWatersheds Alliance

Lake Summit June 11 “Clean Lakes Lake Summit June 11 “Clean Lakes Campaign”Campaign”

Bringing together nine headwaters lake Bringing together nine headwaters lake groupsgroups

Key Collaborative members participatingKey Collaborative members participating Goal: Motivate lake groups to take action to Goal: Motivate lake groups to take action to

protect protect theirtheir water quality (which will water quality (which will benefit downstream watershed)benefit downstream watershed)

Toolkit and instructions are part of the Toolkit and instructions are part of the packagepackage

2011 Summer Field Trips2011 Summer Field Trips

LID/Stormwater (ME & NH)LID/Stormwater (ME & NH) Wildlife & water quality (Maine)Wildlife & water quality (Maine) York & Kittery (ME) source water York & Kittery (ME) source water

protection & conservation hikeprotection & conservation hike Water communications workshops Water communications workshops

with Eric Eckl “Water Words That with Eric Eckl “Water Words That Work”Work”

Evening on the Salmon Falls River Evening on the Salmon Falls River with Eric Eckl and other inviteeswith Eric Eckl and other invitees

National-Level Assistance National-Level Assistance NeededNeeded

Funding for land conservation (or guidance from Funding for land conservation (or guidance from land conservation organizations and funding land conservation organizations and funding sources (NRCS, etc.) to identify the best funding sources (NRCS, etc.) to identify the best funding opportunities)opportunities)

Financial support to enable PREP to provide direct Financial support to enable PREP to provide direct assistance to municipalities on ordinance assistance to municipalities on ordinance developmentdevelopment

Financial support for state RWA SWP circuit Financial support for state RWA SWP circuit ridersriders

Information on value of source water protection – Information on value of source water protection – specific to Salmon Falls Watershedspecific to Salmon Falls Watershed Ecosystem services analysis?Ecosystem services analysis?