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Subbasins - Nissitissit
Geographic & Ecosystem Characteristics | Land Ownership & Land Use Patterns
Major Water Resource Issues | Recreation & Priority Habitat Areas
Resource Protection Goals & Recommended Actions
 

Land Area: 60.5 sq miles or ~ 38,764 acres
Permanently Protected Land Area: 1,583 acres or 7%
Limited Protection Land Area (Chap. 61, etc.): 1,259 acres
River length: 9.2 miles
Feeder Streams: Beaver, Gulf, Rocky Pond and Sucker Brooks

% Imperviousness: 7.7%
Land Use:
# of discharge permits: none
Most threatened waterbodies: Potanipo Pond
# of MA NHESP* Priority Habitat Sites:
 
       
Location within the Nashua River Watershed Water Resources Habitat Analysis
Open Space Water Resources Natural Heritage
Limited Protection Water Resources Recreation
       

Geographic Overview and Ecosystem Characteristics: Located in the "fuzzy" zone of Southern New England Coastal Plains and Hills ecoregion1 of north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, this area drains southeasterly into the main stem Nashua River just north of Pepperell center. The Massachusetts communities of Pepperell and Townsend lie wholly or partially within the Nissitissit subbasin as do the New Hampshire communities of Brookline, Hollis, Mason, and Milford. The topography ranges from "upland plateaus" in the headwater section to more gently rolling, hilly terrain to generally flat "coastal plain" lowland river valleys in the southeast.

Designated an Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) in Massachusetts, the Nissitissit River is a high value aquatic riverine ecosystem with high aesthetic quality and great wildlife habitat. Further, the subbasin has the distinction of being the focus of the Squannacook-Nissitissit Rivers Sanctuary Act (MGL 132A:17) passed in 1975 and intended to protect the ORWs of these two river basins from degradation by new discharges of pollution. Streamflow, as in most of New England, has significant seasonal changes.

Largely because its headwaters tributary streams drain an area that is heavily forested and little developed — namely, the Badger Hill/Spaulding Brook area in Brookline and Mason, New Hampshire and the Townsend State Forest in Massachusetts — the main stem of the Nissitissit River is a cold, clean, well-oxygenated stream that is frequently cited as prime habitat for native brook trout and five listed rare species. Important habitat areas include: Townsend State Forest, Gulf Brook, Heald Pond, Townsend Hill, Nissitissit Hills, Kimball Farm, and Bancroft Brook Headwaters. Sucker Brook is a cold-water fishery containing native Eastern Brook Trout and is stocked with trout as is Gulf Brook. Mine Brook is also a cold-water fishery.

Due to conservation efforts, nearly 50% of the entire length of the Nissitissit River has a 300 foot vegetated buffer strip. There is particularly strong land protection focus in Brookline, NH.
Indeed, given its high quality there is consideration of designating New Hampshire Scenic Status to the Nissitissit River.

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Land Ownership and Land Use2 Patterns: The land-use pattern is concentrated settlements and strip development with much of the sub-basin little developed and containing areas of privately owned open spaces as well as a small percentage of protected land in Beaver Brook Association, Townsend State Forest, the Nissitissit River Wildlife Management Area, and municipal or state holdings. The geographic area is experiencing elevated and considerable residential development pressure and land use change (forest fragmentation, loss of agricultural fields). Low percentage (less than 8%)3 of total impervious surfaces - namely, paved areas such as streets, driveways, parking lots -- for this whole subbasin indicates that concerns of compromised stormwater and other non-point sources4 of contaminants (for example: pesticides, fertilizers, oils, asphalt, pet wastes, salt, sediment, litter and other debris) is not a pressing concern.

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Major Water Resource Issues: This sub-basin as a whole contains important headwaters and high quality groundwater that are under intense development pressure which poses a threat to the future quantity and quality of the resource. As for other issues and
areas warranting attention, Heald Pond is in an eutrophic state and contains noxious plants. Invasive weed infestation on Lake Potanapo needs to be addressed: indeed, various alternatives are presently being considered by the Brookline Conservation Commission and others. According to the 1998 Nashua River Watershed Report Card, the Nissitissit River below the impoundment is rated as partially supportive of biology.5

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Recreation and Priority Habitat Areas: Largely because its headwaters and tributary streams drain an area that is heavily forested and little developed—namely, the Badger Hill/Spaulding Brook area in Brookline and Mason, New Hampshire and the Townsend State Forest in Massachusetts — the main stem of the Nissitissit River is a cold, clean, well-oxygenated stream that is frequently cited as prime habitat for native brook trout.

The entire length of the Nissitissit in Massachusetts is identified as Natural Heritage Priority Habitat for five listed species. Indeed, 55% of this subbasin (in the Massachusetts portion) is considered to be a Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Project (MA NHESP) BioMap core or supporting area (37% and 18% respectively).

Sucker Brook supports Native Eastern Brook Trout as well as stocked trout. Gulf Brook in Townsend is a cold-water fishery and is also stocked with trout. Mine Brook is a cold water fishery (and there is no data on another major tributary, Beaver Brook). The Nissitissit, like the Squannacook River, is identified by aquatic biologists, anglers, entomologists, and land protection professionals as one of the highest quality stretches of aquatic habitat in the watershed. Important habitat areas include: Townsend State Forest, Gulf Brook, Heald Pond, Townsend Hill, Nissitissit Hills, Kimball Farm, and Bancroft Brook Headwaters.

In particular, conservation of riverfront lands is highly important, as a riverine "greenway" acts as a vegetated buffer to protect water quality and wildlife habitat, to prevent flood damage, and to provide outstanding recreation opportunities. Due to conservation efforts, nearly 50% of the entire length of the Nissitissit River has a 300 foot vegetated buffer strip. There is particularly strong land protection focus in Brookline, NH. Indeed, given its high quality there is consideration of designating New Hampshire Scenic River Status to the Nissitissit River. Over 70% of this subbasin (in the Massachusetts portion) falls within the proposed Squannassit Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) nomination.

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Resource Protection Goals and Recommended Actions

GOAL: Protect wildlife habitat and migration corridors in the subbasin.

  • Land protection efforts to focus on: Sucker Brook, Heald Pond, Coon Tree Pond, and Gulf Brook; and, most importantly, the Belmont Spring aquifer area: in the latter case, establish a proactive committee to pursue negotiations with the landowners.
  • Sponsor local events to raise public understanding about native wildlife and the impacts of development patterns on ecosystem and habitat integrity.
  • Work with local conservation commissions to gain their backing of natural resource and habitat inventories.

GOAL: Protect high-priority open space, vistas, and community character in the subbasin.

  • Encourage the use of MA Executive Order 418* funding for Open Space and Resource Protection Plans for each Massachusetts community in the Nissitissit subbasin.
  • Conduct public education sessions to promote local passage of Community Preservation Act*.
  • Work toward ideal of at least 25-50% protected open space in each municipality.
  • Work with municipal officials to develop subdivision standards that require proponents to devote at least 50% of land (not including already undevelopable wet or steep land) for open space conservation and encourage mixed-use development and cluster zoning by-right bylaws.
  • Support efforts of the Squannassit Regional Reserve Initiative* (facilitated by the NRWA) and the Squannassit ACEC nomination which encompasses much of this subbasin.
  • Encourage municipalities to adopt and enforce "Scenic River Protection" type bylaws* (similar to Townsend's river protection bylaw).

GOAL: Increase recreational opportunities throughout the subbasin.

  • Improve canoeing, fishing, and swimming opportunities by removing weeds from water bodies.
  • Educate the public and municipal departments (especially Public Works Depts.) on efforts relating to invasive species identification and removal.

GOAL: Improve water quality in the subbasin.

  • Support source water protection efforts of local communities, land trusts, and water suppliers.
  • Extend the Squannacook-Nissitissit Sanctuary Act* into the New Hampshire portion of the watershed.
  • Identify the major sources of phosphate inputs to the river and work with communities to address the problem.
  • Assess and eliminate contamination of surface and ground water caused by human activities.
  • Identify the degree of threat from potential faulty/ illicitly discharging septic systems, which may result in bacterial and nutrient contamination of nearby streams and groundwater.
  • Inventory, monitor and improve stormwater drainage structures.
  • Identify underground storage tanks (USTs) and work to have them removed.

GOAL: Reduce negative effects of development in this subbasin.

  • Help local volunteer board members responsible for development and land-use rulemaking and enforcement get technical assistance and information regarding techniques to control/guide land use and development balanced with adequate resource protection (e.g., Citizens Planner Training Collaborative6 workshop offerings).
  • Monitor increased imperviousness, both direct and indirect riparian zone alterations, and uncontrolled runoff from construction sites to prevent increased stream temperature and sedimentation through macroinvertebrate sampling performed by volunteer stream team monitors.
  • Increase or establish staff hours of municipal conservation agents to more effectively monitor construction sites runoff and assist with the preparation of bylaws such as erosion-sedimentation controls.

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* See glossary.

1 Ecoregions are areas with generally similar climate, bedrock geology, soils, vegetation, and shape of the land. The Worcester Plateau (or Monadnock Upland) has granite and schist bedrock and is cooler than the more moderate Southern New England Coastal Plains and Hills ecoregion, which has glacial till and outwash deposits for bedrock. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts considers this physiographic region the "Central Upland" region.

2 "Land Use" description at http://www.state.ma.us/mgis/lus.htm

3 An area with less than 8% impervious surfaces is considered "sensitive" or what one would say is a relatively pristine environment; 8 - 12% is considered "partially threatened"; 12 - 20% is considered "threatened"; and more than 20% is considered "non-supporting" or urbanized. Further, a "sensitive stream" (impervious cover < 10%) is considered to have excellent biodiversity and water quality and a stable bank. An "impacted stream" (impervious cover 10 - 25%) has fair to good biodiversity and water quality and an increasingly unstable channel. "Non-supporting streams" (impervious cover 25 - 30%) have poor to no biodiversity and water quality. (Based on the Center for Watershed Protection's "Rapid Watershed Assessment Handbook" protocol). The figures cited in the narrative are based on NRW Estimated Impervious Cover by Sub-basin based on '85/'92 Land Use: MDC '98 Methods Estimate by Bruce Bayne and Jo Anne Carr of the EOEA Nashua River Watershed Team.

4 Non-point source pollution, also known as polluted runoff, is the single largest source of water pollution nationwide. Polluted runoff is the result of rain or melting snow carrying pollutants or sediments from the land to the water. Polluted runoff results in water pollution from land-disturbing activities like agriculture, forestry, mining and urban development.


5 According to the Center for Watershed Protection's Rapid Watershed Assessment Handbook protocol, an area with less than 10% (8 - 12%) impervious surfaces is considered "partially threatened; less than 8% is considered "sensitive" or what one would say is a relatively pristine environment;" 12 - 20% is considered "threatened"; and more than 20% is considered "non-supporting" or urbanized. The figures cited in the narrative are based on NRW Estimated Impervious Cover by Sub-basin based on '85/'92 Land Use: MDC '98 Methods Estimate by Bruce Bayne and Jo Anne Carr of the EOEA Nashua River basin team.

6 Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC) http://www.umass.edu/masscptc/

 
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