Nashua River Watershed Association
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Source Water Stewardship Project

Squannacook-Nissitissit combined sub-basin
Trust for Public Land

Protecting Tomorrow's Water:
The Squannacook-Nissitissit Source Water Stewardship Project
for the Nashua River Watershed in Massachusetts & New Hampshire

In 2001, the Trust for Public Land selected the Squannacook-Nissitissit combined sub-basin as one of four national sites to pilot a new Source Water Stewardship Demonstration Project. Through the project, the Trust for Public Land is working with the Nashua River Watershed Association, the EPA, and its partners to identify opportunities to further protect drinking water in the combined sub-basin.

Intensive data analysis with modeling by University of Massachusetts provides a scientific basis that shows which forested parcels should receive highest priority for conservation, what areas most need restoration using riparian forest buffers, and where stormwater management practices will yield the greatest improvements in water quality. The USDA Forest Service and Trust for Public Land are working with a broad coalition of water suppliers, land trusts, municipalities, and others brought together by the Nashua River Watershed Association to develop and prioritize action steps.

Exchange Week

In May of 2003, five nationally known experts met for one week in Groton, MA to delve into source water stewardship issues during National Drinking Water Week. The team addressed challenging questions like: What options can be instituted to engage private landowners? How can we better work and coordinate efforts across state lines?

Exchange Week included watershed tours, roundtables, forums, and focus groups and culminated with a set of recommendations generated by the experts. These recommendations will play a key role in shaping the Phase II implementation activities for the Source Water Stewardship Program.

More about the Exchange Week experts.

For more information on the Source Water demonstration projects, visit Trust for Public Land.