Local Coalition Receives Funding for Water Quality Testing
North Hampton, Stratham, Greenland Communities to Benefit
Greenland, N.H. – The Winnicut River Watershed Coalition, an initiative of the New Hampshire Rivers Council, has received a two-year grant from the New Hampshire Coastal Program at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to conduct water quality and biological monitoring on the Winnicut River and its tributaries in the towns of North Hampton, Stratham and Greenland, beginning in June 2011.
Several sections of the Winnicut River are affected by one or more pollutants that impact swimming, fishing and boating, as well as aquatic wildlife habitat. At as many as 12 sites, testing will be conducted for nitrogen, harmful bacteria, and water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH (acidity) and conductivity. The Winnicut River is the only main tributary unimpeded by dams that flows directly to Great Bay.
“With a larger snapshot of the river’s condition throughout the watershed—the area of land that drains to the Winnicut—we hope to gain a greater understanding of the local impacts of stormwater runoff, which in turn will allow us to provide even greater water quality education and outreach to our citizens,” said Jean Eno, project director.
“Ultimately, people and wildlife need and benefit from the Winnicut and Great Bay being clean and healthy,” said Michele L. Tremblay, president, New Hampshire Rivers Council. “Our state’s economy and the health of its people depend on it, and involving citizens in these initiatives is cost effective and creates long lasting results.”
- Those interested in volunteering should contact Jean Eno at jeno@nhrivers.org. More information can be found online at www.nhrivers.org.
Grant funding was provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Coastal Program.
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