On May 14, 2007 Governor Lynch signed HB 216 (Chapter 31, Laws of 2007) establishing a commission to study the causes, effects and remediation of siltation in the Great Bay Estuary. The commission’s duties include, in part, studying the historic and current sources of siltation in the estuary, studying the impacts of siltation upon the aquatic and riparian ecosystem, studying the recreational, social, and commercial uses of estuarine waters, studying methods of minimizing additional siltation, and evaluating the desirability of remediation. The commission is comprised of 21 members, including members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Senate, the Department of Environmental Services, the Pease Development Authority – Division of Ports and Harbors, the Fish and Game Department, the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the New Hampshire Estuaries Project, the University of New Hampshire, the Rockingham Planning Commission, the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, The Nature Conservancy, representatives from conservation commissions from towns in the Great Bay Estuary, representatives of water-related recreational interests, and representatives from water-dependent commercial interests. The commission is required to make an interim report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation on or before November 30, 2008, and make a final report on or before November 30, 2009.
At its inaugural meeting on September 12, 2007 the commission elected Representative Judith Spang as chairperson. The commission will hold monthly meetings that are open to the general public.
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Commission Information
- Final Report
- Final Report Appendices
- Commission’s Interim Report, November 2008
- HB 216, Chapter 31, full text
- Commission Members
- Subcommittee Workplans:
Meeting Information
Meeting Minutes:
- January 26, 2009
- December 1, 2008
- May 12, 2008
- April 7, 2008
- March 6, 2008
- January 28, 2008
- December 10, 2007
- November 19, 2007
- October 22, 2007
Presentations:
December 1, 2008:
- River Dynamics and Erosion [2.64 MB], Steve Couture, NHDES rivers coordinator
- Dredging and Dredge Material Management in New Hampshire, Chris Williams, NHDES Coastal Program Federal Consistency Coordinator
March 6 , 2008:
- Land Use Change: Extracts from the GRANIT Database, Fay Rubin, Complex Systems Research Center at UNH [4.65 MB]
January 28, 2008:
- Potential Effects of Siltation on Fish, Shellfish and Lobsters in Great Bay, Doug Grout, New Hampshire Fish and Game
December 10, 2007:
- Alteration of Terrain Proposed Rules, Ridgely Mauck, P.E., New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
November 19, 2007:
- Sediments and Stormwater Runoff to the Great Bay, Rob Roseen, University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center
October 22, 2007:
- Impacts of Sediment Loading and Siltation in the Great Bay Estuary, Fred Short, Jackson Estuarine Lab and the University of New Hampshire
September 12, 2007:
- Introduction to the Siltation Issue, Ted Diers, NHCP Manager
- Overview of Great Bay Estuary, Larry Ward, University of New Hampshire
Related Information:
- Pease Development Authority Division of Ports and Harbors 2006 Annual Dredge Report
- "A Summary Report of Sediment Processes in Chesapeake Bay and Watershed (Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4123)," US Geological Survey
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