IV. Summary and Recommendations
The Swift River possesses a variety of significant state and local resources which qualify the river for designation into the Rivers Management and Protection Program. To better protect and manage these resources, the Department of Environmental Services recommends the following:
Recommendation 1: The General Court should adopt legislation which designates the mainstem of the Swift River into the Rivers Management and Protection Program and classifies the Swift River as a "Natural River" from its headwaters to the Albany-Conway town line and a "Rural River" in the town of Conway.
Under the provisions of the protection measure amendments to RSA Ch. 483, a designation will provide increased protection for the river against new dam construction, damaging channel alterations, water quality impairment, and the siting of solid and hazardous waste facilities near the river. A designation will also require the establishment of a protected instream flow to maintain the minimum amount of water in the river that is necessary to safeguard public trust resources, including fisheries, water quality, recreation, and scenic values. A Local Rivers Management Advisory Committee will be established to coordinate local issues related to the protection and management of the river and will provide local residents with a direct avenue for formal input to state decisions that affect the river. Finally, a designation will result in the development of a long-range management plan for the river that coordinates state planning and management of fisheries, water quality and quantity, and recreation.
A "Natural River" classification is recommended for the Swift River from its headwaters to the Albany-Conway town line. Under the proposed amendments to RSA Ch. 483, natural rivers are defined as "free-flowing rivers or segments characterized by the high quality of natural and scenic resources. River shorelines are in primarily natural vegetation and river corridors are generally undeveloped. Development, if any, is limited to scattered housing and forest management." The only existing exception to the definition of a natural river is the proximity of the Kancamagus Highway to the river in some locations, however, the presence of the road does not detract from the overall natural character of this segment of the Swift River.
In the town of Conway, a "Rural River" classification is recommended for the Swift River. Under the protection measure amendments to RSA Ch. 483, rural rivers are "those rivers or segments adjacent to lands which are partially or predominantly used for agriculture, forest management, and dispersed or clustered residential housing." In the town of Conway, the Swift River meets the definition of a rural river: in this segment the river flows past a more developed river corridor than that upstream, and is crossed by both a railroad and road before joining the Saco River.
The designation of the Swift River as both a "Natural" and "Rural" River under the Rivers Management and Protection Program will clearly express the intent of the General Court with regard to the protection and management of the over and will focus attention on the river as a natural resource of both statewide and local significance. This attention will help to insure greater scrutiny of plans and proposals which have the potential to significantly after or destroy those river values and characteristics which qualify the river for designation.
Recommendation 2: The towns of Albany and Conway should continue to work toward the protection of the Swift River through the adoption of local river corridor management plans, Including comprehensive shoreland protection ordinances.
While a state designation will improve the protection and management of the river itself, continuing local efforts will be needed to address the use and conservation of the river corridor. A growing recognition by local citizens of the Swift River's valuable contribution to the overall quality of life in the Mt. Washington Valley is evidenced by their desire to see it designated into the state program. Citizen concern and appreciation should be reflected in the decisions and actions of local government officials. Upon request, the Department of Environmental Services will provide technical assistance to the towns of Albany and Conway on the development of local river corridor management plans and comprehensive shoreland protection ordinances.
In summary, the establishment of a clear policy and specific instream protection measures by the General Court, and a continuing commitment on the part of local governments and residents to manage and protect the river corridor through sound land use decisions will ensure that the outstanding resources of the Swift River will "endure as part of the river uses to be enjoyed by New Hampshire people."