Nashua Regional Planning Commission Online







Souhegan River Watershed Mitigation Planning The Nashua Regional Planning Commission was awarded $50,000 through the NH Dept. of Transportation’s Statewide Planning and Research (SPR) program to develop a model for integrating transportation, land use, and environmental planning based on Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Infrastructure Projects.

What is Ecological?	The Eco-Logical planning framework was created by the Federal Highway Administration and is a collaborative planning process that agencies and partners undertake to define ecological resources of highest concern, understand where their work interacts, and recommend locally appropriate strategies for mitigating the impacts of infrastructure improvements. The Eco-Logical planning model consists of an eight-step iterative process that builds on the pursuit of common activities. With each step, the rationale for future planning and development decisions is strengthened and the responsiveness to both infrastructures and ecosystem needs is improved.

What steps did NRPC take to develop the model?	NRPC began this process by building and strengthening collaborative partnerships among a broad array of stakeholders to identify where interests and concerns overlap and to form the basis for an integrated planning process. Next, NRPC identified and reviewed management plans currently available through the stakeholders and create an overlay of important resources, transportation projects, and other significant features. The maps and accompanying text formed the Regional Ecosystem Framework (REF), which documents proposed projects, conservation opportunities, and goals. Stakeholders can then use the REF to determine whether a project is likely to significantly affect important ecological resources and identify where infrastructure impacts may be avoided or where mitigation would be most effective. The relative importance of projects and ecological values will be determined based on decisions made earlier in the integrated planning process, including criteria that the stakeholder group deemed most appropriate for the watershed. Ultimately, projects will be designed in a manner consistent with the REF.

Where did NRPC focus the model and why?	NRPC will focus on the Souhegan River Watershed, an ecosystem that is facing numerous threats to both water quality and quantity from future highway improvement projects, stormwater runoff concerns, scattered residential development, and numerous wetland crossings. In fact, the State Transportation Improvements Plan identifies 15 specific projects within the watershed, including NH 101, NH 101A, and FEE Turnpike improvements. Click here to view a map of the proposed projects.
	Yet while the Souhegan River Watershed faces many threats, it has also received considerable attention from government agencies, communities, and non-profit organizations over the past 10 years. The level of analysis that has gone into these planning efforts provides an ideal opportunity to synthesize and be strategic in our approach to projects in the Souhegan River watershed.

What are the benefits of using this approach?	This approach provides a great deal of predictability to stakeholders with regard to which projects are ultimately implemented. At the same time, an adaptive management process will ensure that as new information becomes available, agencies can look beyond the project horizon to consider how the information can be applied to promote long-term sustainability.

What is the ultimate goal of this project?	The ultimate goal is to use the Eco-Logical process to strengthen collaboration, partnerships, and data-sharing among stakeholders; identify potential impacts of specific projects on the watershed; develop proposed mitigation strategies; and create a model framework of integrated planning for NH. The integrated planning process will allow stakeholders within a watershed to collaborate and participate in developing sustainable planning goals and priorities, and will ensure that projects are designed and mitigated in the most responsible manner possible.

Final Documents	Final Report Figure 3 ~ Environmental resources Figure 4 ~ Co-occurrences of environmental resources Figure 5 ~ Mitigation site characteristics Figure 6 ~ Mitgation co-occurrences and resource criteria Figure 7 ~ Priority mitigation areas Table 7 ~ Priority mitigation areas Table 8 ~ Resource values and site selection Appendix 1 ~ Stakeholders' Meeting Minutes Appendix 2 ~ Development Review Checklist Appendix 3 ~ Cover Appendix 3 ~ Amherst mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Bedford mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Greenfield mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Greenville mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Lyndeborough mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Merrimack mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Milford mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Mont Vernon mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ New Boston mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ New Ipswich mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Temple mitigation sites Appendix 3 ~ Wilton mitigation sites Appendix 4 ~ Map, lot, and sublot information for parcels within priority mitigation area

Contact Us	For more information please contact Minda Shaheen or Julie Chizmas.





Search Links	Nashua Regional Planning Commission 9 Executive Park Drive, Suite 201 Merrimack, NH 03054 Phone ~ 603.424.2240 \| Fax ~ 603.424.2230	Exchange \| Remote