Wild and Scenic Riverbank Surveys: Information is Key to Action
In the summer of 2020, at the direction of the Nashua River Wild & Scenic River (W&SR) Stewardship Council, riverbank surveys were done on nearly all of the W&SR designated sections of the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers. Over 52 miles of surveys were conducted by W&SR Stewardship Council members and Al Futterman, who serves both as Nashua River Watershed Association Land Programs Director and as Outreach and Project Coordinator for the Stewardship Council.
Undertaken by boat, or by walking in the river and on its banks, these surveys are a visual assessment or inventory of the waterway and its adjacent land use. They are meant to assess the health of the waterway and its immediate corridor by noting general characteristics as well as problems and potential opportunities. Establishing a baseline can be a first step toward recognizing actions that need to be taken to maintain or improve the waterway and the land that serves as its buffer.
Of most interest was how varied the rivers are as they fluctuate from mile to mile, from day to day, and from season to season. The upper Nissitissit River in portions of Brookline was nearly unnavigable this summer, and a great many tires were encountered. The upper Squannacook had so many obstacles—logjams, blowdown trees, and snags—as to make for a serious challenge to boating. The water clarity of these two rivers was clearer than the mainstem Nashua. Fish and other wildlife were frequently seen. While invasive plants were encountered on all three rivers, nowhere were vast monocultures seen. Eroded and undercut banks—mostly naturally occurring--were evidenced on all three rivers, but their impacts have yet to be determined. In a few places, there was a bit of an industrial feel, but in most places a “wild and scenic” atmosphere prevailed. Some highlights were the intact floodplain forests in those long stretches of protected lands like J. Harry Rich State Forest, Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, and the Squannacook and Nissitissit Wildlife Management Areas.
“It is always such a pleasure to be on the river,” stated Beth Suedmeyer, W&SR Council member from Ayer. “Participating in the shoreline survey afforded me an opportunity to look at the river— its shoreline, vegetation, banks, floodplains, and confluences with tributaries— in a more comprehensive manner and consider the interplay between the river and the natural and human-induced processes around it.”
“The natural beauty of these rivers is an invaluable asset to the region,” commented Neil Angus, Environmental Planner at Devens Enterprise Commission. “It was great to get out on the Nashua with Al to take part in these surveys to help identify the river’s strengths, vulnerabilities, and opportunities in order to better inform the future actions of the W&SR Council.”
The information collected while doing these surveys will influence immediate, as well as short and long-term, stewardship actions. Such actions could include organizing a river cleanup, restoring an eroded bank, removing invasive plants, or pursuing a riverside walking path. The goal in the end is to maintain and protect a healthy wild and scenic river system that benefits wildlife and humans alike.
Undertaken by boat, or by walking in the river and on its banks, these surveys are a visual assessment or inventory of the waterway and its adjacent land use. They are meant to assess the health of the waterway and its immediate corridor by noting general characteristics as well as problems and potential opportunities. Establishing a baseline can be a first step toward recognizing actions that need to be taken to maintain or improve the waterway and the land that serves as its buffer.
Of most interest was how varied the rivers are as they fluctuate from mile to mile, from day to day, and from season to season. The upper Nissitissit River in portions of Brookline was nearly unnavigable this summer, and a great many tires were encountered. The upper Squannacook had so many obstacles—logjams, blowdown trees, and snags—as to make for a serious challenge to boating. The water clarity of these two rivers was clearer than the mainstem Nashua. Fish and other wildlife were frequently seen. While invasive plants were encountered on all three rivers, nowhere were vast monocultures seen. Eroded and undercut banks—mostly naturally occurring--were evidenced on all three rivers, but their impacts have yet to be determined. In a few places, there was a bit of an industrial feel, but in most places a “wild and scenic” atmosphere prevailed. Some highlights were the intact floodplain forests in those long stretches of protected lands like J. Harry Rich State Forest, Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, and the Squannacook and Nissitissit Wildlife Management Areas.
“It is always such a pleasure to be on the river,” stated Beth Suedmeyer, W&SR Council member from Ayer. “Participating in the shoreline survey afforded me an opportunity to look at the river— its shoreline, vegetation, banks, floodplains, and confluences with tributaries— in a more comprehensive manner and consider the interplay between the river and the natural and human-induced processes around it.”
“The natural beauty of these rivers is an invaluable asset to the region,” commented Neil Angus, Environmental Planner at Devens Enterprise Commission. “It was great to get out on the Nashua with Al to take part in these surveys to help identify the river’s strengths, vulnerabilities, and opportunities in order to better inform the future actions of the W&SR Council.”
The information collected while doing these surveys will influence immediate, as well as short and long-term, stewardship actions. Such actions could include organizing a river cleanup, restoring an eroded bank, removing invasive plants, or pursuing a riverside walking path. The goal in the end is to maintain and protect a healthy wild and scenic river system that benefits wildlife and humans alike.
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