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Water Integration for Squamscott-Exeter (WISE) Preliminary Integrated Plan

Water Integration for Squamscott-Exeter (WISE) Preliminary Integrated Plan

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New Hampshire coastal communities have experienced rising populations resulting in an increase in development and stormwater and wastewater discharge to the Great Bay. As communities respond to new federal permit requirements for treating and discharging stormwater and wastewater, meeting regulatory requirements requires innovative ways to find effective and affordable means to meet water quality goals. The neighboring towns of Stratham, Newfields, and Exeter, New Hampshire share a history of collaboration. They share a regional school district, management of hazardous waste, and town recreation programs. More recently, representatives from the Towns of Stratham and Exeter have been working together to discuss sharing water and wastewater infrastructure and services. Integrated Planning for nutrient management could be a logical next step.

This Plan is intended to serve as a guide for the towns of Exeter, Stratham and Newfields to support nitrogen load reduction, permit compliance, and ultimately ecosystem recovery in the Great Bay estuary which could fulfill permit requirements for a Nitrogen Control Plan. Municipal officials in each community could use the plan to guide local and watershed decisions around water quality and permit compliance. Detailed analyses of alternatives, calculated load reduction and associated costs, coupled with monitoring and tracking to document progress provide assurance that selected actions will support overall permit compliance and restoration goals. Critical next steps are needed for EPA to accept this Plan to fulfill the Nitrogen Control Plan requirements for Exeter and overlapping MS4 requirements for both Stratham and Exeter.

Coordinating Team

  • Robert Roseen, Horsley Witten Group (formerly with Geosyntec Consultants)
  • Renee Bourdeau, Geosyntec Consultants
  • Doug Thompson, Consensus Building Institute
  • Cliff Sinnott, Rockingham Planning Commission
  • Steve Miller, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
  • Alison Watts, University of New Hampshire
  • Paul E. Stacey, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
  • Eric Roberts, Consensus Building Institute
  • Theresa Walker, Rockingham Planning Commission

Project Team

  • Jennifer Royce Perry, Exeter Public Works
  • Paul Vlasich, Town of Exeter
  • Lincoln Daly, Town of Stratham
  • Sylvia von Aulock, Town of Exeter
  • Paul Deschaine, Town of Stratham
  • Clay Mitchell, Town of Newfields
  • Don Clement, Town of Exeter
  • Mark Voorhees, MS4 Program
  • Dan Arsenault, Municipal Permits Section, EPA Region 1
  • Ted Diers, Watershed Management Bureau, NH DES
  • Richard Langan, NERRS Science Collaborative
  • Bill Meserve, Town of Newfields
  • Newton Tedder, MS4 Program
  • David Pincumbe, Municipal Permits Section, EPA Region 1
  • Matt Wood, NH DES
  • Kalle Matso, NERRS Science Collaborative
Citation

Roseen, Robert; Watts, Alison; Bourdeau, Renee; Stacey, Paul; Sinnott, Cliff; Walker, Theresa; Thompson, Doug; Roberts, Eric; and Miller, Steve, "Water Integration for Squamscott Exeter (WISE): Preliminary Integrated Plan, Final Technical Report" (2015). PREP Reports & Publications. 382. https://scholars.unh.edu/prep/382