CHARTER
Problem
Statement
Population growth
and accompanying development over the past 20 years have led to
an increase in ground-water use from surficial and fractured-bedrock
aquifers in southeastern New Hampshire. New roads, parking lots,
buildings, homes, and other development-related changes have created
impervious surfaces that decrease recharge to aquifers. The combined
effects of the recharge losses and increased withdrawals raise serious
questions about the sustainability of the ground-water resources
in the region.
Project Overview
The Sustainability
of Ground Water Resources in Southeastern New Hampshire is a joint
project between the NH Geological Survey (NHGS), the Office of State
Planning (OSP), Department of Environmental Services (DES), US Geological
Survey (USGS) and the communities of southeastern NH. The purpose
of the study is to provide communities, planners and industry with
new tools and data they need to make informed decisions about water
supply and to plan for future growth. The project will cover all
42 communities in the coastal watershed and will provide several
products to those communities, including:
- A report
describing the water use by user type and land use component in
their community
- An estimation
of water supply based on available data and professional judgement
- Information
from monitoring wells, streamgages, and other basic hydrologic
data
- Surficial
geology maps and data for the study area
- Access to
data developed for their community on historic water use and supply
- Development
and evaluation of a regional ground-water model as a tool for
water supply planning
Groundwater
Project Advisory Team (GPAT)
Membership in
the GPAT will be representative of the communities of southeastern
NH, water resource consultants, water suppliers, and planners. The
role of the GPAT is threefold:
- To provide
input to NHGS, DES, USGS and OSP on technical approaches and products
that will maximize the applicability of project results to community,
planning and industry needs;
- To provide
information and recommendations that will assist in carrying out
the project in an efficient and expeditious manner; and
- To assist
in disseminating project progress and ultimate products to a larger
audience.
The work of
the GPAT will be conducted through 2-3 meetings per year over the
proposed three year life of the project. Members of the GPAT will
agree to:
- Attend meetings
on a regular basis
- Read project
updates and other information prior to attending meetings
- Provide constructive
input to the project
- Maintain
a positive working environment both in meetings and other project
correspondence
The agency staff
working on the project from USGS, NHGS and OSP agree to:
- Provide project
updates and information in a coherent fashion in advance of meetings
and in a timely manner
- Respond to
constructive recommendations and reasonable requests for more
information in a coordinated and timely manner
- Make time
for phone calls and emails from GPAT members to discuss the project
- Maintain
a positive working environment both in meetings and other project
correspondence
MEMBERSHIP
Consultants:
Dufresne Henry
EarthTech
ENSR
McDonald Morrissey Associates, Inc.
Water Suppliers:
Aquarion Water Company
North Hampton Water Commission
Seabrook Water Department
Academic:
University of New Hampshire
Planners:
Rockingham Regional Planning Commission
Strafford Regional Planning Commission
Community:
Dover
North Hampton
Seabrook
Seacoast Land Trust
Save Our Groundwater (SOG)
Ex Officio members:
N.H. Coastal Zone Program
N.H. Department of Environmental Services
N.H. Geologic Survey
U.S. Geological Survey
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