Winnicut River Watershed Coalition

The Watershed

The Winnicut River originates in the marshes and low-lying hills of the coastal plain of New Hampshire, flowing north into the Great Bay estuary. Although relatively small it is a significant tributary to the Great Bay. The watershed has a drainage basin of approximately 17.5 square miles and includes portions of North Hampton, Stratham, and Greenland. The river, its perennial tributaries ( Barton Brook, Norton Brook, Marsh Brook, Winniconic Brook, Thompson Brook, Haines Brook, and Packer Brook), and numerous streams account for a total of 46.5 stream miles in the watershed. Click here to read our blog.


The Problem

The river and several of its tributaries are experiencing the negative impacts of non-point source pollution (NPS) due to the rapid development that has occurred within the watershed over the past 20 years. The river and several of its tributaries are currently listed on NH Department of Environmental Service's 2008 Section 305(b) and 303(d) Surface Water Quality Report as impaired for multiple designated uses, including Aquatic Life, Primary Contact Recreation, and Secondary Contact Recreation.

The Solution

At the same time, there is a ground-swell of support within the watershed communities to restore and protect this valuable water resource. The creation of a Winnicut River Watershed Coalition (WRWC) is key to restoring water quality. NHRC seeks to create this group to implement projects on the Winnicut River and to act as the local voice and steward. The watershed association will develop an ongoing water quality monitoring program to make current and accurate water quality data available.

The Process

The initial objective is to invite residents to a series of community forums, to discuss ways to improve water quality within the Winnicut watershed. Discussions will revolve around what individuals in each town would like to see from a water quality restoration effort. From the beginning, this outreach piece will involve offering residents an opportunity to participate in a variety ways. The goal of community involvement is to create watershed awareness and community interest. By gaining interest in restoring the Winnicut River, residents are more likely to take action. This effort is essential to the long term success of water quality restoration.

Get Involved!

Become a member. Memberships are processed through the New Hampshire Rivers Council. Click here to go to the donate page.

Learn More

Learn more about the watershed. Here is some background on the watershed and water quality:
  1. A brief history, courtesy of Weeks Brick House and Gardens. Click here. PDF, 2.3 mb
  2. Basic Fact Sheet. Click here. PDF, 116 kb
  3. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Suspended Solids Concentrations in Tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary Watershed in 2008 (Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership Report.) Click here. PDF, 388 kb
  4. EPA Surface Water Quality Status Map, Greenland, NH. Click here. Click here. PDF, 620 kb
  5. Assessment of Road Crossings for Improving Migratory Fish Passage in the Winnicut River Watershed (The Nature Conservancy 2009 Report). Click here. PDF, 2.2 mb
  6. Click here to read our blog

Sign Up to be Active!

Sign up to receive up-to-date information on activities and events. Click here. NHRC site