WILTON – The Souhegan River rises in Ashby and Ashburnham, Mass. It meanders northwestward for 35 miles through New Ipswich, Greenville, Wilton, Milford, and Amherst, ending at the Merrimack River in Merrimack. The watershed, approximately 220 square miles, also drains parts of Temple, Lyndeborough, and Mont Vernon, and includes about 35,000 people.

The river is used for hydropower, water supply, and recreation. There are an estimated 28 endangered or threatened species in or along it. There are also wastewater treatment plants and golf courses.

Much of the river falls under the State of New Hampshire Comprehensive Shoreline Protection Act which was designed to minimize shoreline disturbance to protect the public water while accommodating reasonable development.

There are several agencies concerned with the protection of the reiver including the Souhegan Watershed Association (SWA) , and SoRLAC (Souhegan River Local Advisory Committee), a part of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission. (NRPC) It is composed of representatives from each town along its course.

On April 28, The Wilton Conservation Commission hosted a program on the river. About 20 people attended the program held at the Collaborative Space. The speaker was Cory Ritz of New Ipswich, a member of SoRLAC.

Ritz discussed the river in general, the water cycle that sustains it, the watershed eco system that depends on it, and the role of SoRLAC.

“No town has a full complement of members,” he said, “so volunteer.”

SoRLAC is redoing its management plan, Ritz said, and will be conducting a survey of the area asking people what is most important to them. “We want to keep the water unpolluted as far as possible.”

The SWA has conducted a testing program of the river water for many years. Water is tested every two weeks beginning in June. To volunteer, contact George May at georgemay@comcast.net. Volunteers will be trained.

The SWA was founded in 1995 with the mission to speak for the river without regard for state or town boundaries. They sponsor cleanups, canoe trips, conservation efforts, and creating trails. They have published information about the river in a Green Guide, worked with schools, and sponsored the Atlantic salmon restoration project, now the Adopt-a-Salmon Family Program.

For information contact http://www.souhegan.org.

The NRPC Watershed Management Plan is in the process of protecting the river under the NH Rivers Management and Protection Plan. The plan identifies conditions, priority issues, and contains recommendations for local officials.

Ritz said there are many things the homeowner can do to help the river. These include maintaining a woodland buffer along the banks using deep-rooted trees and shrubs to absorb run-off, and rain gardens, low areas to slow and filter stormwater. Practice low-impact and low-maintenance lawn care, keeping fertilizer and pest control products at least 25 feet from the water’s edge.

For more information contact your local SoRLAC representative.

N.H. Department of Environmental Services, http://www.des.nh.gov

Nashua Regional Planning Commission, http://www.nashuarpc.org

N.H. Fish and Game, http://wildlife.state.nh.us.