We, the North Country Council, share a vision for the resilient future of our region with the Saco Headwaters Alliance (SHA): a robust, natural resource-based economy, including clean and abundant ground and surface water and vibrant communities. SHA helps educate our communities that we all share the stewardship responsibility for the Saco Headwaters Watershed as one ecosystem. All ground and surface water ultimately flow into the Headwaters of the Saco River. Consequently, we all share our robust, natural resource- based economy.

SHA also plays an important and unique role, inter-related with education, in facilitating the collaboration of multiple partner organizations on projects which contribute to the vision, from planning to implementation; with individual and clusters of municipalities and with organizations that are focused on the entire Saco Headwaters Watershed as a whole.

Michelle Moren-Grey

Executive Director, North Country Council

161 Main Street Littleton, NH 03561

The Saco Headwaters Alliance has successfully provided a forum for local watershed organizations like Green Mountain Conservation Group, state and federal agencies, as well as other stakeholders to collaborate on a variety of watershed-wide initiatives. SHA’s vision to plan for and protect the Saco River Watershed on an ecosystem-scale has been helpful in lending expertise, support and context to GMCG’s efforts for such projects as stream crossings assessments and planning for groundwater monitoring.

Tara Schroeder,

Education Coordinator, Green Mountain Conservation Group

PO Box 95 Effingham, NH 03882

I would like to share Trout Unlimited’s wholehearted support for the exciting work the Saco Headwaters Alliance (SHA) is currently engaged in across this high priority Saco River watershed. SHA’s mission aligns with TU’s regarding our long-term vision of working to protect water quality, building community resilience, and strengthening the connectivity between the natural and economic ecosystems. TU, as a nationwide environmental conservation organization, has a strong presence across New Hampshire focused on interacting with a variety of partnerships targeting the long-term protection of our natural resources. TU has appreciated the synergy of collaborating with the SHA partnership by contributing our knowledge and experience to their innovative, multi-stakeholder goal of modernizing all vulnerable road stream culverts throughout the entire 1200 sq. mile Saco Headwaters Watershed. This proactive approach to addressing the Saco River’s vulnerability to increased severity of damaging flood waters, completely aligns with TU’s vision of protecting our state’s natural resources by striving for a climate resilient NH.

Colin Lawson

New England Project Coordinator, Trout Unlimited Culvert Project

PO Box 606 Newmarket, NH 03857

Trout Unlimited’s mission: To conserve, protect, and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

The Saco Headwater Alliance (SHA) has been serving in a determined and persistent leadership role in garnering broad stakeholder support, while providing project development and a fundraising initiative regarding a project of significance for the entire Saco Headwaters Watershed: the restoration and modernization of all culverts in need. The first phase will be a financial feasibility study, including extensive outreach to all municipalities across the entire watershed. Culverts that are undersized, damaged, aged, or not designed for long term resilience are a significant hazard to the quality of ground and surface water across the entire watershed as well as to aquatic organisms whose movements are impaired across their habitats. The increasing frequency and severity of flooding due to climate change generates increasing numbers of culverts being overwhelmed. The results are increased non-point source pollution to ground and surface waters, costly damage to the built environment, including roads and buildings, damage to the natural environment as well as increased risk to human safety (injuries and even death).

The assessment of the 1200+ culverts in the Saco Headwaters Watershed will be completed later this year (2022) by NH Fish and Game, North Country Council and Green Mountain Conservation Group, all partners to the entire project. As of this writing three quarters of the assessments are completed and suggest that upon completion approximately 700+ culverts will need restoration and modernization.

The NH Fish and Game Department is grateful to be a partner in this Culvert Modernization Project and shares the mission of contributing to the resilience over the long-term of the Saco Headwaters Watershed by preserving its pristine and abundant ground and surface waters.

Ben Nugent

Field Biologist, NH Fish and Game Department

The Saco Headwaters Alliance has emerged as a key facilitator of projects and initiatives in the watershed management and climate change resiliency fields. Having such a strong network of dedicated groups and individuals working to protect the natural resource treasure that is the Upper Saco River Valley gives me hope for the future of river and aquifer protection in this region.

Forrest Bell

FB Environmental Associates, Owner and Chief Scientist

97A Exchange Street, Suite 305 Portland, ME 04101