RSA 483-B:4

XVI. "Public waters" shall include:
      (a) All fresh water bodies listed in the official list of public waters published by the department pursuant to RSA 271:20, II, whether they are great ponds or artificial impoundments.
      (b) Coastal waters, being all waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide, including the Great Bay Estuary and the associated tidal rivers.
      (c) Rivers, meaning all year-round flowing waters of fourth order or higher, as shown on the now current version of the U.S. Geological Survey 7 1/2%2C topographic maps. Stream order shall be determined using the Strahler method, whereby the highest year-round streams in a watershed are first order streams, their juncture yields second order streams, the juncture of second order streams yields third order streams, et seq. A listing of the streams of fourth order and higher shall be prepared and maintained by the office of energy and planning and delivered to the commissioner 30 days after the effective date of this act.

XVII. "Reference line" means:
     (a) For natural fresh water bodies without artificial impoundments, the natural mean high water level as determined by the department of environmental services.
     (b) For artificially impounded fresh water bodies with established flowage rights, the limit of the flowage rights, and for water bodies without established flowage rights, the waterline at full pond as determined by the elevation of the spillway crest.
     (c) For coastal waters, the highest observable tide line, which means a line defining the furthest landward limit of tidal flow, not including storm events, which can be recognized by indicators such as the presence of a strand line of flotsam and debris, the landward margin of salt tolerant vegetation, or a physical barrier that blocks further flow of the tide.
     (d) For rivers, the ordinary high water mark.