Watershed Management Bureau

  Rivers Management and Protection Program (RMPP)

A river managed and protected for its outstanding natural and cultural resources in accordance with RSA 483 - The Rivers Management & Protection Act.

New Hampshire's Designated Rivers

Ammonoosuc River
From the White Mountain National Forest boundary near Lower Falls in Carroll to the confluence with the Connecticut River in Haverhill. Effective 8/10/07. Municipalities: Carroll, Bethlehem, Littleton, Lisbon, Landaff, Bath, and Haverhill.

Ashuelot River
From the dam at Butterfield Pond in Washington to the confluence with the Connecticut River in Hinsdale. Effective 6/7/93. Municipalities: Washington, Lempster, Marlow, Gilsum, Sullivan, Surry, Keene, Swanzey, Winchester, and Hinsdale.

Cold River
From the outlet of Crescent Lake Dam in Acworth to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Walpole.  Effective 07/20/99.  Municipalities: Acworth, Lempster, Langdon, Alstead, and Walpole.

Connecticut River
From the outlet of Fourth Connecticut Lake to the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line. Effective 7/14/92. Municipalities: Pittsburg, Clarksville, Stewartstown, Colebrook, Columbia, Stratford, Northumberland, Lancaster, Dalton, Littleton, Monroe, Bath, Haverhill, Piermont, Orford, Lyme, Hanover, Lebanon, Plainfield, Cornish, Claremont, Charlestown, Walpole, Westmoreland, Chesterfield, and Hinsdale.

Contoocook River - Mainstem and North Branch
Mainstem - From the outlet of Poole Pond in Rindge to the confluence with the Merrimack River at the Boscawen/Concord municipal boundary. North Branch - From the outlet of Rye Pond in Stoddard to the confluence of the Contoocook River in Hillsborough. Effective 6/28/91. Municipalities: Rindge, Jaffrey, Peterborough, Hancock, Greenfield, Bennington, Stoddard, Antrim, Deering, Hillsborough, Henniker, Hopkinton, Concord, and Boscawen.

Exeter River
From the headwaters at the Route 102 bridge in Chester to its confluence with Great Brook in Exeter. Effective 8/11/95. Municipalities: Chester, Sandown, Danville, Fremont, Raymond, Brentwood, and Exeter.

Isinglass River
From the outflow of Bow Lake Dam in Strafford to its confluence with the Cocheco River in Rochester. Effective 6/30/02. Municipalities: Strafford, Barrington, Rochester.

Lamprey River
From the Epping/Lee town line to the Durham/Newmarket town line. Effective 6/26/90. Municipalities: Lee and Durham.

Merrimack River - Lower
From the Bedford/Merrimack town line to the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line. Effective 6/26/90. Municipalities: Merrimack, Litchfield, Nashua and Hudson.

Merrimack River - Upper
From the confluence of the Winnipesaukee and Pemigewasset Rivers in Franklin to Garvins Falls in Bow. Effective 6/26/90. Municipalities: Franklin, Northfield, Boscawen, Canterbury, Concord, and Bow.

Pemigewasset River
From the outlet of Profile Lake in Franconia Notch State Park to the southern boundary of Franconia Notch State Park and from the northernmost Thornton town line to the confluence with the Merrimack River in Franklin. Effective 6/28/91. Municipalities: Franconia Notch State Park, Franconia, Thornton, Campton, Plymouth, Holderness, Ashland, Bridgewater, New Hampton, Bristol, Hill, Sanbornton, and Franklin.

Piscataquog River - South, Middle and North Branches
North Branch--From the outlet of Deering Lake Dam in Deering to the confluence with the South Branch in Goffstown (omitting Lake Horace and Everett Flood Control Area). South Branch--From the outlet of Pleasant Pond in Francestown to the river's mouth at Bass Island in Manchester. Middle Branch--From the outlet of Scobie Pond in Francestown to the confluence with the South Branch in New Boston. Effective 7/16/93. Municipalities: Deering, Weare, New Boston, Francestown, Lyndeborough, Goffstown, and Manchester.

Saco River
From the base of Saco Lake dam in Crawford Notch State Park to the New Hampshire/Maine state line. Effective 6/26/90. Municipalities: Crawford Notch State Park, Harts Location, Bartlett, and Conway.

Souhegan River
From the confluence of the south and west branches in New Ipswich to the confluence with the Merrimack River in Merrimack. Effective May 28, 2000. Municipalities: New Ipswich, Greenville, Wilton, Milford, Amherst, Merrimack.

Swift River
From its headwaters in Livermore to its confluence with the Saco River in Conway. Effective 6/26/90. Municipalities: White Mountain National Forest, Livermore, Waterville Valley, Albany, and Conway.