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Watershed Management Bureau
Rivers Management and Protection Program (RMPP)
Designated Rivers
The Piscataquog River consists of three branches: South, Middle and North, all of which were
designated into the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program in July 1993. The three
branches run through the communities of Deering, Francestown, Lyndeborough, New Boston,
Weare, Goffstown and Manchester in south-central New Hampshire.
Despite its proximity to Manchester, the largest city in New Hampshire, the Piscataquog
River is predominantly a quiet stream with a total length of approximately 57 miles that is
free-flowing for 95.7 percent of its length, a claim few streams can make. Much of the land along
the river is protected and open to the public, providing for multi-recreational and educational use
as well as affording excellent water quality.
Today the river offers a multitude of values to New Hampshire's southern populations.
During the spring high waters, the river is frequently utilized for canoeing and kayaking and is
said to be an ideal training ground for beginning whitewater enthusiasts. The summer offers
fishing along the private pools and deep forest-lined stretches of ripples. For those with a thirst
for regional chronicles, scores of historical sites echoing early colonial commerce line its
riverbanks.
Open Space Protection
For 22 years the Piscataquog Watershed Association, the Society for the Protection of
New Hampshire Forests, the New England Forestry Foundation, the Audubon Society of New
Hampshire, riverfront towns, state agencies and dozens of private landowners and river stewards
have worked to protect the watershed of the Piscataquog River. As a result, 4,356 acres of land
along the river are protected as well as 8.5 percent of the open space within the Piscataquog
Watershed. Large tracts of the protected land are carefully managed for both timber production
and protection of natural habitat.
Geology
The Piscataquog is rich in geologic formations, especially glacial deposits. Most notable is
an esker train along the South Branch which runs four miles along the river unveiling the remnants
of a stream which once coursed its way through glacial ice. Other significant formations include
glacial kettles, a gorge on the Lyndeborough/New Boston town line, and "the plains," a glacial
deposit of sand and gravel which may have been the site of New Boston's first settlement. An
ever-running natural spring southeast of the Lyndeborough/New Boston town line is yet another
geologic highlight of the area.
History
Stands of large white pine and red oak growing in the Piscataquog River watershed drew
attention to the area, attracting settlers to harvest the massive trees, some of which were reserved
by the King of England for British Navy ship masts.
The Piscataquog River provided essential resources for these early inhabitants. In the late 1700s
and into the 1800s, the primary use of the river was as a source of power for numerous mills and
shops. A site along the Piscataquog River holds claim to being home to the first shoe factory in
the nation, which produced nearly 23,000 pairs of boots in its first year. Francestown, Deering,
Weare, and New Boston still contain many reminders of their early history in the ruins of the
water-powered mills and long-forgotten stone masons along the river's banks. The lower segment
of the Piscataquog was an important link in the transportation of cargo around Manchester. Dam
locks were built at the river's mouth in 1818 to facilitate boats passage to and from the Merrimack
River.
Wildlife and Plant Resources
Due to the extensive natural and protected lands along the river, the Piscataquog supports
diverse habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and plant species, including several endangered and
threatened species. Bird species observed in the Piscataquog Watershed on the state endangered
list include the pied-billed grebe and peregrine falcon. Those on the threatened species list include
the common loon, osprey, northern harrier, Cooper's hawk, and the common nighthawk. In
addition to a multitude of mammals living in the watershed, several species of reptiles and
amphibians of special concern have also been observed. They are the eastern hognose snake,
Blanding's turtle, eastern box turtle, and spotted turtle. The river also supports some of the
world's finest populations of the state-listed endangered brook floater mussel.
Wildflowers deserving special protection that are now surviving within the Piscataquog
Watershed include the small spike-rush; gall-of-the-earth; one-sided rush; piled-up sedge; and
slender crabgrass. A plant species of particular distinction which inhabits the watershed, is the
small whorled pogonia. The largest-known populations of this perennial wildflower are found in
central New Hampshire and Maine. Initially given federal listing as endangered in 1982, habitat
protection efforts have allowed the species to be reclassified as threatened. Biologists hope that
with continued landowner awareness and concern, the plant will continue to make a recovery.
Also of note in the watershed is a large ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana) community found
along the banks of Dudley Brook and at its confluence with the Middle Branch of the Piscataquog
River. The tree community is unusual in that this species does not normally cluster in such a
massive group. Numerous wildlife species including wild turkey and ruffed grouse are attracted
to the area for the nuts these trees produce.
Fishing
The Piscataquog River is a relatively steep gradient stream with a predominantly cobble
and gravel substrate, dominated by riffle/pool habitat. The three branches of the Piscataquog
River, together with its tributaries and lakes, provide both the novice and knowledgeable anglers
fine and rewarding fishing. It is a favored fishery of the Manchester Chapter of Trout Unlimited,
which has selected the river for its "Adopt-a-River Program." The Piscataquog River is
considered to be one of the two most important salmon nursery tributaries in southern New
Hampshire. The river yields higher production levels of juvenile parr, on average, than any other
site. And, with the many diversified river bottoms and several impoundments, the river supports a
large warm water fishery as well as a notable trout fishery.
Boating
The Piscataquog River is home to hundreds of boating enthusiasts. Whether it be on the
quiet, more private sections or on the lakes, boaters can enjoy three seasons of rural New
Hampshire at its finest. The lakes provide space for water skiing as well as other recreational
endeavors favored by the boating public. The numerous access points along the river often
include not only launch sites and parking, but bathhouses, restrooms, and picnic areas as well.
Some of this access is offered free of charge while other sites charge various fees.
For Further Information about the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program
contact:
Rivers Coordinator
29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
(603) 271-8801
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