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Great informational link for info on the Suncook River:    http://suncookriver.org/

Suncook River could get protections

Status has to be granted by state

The Suncook River could soon be nominated for state protection status, a distinction advocates say would offer further opportunity for community input in the river conservation and protection process.

The special status, granted through the state's Rivers Management and Protection Program, would classify segments of the river on a scale from "natural" to "community." According to David Jeffers of the Lakes Regional Planning Commission, those distinctions would then dictate acceptable development within a quarter of a mile on either side of the river.

Jeffers said the distinction as a protected river would also allow the creation of a local advisory committee which would have the legal right to comment on any proposed development along the river. While the group would not have any regulatory powers, it would be alerted by the state's Department of Environmental Services if any permits affecting the river corridor are applied for.

Allenstown police Chief Shaun Mulholland said the committee would be the first formally organized group to address both preservation and rehabilitation on the river.

"There are a whole bunch of local and state groups that have pieces of it, but this is the first attempt to put it all together on one committee," Mulholland said.

A public meeting on the designation process, where officials will explain the steps and benefits, will be held Thursday.

The protection status is granted by the state legislature under the Rivers Management and Protection Act. Nominations are due to DES by June 1. If approved by Gov. John Lynch and the Executive Council, the nomination would then be deliberated by the legislature next summer, according to Jeffers.

The push for designation comes in part from the Suncook River Community Planning Team, a group formed to address emergency management and flooding issues along the river.

The Suncook River, prone to flooding, jumped its banks in 2006, resulting in serious damage to nearby homes. Mulholland said the planning team has finished its 26-task plan that included securing grants and devising mitigation plans. He said the next step will be looking at the river's holistic health.

"The flooding is just a small part of the issue," Mulholland said. "The bigger issue is no one is looking out for the best interest of the river. There is no one body that does that."

The effort is also supported by the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission and the Lakes Region Planning Commission. An informational session will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Chichester Grange Hall, located at 54 Main St.