Inspired Water Quality & Management Report, 2024

New Hampshire is a state powered and supported by its freshwater bodies—from hydroelectric dams that harness river currents to rivers that provide food, support regional ecosystems, and drive local recreation, tourism and economies. The Granite State has more than 800 lakes and ponds and approximately 19,000 miles of rivers and streams, adding over $200 million from recreational fishing, attracting nearly half a million visitors to enjoy the state’s freshwater swimming and surrounding communities, and providing ecosystem services that ensure a clean drinking water supply, run-off water filtration, erosion management, resilient wildlife habitats and flood mitigation.

As a changing climate, increasing urbanization and evolving policies continue to impact our state’s natural water systems, the importance of science-based, measured and forward-looking approaches to keeping our state’s waters managed for long-term sustainability is a core mission of the NH Agricultural Experiment Station. Researchers with the NHAES are helping to lead the advancement of methods to accurately assess how waters in the Granite State are affected and to develop cost-effective management and policy solutions. By testing new and emerging technologies, studying and adapting lessons from within New Hampshire and from far outside and leveraging insights from an increasing amount of and breadth of data, the discoveries from Station scientists are rapidly enhancing our understanding of how one of our state’s most prized environmental and economic resources can remain resilient even in the face of an uncertain climate and future.

Read and download a pdf version of the entire publication, or check out the individual INSPIRED Water Quality & Water Management research articles. And sign up for the NHAES newsletter to receive the latest updates on future editions of the INSPIRED research report.