Section 483:7-a River Classification Criteria; Management.
I. Those rivers or segments designated for inclusion in the program shall be classified as one or more of the following:
(a) Natural rivers are free-flowing rivers or segments characterized by the high quality of natural and scenic resources. River shorelines are in primarily natural vegetation and river corridors are generally undeveloped. Development, if any, is limited to forest management and scattered housing. For natural rivers, the following criteria and management objectives shall apply:
(1) The minimum length of any segment shall be 5 miles.
(2) Existing water quality shall be not lower than Class B level pursuant to the water quality standards established under RSA 485-A:8.
(3) The minimum distance from the river shoreline to a paved road open to the public for motor vehicle use shall be 250 feet, except where a vegetative or other natural barrier exists which effectively screens the sight and sound of motor vehicles for a majority of the length of the river or segment.
(4) Management of natural rivers and segments shall perpetuate their natural condition as defined in this chapter and shall consider, protect, and ensure the rights of riparian owners to use the river for forest management, agricultural, public water supply, and other purposes which are compatible with instream public uses of the river and the management and protection of the resources for which the river or segment is designated.
(b) Rural rivers are those rivers or segments adjacent to lands which are partially or predominantly used for agriculture, forest management and dispersed or clustered residential development. Some instream structures may exist, including low dams, diversion works and other minor modifications. The following criteria and management objectives shall apply to rural rivers:
(1) The minimum length of any segment shall be 3 miles.
(2) Existing water quality shall be at least Class B level pursuant to the water quality standards established under RSA 485-A:8 or have the potential for restoration to that level.
(3) There shall be no minimum distance from the shoreline to an existing road. Roads may parallel the river shoreline with regular bridge crossings and public access sites.
(4) Management of rural rivers and segments shall maintain and enhance the natural, scenic, and recreational values of the river and shall consider, protect and ensure the rights of riparian owners to use the river for agricultural, forest management, public water supply, and other purposes which are compatible with the instream public uses of the river and the management and protection of the resources for which the river or segment is designated.
(c) Rural-community rivers are those rivers or segments which flow through developed or populated areas of the state and which possess existing or potential community resource values such as those defined in official municipal plans or land use controls. Such rivers have mixed land uses in the corridor reflecting some combination of open space, agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial land uses. Such rivers are readily accessible by road or railroad and may include impoundments or diversions. The following criteria and management objectives shall apply to rural-community rivers:
(1) The minimum length of any segment shall be 3 miles.
(2) Existing water quality shall be at least Class B level pursuant to the water quality standards established under RSA 485-A:8, or have the potential for restoration to that level.
(3) Management of rural-community rivers and segments shall maintain and enhance the natural, scenic, recreational and community values of the river and shall consider, protect, and ensure the rights of riparian owners to use the river for such uses as agricultural, forest management, public water supply, residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, flood control, and other community uses which are compatible with the instream public uses of the river and the management and protection of the resources for which the river or segment is designated.
(d) Community rivers are those rivers or segments which flow through developed or populated areas of the state and which possess existing or potential community resource values, such as those identified in official municipal plans or land use controls. Such rivers have mixed land uses in the corridor reflecting some combination of open space, agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial land uses. Such rivers are readily accessible by road or railroad, may include existing impoundments or diversions, or potential sites for new impoundments or diversions for hydropower, flood control or water supply purposes, and may include the urban centers of municipalities. The following criteria and management objectives shall apply to community rivers:
(1) The minimum length of any segment shall be one mile.
(2) Existing water quality shall be at least Class B level pursuant to the water quality standards established under RSA 485-A:8, or have the potential for restoration to that level.
(3) Management of community rivers and segments shall maintain and enhance the natural, scenic, recreational and community values of the river and shall consider, protect, and ensure the rights of riparian owners to use the river for such uses as agricultural, forest management, public water supply, residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, flood control and hydroelectric energy production purposes which are compatible with the instream public uses of the river and the management and protection of the resources for which the river or segment is designated.
II. The existence of limited exceptions to the criteria for a certain classification under this section shall not necessarily exclude a river or segment from that classification. The river or segment shall be examined as a whole, and the classification of such river or segment shall be based on the overall values and characteristics of such river or segment.
Source. 1990, 233:5. 1991, 338:10, 11, eff. June 28, 1991.