Saco River Corridor Commission

Saco River Corridor Commission
Name	Saco River Corridor Commission
Formation	1989
Type	State commission
Location	Saco River, New Hampshire, Maine
Headquarters	Conway, New Hampshire
Region served	Saco River Valley, White Mountains
Leader title	Executive Director
Parent organization	New Hampshire Legislature, Maine Legislature

Saco River Corridor Commission is an interstate commission established to protect and manage a defined corridor along the Saco River through parts of New Hampshire and Maine. The commission was created by statutes in both New Hampshire General Court and the Maine Legislature to coordinate land use, floodplain management, and recreational access along the river corridor stretching from the White Mountains to the Gulf of Maine. It brings together local municipalities, state agencies, and regional stakeholders to implement corridor plans, enforce standards, and administer permits.

History

The commission traces its origins to legislative responses to flood events such as the 1991 New England floods and ongoing concerns following earlier floods in the 1936 flood, prompting coordination between New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Early advocacy involved regional organizations including the Saco River Citizens’ Advisory Committee, the Greater Portland Council of Governments, the North Country Council and municipal governments such as Conway, New Hampshire, Bartlett, New Hampshire, Hiram, Maine, and Saco, Maine. Legislative action mirrored precedents like the Connecticut River Valley Flood Control Commission and drew on watershed planning concepts from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Over time the commission updated corridor plans influenced by studies from the University of New Hampshire, Maine Geological Survey, and conservation groups such as Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy to integrate flood resilience and riparian protection.

Jurisdiction and Governance

The commission's jurisdiction covers a mapped corridor along the Saco River defined in enabling statutes of the New Hampshire General Court and the Maine Legislature. Its governance structure includes appointed commissioners from county bodies like Carroll County, New Hampshire and York County, Maine, municipal appointees from towns including North Conway, New Hampshire, Bridgton, Maine, and state agency representatives from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The commission operates under legal frameworks related to the National Flood Insurance Program and state shoreline and wetland statutes such as the New Hampshire Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act and Maine Natural Resources Protection Act. Meetings are conducted according to open meeting laws modeled on New Hampshire Right-to-Know Law and Maine's Freedom of Access Act with records managed in collaboration with county clerks and municipal planning boards like those in Ossipee, New Hampshire and Hollis, Maine.

Functions and Programs

Primary functions include corridor planning, permit review, and enforcement, drawing on technical assistance from agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Programs emphasize floodplain mapping coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood insurance studies and partnerships with regional entities like the Upper Saco Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Ossipee Region Chamber of Commerce. The commission administers a permit program comparable to regional commissions such as the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District and provides outreach through collaborations with educational institutions including Dartmouth College, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and Colby College for applied research and student internships.

Environmental Management and Conservation

Environmental management activities focus on riparian buffer protection, habitat restoration, and water quality monitoring, often in partnership with conservation organizations like Maine Audubon, New Hampshire Audubon, and The Trust for Public Land. The commission supports invasive species control efforts informed by guidance from the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission and coordinates stream restoration projects involving contractors experienced with standards from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Conservation priorities align with regional plans developed by entities such as the Northern Forest Center, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and the Appalachian Mountain Club, addressing issues relevant to species like Atlantic salmon, brook trout, and riparian birds documented by the Audubon Society.

Public Access and Recreation

The commission balances conservation with public access by designating managed access points, coordinating trail connections with the Eastern Trail and the Kancamagus Highway corridor, and working with municipal parks departments from Portland, Maine to Conway, New Hampshire. Recreational programs include boating safety initiatives aligned with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and angler outreach coordinated with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The commission liaises with outfitters and tourism organizations such as Saco River Outfitters, regional visitor bureaus, and nonprofit paddling groups to manage put-ins, take-outs, and canoe portage sites while promoting compliance with state fisheries regulations and national safety standards promulgated by agencies like the National Park Service.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding is a mix of state appropriations from the New Hampshire Legislature and the Maine Legislature, project grants from federal sources such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and private grants from foundations including the L.L. Bean Foundation and Blandin Foundation. The commission leverages partnerships with regional planning commissions like the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission, academic research from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, and technical assistance from federal agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Collaborative projects have included multi-stakeholder floodplain easement programs with land trusts such as the Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Monadnock Conservancy and watershed restoration grants administered through regional councils and county conservation districts.

Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States Category:Organizations based in New Hampshire Category:Saco River