Wetlands include streams, ponds, vernal pools, marshes, and swamps. Wetlands connect with groundwater. Wetlands are not always wet! Be sure to consider water - wetlands & groundwater - before construction. Contact the TCC for guidance.
Wetlands provide critical functions:
absorbing and filtering storm runoff, thus protecting the quality of surface & ground waters on which people depend
providing diverse habitats for rare and common species of plants & animals
providing recreational opportunities.
Wetlands are protected by law, and you may need a permit:
See the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Wetlands Bureau for details.
Extra protections:
salamander eggs in vernal pool
Protecting shorelands
Construction and other activities within 250 feet of the following Tamworth water bodies are regulated by the State of NH Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act:
All of the Bearcamp River
Swift River downstream of juncture of Paugus Brook & Wonalancet River
Chocorua Lake
Duck Pond (in Hemenway SF)
Great Hill Pond
Jackman Pond
Little Lake
Moore's Pond
White Lake
See the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Shoreland Program.
chocorua lake and the recreation it provides are only possible because of hard work by the chocorua lake conservancy (CLC) and continual conservation efforts. TCC collaborateswith CLC and other conservation groups throughout town.
Protecting groundwater
Groundwater is the source of drinking water for Tamworth residents. Its quality is vital to public health.
The greatest threat to groundwater quality comes from petroleum products and other hazardous liquids - known as "regulated substances." Every citizen has an interest in ensuring that such substances are handled, stored, and disposed of properly.
The NH Legislature and NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) have created a law (RSA 485-C) and regulations to protect groundwater. However, the Legislature has made it clear that the primary responsibility for protecting groundwater lies at the local level, because it is a local resource.
At Town Meeting in March, 2023, Tamworth voters approved a local Groundwater Protection Ordinance. Any business handling any regulated substances - chemicals, petroleum products, etc. - must comply with the Ordinance.
Green Mountain Conservation Group, which serves all towns within the Ossipee Lake watershed, has some useful local information concerning groundwater protection.
See also:
NHDES Groundwater Protection
U. S. EPA Source Water Protection
Here's what YOU can do:
Minimize use of hazardous chemicals; use less toxic alternatives.
Bring leftover chemicals, oil paints, fuels, etc. to Household Hazardous Waste Day (late July/early August each year).
Transfer fuels and other regulated substances over a drip pan or other impervious surface (there are portable spill containment systems for use when refueling skidders and farm machinery).
Avoid spills. Keep absorbent materials (rags, speedee‐dri, etc.) close by, and promptly clean up any spill that occurs.
Store gas, oil, pesticides, and other regulated substances in labeled, closed, leak‐proof containers on an impervious surface, under cover.
Apply fertilizers at no more than the recommended rate, if at all.
Encourage these Best Management Practices at home and at work.
Take care of your septic system: don’t pour paints, gas, oil, or other chemicals down the drain, and have the septic tank pumped out every 3‐5 years.