2011 Natural Resource Inventorygilford NRI 1337286251
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GILFORD, NH NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY This page intentionally left blank for printing purposes. \Gilford, New Hampshire Natural Resources Inventory Prepared by: Blue Moon Environmental, Inc. & November, 2011 Gilford Natural Resources Inventory November, 2011 This page intentionally left blank for printing purposes. Gilford Natural Resources Inventory November, 2011 “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” Aldo Leopold View from summit of Piper Mountain Gilford Natural Resources Inventory November, 2011 Gilford Natural Resources Inventory November, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................1 2.0 LAND RESOURCES ...............................................................................................................................................3 2.1 GEOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................3 2.2 SCENIC RESOURCES .........................................................................................................................................4 2.3 STEEP SLOPES .................................................................................................................................................5 3.0 AGRICULTURAL & FOREST RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................8 3.1 BELKNAP COUNTY SOIL SURVEY .........................................................................................................................8 3.2 IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL SOILS .....................................................................................................................8 3.3 EXISTING AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................. 10 3.4 IMPORTANT FOREST SOILS ............................................................................................................................. 12 3.5 GILFORD’S FOREST RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................... 12 4.0 WETLANDS ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 4.1 HYDRIC SOILS .............................................................................................................................................. 14 4.2 NATIONAL WETLANDS INVENTORY .................................................................................................................. 15 4.3 WETLAND INVENTORY & EVALUATION ............................................................................................................ 16 4.4 PRIME WETLANDS ........................................................................................................................................ 17 4.5 WETLAND BUFFERS AND PROTECTION ............................................................................................................. 19 4.6 VERNAL POOLS ............................................................................................................................................ 20 5.0 SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................. 23 5.1 WATERSHEDS .............................................................................................................................................. 23 5.2 SURFACE WATERS ........................................................................................................................................ 24 5.3 FISHERIES.................................................................................................................................................... 26 5.4 FLOODPLAINS .............................................................................................................................................. 27 6.0 GROUNDWATER & DRINKING WATER RESOURCES ................................................................................................. 29 6.1 AQUIFERS & AQUIFER RECHARGE ................................................................................................................... 29 6.2 WELLS & WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREAS ........................................................................................................ 30 6.3 PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES ............................................................................................................................... 31 6.4 CONTAMINATIONS SOURCES & IMPERVIOUS SURFACES ...................................................................................... 32 7.0 RECREATIONAL & HISTORIC RESOURCES .............................................................................................................. 36 Gilford Natural Resources Inventory November, 2011 7.1 RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AREAS & TRAILS ..................................................................................................... 36 7.2 HISTORICAL LOCATIONS ................................................................................................................................ 38 8.0 OPEN SPACE & LAND PROTECTION ..................................................................................................................... 41 8.1 LAND CONSERVATION ................................................................................................................................... 41 8.2 STEWARDSHIP, MONITORING & RECORD-KEEPING ............................................................................................ 44 8.3 UNFRAGMENTED LAND BLOCKS ...................................................................................................................... 44 8.4 CURRENT USE .............................................................................................................................................. 46 9.0 NATURAL COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES ............................................................................................. 48 9.1 LAND COVER TYPES ...................................................................................................................................... 48 9.2 IMPORTANT HABITAT TYPES ........................................................................................................................... 49 9.3 RARE & IMPERILED SPECIES ........................................................................................................................... 51 9.4 SPECIES OF CONCERN.................................................................................................................................... 52 9.5 HIGHEST RANKED HABITAT BY ECOLOGICAL CONDITION .................................................................................... 52 9.6 INVASIVE SPECIES ......................................................................................................................................... 53 9.7 BENEFICIAL SPECIES ...................................................................................................................................... 56 10.0 ASSESSMENT OF CRITICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................. 58 10.1 CO-OCCURRING WILDLIFE ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................... 58 10.2 CRITICAL CO-OCCURRING RESOURCE ANALYSIS ................................................................................................. 59 10.3 LANDS CONSTRAINED FOR DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................ 62 11.0 PUTTING THE NRI TO WORK .............................................................................................................................. 64 11.1 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................................... 64 11.2 LOOKING AHEAD & WORKING TOGETHER ........................................................................................................ 68 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................................ 70 APPENDICES APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS APPENDIX B: EXCERPTS FROM 1984 WETLAND STUDY APPENDIX C: RIPARIAN BUFFER RESEARCH & RECOMMENDATIONS APPENDIX D: NHDES FACT SHEETS ON SHORELAND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION ACT APPENDIX E: NH FISH & GAME – LAKE STOCKING MAPS & REPORTS APPENDIX F: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT MODEL ORDINANCE APPENDIX G: HABITAT SENSITIVE SITE DESIGN MODEL ORDINANCE APPENDIX H: EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL MODEL ORDINANCE Gilford Natural Resources Inventory November, 2011 TABLES TABLE 1: SUMMITS IN GILFORD ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 TABLE 2: GILFORD’S FARMS .............................................................................................................................................................