request for qualifications and proposals protected ... des 2019-09.pdf · cold river and warner...

Request for Qualifications and Proposals

Protected Instream Flow Studies

for the Cold and Warner Designated Rivers

December 27, 2018

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

29 Hazen Drive

Concord, New Hampshire 03301

Cold River and Warner River Request for Proposal of 14

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................... 3 I. PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS ....................................................................................................... 3 II. PROJECT TEAM AND LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION ............................................................ 4 III. SUMMARY OF TASKS FOR THE PROTECTED INSTREAM FLOW STUDY .................. 4 IV. PROJECT SCHEDULE.............................................................................................................. 5

V. SELECTION CRITERIA ............................................................................................................ 5 VI. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT........................................................................................ 6 VII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT ............................................................................. 6

ATTACHMENT I - SCOPE OF WORK GUIDANCE .................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 7 BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................... 7

Task I. Protected Entity Identification and River Survey ......................................................... 9

Task II. Protected Instream Flow Criteria Development .......................................................... 9 Task III. Protected Instream Flow Public Hearing and Final Report ..................................... 12

ATTACHMENT II - AVAILABLE REFERENCE MATERIALS ............................................... 14


Request for Qualifications and Proposals for a

Protected Instream Flow Study

for the

Cold and Warner Designated Rivers

December 27, 2018

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is seeking

qualification statements and proposals from environmental consulting firms for conducting a

Protected Instream Flow Study to develop protected instream flow criteria for both the Cold and

Warner Rivers. While parts of both projects may be conducted simultaneously, the Cold River

study is to be completed under this contract if both studies cannot be completed with the available

funding. NHDES expects that a protected instream flow study and report should take a year to 18

months, but recognizes that the occurrence of appropriate flow conditions will also play a role in

the timing and duration of the project. The designated extents of the Cold and Warner Rivers are

described in RSA 483:15 and in each river’s Target Fish Community (TFC) report. The Cold

Designated River segment is 23 miles long; the Warner Designated River segment is 20 miles

long. Funding is available for an immediate start upon approval of the contract. Proposals are due

by 4:00 PM, on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

The project requires a consultant to determine protected instream flow criteria for the Cold

Designated River and to conduct all or part of the determination of protected instream flow

criteria for the Warner Designated River. The key elements of instream flow protection are a

combination of statistics, fisheries biology, river hydrology and hydraulic-habitat modeling

methods. The consultant will develop protected instream flow criteria using at a minimum

assessment methods similar to those used during the Lamprey and Souhegan Rivers’ Protected

Instream Flow Studies. The consultant will describe the results in separate Proposed Protected

Instream Flow Reports. The consultant will present the report at a public information meeting and

then at a public hearing. NHDES will receive comments. The consultant, in consultation with

NHDES, will address the comments and incorporate any changes into a final Protected Instream

Flow Report. Before completion of the project, the consultant will provide NHDES with

electronic copies of all data used to determine the protected instream flows. NHDES expects

periodic update meetings at appropriate times, roughly on a quarterly basis.

I. PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

Complete and timely submittal of all proposal parts is required for NHDES to consider the

proposal. Consultants will submit a proposal package to the New Hampshire Department of

Environmental Services (NHDES) that includes the following components:

The project team, including a project team organization, team member

qualifications and the anticipated level of involvement of key team members in

each phase of the project as described in the project approach and scope of work.

A technical proposal that describes the scope of work.

An itemized cost breakdown by river for activities within each task.

A proposed project schedule.

A confidentiality statement.


A conflict of interest statement.

This request for proposals and the references provided are designed to guide the consultant in

developing a proposal that meets NHDES’ goals for: 1) conducting a protected instream flow study;

2) demonstrating its statistical validity; and 3) presenting the proposed protected instream flows to

the public for comment in preparation for NHDES’ establishment of flow criteria. If clarifications of

proposal requirements are needed, NHDES will accept questions until 8 AM, January 14, 2019.

NHDES will record the questions and distribute a written, final response document to all interested

consultants by the end of the week. To receive this document, notify Wayne Ives at

[email protected] or at the address below.

Each consultant will submit two (2) paper copies of the proposal plus one copy in electronic

format by 4:00 PM on Thursday, January 31, 2019 to:

Instream Flow Study Proposal Package

Attn: Wayne Ives, Instream Flow Specialist

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

29 Hazen Drive

Concord, New Hampshire 03301-0095

II. PROJECT TEAM AND LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION

Included in the proposal, the consultant will identify the staff members responsible for

managing and conducting project tasks. The consultant will describe the relevant experience of

the staff member to the role they will play. The consultant will also estimate each staff member’s

expected level of participation in the project tasks and in the overall project. An organization chart

showing lines of communication and decision-making hierarchy will be included in the proposal.

III. SUMMARY OF TASKS FOR THE PROTECTED INSTREAM FLOW STUDY

The project tasks are summarized below and described in detail in Attachment I - Scope of

Work Guidance. The consultant will clearly describe in their proposal their plans for completing

these tasks and the expected duration and timing for activities within each task. The consultant

should provide itemized costs for activities within each task in the proposal package.

Reference materials to assist in understanding the project tasks are listed in Attachment II.

NHDES recommends the consultant thoroughly familiarize themselves with the Pilot Program

reports describing the Lamprey and Souhegan Rivers’ Protected Instream Flow Studies and

especially with the 2010 Summary of the Instream Flow Council’s Review of the Souhegan and

Lamprey Rivers’ Instream Flow Pilot Studies, which gives many insights into developing a

scientifically-defensible protected instream flow study.

Task I. Protected Entity Identification and River Survey

Identify flow-dependent, instream public uses and Clean Water Act designated uses to be

evaluated for instream flow protection, and identify field locations where the assessments will be

made.

Task II. Protected Instream Flow Criteria Development

Evaluate the protected instream flow needs for the flow-dependent entities and integrate the

flow needs into protected flow criteria that define the natural pattern of stream flows. Develop a

Proposed Protected Instream Flow Report.

mailto:[email protected]


Task III. Protected Instream Flow Public Hearing and Final Report

Attend and present the Proposed Protected Instream Flow Report at a public information

meeting and at a public hearing. Address comments in coordination with NHDES, revise and

submit a final Protected Instream Flow Report.

IV. PROJECT SCHEDULE

The consultant will provide a project schedule. Project activities for each task will be laid out

in a flow chart identifying the duration and anticipated start and completion dates.

The consultant may conduct the two projects simultaneously or sequentially. The Cold River

will be completed in its entirety under this contract: The Warner River, if not completed, is to be

completed to the extent of the available funds. During contract development, NHDES may

eliminate proposed activities under a task on the Warner River at a logical break point. NHDES

expects that a protected instream flow study and report may take a year to 18 months, but

recognizes that the occurrence of appropriate flow conditions will also play a role in the timing

and duration of the project. NHDES and the consultant will determine the most effective means of

completing the project tasks given the budget, flow and staffing conditions during final contract

negotiations.

V. SELECTION CRITERIA

Consultants will be ranked based on: 1) demonstration of suitable qualifications comprised of

the experience and involvement of project members; 2) on the appropriateness and clarity of the

proposed methods of completing the tasks; 3) on the consultant’s ability to communicate complex

concepts; and 4) on cost. Rankings will be based on the following evaluation criteria and

weightings.

1. Specialized Experience of the Project Team (40 Percent)

NHDES will rate the consultant on their experience and knowledge of statistics, fisheries

biology, river hydrology and hydraulic-habitat modeling methods directly related to

assessment of protected instream flows. Consultants should demonstrate knowledge of the

applicable state and federal laws and rules, and demonstrate the extensive professional

experience of the staff to be assigned to this project in hydrology, fisheries biology,

hydraulic and fish habitat modeling, statistics, and data management. NHDES will

consider the team member’s role and participation level, the qualifications and experience

of project personnel, and communication abilities. Higher scores will go to consultants

who commit staff that have technical expertise at levels appropriate to the tasks; and who

submit both a clear, concise, and cohesive proposal and are able to articulate their plan

during an interview.

2. Project Approach and Cost (60 Percent)

NHDES will rate the consultant on their descriptions of the activities required to complete

the project tasks and their grasp of how the components of the tasks fit together to define

comprehensive protected instream flows. NHDES will consider whether the proposal’s

proposed methods and procedures will provide data-driven, and scientifically-defensible

protected instream flow criteria. NHDES will consider whether the results expected from


these methods will be representative of the river segment and will be demonstrably valid

and reproducible. Key elements will be the sources of the data to be applied, the

assessment methods, and quality assurance. Proposals should show a clear path from data

collection through the determination of protected instream flow criteria. NHDES will

evaluate the costs proposed for activities within each task. Selection will not be

determined by lowest cost: NHDES will select the best-qualified firm with the best plan

at a reasonable price.

After reviewing the proposals, NHDES choose consultants to continue for interviews.

Interviews will be scheduled during February 11 through 22, 2019 at NHDES offices in Concord,

NH. Higher scores will go to consultants demonstrating an ability to complete the work on

schedule and budget, a robust quality control/assurance programs, and an ability to clearly

communicate scientific concepts to both scientific and public audiences in writing and orally.

NHDES will rank the candidates based on a structured review of proposals, cost, schedule,

and interviews, and notify the highest-ranked consultant that NHDES intends to negotiate the

contract with them. NHDES will negotiate with this consultant to determine final project scope

and cost based on fair and reasonable compensation for the services required. If no agreement is

reached on scope of services and price, NHDES will terminate negotiations and begin

negotiations with the next-highest ranked consultant until a contract has been successfully

negotiated.

VI. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

Each proposal will include a confidentiality statement covering all firms and individuals

involved in this project. The confidentiality statement will prohibit the use, distribution or

discussion of collected information for any purpose other than development and documentation of

the protected instream flows.

VII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

Each candidate will submit a statement describing any potential conflicts of interest, such as,

for example, a relationship with a water user or parties related to an affected dam in the

watershed.

VIII. DISCLAIMER

This RFP does not commit NHDES to award a contract or pay any costs incurred during the

preparation of the proposal. NHDES reserves the right to reject any or all of the proposals for

completing this work. NHDES reserves the right to reduce the scope of work to meet its budget or

to ensure continuity of the overall project. NHDES also reserves the right to eliminate the need

for the selected consultant to complete one or more tasks, pending the outcome of preceding

activities or tasks.

Attachment I - SCOPE OF WORK GUIDANCE

Attachment II – REFERENCE MATERIALS

Attachment III - NHDES PUBLICATION GUIDELINES


ATTACHMENT I - SCOPE OF WORK GUIDANCE

Request for Proposals

Protected Instream Flow Studies

for the

Cold and Warner Designated Rivers

INTRODUCTION

The NHDES Instream Flow Program (Program) is seeking a qualified consulting firm to

conduct an assessment of protected instream flows for the Cold and the Warner Designated

Rivers and to recommend protected instream flow criteria for each of them. This attachment to the

proposal provides additional details describing the expected scope of work. The key elements of

the protected instream flow study are a combination of statistics, fisheries biology, river

hydrology and hydraulic-habitat (incremental flow) modeling methods. Protected instream flows

are numerical translators of state and federal water quality standards for stream flow. The

documentation that follows provides descriptions of three tasks to be completed during an

instream flow study.

The consultant will determine protected instream flows for the Cold and Warner Designated

Rivers. These protected instream flows will be based upon scientific analyses incorporating the

methods described in the 2015 final Report of the Instream Flow Pilot Program. NHDES intends

that the process be conducted using similar methods to those developed during the Pilot Program

and the resulting protected instream flow criteria be expressed in comparable terms.

In brief, under the project tasks, the consultant will conduct a survey to identify the flow-

dependent, instream public uses and identify stations for instream flow assessments. The

consultant will apply scientific assessment methods for determining protected instream flows. The

consultant will present a Proposed Protected Instream Flow report in a public information meeting

and in a public hearing. The consultant will make revisions, in consultation with NHDES in

response to comments received during the comment period, and submit a final Protected Instream

Flow report to NHDES.

BACKGROUND

This project is intended to dovetail with the pilot projects and to form a template for future

instream flow studies. Applicants should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the Instream

Flow Pilot Program and with the relevant rules and legislation governing establishment of

protected instream flows.

There are several sources of information describing and providing insight to the earlier

studies.

Instream Flow Council - In 2009, NHDES contracted with the Instream Flow Council to

review the final Souhegan River Protected Instream Flow report and the draft report for the

Lamprey Designated River. NHDES provided a summary of the Instream Flow Council’s review

with additional discussion by NHDES. The summary and NHDES’s discussion will provide

insight significant to this project into the Pilot Program’s application of methods and the

improvements that were suggested.

Final Protected Instream Flow Studies - In 2013, NHDES completed the Pilot Program to

test methods for determining protected instream flows on two Designated Rivers. NHDES has


concluded that these methods are effective and appropriate for applying to the other Designated

Rivers of the State. The Lamprey River and Souhegan River pilot reports are available on the

Department’s website.

Final Report of the Instream Flow Pilot Program - NHDES also evaluated the instream

flow pilot in a December 2015 report. NHDES intends that this contract be conducted under the

practices described in the pilot reports and the lessons learned during the pilot program described

in the 2015 report.

RECENT ADVANCES

There are several recent program advances affecting how Instream Flow studies will be

conducted. The Target Fish Community assessments broke the rivers into smaller segments of

similar character. The QPPQ development provides a way to calculate daily stream flows where

gages are not available.

Target Fish Community assessments

In 2018, NHDES conducted Target Fish Community assessments describing the fish

communities that are expected to exist in the Designated Rivers. As part of this assessment, the

Designated Rivers were divided into segments having a distinct character and fish community.

NHDES expects separate protected instream flow criteria to be developed for each segment

defined during the Target Fish Community assessments, and that the Target Fish Community for

that segment will be the basis for incremental hydraulic-habitat modeling. The segments and the

Target Fish Communities are described in each Designated River’s Target Fish Community report

available on the website. https://www4.des.state.nh.us/blogs/rmac/?page_id=3429

Daily stream flow calculation method - QPPQ

In 2018, NHDES had the 1994 QPPQ Transform method (Fennessey 1994) updated by its

author, Dr. Neil Fennessey. Some of the Designated Rivers have data gaps in the USGS stream

flow records and some rivers have no USGS gages at all. The QPPQ Transform method calculates

daily stream flow records at ungaged locations. The 1994 QPPQ method is used by USGS, the

State of Massachusetts, and other states’ water resource analysts. Studies have demonstrated that

the 1994 QPPQ method is the most accurate means for estimating daily stream flows in the

northeastern United States. However, NHDES contracted with Dr. Fennessey to update the

regression parameters used in the QPPQ calculations, with a focus on improving accuracy at low

flows.

NHDES will provide a minimum 30-year daily stream flow record tied to an existing USGS

gage for use in the incremental hydraulic-habitat models. This gage will represent an index gage

for determining the protected instream flows and for tracking conditions versus the criteria. The

consultant will use USGS stream flow records, augmented, where necessary, with QPPQ-derived

records to conduct the protected instream flow studies.

DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this contract is to conduct a protected instream flow study and develop

protected instream flow criteria for one or more designated rivers. The sections below describe

the expected tasks for this project. The descriptions include bulleted points intended to highlight

important concepts that may elicit further discussion of specific details within the consultant’s

proposal.

https://www4.des.state.nh.us/blogs/rmac/?page_id=3429


Task I. Protected Entity Identification and River Survey

The consultant will identify flow-dependent, instream public uses applicable to the

Designated River segment. The consultant will conduct an on-stream survey of the Designated

River to locate and verify specific flow-dependent instream public uses and Clean Water Act

designated uses.

NHDES considers flow-dependent instream public uses to include aquatic species, mainly

fish, and their habitat; riparian vegetation and wildlife; and recreational boating. Flow-dependent

Clean Water Act designated uses include components similar to the flow-dependent instream

public uses. These uses are Aquatic Life and Wildlife, which are defined in the NH Consolidated

Assessment and Listing Methodology, as follows.

Aquatic Life - Waters that provide suitable chemical and physical

conditions for supporting a balanced, integrated and adaptive

community of aquatic organisms.

Wildlife - Waters that provide suitable physical and chemical

conditions in the water and the riparian corridor to support wildlife as

well as aquatic life.

The consultant should discuss how to identify and select:

Fish species to be assessed in the hydraulic-habitat model.

Representative reaches for the hydraulic-habitat model.

Transects to assess flow-dependent rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) wildlife, RTE

vegetation, and natural/ecological communities.

Boating use and access points.

The on-stream survey is not intended to be an exhaustive identification and cataloging of

these entities, but rather a targeted verification of their existence and occurrence, and a

reconnaissance to prepare for the field investigations by selecting assessment stations.

The consultant should:

Explain how the number and placement of assessment locations will be determined so as

to adequately represent the Designated River segment (considering the distribution and

types of habitat).

Describe how the representativeness of the selected assessment stations will be determined

to ensure the statistical validity of the assessment locations chosen to represent the

Designated River segment.

Task II. Protected Instream Flow Criteria Development

The consultant will determine and propose scientifically-based, quantitative protected

instream flow criteria for the flow-dependent, instream public uses identified in Task 1. The

protected instream flow criteria developed must be a data-driven result. The ability of others to

reach the similar results will be a consideration. The results will be documented in a Proposed

Protected Instream Flow Report

The protected instream flows are to be developed using methods and processes similar to

those applied in the Pilot Program to the Lamprey and Souhegan Designated Rivers. The Pilot

Program reported its findings in the 2015 Report of the Instream Flow Pilot Program (NHDES

report R-WD-15-1.) This report encapsulates the Pilot Program’s methods and describes lessons


learned. The consultant should consider the findings of these reports that apply to conducting a

protected instream flow study and as described in the Task descriptions below. The consultant

should detail proposed differences in approach from the Pilot methods, if any.

At a minimum, the consultant will develop protected instream flow criteria using 1) site-

specific, reference-quality stream flow records, habitat data, and habitat preferences in an

incremental hydraulic-habitat model for aquatic species; 2) floodplain transect methods for

riparian vegetation and wildlife; and 3) surveys of recreational-use preferences of stream

conditions for recreational boating or navigation. The consultant will describe the methods

proposed to develop the protected instream flow criteria.

The consultant should describe the hydraulic-habitat model to be used for aquatic species

assessment, explain why the particular model was selected, and how it will be applied to

calculate protected instream flow for aquatic species. If the consultant wishes to propose

an alternative methodology that is consistent with the pilot studies in the Lamprey and

Souhegan rivers, the approach should be described in detail along with its potential merits.

Hydraulic-habitat (incremental flow) models for aquatic species assessment

Hydraulic-habitat models require daily stream flow records as input data. NHDES will

identify or provide a minimum 30-year, up to a 50-year, period of daily stream flows that the

consultant will use to assess protected instream flows. Daily stream flow data records are

available from existing USGS gages. Where USGS records are limited, NHDES has extended the

daily flow records using the updated QPPQ methods described earlier. Records are expected to

include the 30 to 50 years prior to 2000.

The consultant may wish to discuss whether a daily flow record longer than 30 years, if it

is available, should be used in the fish hydraulic-habitat model modeling.

Reference stream flow record

The consultant will determine whether the flow record reflects disturbed conditions and, if

necessary and if suitable data exist, correct the record to a reference stream flow record. If the

measured flow record is strongly affected by water withdrawals, returns, or dam operations, a

reference stream flow record more closely representing unmanaged stream flow conditions will

need to be developed for use in the hydraulic-habitat model. Reference flows are the flows that

would occur without human disturbance.

The consultant should discuss whether corrections for defining reference flow records are

needed for either the Cold or the Warner rivers.

Reference daily flow conditions will be calculated, if necessary, by adding or removing any

significant and measurable withdrawals or returns from the daily stream flow record. An example

of this process occurred during the Lamprey Pilot Program where daily flows were corrected for

large withdrawals and dam storage and release operations to create the reference flow record.

Corrections will use only measured or readily quantifiable values. The corrections will be

limited to measurable flow changes, such as measured water withdrawals or quantifiable dam

refills or releases. Corrections for land use changes, impervious surfaces, etc., which require

assumptions and estimates, are not expected.

If reference flows are required to address significant flow manipulation, the consultant

should briefly describe their plan for determining reference flow records.


Habitat use data

Habitat use data describe preferred conditions where aquatic species conduct life-stage-

specific activities. These data identify habitat conditions these species prefer or avoid, and are

also part of the input data to a hydraulic-habitat model. Habitat Suitability Index literature is

available for many fish and other aquatic species. The consultant is encouraged to develop river-

specific habitat suitability criteria.

The consultant should describe how Habitat Suitability Criteria will be obtained for the

fish to be used in the habitat flow model.

Evaluation of hydraulic-habitat model results

The consultant will determine protected instream flow thresholds as flow magnitude, duration

and frequency within each bioperiod. The consultant will describe how critical flow conditions

will be identified for protection. For example, during the Pilot Program, the consultants applied a

frequency-duration analysis to time-series data, known as uniform continuous under threshold

(UCUT), to the hydraulic-habitat model results. That analysis demonstrated the critical thresholds

for defining the protected instream flow criteria. The consultant also will describe how the

protected instream flows will be articulated. The consultant should:

Describe how species from the Target Fish Community will be selected for inclusion in

the hydraulic-habitat model.

Describe how the results of a hydraulic-habitat model will be assessed to determine

protected instream flows.

Riparian vegetation and wildlife flow assessments

Plant communities and wildlife occupy positions on the stream bank to take advantage of or

avoid certain flow conditions. During the Pilot Program, for example, the floodplain transect

method was applied to compare lifecycle needs of riparian plant and animal species with the

flows that occur where surveys showed that these species live. Identification of the locations

where RTE species or exemplary communities exist is required during Task 1. Elevation surveys

of species occurrences will be conducted and flow-elevation relationships developed. The

consultant will then link historical flows and life cycle needs of species to determine flow

requirements defined in terms of magnitude, timing, frequency, and duration.

The consultant should describe how instream protected flows for riparian vegetation and

wildlife will be determined.

Recreational assessment

The consultant will describe how boating preferences will be determined. During the Pilot

Program, opinion surveys were conducted to determine preferences for recreational uses of the

rivers. The protected flow was determined by assessing the river use at various flows and

surveying boaters’ preferences for using the river.

The consultant should explain how a protected instream flows for recreation or

navigational boating will be determined.

Proposed Protected Instream Flow Report

The consultant will prepare a draft Proposed Protected Instream Flow Report describing their

evaluation methods, results, and the proposed protected instream flow criteria. The protected

instream flow criteria will be described in terms of flow magnitudes, durations, timing and

frequency. For applicable species or habitat, the consultant also will describe rates of change of


flow. The consultant will integrate the protected instream flow criteria for the various flow-

dependent, instream public uses into protected instream flow criteria that define a natural pattern

of stream flows. The report will describe how the proposed protected instream flow criteria will

support the Commissioner’s decision to establish the protected instream flows based on the

requirements under Env-Wq 1904.05.

The consultant will present the draft Proposed Protected Instream Flow report to NHDES for

review and comment. The consultant will submit four paper copies and electronic copies in both

word and pdf formats. The consultant will revise the draft Proposed Protected Instream Flow

report in consultation with NHDES to create a Proposed Protected Instream Flow report.

ADA compliance

Note: For the proposed and the final reports, NHDES will provide the consultant with an

NHDES report number and electronic NHDES logo to be incorporated into the report. All draft

and final documents submitted for this project must follow the NHDES publications guidelines

provided by NHDES. All draft and final reports must meet the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) 508 requirements and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) AAA standards.

Data transfer to NHDES The consultant will provide NHDES with data files containing all measurements collected and

data used in these assessments. NHDES may need to reevaluate a river’s protected instream flow

criteria in the future. The consultant will submit to NHDES all data used to make determinations

of the protected instream flow criteria. The data will be in commonly used formats approved by

NHDES. The consultant should:

Describe the expected data sets and proposed method for submitting these files.

Describe how data quality is ensured.

Describe the system for data management.

Note: NHDES is in possession of System for Environmental Flow Analysis (SEFA) software.

http://sefa.co.nz/

Task III. Protected Instream Flow Public Hearing and Final Report

Public information meeting and public hearing

NHDES will hold a public information meeting followed at least 15 days later by a public

hearing as described in Env-Wq 1904.04. NHDES will provide and prepare facilities for the

meeting and the hearing. NHDES will publish the Proposed Protected Instream Flow report on its

website, and provide notices for and publicize and conduct the information meeting and the public

hearing. The public hearing will be held in a community through or past which the DR flows to

receive comments on the proposed protected instream flow criteria.

The consultant will make the proposed Protected Instream Flow report available to NHDES as

four paper copies and electronic versions at least 30 days prior to the date of the information

meeting. NHDES will distribute the report. The consultant will participate in the public

information meeting and the public hearing by giving a presentation describing the proposed

protected instream flow criteria and its development, and by answering questions.

Comment response and final report submittal

NHDES will compile comments received during the 30-day comment period following the

public hearing. NHDES will provide the comments received during the public hearing and the

public comment period to the consultant. NHDES and the consultant will review and determine

http://sefa.co.nz/


responses to the comments. Coordinating with NHDES, the consultant will make any necessary

revisions to the Proposed Protected Instream Flow report and document the responses to the

comments.

The consultant will submit a final report for approval by NHDES describing the

recommended protected instream flows and comment responses for NHDES to establish the

protected instream flow criteria. The consultant will submit four paper copies and electronic

copies in both word and pdf formats. NHDES will send written notice of receipt of a complete

data package and acceptance of the report to the consultant.

The consultant will be expected to communicate effectively with NHDES, including routine

and concise communication as the work progresses. The results must be scientifically robust

assessments. The consultant will be expected to have the ability to communicate these

assessments to the public at the public hearing.


ATTACHMENT II - AVAILABLE REFERENCE MATERIALS

Summary of the Instream Flow Council's Review of the Souhegan and Lamprey Instream Flow

Pilot Studies - April 2010 https://www4.des.state.nh.us/blogs/rmac/wp-

content/uploads/20100409_des_summary.pdf

Report of the Instream Flow Pilot Program - December 1, 2015

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/instream/report.htm

TARGET FISH COMMUNITY Reports – July 2018


2009 Lamprey River Protected Instream Flow Study Report

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/instream/lamprey/study.htm

2008 Souhegan River Protected Instream Flow Study Report

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/instream/souhegan/study.htm

RSA 483:9-c Establishment of Protected Instream Flows – part of the New Hampshire Rivers

Management and Protection Program Act

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/nhtoc/NHTOC-L-483.htm

Env-Wq 1900 Instream Flow Rules

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/legal/rulemaking/index.htm#pwaterq

https://www4.des.state.nh.us/blogs/rmac/wp-content/uploads/20100409_des_summary.pdf

https://www4.des.state.nh.us/blogs/rmac/wp-content/uploads/20100409_des_summary.pdf

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/instream/report.htm


https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/instream/lamprey/study.htm

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/instream/souhegan/study.htm

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/nhtoc/NHTOC-L-483.htm

https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/legal/rulemaking/index.htm#pwaterq

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