Oyster River (New Hampshire) - Conservation Issues

Conservation Issues

The river crosses under heavily-traveled U.S. Route 4 in three separate places in the town of Lee and passes within 1,000 feet (300 m) of the busy Lee Traffic Circle, which poses an ecological threat if runoff from the road gets into the water. Along the river there remain stretches of untouched floodplain and forests that stretch on for almost 100 acres (40 ha). These floodplain areas are useful in holding excess water during severe weather and help to reduce the damage done to the infrastructure elsewhere along the river. The floodplains also house diverse ecological communities and are home to many diverse species of New Hampshire.

One species that has been greatly affected by the steady decline in the health of the Oyster River is the oyster itself. Due to siltation and water pollution in the river the population of oysters hit an all time low in 2000 at 6,174 US bushels (217,600 l). However, the rate rebounded to 10,044 US bushels (353,900 l) just a couple years later. Another species that lives in the Oyster river is the American Brook Lamprey (Lampetra appendix) which only exists in this river in the entire state. The river as a whole is home to seven fish species of concern.