(Dover, N.H., July 16, 2026) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking public comment on the environmental assessment plan for a proposed project to rehabilitate four dams within the Souhegan River Watershed. Public comments will be accepted until August 10, 2026.

Souhegan Dam Sites 12A North and South, Site 25B, and Site 26 were constructed between 1967 and 1971 as a part of a series of thirteen floodwater retarding structures within the Souhegan River Watershed, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire and Middlesex County, Massachusetts. All four dams are classified as high-hazard structures. 

Dam Assessments in 2016 and 2021 noted several deficiencies resulting in the four dams not meeting current NRCS or New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) criteria and performance standards for high hazard dams. The preferred alternative is to rehabilitate the four dams to address the identified safety deficiencies and maintain the current level of flood protection for the surrounding communities and drinking water supply for the Town of Greenville.

Before the USDA can consider funding the project, an environmental assessment of the project’s environmental impacts is required, and the public has a 30-day period to provide comment. Copies of the environmental assessment are available online and printed copies are available at the following locations: USDA Service Center, Milford, N.H. located at 468 Route 13 South; and the NRCS State Office located at 273 Locust Street, Suite 2D, in Dover, N.H. Digital copies of the plan are available on the NRCS, N.H. website. 

A public meeting will be held on July 23, 2026, to discuss the environmental assessment. Details for that meeting can be found on our website. Instructions on how to submit comments are also available on the website and at the physical locations.

In accordance with Section 106 of National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C § 306108) and its implementing regulations (36 CFR Part 800), the U.S. Department of Agriculture is also seeking public comment and input for the effects on historic properties. The Souhegan Watershed Plan was identified to be part of the larger National Register Eligible Souhegan River Flood Control Project Historic District and through consultation the selected alternatives to each dam were determined to result in No Adverse Effect on the Historic District. 

Following the public comment period a final version of the environmental assessment plan, taking public comments into consideration, will be submitted with the project’s funding application to the USDA. 

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Public Meeting: 

The recording of the public meeting conducted on July 23, 2026 can be found below: