- (a) Surface waters of national forests and surface waters designated as natural under RSA 483:7-a, I, shall be considered outstanding resource waters (ORW).
- (b) Subject to (c), below, water quality shall be maintained and protected in surface waters that constitute ORW.
(c) The department shall allow a limited activity, or point or nonpoint source discharge to an ORW only if:
- (1) The discharge or activity will result in no more than temporary and short-term changes in water quality, wherein “temporary and short term” means that degradation is limited to the shortest possible time;
- (2) The discharge or activity will not permanently degrade water quality or result at any time in water quality lower than that necessary to protect the existing and designated uses in the ORW; and
- (3) All practical means of minimizing water quality degradation are implemented.
Source. (See Revision Notes #1, #2, and #3 at chapter heading for Env-Wq 1700) #12042, eff 12-1-16; ss by #14203, eff 2-26-25