Protection of the “headwaters” of the Merrimack, Pemigewasset and other rivers were a deep concern to those groups that were in favor of the Weeks Act. In fact, it was the language of the Weeks Act, that spoke of the economic importance of having clean, reliable water coming dowstream that ultimately was the catalyst for the passage of the Weeks Act.

So, why is the protection of headwaters so important? What are headwaters anyways and how do they function? If you’re interested in finding the answers to these questions, visit the University of New Hampshire’s Cooperative Extension site for more information or click on the brochure below:

UNH Cooperative Extension: Headwater Streams Brochure