The Warner River
Warner River Corridor
In 2018, the Warner River was classified as a designated river, as defined by New Hampshire’s River Management and Protection Program, joining the Merrimack, Contoocook and sixteen other rivers of outstanding character. This designation requires the formation of a Local Advisory Committee (LAC) to ensure active participation by local residents and stakeholders.
The WRLAC is composed of volunteers representing a variety of interests from each of the communities along the main stem of the river corridor. The WRLAC is responsible for developing and implementing a River Corridor Management Plan which documents the river’s existing conditions and makes recommendations for how to protect the river and its many uses for generations to come.
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The WRLAC meets on the 4th Wednesday (except November) every other month at 7:00 PM at the Pillsbury Free Library, Warner. Meetings are open to the public, and those interested in joining the Committee are invited to use the "Contact Us" button to indicate their interest. The 2026 meetings are January 28, March 25, May 27, July 22, September 23, and November 18.
Remembering Pete Savickas
The Warner River Local Advisory Committee was saddened to learn of the death of Pete Savickas, one of the committee's longest-serving and most active members. A representative from Sutton, Pete joined the committee in its first year and remained a fierce advocate for the Warner River until his death. Through his roles as treasurer and permit-reader, Pete was meticulous and thorough in all the research he did for us. He gladly dug into the depths of IRS rules to ensure our compliance with state and federal laws and learned (quickly) to read and interpret site plans. In presenting to the committee both factual information and context about various issues, he was able to distill complex information into layperson's terms with admirable neutrality so that committee members could develop their own informed opinions. Upon asking his personal opinion, however, Pete would be very clear about where he stood. Pete also understood the value of community outreach and networking. He took the lead in this area by using his considerable sales skills to present the WRLAC's mission and goals to several local conservation groups in the region, thus raising awareness of our work and our desire to partner with groups with similar goals. The WRLAC benefited immensely from Pete's many, many volunteer hours of conducting research, making phone calls, sending emails, and most importantly, building personal connections to advocate for the river, arguably our region's most precious resource. Pete shared many stories about his boating and fishing escapades; the only stories he would not share was exactly where those fish were! This is completely understandable. Our committee was incredibly lucky to have worked with a true gentleman of highest integrity, warm humor, and joie de vivre.