Coordinates: 43°13′58″N 70°56′58″W / 43.2329°N 70.9495°W
The Isinglass River is a 15-mile-long (24 km) river in Strafford County in southeastern New Hampshire, United States. It rises at Bow Lake in the town of Strafford, but is also fed through its tributaries by Ayer's, Nippo, Round and Long ponds in Barrington. The Isinglass flows east to meet the Cochecho River below Rochester. The river is part of the Piscataqua River watershed.
In History of the Town of Rochester, N.H., published 1892, author Franklin McDuffee remarks that the Isinglass River is "probably named from the mica in its bed or along its banks." Isinglass is a synonym for mica, an abundance of which makes rock at the Isinglass River sparkle.
The Isinglass River Management Plan is a state supported plan implemented to protect the Isinglass River, the river corridor, and the greater Isinglass watershed. The Isinglass River is one of 15 rivers in the state of New Hampshire that are recognized for having outstanding natural and cultural resources. The state appointed a group called the Isinglass River Local Advisory Committee (IRLAC) to carry out the plan to ensure this status. Their goal is to protect the natural, recreational, cultural, and historical resources. They are protecting resource values of the river by trying to maintain a natural state of the river by working to limit development along the river and its tributaries and also to prevent the loss of forested land within the watershed. They also work to make sure no new dams are constructed, no channel alterations will be made that will be damaging, and also to maintain good water quality. Places on board with carrying out this management plan include the towns of Barrington and Strafford and the city of Rochester.