Canobie Lake Dam dam
Canobie Lake Dam
Canobie Lake Dam, located in Salem, New Hampshire, serves as a vital recreational resource in the area. Completed in 1930, this earth dam stands at a height of 8 feet and spans 330 feet in length, creating a storage capacity of 1400 acre-feet with a normal storage level of 700 acre-feet. Situated on Policy Brook, the dam's primary purpose is for recreation, offering a surface area of 350 acres for various water activities.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, Canobie Lake Dam has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating. Despite its age, the dam has not been assessed for its condition and lacks an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) as of the latest inspection in November 2020. With a controlled spillway width of 4 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 50 cubic feet per second, the dam presents a unique blend of historical significance and contemporary water management challenges.
As a significant feature in the Rockingham County landscape, Canobie Lake Dam provides not only recreational opportunities but also a critical water resource for the surrounding area. With its picturesque setting on Policy Brook and the potential for future risk management measures, the dam remains a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts seeking to understand the intersection of human infrastructure with natural hydrological systems.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Canobie Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Spicket River Near Methuen | 16 cfs | → |
| Spicket River At North Salem | 0 cfs | → |
| Beaver Brook At North Pelham | 31 cfs | → |
| Merrimack River Bl Concord River At Lowell | 10,100 cfs | → |
| Concord R Below R Meadow Brook | 315 cfs | → |
| Souhegan River At Merrimack | 235 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Canobie Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Canoe Launch Windham
- Ridgewood Lane Methuen
- Kendall Pond Boat Launch
- Methuen Riverside Boat Ramp
- Robinson Pond Boat Launch
- Wolcott Avenue 57, Lawrence
Campgrounds
- Windham Town Forest Tent Platforms
- Camp Evergreen
- Grotonwood
- Remote Campsite
- Salisbury State Park Reservation
- Tidewater Campground
Paddle runs
Track Canobie Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Canobie Lake Dam
Where does the data for Canobie Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Canobie Lake Dam.