Highland Lake Dam dam
Highland Lake Dam
Highland Lake Dam, also known as Long Pond Dam, is a concrete buttress structure located in Stoddard, New Hampshire. Built in 1911, this dam primarily serves the purpose of recreation, providing a storage capacity of 2050 acre-feet and a surface area of 711 acres. Situated on the North Branch Contoocook River, the dam stands at a height of 11 feet and has a length of 108 feet.
Despite its recreational benefits, Highland Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential with a poor condition assessment as of April 2018. With a maximum discharge of 2060 cubic feet per second and an uncontrolled spillway width of 68 feet, the dam's risk assessment is classified as moderate. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau is responsible for regulating, inspecting, and enforcing safety measures at the dam, ensuring its operation meets state standards.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts will be intrigued by the historical significance and current condition of the Highland Lake Dam. As a vital infrastructure for recreation and water management in the region, ongoing monitoring and maintenance efforts are essential to mitigate risks and safeguard the surrounding community and environment.
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 Highland Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Branch River Near Antrim | 61 cfs | → |
| Ashuelot River Near Gilsum | 126 cfs | → |
| Otter Brook Below Otter Brook Dam | 12 cfs | → |
| Ashuelot River Below Surry Mt Dam | 259 cfs | → |
| Contoocook River Near Henniker | 782 cfs | → |
| Nubanusit Bk Blw Macdowell Dam Nr Peterborough Nh | 31 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Highland Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Highland Lake Boat Launch
- Island Pond Boat Launch
- Center Pond Boat Launch
- Granite Lake Boat Launch
- Gregg Lake Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Fox Brook Tent Site
- Wheelock Park Campground
- Camp Wanocksett
- Mt Monadnock State Park Campground
- Northstar Campground
- Mile-Away Campground
Paddle runs
- Sewall's Island To Manchester Street Bridge
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- Headwaters To Crossing Of Route 100 Near Route 155
Track Highland 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 Highland Lake Dam
Where does the data for Highland 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 High 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 Highland Lake Dam.