Ballard Pond Upper Dam dam
Ballard Pond Upper Dam
Ballard Pond Upper Dam, located in Derry, New Hampshire, was completed in 1941 and serves primarily for recreation purposes. The dam, made of earth and stone with a buttress core type, stands at a height of 7 feet and stretches 120 feet in length. It has a storage capacity of 415 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 93 acres, with a drainage area of 4.3 square miles.
Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is rated as poor, with the last inspection conducted in June 2018. The risk assessment for the dam is moderate, indicating a level 3 risk. The State of New Hampshire regulates and inspects the dam, with the NHDES DAM BUREAU being the state regulatory agency overseeing its operation and enforcement. The dam is situated on Taylor Brook and falls under the jurisdiction of the state, ensuring that it meets permitting and inspection requirements to ensure public safety and environmental protection. Water resource and climate enthusiasts can appreciate the importance of maintaining and monitoring dams like Ballard Pond Upper Dam to mitigate risks and safeguard water resources for future generations.
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 Ballard Pond Upper Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Spicket River At North Salem | 0 cfs | → |
| Beaver Brook At North Pelham | 31 cfs | → |
| Spicket River Near Methuen | 16 cfs | → |
| Merrimack R Nr Goffs Falls | 8,350 cfs | → |
| Exeter River At Haigh Road | 52 cfs | → |
| Souhegan River At Merrimack | 235 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ballard Pond Upper Dam.
Boat launches
- Beaver Lake Boat Launch
- Phillips Pond Boat Launch
- Scobie Pond Boat Launch
- Kendall Pond Boat Launch
- Long Pond Boat Launch
- Canoe Launch Windham
Campgrounds
- Windham Town Forest Tent Platforms
- Remote Campsite
- Camp Evergreen
- Tidewater Campground
- Saddleback Campground
- Salisbury State Park Reservation
Paddle runs
Track Ballard Pond Upper 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 Ballard Pond Upper Dam
Where does the data for Ballard Pond Upper 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 Ballard Pond Upper Dam.