Souhegan River Site 15 Dam dam
Souhegan River Site 15 Dam
Souhegan River Site 15 Dam, also known as Site 15 Floodwater Dam, is a state-owned structure located in Wilton, New Hampshire. Constructed in 1963 by USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 13 feet and stretches to a length of 305 feet along King Brook. With a primary purpose of flood risk reduction, the dam has a storage capacity of 708 acre-feet, providing crucial protection to the surrounding area.
Managed by the NHDES Dam Bureau, Souhegan River Site 15 Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state of New Hampshire to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite being assessed as having a fair condition in 2017, the dam has a significant hazard potential, emphasizing the importance of ongoing risk management and maintenance. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, with no outlet gates, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and emergency preparedness measures.
In the event of a flood, the Souhegan River Site 15 Dam plays a vital role in protecting the Hillsborough County community by mitigating potential damage and safeguarding lives and property. As climate change continues to impact water resources, maintaining and enhancing the resilience of structures like this dam is crucial for sustainable water management in the region.
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 Souhegan River Site 15 Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Souhegan River (Site Wlr-1) Near Milford | 181 cfs | → |
| Contoocook River At Peterborough | 118 cfs | → |
| Nubanusit Bk Blw Macdowell Dam Nr Peterborough Nh | 31 cfs | → |
| Squannacook River Near West Groton | 83 cfs | → |
| Nashua River At East Pepperell | 531 cfs | → |
| North Nashua River At Fitchburg | 101 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Souhegan River Site 15 Dam.
Boat launches
- Cunningham Pond Boat Launch
- Melendy Pond Boat Launch
- Zephyr Lake Boat Launch
- Grassy Pond Boat Launch
- Contoocook Lake Boat Launch
- Frost Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Damon Pond Campground
- Pearl Hill Campground
- Camp Wanocksett
- Mt Monadnock State Park Campground
- Lake Dennison State Park
- East Dennison Camping Area
Track Souhegan River Site 15 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 Souhegan River Site 15 Dam
Where does the data for Souhegan River Site 15 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 Significant 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 Souhegan River Site 15 Dam.