Northwood Lake Dam dam
Northwood Lake Dam
Northwood Lake Dam, located in Epsom, New Hampshire, serves as a recreational spot along the Little Suncook River. Completed in 1926, this concrete dam stands at a height of 13 feet and has a length of 169 feet. With a maximum storage capacity of 3,200 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 2,100 acre-feet, the dam covers a surface area of 688 acres and has a drainage area of 23.3 square miles.
Despite its historical significance and recreational purpose, Northwood Lake Dam is classified as having a high hazard potential and poor condition assessment. The dam is under the jurisdiction of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, which oversees its regulation, inspection, and enforcement. With a spillway width of 100 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 1,629 cubic feet per second, the dam presents moderate risk (3) and is in need of risk management measures to ensure public safety.
Given its critical condition and hazard potential, Northwood Lake Dam requires regular inspections, emergency action plans, and updated risk assessment to mitigate potential risks to the surrounding community and environment. As a key water resource in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, this dam serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and management of infrastructure to ensure the safety and sustainability of our water resources in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Northwood Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Suncook River At North Chichester | 221 cfs | → |
| Soucook River | 22 cfs | → |
| Cocheco River Near Rochester | 97 cfs | → |
| Isinglass R At Rochester Neck Rd | 53 cfs | → |
| Oyster River Near Durham | 11 cfs | → |
| Lamprey River Near Newmarket | 119 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Northwood Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Pleasant Lake Boat Launch
- Northwood Lake Boat Launch
- Chestnut Pond Boat Launch
- Jenness Pond Boat Launch
- Deer Meadow Pond Boat Launch
- Suncook River Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Saddleback Campground
- Remote Campsite
- Camp Spaulding
- Old Stage Campground
- Green Tops Campground
- Mile-Away Campground
Track Northwood 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 Northwood Lake Dam
Where does the data for Northwood 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 Northwood Lake Dam.