Upper City Dam dam
Upper City Dam
Upper City Dam, located in Rochester, New Hampshire, along the Cochecho River, is a concrete buttress dam primarily used for recreation. Completed in 1920, the dam stands at a height of 14 feet and has a length of 215 feet, providing a storage capacity of 350 acre-feet. The dam's spillway, with a width of 138 feet, is uncontrolled, allowing for a maximum discharge of 8,128 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the NHDES Dam Bureau, Upper City Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state, ensuring its safety and functionality. With a hazard potential rated as significant and a condition assessment of fair, the dam poses a moderate risk, prompting regular inspections every four years. While the dam has not been modified in recent years, it remains a vital structure for both water resource management and recreational activities in the area.
Overall, Upper City Dam serves as a key component in the local water infrastructure, providing both storage capacity and recreational opportunities along the Cochecho River. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the maintenance and management of dams like Upper City Dam will be crucial in ensuring the safety and sustainability of water systems in New Hampshire and beyond.
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 Upper City Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | → |
| Mousam River Near West Kennebunk | 225 cfs | → |
| Winnicut River At Greenland | 17 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper City Dam.
Boat launches
- Baxter Lake Boat Launch
- Cathy Schiro O'Brien Cross Country Running Trail Dover
- Willand Pond Boat Launch
- Swains Lake Boat Launch
- Canaan Back Road Barrington
- Salmon Falls River Boat Launch
Campgrounds
Track Upper City 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 Upper City Dam
Where does the data for Upper City 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 Upper City Dam.