Moose Falls Dam dam
Moose Falls Dam
Moose Falls Dam in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, stands as a critical structure for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes along the Connecticut River. Built in 1950, this earth dam spans 250 feet in length and reaches a height of 10 feet, with a storage capacity of 174 acre-feet. Despite its modest size, Moose Falls Dam plays a significant role in the local ecosystem, serving as a key element in managing water resources and maintaining the surrounding habitat.
Managed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, Moose Falls Dam is subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement, ensuring its structural integrity and compliance with safety standards. However, recent assessments have raised concerns about the dam's condition, with a poor rating indicating the need for maintenance and potential upgrades to mitigate its significant hazard potential. With a moderate risk assessment in place, stakeholders must prioritize risk management measures to safeguard the dam and the community it serves.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts monitor Moose Falls Dam's status, its role in environmental conservation and water management remains vital. The dam's location within the Coos County landscape underscores its importance in balancing water supply, flood control, and habitat preservation along the Connecticut River. By addressing maintenance needs and implementing risk mitigation strategies, Moose Falls Dam can continue to fulfill its mandate while adapting to evolving climate challenges and ensuring long-term resilience for 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 Moose Falls Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut R Below Indian Stream Nr Pittsburg | 332 cfs | → |
| Diamond River Near Wentworth Location | 315 cfs | → |
| Androscoggin River At Errol | 2,410 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At North Stratford | 1,420 cfs | → |
| Upper Ammonoosuc River Near Groveton | 511 cfs | → |
| Ellis River At South Andover | 318 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Moose Falls Dam.
Boat launches
- First Connecticut Lake Boat Launch
- Back Lake Boat Launch
- Chemin Du Lac Saint-Malo
- Back Pond Boat Launch
- Chemin De La Rivière-Bergeron Piopolis
- Lake Access Road Canaan
Track Moose Falls 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 Moose Falls Dam
Where does the data for Moose Falls 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 Moose Falls Dam.