Otter Brook Dam dam
Otter Brook Dam
Otter Brook Dam, located in Peterborough, New Hampshire, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1928 primarily for recreational purposes. The dam stands at a height of 10 feet and spans 150 feet in length, creating a surface area of 18 acres and a drainage area of 8.6 square miles along Otter Brook. With a storage capacity of 70 acre-feet, the dam has a low hazard potential and is assessed to be in fair condition as of July 2017.
Managed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, Otter Brook Dam is state-regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, and it has a moderate risk assessment rating. The dam's emergency action plan status, inundation maps, and risk management measures are not specifically listed, indicating a potential area for improvement in emergency preparedness.
Otter Brook Dam is situated in the picturesque Hillsborough County, offering recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike. Despite its relatively low hazard potential, continued monitoring and maintenance are crucial to ensure the dam's safety and integrity for the surrounding community and the environment. As climate change impacts water resources, the importance of effective dam management and emergency preparedness becomes increasingly significant for sustainable water resource management.
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 Otter Brook Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nubanusit Bk Blw Macdowell Dam Nr Peterborough Nh | 31 cfs | → |
| Contoocook River At Peterborough | 107 cfs | → |
| North Branch River Near Antrim | 61 cfs | → |
| Souhegan River (Site Wlr-1) Near Milford | 168 cfs | → |
| South Branch Piscataquog River Near Goffstown | 127 cfs | → |
| Contoocook River Near Henniker | 580 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Otter Brook Dam.
Boat launches
- Contoocook River (Powder Mill Pond) Boat Launch
- Zephyr Lake Boat Launch
- Norway Pond Boat Launch
- Macdowell Reservoir Boat Launch
- Cunningham Pond Boat Launch
- Frost Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Camp Wanocksett
- Mt Monadnock State Park Campground
- Fox Brook Tent Site
- Mile-Away Campground
- Damon Pond Campground
- Wheelock Park Campground
Paddle runs
- Sewall's Island To Manchester Street Bridge
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- Headwaters To Crossing Of Route 100 Near Route 155
Track Otter Brook 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 Otter Brook Dam
Where does the data for Otter Brook 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 Otter Brook Dam.