Farrar Marsh Dam dam
Farrar Marsh Dam
Farrar Marsh Dam, located in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, stands as a vital recreational resource for the community since its completion in 1978. This earth dam on Sand Brook boasts a height of 10.5 feet, with a storage capacity of 654 acre-feet and a surface area of 140 acres. Despite being primarily used for recreation purposes, the dam also serves as a crucial water resource, with a drainage area of 5.8 square miles and a maximum discharge capability of 1565 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, Farrar Marsh Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by the state, ensuring its safety and compliance with environmental standards. The dam's condition assessment is rated as fair, with a significant hazard potential and moderate risk level. With its uncontrolled spillway and a spillway width of 72 feet, the dam is equipped to handle emergencies effectively. The surrounding area, under the jurisdiction of the state, benefits from the dam's presence, providing both recreational and ecological advantages to the region.
As climate change continues to impact water resources and ecosystems, the management and maintenance of dams like Farrar Marsh Dam become increasingly crucial. With its strategic location on Sand Brook and its role in water storage and recreation, this dam exemplifies the intersection between human infrastructure and natural landscapes. By adhering to state regulations, conducting regular inspections, and implementing risk management measures, Farrar Marsh Dam stands as a resilient structure in the face of evolving environmental challenges, safeguarding the community's water resources and enhancing the local ecosystem for generations to come.
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 Farrar Marsh Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Contoocook River Near Henniker | 782 cfs | → |
| North Branch River Near Antrim | 61 cfs | → |
| Contoocook R Bl Hopkinton Dam At W Hopkinton | 1,080 cfs | → |
| Warner River At Davisville | 405 cfs | → |
| Piscataquog River Bl Everett Dam | 8 cfs | → |
| Blackwater River Near Webster | 19 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Farrar Marsh Dam.
Boat launches
- Massasecum Lake Boat Launch
- Franklin Pierce Lake Boat Launch
- Pleasant Pond Boat Launch
- Upper Pond Boat Launch
- Smith Pond Boat Launch
- French Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
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 Crossing Of Route 100 Near Route 155
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
Track Farrar Marsh 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 Farrar Marsh Dam
Where does the data for Farrar Marsh 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 Farrar Marsh Dam.