Ferson Pond Dam dam
Ferson Pond Dam
Ferson Pond Dam, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, was completed in 1998 and serves primarily for recreational purposes. This earth dam with a height of 7 feet and a length of 200 feet impounds the waters of TR Hewes Brook, creating a surface area of 11 acres and a maximum storage capacity of 53 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is currently in poor condition as of the last inspection in November 2016.
The dam is privately owned and regulated by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau. It is regularly inspected with a frequency of 6 years to ensure compliance with safety standards and enforcement measures. The spillway type is uncontrolled, with a maximum discharge capacity of 220 cubic feet per second. While the risk assessment is moderate, there is a lack of emergency action plans and inundation maps prepared for potential incidents.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Ferson Pond Dam presents an opportunity to explore the intersection of recreational use and dam safety in a picturesque setting. With its unique design characteristics and regulatory oversight, the dam serves as a case study in balancing the benefits of water impoundment for leisure activities with the need for proper maintenance and risk management to ensure public safety and environmental protection along TR Hewes Brook.
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 Ferson Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ompompanoosuc River At Union Village | 16 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At West Lebanon | 6,790 cfs | → |
| White River At West Hartford | 1,370 cfs | → |
| Ottauquechee River At North Hartland | 394 cfs | → |
| Baker River Near Rumney | 367 cfs | → |
| Pemigewasset River At Plymouth | 1,900 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ferson Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Post Pond Boat Launch
- Reservoir Pond Boat Launch
- Mascoma Lake Boat Launch
- Connecticut River Boat Launch
- Crystal Lake Boat Launch
- George Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
- Headwaters To Woodstock, Vt
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
Track Ferson Pond 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 Ferson Pond Dam
Where does the data for Ferson Pond 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 Ferson Pond Dam.