Ws Packaging Canal Dam dam
Ws Packaging Canal Dam
The Ws Packaging Canal Dam, also known as the Dye House Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Wilton, New Hampshire, along the Souhegan River. Completed in 1876, this Earth-type dam stands at a height of 15 feet and spans 360 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 14 acre-feet for recreational purposes. Despite its age, the dam has been rated as satisfactory in condition assessments, with a high hazard potential due to its location and design.
Managed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau, the Ws Packaging Canal Dam is subject to state regulations, permitting, inspection, and enforcement. With a spillway width of 11 feet and a maximum discharge of 72 cubic feet per second, this dam plays a crucial role in water management and flood control in the region. The dam's emergency action plan is under regular review, ensuring that it meets guidelines and can effectively respond to any potential risks or incidents.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Ws Packaging Canal Dam serves as a historic and functional structure that contributes to the recreational and environmental landscape of Hillsborough County. Its moderate risk assessment underscores the importance of ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure the safety and integrity of the dam for both its primary purpose and the surrounding communities. With its unique design and significant role in water management, the Ws Packaging Canal Dam stands as a testament to the intersection of engineering, conservation, and recreation in 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 Ws Packaging Canal Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Souhegan River (Site Wlr-1) Near Milford | 181 cfs | → |
| Contoocook River At Peterborough | 118 cfs | → |
| Souhegan River At Merrimack | 256 cfs | → |
| South Branch Piscataquog River Near Goffstown | 143 cfs | → |
| Nubanusit Bk Blw Macdowell Dam Nr Peterborough Nh | 31 cfs | → |
| Nashua River At East Pepperell | 531 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ws Packaging Canal Dam.
Boat launches
- Melendy Pond Boat Launch
- Zephyr Lake Boat Launch
- Cunningham Pond Boat Launch
- Bailey Pond Boat Launch
- Naticook Lake Boat Launch
- Flints Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Damon Pond Campground
- Pearl Hill Campground
- Camp Wanocksett
- Mt Monadnock State Park Campground
- Grotonwood
- Lake Dennison State Park
Track Ws Packaging Canal 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 Ws Packaging Canal Dam
Where does the data for Ws Packaging Canal 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 High 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 Ws Packaging Canal Dam.