Cold Brook Pond Dam dam
Cold Brook Pond Dam
Cold Brook Pond Dam, located in Lempster, New Hampshire, is a privately owned earthen dam that was completed in 1956 for recreational purposes. The dam stands at 19 feet tall and spans 600 feet in length, holding a maximum storage capacity of 129 acre-feet. With a significant hazard potential and moderate risk assessment, the dam is under the regulatory oversight of the NHDES Dam Bureau, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safe operation.
The dam, situated on the Cold Brook river, has a spillway width of 29 feet and an uncontrolled spillway type. Despite its satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is subject to regular inspections every four years to monitor its structural integrity. With a drainage area of 1.36 square miles and a normal storage capacity of 61 acre-feet, Cold Brook Pond Dam plays a vital role in providing recreational opportunities while also managing water resources in the region.
As a key feature in the local landscape, Cold Brook Pond Dam serves as a reminder of the intersection between human activity and natural resources. Its careful management and regulatory oversight highlight the importance of balancing the needs of recreation with the preservation of water resources and the surrounding environment. Through ongoing risk assessments and maintenance measures, the dam continues to play a crucial role in water management and climate resilience efforts in Sullivan County, New Hampshire.
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 Cold Brook Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar River At West Claremont | 431 cfs | → |
| North Branch River Near Antrim | 61 cfs | → |
| Ashuelot River Near Gilsum | 126 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At North Walpole | 11,900 cfs | → |
| Williams River Near Rockingham Vt | 144 cfs | → |
| Contoocook River Near Henniker | 782 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cold Brook Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Dodge Pond Boat Launch
- Butterfield Pond Boat Launch
- Long Pond Boat Launch
- Rand Pond Boat Launch
- Crescent Lake Boat Launch
- Sand Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Northstar Campground
- Fox Brook Tent Site
- Tree Farm Campground
- Mt. Ascutney State Park
- Ascutney Mt Stone Hut
- Camp Wilmot
Paddle runs
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- Sewall's Island To Manchester Street Bridge
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To Crossing Of Route 100 Near Route 155
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Confluence With Otter Creek To Ten Kilns Brook
Track Cold Brook 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 Cold Brook Pond Dam
Where does the data for Cold Brook 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 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 Cold Brook Pond Dam.