Canaan Street Lake Dam dam
Canaan Street Lake Dam
Canaan Street Lake Dam, also known as Crystal Lake or Harts Pond, is a privately owned structure located in Canaan, New Hampshire. Built in 1917, this earth dam stands at a height of 14 feet and spans 250 feet in length, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 1863 acre-feet. The primary purpose of the dam is for recreation, offering opportunities for fishing, boating, and other water-based activities to the local community.
Managed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the Canaan Street Lake Dam is regulated, permitted, and inspected by state authorities to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. Despite being rated as having a low hazard potential, the dam is considered to have a moderate risk due to its condition assessment being marked as "Not Rated." Emergency action plans and risk management measures are under review, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to safeguard this crucial water resource in Grafton County.
With a drainage area of 2.2 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 668 cubic feet per second, the Canaan Street Lake Dam plays a vital role in managing water flow and providing recreational opportunities in the region. As a focal point for outdoor enjoyment and ecological diversity, this dam serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between water resource management and climate resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Canaan Street Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Baker River Near Rumney | 367 cfs | → |
| Ompompanoosuc River At Union Village | 16 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At West Lebanon | 6,790 cfs | → |
| Ottauquechee River At North Hartland | 394 cfs | → |
| Smith River Near Bristol | 180 cfs | → |
| Pemigewasset River At Plymouth | 1,900 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Canaan Street Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Tewksbury Pond Boat Launch
- Crystal Lake Boat Launch
- Mascoma Lake Boat Launch
- Grafton Pond Boat Launch
- George Pond Boat Launch
- Reservoir Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Moose Mountain Shelter
- Cardigan Campsites
- Trapper John Shelter
- Clark Brook Campsite
- Smarts Mountain Campsite
- Velvet Rocks Shelter
Paddle runs
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
- Sewall's Island To Manchester Street Bridge
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
Track Canaan Street Lake 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 Canaan Street Lake Dam
Where does the data for Canaan Street Lake 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 Canaan Street Lake Dam.