Mountain Lake Dam dam
Mountain Lake Dam
Mountain Lake Dam, located in Carroll, New Hampshire, is a state-regulated structure managed by the NHDES Dam Bureau. Situated on Hanson Brook, this concrete dam primarily serves recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 12 acres and a maximum storage capacity of 143 acre-feet. With a structural height of 11 feet and a length of 150 feet, the dam has a low hazard potential and is assessed to be in fair condition as of 2013.
Despite its moderate risk assessment, Mountain Lake Dam has a low hazard potential and is inspected every 6 years to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 18 feet, capable of handling a maximum discharge of 1020 cubic feet per second. Although no outlet gates or associated structures are listed, the dam's emergency action plan status and risk management measures are not specified, indicating room for improvement in emergency preparedness and response protocols.
Overall, Mountain Lake Dam is a vital infrastructure for recreational activities in the area, but stakeholders may benefit from enhancing their emergency preparedness measures and risk management strategies to mitigate potential hazards and ensure the long-term safety and sustainability of the dam for water resource and climate enthusiasts.
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 Mountain Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cocheco River Near Rochester | 97 cfs | → |
| Isinglass R At Rochester Neck Rd | 53 cfs | → |
| Bearcamp River At South Tamworth | 164 cfs | → |
| Mousam River Near West Kennebunk | 225 cfs | → |
| Suncook River At North Chichester | 221 cfs | → |
| Saco River At Cornish | 7,160 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mountain Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Lovell Lake Boat Launch
- Merrymeeting Lake Boat Launch
- Great East Lake Boat Launch
- Crescent Lake Boat Launch
- Lake Winnipesaukee Boat Launch
- Lovell Lake Road 3198, Acton
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- Sewall's Island To Manchester Street Bridge
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
Track Mountain 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 Mountain Lake Dam
Where does the data for Mountain 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 Mountain Lake Dam.