When the amount of water released from the dam is reduced after Columbus Day, the lake level is not expected to drop significantly for the remainder of the month of October and, if drought conditions ease in the fall and winter, it is expected to remain relatively stable through the month of December absent any major rainfall events. Because of this summer’s drought, the level of the lake is already at that elevation. This year the reduction will be begun on October 18.īy the middle of the fall, Lake Winnipesaukee is, on average, 15 inches below its springtime full level due to evaporation and releases from the lake that have occurred over the course of the summer. The flow of 30 to 50 cfs is the minimum flow needed to maintain the downstream aquatic life during this period. Instead, in the fall after Columbus Day, the releases from Lakeport Dam are reduced from a normal minimum of 250 cubic feet per second (cfs) to a flow between 30 and 50 cfs for a period of up to two weeks to allow for maintenance of the dams and hydropower facilities on the Winnipesaukee River. Unlike the other lakes in this schedule, Lake Winnipesaukee is not purposely drawn down in the fall. Not included in this schedule is Lake Winnipesaukee. Drawdowns also give property owners an opportunity to conduct any necessary repairs to their waterfront property, provided they first secure a permit from the NHDES Wetlands Bureau at (603) 271-2147. Lake drawdowns are conducted each fall to reduce winter ice damage to shoreline properties and to reduce spring flooding. NHDES reminds people that canoeing and kayaking have inherent risks, and paddling the state’s lakes and rivers is at the paddler’s own risk. The release will begin at 10 AM.Īt the first two of these sites the flow will be reduced to near normal levels by 4 PM that same day. On Saturday, October 30, a release will be made from Greggs Falls Dam in Goffstown to provide an opportunity for canoeing and kayaking in the Piscataquog River downstream.Also there will be a recreational release from Northwood Lake (Little Suncook River) on October 23 starting at 8 AM and end at 4 PM.Between 300 and 400 cfs will be released for that time period. Water release from the dam will begin at 8 AM and end at 4 PM. Horace Lake will have a release for recreational use downstream on Saturday, October 16.The schedule for these recreational opportunities is as follows: However, at three dams, the drawdowns will be initiated or accelerated on a specific Saturday in October to provide recreational opportunities for canoeists and kayakers in the rivers below these dams. In addition, the actual date at which the drawdown will begin could vary by a few days based on operational constraints. Since the hydrologic conditions and recreational uses of these water bodies vary, the degree and date of the start of drawdown for each lake vary and could be affected by the amount of rainfall during the period. Due to changing ice and hydrologic conditions, these levels can vary throughout the winter. The depth of drawdown listed above is not from the current level, but is from the normal full pond level. The values listed above are generally the maximum levels reached, although during any given year the levels reached can be either higher or lower due to weather conditions. These larger lakes generally do not reach their full drawdowns until mid or late March.Island Pond drawdown will also begin on September 7 for the purpose of construction on the dam.On October 11, the level will be returned to the normal drawdown. This is to facilitate work being done downstream at Island Pond Dam. Highland Lake in Stoddard will have a 1-foot drawdown starting on September 7.Upon completion, the water level will be raised to the usual winter drawdown level. Crystal Lake in Gilmanton drawdown will start at the beginning of October in conjunction with upstream bridge work.Conservation, Mitigation, and RestorationĬoncord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announced today that the annual fall drawdown of the lakes and ponds controlled by dams owned by NHDES will be initiated according to the schedule below.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |