Lake level over the weekend

[billhurley]

Did anyone else notice how low the lake was Saturday. My slip in West Alton Marina was only 2.5 feet below my hull. I am a little concerned about trying to take the boat out over Columbus day weekend. Do you think it will drop much lower over the next 2 weeks?

Thanks Bill

[Kamper]

The lake is lowerred a lot every fall but I'd agree it looked a little lower Saturday than I expected. Just be careful and stick to the marked routes in areas you dont feel comfortable in.

[Silver Duck]

Bill

I just checked the N.H. Dams wesite, and the water level is just about down to the 20 year average drawdown level. So, it will probably be stabilized right about where it was last weekend.

Silver Duck

[Rinkerfam]

When I passed under the Weirs bridge Sat. I noticed that the lake level marker was only about a foot lower than it has read all summer. Is the fall draw-down usually brought to 503 ft. above sea level? Full lake is right around 504' I believe. Now I'm curious.

[Mee-n-Mac]

I'm with Kamper in that it seemed lower than I had expected. Somewhere I recall reading that the lake wasn't going to be drawn down until after late Oct this year. Something to do with the other lakes, etc. Then this past weekend it sure appeared as if it had been purposely lowered over the week. I've not checked the lake levels vs time to see if this is/was true. It'll be time to tie up at the end of the dock (rather than 1 piling in) from now on I guess.

[Bear Islander]

The graph does not show a dramatic drop in the lake level. It looks like the lake is just a little below average for this time of year.


http://www.des.state.nh.us/dam/graph/graph2005.HTM

[66WINN]

I noticed the drop my first time after labor day. When do they usually do the drawdown?
Why do they drawdown the lake?

[Resident 2B]

They draw the lake down so that it does not flood during the spring.

Since the lake has only one outfall, at Lakeport, and that outfall has down stream flooding ramifications when outfall is heavy, the dam operators must look at climatology and plan accordingly.

Over the years and in this year, they do and have done a great job. The lake is at about normal level for this time of the year, although it is much lower that it was at Labor Day.

Although the best boating on the lake is in September and October, you must know where you are, how much water you have under you and what you are doing or you will become your mechanic's favorite customer.