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Old 04-02-2012, 05:53 AM   #1
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Default Lake level

Another subject that could prove interesting in the coming months is the level of the lake.
On WMUR this morning, the NH Fish & Game are concerned over the lack of rain & snow which has left the lake at mid summer levels and could affect the breeding of the fish in the lake as well as other concerns.
As much as the lack of rain makes for ideal outdoor work conditions, if we do not get more then nascence rain soon we are going to be in a severe drought before the summer even starts.
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Old 04-02-2012, 01:56 PM   #2
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I've actually been surprised to see Winnipesaukee continuing to rise.

The outlet level at the dam on Merrymeeting was raised just before ice-out. But the level of the lake is not rising at all.

Merrymeeting is all spring and stream fed. There is a certain outflow that needs to be maintained to supply the fish hatchery below the dam, and keep the Merrymeeting River/Marsh flowing. But it appears that we are barely staying at status quo now. The level isn't going up, but it isn't falling either.

It's about 2' below normal for this time of year. I shudder to think what will happen if we don't get more rain and start seeing it rise soon.
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Old 04-02-2012, 02:13 PM   #3
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Winnipesaukee only continues to rise because the outflow at lakeport is being held at the minimum of approx 250cfs.

Normally after ice out and the spring melt the outflow is much higher....

Which means that right now Winnisquam and silver lake are lower then normal, for this time of year

The good news is they are letting Winnipesaukee build up... so that flow can be maintained. However as the other lakes down stream run into issues, they will have to increase the flow out of Winnipesaukee, which will start to draw the lake down....

How low will they late Winnisquam and Silver lake get before they increase the flow out of Winnipesaukee that is the real question.

Getting some rain fall is very important right now... if we want to have a sustainable water depth on all the lakes in the watershed.
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Old 04-02-2012, 02:27 PM   #4
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Default Carefull what you ask for

All you snow haters were sooo happy about this not so much of a winter and couldn't wait for the ice out.Not so happy times a coming?This snow lover doesn't wish the same fate on lake lovers,which I also am one.I'll take a rainy May please...no more snow now.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:10 PM   #5
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin View Post
The good news is they are letting Winnipesaukee build up... so that flow can be maintained. However as the other lakes down stream run into issues, they will have to increase the flow out of Winnipesaukee, which will start to draw the lake down....
And as most of you know, the Merrymeeting River is one of Winnipesaukee's biggest inflows. Right now, not much coming in.
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Old 04-02-2012, 05:45 PM   #6
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Default yes but

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Originally Posted by SIKSUKR View Post
All you snow haters were sooo happy about this not so much of a winter and couldn't wait for the ice out.Not so happy times a coming?This snow lover doesn't wish the same fate on lake lovers,which I also am one.I'll take a rainy May please...no more snow now.
Only on the weekends, us outdoor workers are liking the rain free spring for getting an early start on those outdoor projects.
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Old 04-03-2012, 08:46 AM   #7
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Default rain

Don't worry- I'll be opening up the house soon, so the rain will begin.....Starting on Friday afternoons and ending Sunday evenings, just as I pass along the water on my drive home.
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Old 04-03-2012, 02:42 PM   #8
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Default lake level

We need not worry. Starting Memorial day weekend (Sat 8 AM) thru Labor Day 5 PM it will rain every day all day from sunrise to sunset except when I am on vacation or on Wednesdays. That will bring the lake up and them robbers er ah gas stations will gobroke.
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Old 04-03-2012, 06:43 PM   #9
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Default

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Originally Posted by John A. Birdsall View Post
We need not worry. Starting Memorial day weekend (Sat 8 AM) thru Labor Day 5 PM it will rain every day all day from sunrise to sunset except when I am on vacation or on Wednesdays. That will bring the lake up and them robbers er ah gas stations will gobroke.
An anti-curse on your forcast JAB! I will be on vacation 7/1 -7/15 and there will be no rain on any of these days (Rain 2AM-4AM is ok). I plan on flying in a biiplane Independence Weekend and rain will not happen!
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Old 04-04-2012, 10:42 AM   #10
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Default forcasts

As has been seen this winter, I projected lots of snow because of all the pine cones that came down. So much for that theroy. I can figure on two days of rain in May, When I am opening the cottage and have to work outside on the well. Seems not to fail.
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Old 04-04-2012, 11:13 AM   #11
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Come on now Positive thoughts people
It will only rain when we are sleeping
lake level will be 504 all summer
Fuel will be at a all time low
and they will knock down the wide open saloon in a couple days

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Old 04-04-2012, 06:42 PM   #12
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Default Please be right on just one, the last one!!!

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Come on now Positive thoughts people
It will only rain when we are sleeping
lake level will be 504 all summer
Fuel will be at a all time low
and they will knock down the wide open saloon in a couple days



Please be right on just one, the last one!!!
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Old 04-05-2012, 03:43 PM   #13
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just looking at the NOAA website and there is a 50% chance of Rain Mon - Wed. Of next week....
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Old 04-05-2012, 03:55 PM   #14
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Let's hope they're right. We could sure use the rain.
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Old 04-06-2012, 02:48 PM   #15
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Default Weather next week

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Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin View Post
just looking at the NOAA website and there is a 50% chance of Rain Mon - Wed. Of next week....
Hope we get all the rain out of the way before next weekend. We are unwrapping the Breeze for next weekend. Lots of buffing and waxing, a true labor of love though. Arms will be sore but the boat will be shining big time!

Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back
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Old 04-11-2012, 10:21 AM   #16
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Default river levels

I thought I would post this because it gives a broader perspective and relates the flows to seasonal and historic levels. Sunny weather without water in the lakes or rainy weather with better water levels... not exactly great options...

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/...ther-area.html
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Old 04-12-2012, 02:02 AM   #17
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Sunny weather without water in the lakes or rainy weather with better water levels... not exactly great options...


Low water levels in the lake; higher risk of fire; problems with wells;...

or rainy weather with better water levels...

Easy choice for me.
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Old 04-12-2012, 05:30 AM   #18
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Default It all evens out in the end?

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Sunny weather without water in the lakes or rainy weather with better water levels... not exactly great options...


Low water levels in the lake; higher risk of fire; problems with wells;...

or rainy weather with better water levels...

Easy choice for me.
I was told from a meteorologist friend from Facebook that in the end Mother Nature tends to even things out. Long stretches of dry weather with little precipitation are made up by abnormally cool rainy stretches.
I remember several years back it rained so much many of us didn’t even put our boats into the water until the 4th of July weekend. It rained every single weekend that spring into summer.
To top it off it stayed unseasonably cool all summer long.
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Old 04-12-2012, 12:59 PM   #19
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Remember 1998. The year you could only operate on the lake with no wake? If I recall correctly on the 4th of July weekend we were able to boat with a wake on Newfound but not Winni. I only remember this becuase I boat my boat in the fall of 1997!
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Old 05-11-2012, 01:35 PM   #20
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The lake is now a little bit, about an inch, above full pool. The Lakeport Dam is now releasing water at 625 CFS, up from the 200 CFS or so that they have been releasing. This will help levels down stream.

One group of people we all owe a special thanks to are those dam people, bad pun intended. They do a great job with the water level regardless with what Mother Nature throws at them.

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Old 05-16-2012, 09:28 AM   #21
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Default NH DES site down?

I have not been able to get into the NH DES site to look at the lake level after all this rain. This is critical for me to be able to know if I can get under the bridge at Parker's in Alton Bay. Bad timing I guess .
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Old 05-16-2012, 09:43 AM   #22
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Default Debris

Now that the lake level is up, the debris that we usually see at "ice out" has showed up. Picked up a few good size chunks of wood this past weekend.
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Old 05-16-2012, 10:08 AM   #23
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The DES lake level sites do seem to be down today.

It is interesting that Merrymeeting Lake has not come up to normal level yet. We are still 12-15" below where we would normally be at this time of year.

There is no water coming down the sluice-way at the dam so that isn't the reason. It may just be that the springs and smaller streams that fill Merrymeeting are still not flowing well. Or Fish&Game are letting more water out though the fish hatchery than usual.

Either way, I hope we come up more soon.
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Old 05-16-2012, 10:20 AM   #24
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Default Lake Level

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Originally Posted by upthesaukee View Post
I have not been able to get into the NH DES site to look at the lake level after all this rain. This is critical for me to be able to know if I can get under the bridge at Parker's in Alton Bay. Bad timing I guess .

According to the Winnipesaukee Data Phone this morning (5/16/12) at 7:20 AM, the lake level at the Weirs was 504.56 or 2.88 inches above full. The outflow at Lakeport was 990 CFS. Their phone number is 603-527-0071.

I hope this helps when the DES system is down.
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Old 05-16-2012, 01:52 PM   #25
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Default DES Water Level site

I sent the webmaster a note ... that we cannot get to the site. I hope it is up soon.
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Old 05-16-2012, 02:14 PM   #26
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Default Floating Debris

We also have debris floating into our breakwater area as the lake has risen in the past week or so. We do not make any after dark trips to or from East Bear Island for several weeks after ice-out in case any floating hull and prop "inspectors" are around. We always remove any floaters when we spot them.
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Old 05-16-2012, 03:08 PM   #27
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Now that the lake level is up, the debris that we usually see at "ice out" has showed up. Picked up a few good size chunks of wood this past weekend.
I picked up a dock post yesterday in the cove...
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