Low Winni Water Level

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by tis

Lots of docks are underwater. I saw somebody lost all their panels off the top of their dock and said if anybody saw them please let them know.

We have about 4" of height left however wave action will lift the sections. We tie 1/4" cord around each section securing then to the frame. The 1/4" cord fits between decking boards. Use a boat grab hook to fish the line under the frame.

Alan

[fatlazyless]

So yesterday I noticed on the BearCam that the wood dock inserts were removed from the aluminum frame as a precaution for the high water level, at the north end of Bear Island.

Yesterday I was in and out of the cold water many times moving two sailboats, a 17'er and a 12'er, higher up on their embankment ramps. So now they are pretty much as high up the ramps as they can go? Was concerned that incoming waves for hours and days will damage these two sailboats. Time will tell?

[tis]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

We have about 4" of height left however wave action will lift the sections. We tie 1/4" cord around each section securing then to the frame. The 1/4" cord fits between decking boards. Use a boat grab hook to fish the line under the frame.

Alan

What a pain though. Why can't the level just play nice and stay where it belongs?

[sunset on the dock]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

We have about 4" of height left however wave action will lift the sections. We tie 1/4" cord around each section securing then to the frame. The 1/4" cord fits between decking boards. Use a boat grab hook to fish the line under the frame.

Alan

While I have a permanent pile driven dock I'm still worried. We live in a very exposed location. Two days ago when the wind picked up the waves were coming over the deck and the dock itself was shaking. What worries me is that when trough to crest of the wave rises under the dock that this constant pounding could lift the dock +/- even the pilings with it. I have seen permanent docks that have actually risen on the far end, higher than at the shore side.
My solution, or perhaps only to put my mind at ease: I took 5 gallon buckets, plastic tubs, and trash cans and filled them with water, 120 gallons in total. So at 8 lbs. per gallon, that's almost 1000 lbs. I have tied all of the containers to the dock so as not to lose them should the wind pick up again.
I will be watching the wind and rain forecast closely.

[Merrymeeting]

A week ago, Merrymeeting was still at winter level. It's come up almost 2' since then. So any temporary relief from flow into Alton is now over. We are close to high limit too, as is the river.

[WinnisquamZ]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

We have about 4" of height left however wave action will lift the sections. We tie 1/4" cord around each section securing then to the frame. The 1/4" cord fits between decking boards. Use a boat grab hook to fish the line under the frame.

Alan

I use industrial strength tie wraps each season. Easy to install and remove. The reason for this is after 35 years of removing and replacing stainless steel screws most of the hole’s are stripped. Inexpensive on Amazon. Many widths and lengths available


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[Biggd]

I'm doing my part, I left my faucet running!

[LIforrelaxin]

Looking at the DES website, release rate out of lake port is ~1500 CFS

Lake level on Winnipesaukee is at ~504.94 and with full lake at 504.32, that means we are ~0.62 feet high, at 1.2 inches per 10th that give us 7.4 inches above full pool....

Interestingly inline with JeffK observation of Winnisquam....

Hopefully we will dry out for a few days, and the lake will have a chance to re-act.....at 1500 CFS, I can usually see a difference from when I go to be at night to when I wake up in the morning........on the various ways I look at the lake level....

[jeffk]

They bumped up the output at Lakeport and from Winnisquam after I checked them early this morning.

It's good to get rid of the additional water but, to be honest, going from 1200 CFS to 1500 CFS will only drop Winnipesaukee about an additional inch over a week. It's a BIG lake.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by jeffk

They bumped up the output at Lakeport and from Winnisquam after I checked them early this morning.

It's good to get rid of the additional water but, to be honest, going from 1200 CFS to 1500 CFS will only drop Winnipesaukee about an additional inch over a week. It's a BIG lake.

As a reference It appears that outflow changes happen at about 8 A.M. when they happen......

[Descant]

Intriguing to note that the OP asked on April 9 why the lake was so low. 23 days later, we're 6-7 inches above full, and 1" of lake is about 1.2 billion gallons.

The back up question is, How long can we drop 1500 CFS before the downstream folks can't take anymore? Other waters empty into the Merrimack River, not just Winnipesaukee.

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by Descant

The back up question is, How long can we drop 1500 CFS before the downstream folks can't take anymore? Other waters empty into the Merrimack River, not just Winnipesaukee.

That's a good question and with Winnisquam and Silver Lake still very high, I was surprised they opened up Lakeport as much as they have. I'm sure they are watching that.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by jeffk

That's a good question and with Winnisquam and Silver Lake still very high, I was surprised they opened up Lakeport as much as they have. I'm sure they are watching that.

Silver Lake is now under a no wake order.

Dan

[codeman671]

I guess its not a good weekend to launch my surf boat?

Our dock frame went in yesterday. While they were putting it in waves coming out of the east were rolling over the top. We are going to hold off putting most of the the decking panels on for fear of them washing away. Maybe just the first 40-50 feet with bungees and rope so that we can tie up.

Our beach is under water, the lake is up to the top of our low stone wall and floating debris is getting dumped on the lawn as the waves roll in. The backyard is under water as well. Can't wait to bring my dogs out to play in it! Yuck!

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by codeman671

I guess its not a good weekend to launch my surf boat?

Our dock frame went in yesterday. While they were putting it in waves coming out of the east were rolling over the top. We are going to hold off putting most of the the decking panels on for fear of them washing away. Maybe just the first 40-50 feet with bungees and rope so that we can tie up.

Our beach is under water, the lake is up to the top of our low stone wall and floating debris is getting dumped on the lawn as the waves roll in. The backyard is under water as well. Can't wait to bring my dogs out to play in it! Yuck!

I was thinking a no wake order would make commuting out of the question for me... we'll see what happens!

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[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by steve-on-mark

I was thinking a no wake order would make commuting out of the question for me... we'll see what happens!

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I honestly don't think you will see a no wake order on Winni... It was higher than this in 2019 and no order was issued. We also have dry weather for the next 10 days....

Keeping my fingers crossed!!

Dan

[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

I honestly don't think you will see a no wake order on Winni... It was higher than this in 2019 and no order was issued. We also have dry weather for the next 10 days....

Keeping my fingers crossed!!

Dan

And the good news it went down a bit. I can see the tip of a rock that was underwater yesterday.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by tis

And the good news it went down a bit. I can see the tip of a rock that was underwater yesterday.

That's good news tis as I was worried about having to put pontoons on my tiki bar!

Dan

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

That's good news tis as I was worried about having to put pontoons on my tiki bar!

Dan

Well if you need a captain, I have experience with that!

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[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

That's good news tis as I was worried about having to put pontoons on my tiki bar!

Dan

I make no promises but you might be able to cancel the order.

[Bucktail]

Originally Posted by Descant

Intriguing to note that the OP asked on April 9 why the lake was so low. 23 days later, we're 6-7 inches above full, and 1" of lake is about 1.2 billion gallons.

The back up question is, How long can we drop 1500 CFS before the downstream folks can't take anymore? Other waters empty into the Merrimack River, not just Winnipesaukee.

I found this on Bizer and thought it relevant:

The flow is the amount of water leaving Lake Winnipesaukee at the Lakeport Dam. It is measured in cubic feet per second (CFS). To put this in perspective, 1920 CFS is enough to fill about 45 swimming pools each minute. For a period of 24 hours, 1920 CFS yields 1.24 billion gallons, or enough water to lower the level of Lake Winnipesaukee one inch. The flow fluctuates depending on the time of year and the lake's height. The long-term average is about 550 CFS.

[codeman671]

View of our dock and the mess around it.

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by codeman671

View of our dock and the mess around it.

That really IS a mess!

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[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by codeman671

View of our dock and the mess around it.

What a mess..... I guess yard clean up, is one of the first objective this weekend... I will get to see tonight just how much of my dock is underwater..... good thing I have lots of cinderblocks to weigh it down!!!!!!

[LIforrelaxin]

today discharge of winnipesaukee is at 1650 CFS,
Discharge out of winnisquam is 2240 CFS
Silver lake is expected to continue to rise through tomorrow

Lake level this afternoon being reported at 505 ft.

[jeffk]

The lake level seems to have peaked at 505 from the recent rains (the graph has "leveled" off). That's about 8 inches above "full pool". The current flow at Lakeport dam should drop Winnipesaukee about 6 inches in a week. There is no rain forecast for the next 8 days, highs in the 60's, a fair amount of sun, and some moderate wind = some evaporation. At the end of that forecast period, most of the excess should be gone, if none of the factors mentioned change very much.

[fatlazyless]

You know the lake water temperature has become a State of NH top secret, now, with this new DES website so's for just $1.99 I got a floating water thermometer at Rand's Hardware in Plymouth.

So, who has been in the lake in this early May-2023 high water situation to install or work on a dock or something, and what you think is the water temperature, and how do you know what is the temperature? .....

[ITD]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

You know the lake water temperature has become a State of NH top secret, now, with this new DES website so's for just $1.99 I got a floating water thermometer at Rand's Hardware in Plymouth.

So, who has been in the lake in this early May-2023 high water situation to install or work on a dock or something, and what you think is the water temperature, and how do you know what is the temperature? .....

I dip my toe in first.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

As a reference It appears that outflow changes happen at about 8 A.M. when they happen......

A few years ago I questioned why they didn't increase the discharge rate at night and slow it down during the day. My thought was the Weirs Channel is hazardous to boaters when the current is flowing at a high rate.

If you watch renters trying to exit Thurston's, now Northwater, the current makes it difficult, especially if you have minimum experience or are not familiar with a rental boat.

The answer I got was "we only work days". That explains the changes occurring about 8 AM.

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by Biggd

I'm doing my part, I left my faucet running!

Brilliant!!!

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