Lake level

[BlackCatIslander]

Help! I must be having brain lock after the long winter but I can not find the lake levels. I know that it was just a few clicks to find out the lake level. It will be interesting to see what happens after the weekend rains on Sunday/Monday.

[hoopdawg]

is this what you are looking for ??

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divis...vels/index.htm

[Lakegeezer]

With three inches of rain predicted between now and Tuesday, the level should get back to normal.

Bizer's lake level chart is also good but updated less frequently.
http://bizer.com/bztnews.htm#lakelevel

[Diana]

If you go to the Snake Eyes Ice Out/Ice In page there are links at the top right of the page. I like the Bizer graph myself even though it only updates once a week, I like seeing how it compares with recent years.

[Island Girl]

Www.rattlesnakecam.com/watch.htm

Look at the right column

[Bizer]

Originally Posted by Diana

... I like the Bizer graph myself even though it only updates once a week, I like seeing how it compares with recent years.

During periods of heavy rain (like today), Bizer updates more frequently. We usually strive to keep you updated whenever the lake level changes unexpectedly by three inches. In April, 2007, the lake level rose 15" in four days. During that period, Bizer updated its web page six times.

Today's reading is 1.7" higher than yesterday's reading after 1.1" rain. (Note: as I write this at 11am, the lake has risen an additional 0.9" since this morning's 6am reading)

[laketrout]

Ok, I know it's 504' at the weirs bridge, what is normal for this tine of year? Talking with people/boating folks they say it's like August in April. Clear me up if I'm wrong.

[Lakesrider]

504 feet? Really?

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by Lakesrider

504 feet? Really?

above sea level.......

[laketrout]

Yes, 504' above sea level, the state of NH has a marker on one side of he Weirs bridge going into Paugus Bay on the left side. Some years especially in the late summer the marker goes down to 502' or lower as the water is let out into Opeche Lake.

[Merrymeeting]

Unfortunately, no real rain in the 10-day forecast. While the rain over the past few days certainly helped, we're still well below where it should be this time of year.

[Bizer]

Originally Posted by laketrout

Ok, I know it's 504' at the weirs bridge, what is normal for this tine of year? Talking with people/boating folks they say it's like August in April. Clear me up if I'm wrong.

Normal is about 504.05, or about an inch higher than it was this morning. Normal is depicted in the lower right corner of Bizer's chart. Readings at www.bizer.com/bztnews.htm#lakelevel also indicate the current deviation from norm.

Originally Posted by laketrout

Yes, 504' above sea level, the state of NH has a marker on one side of he Weirs bridge going into Paugus Bay on the left side. Some years especially in the late summer the marker goes down to 502' or lower as the water is let out into Opeche Lake.

There is also a marker at Weirs. www.bizer.com/lwother/gauge_0980519.jpg

New Hampshire has been keeping daily records since 1982. Only once (07-Nov-2001 to 14-Feb-2002) has the lake fallen below 502. Even falling below 502.5 is rare.

[laketrout]

Originally Posted by Bizer

Normal is about 504.05, or about an inch higher than it was this morning. Normal is depicted in the lower right corner of Bizer's chart. Readings at www.bizer.com/bztnews.htm#lakelevel also indicate the current deviation from norm.

There is also a marker at Weirs. www.bizer.com/lwother/gauge_0980519.jpg

New Hampshire has been keeping daily records since 1982. Only once (07-Nov-2001 to 14-Feb-2002) has the lake fallen below 502. Even falling below 502.5 is rare.

Ok thanks Bizer. How does the lack rain and lack of snowfall this past winter impact boating, I would think the lake would be shallower as it is in the summer?
Rocks and shoal areas would be more problematic.

[Slickcraft]

We had 3.6 inches in the rain gauge over the 2 day event here in West Alton. I normally take a look here to see the current lake level situation:
http://www2.des.nh.gov/rti_home/stat...+Winnipesaukee

You can also access the tabular data, in this case up about 0.3 feet or 3.6 inches agreeing with our rain gauge. So in this case most lake rise was from direct rainfall.

[NoRegrets]

Originally Posted by laketrout

Ok thanks Bizer. How does the lack rain and lack of snowfall this past winter impact boating, I would think the lake would be shallower as it is in the summer?
Rocks and shoal areas would be more problematic.

Much of the winter snow melts and flows downstream. The ground is frozen so it fills the lakes and then runs off to the ocean. When the frost leaves the ground the remaining snow will soak into the ground.

With normal or average snowfalls year the channel at Weirs beach would look like a set of class 2 rapids and the flow over the Lakeport dam is thundering. This year there is no run off so there is no current through Weirs channel or under the railroad trestle at Lakeport.

[NHskier]

Originally Posted by NoRegrets

With normal or average snowfalls year the channel at Weirs beach would look like a set of class 2 rapids and the flow over the Lakeport dam is thundering. This year there is no run off so there is no current through Weirs channel or under the railroad trestle at Lakeport.

And that's quite nice for those of us who rent slips at Thurston's, particularly when their boat is being launched for the season this week.

[RailroadJoe]

Should be run off now. . The Merrymeeting River was covering the reeds yesterday along Rt 11. All that water has to flow into the lake.

[Island Girl]

The lake was at full pool this morning and up over another inch today At 504.43!

The sun can come out now!
IG

[Kerk]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

The lake was at full pool this morning and up over another inch today At 504.43!

The sun can come out now!
IG

What is the present level of lake and is it dropping?

[Island Girl]

The Winnipesaukee Data Phone puts the lake level, water temperature and discharge at Lakeport each day after 7:00 am... Give or take a few minutes.

The state's website has been down for several days. They were hoping to get it back up yesterday, but It is stoll down.

IG

[tis]

WEll, then unofficially, it is still very high. Hope that helps.

[upthesaukee]

Had 3 inches to spare going under the bridge back into Parker Marine in Alton Bay. I was a little busy on the way out making sure that I had clearance. With 3 inches to spare on the way back in, video was a piece a cake...

http://youtu.be/7zKBJUpLNXU

[trfour]

Acute video Up!

I had to duck just watching it!


Terry
_____________________________

[tis]

Love the video!!!! Good thing it wasn't rough yesterday. A wave would have done you in!!!!

[webmaster]

I had the same idea for a video a few years ago. Great minds think alike!

[LIforrelaxin]

as of today the lake is at 504.50, and the dam is flowing at 980cfs....

[codeman671]

Back when we started out at Parker there were multiple times where we had to shift the weight load in the boat as well as push on the bridge and hand walk ourselves through. I even had to remove the windshield on the pontoon once to gain that extra space.

[Ropetow]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

Had 3 inches to spare going under the bridge back into Parker Marine in Alton Bay. I was a little busy on the way out making sure that I had clearance. With 3 inches to spare on the way back in, video was a piece a cake...

http://youtu.be/7zKBJUpLNXU

Well, if you had 3 inches of clearance, then I should have at least 5 or six....

[jazzman]

I'm looking for the historical high lake level data... I found a chart that has the highest level since 1982.

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divis.../graph2012.jpg

I'm wondering if older data is available?

I'm buying a place on Big Barndoor that the bank claims is in the flood zone (but I'm hearing everything on the lake shore is declared a flood zone these days).

Good news is the place doesn't have a zillion steps to the cottage... Bad news is maybe it really could flood... Looks like the highest lake level from 1982 - 2012 was just about 506.

I'm bringing a surveyor out to see what the actual level of the house/septic system etc are. Does anyone on Big Barndoor have any memory of high water issues?

I believe you can get a flood insurance waiver if the lowest part of your house is above 506.2. I find that very surprising if the lake has actually achieved 506 in the past 30 years.

[Onshore]

Contact the Dam Bureau at DES at 603-271-3406. They have older log books that you may be able to access.