Asleep At the Dam?
 

Didn't the Lakeport dam operator look at the weather forecast for this week? My neighbor's dock is about to float away and so will several others. The Marine Patrol should issue a no-wake for this weekend like they had to do last time the lake was several inches above full lake elevation.

Dam operator
 

He has a tough job. He has to consder the Opechee, Winnisquam and Silver Lakes that the water flows into. As well as the communitees along the Winnipesaukee River, such as Laconia, Tilton and Franklin.

I believe no-wake was ordered on Silver Lake a short time ago.

Even if the dam is wide open, there can only be so much water that can flow over the dam.

I have faith in the way the govt controls the dam. My boat is docked on the river in Lakeport! :D

Yes, the water has come up quite a bit in the last couple of days!

The water is getting up there. Only about 4 inches below my docks, but water is not going into the basement like it does when the lake is really high in the Spring some years. I noticed a few docks that had Barrels on them. Most likely filled with water for weight to keep the docks down..
Heck of a week.:(

According to Bizer's website (www.bizer.com), the lake is only about 4 inches above normal as of Monday 5/16.

We Have The Best Dam Operators Here...
 

Just a reminder that The LakePort dam operators have a much larger responsibility than Lake Winnipesaukee, when flood conditions can effect all of those directly down river through a large part of our State.
For those that didn't copy all of the snow and wet weather that we got over the 2010-2011 winter months, ( and it ain't over yet ), either.

For any of those who would like to complain about our Lakeport dam operators, just take a look down river from here at what they are having to deal with.
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/articl...ss-1384369.php

Oh how kids love to complain!

No fine print interpretation needed.

Terry
____________________________________

DES lake level
 

05/18/2011 16:00 504.63

I don't think 504.63 is any cause for concern at this point, maybe if it gets over 505, even then I don't think you will see a "no wake on the lake"

It is an impossible job to do perfectly. Imagine if they had pre drained the lake and we had a dry spring and summer. We would then be unhappy with the lack of water. The Bizer graph that DRH linked looks like nothing extraordinary is going on.

Lake Level
 

I'm finding it frustrating that the Lake Winnipesaukee Lake Level Data graph hasn't been updated since Monday. Maybe it is being updated, but they forgot to update the date at the bottom?

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/a...g?t=1305808067

Yesterdays Current Watershed Operations Information stated the following:

Winnipesaukee

The level of Lake Winnipesaukee is at 504.62. The discharge at Lakeport Dam is 816 cfs, but will be increased today to 985 cfs.

Mother Nature is in charge
 

Expecting the Lakeport dam operator to make short term adjustments to lake levels is like giving someone a paper cup to lower the water level in an Olympic size pool while it is still raining.

As noted they are limited in what they can release because of lakes downstream. Even at full release the lake level would only drop one inch a day if there were zero inflow. In periods of extended rain and high inflow levels like now there is no physical way to keep the lake level from rising as inflow far exceeds maximum outflow. And, yes, what is going on now is pretty normal.

Late last summer with a month of almost no rain there was a chorus of complaints that the level was too low. In the end Mother Nature is in control here. That Bizer historical chart shows what we as users of the lake should expect over time and plan accordingly.

Anyone with complaints should speak with the party in charge of the rainfall.

Hey Terry,shouldn't it be "we have the best DAMN operators here"?:laugh:

Winnisquam is quite high, also...........with all this rain it's going to be a while getting rid of all the water. Guess we all have to be patient.

Ya, but I modified my spell checker so as to prevent cuss words! :laugh: :)

Look at down south.
 

Perfect example. You have to weight in everything. They can not just drop the lake level because a few people have issues with the water level.
Flooding comes with owning a home in a flood zone and you cannot blame the operators of the dam. They cannot and should not flood all of Winnisquam and the lakes down stream just to lower Winni.
That is what flood insurance is for.

Dock floating away
 

Need help from the experienced folks. With the high water level our dock deck is close to floating off. Any simple ideas for keeping it in place short of taking the deck off? :(

A pretty effective solution to this problem is to put several full-size plastic trash barrels on your dock and fill them with water. The added weight should prevent the dock from floating and when the lake level subsides just tip the barrels over and dump out the water.

hold the dock
 

the fill the barrels seem to work for my neighbor, just make sure you take the water out of the lake, It will lower the level of the lake while it holds your dock. If you keep the water till Aug. you will raise the level of the lake when we need it.

We have a great solution that we have used for the last 5 years. We used to tie the panels to the frame with rope which is a real pain.

We got some good quality torx (Star) bit screws which are intended for composite type decking. We put one screw in the middle of each panel into the wooden frame. The head is below the surface so no one injures their feet during swimming etc. The torx head is great because it won't strip out. It is easy to find in the hole even if you can't see it., We reuse the same screw in the same hole for several years. We put them in when we put the panels in and take them out when we put the dock up.

This technique has worked on the broads when the docks were 6 inches under water. I would not use a sheet rock screw as they are much more brittle.

We also employ the barrel full of water to hold the entire structure down. We have one on now. (Tied to the post with ropes)

The good news I can offer is that there is no extra flow coming into Alton Bay from the Merrymeeting River.

The state did work on the public boat ramp on Merrymeeting last Fall. As a result, Merrymeeting Lake was at a very low level all winter. The dam folks recently put in the final boards to raise the level to normal for us.

The lake is not yet at full level so there is no water coming over the dam and into the sluice-way leading to the river. So, the normal flow from the Merrymeeting River into Alton is reduced... for now.

Thanks MM. How's the new launch ramp?

I haven't used it but it looks good. They still need to install the docks.

Pictures here. www.mmlake.org

This rise in lake level is no worse then most years.... The dam operators are working on the issue, there was increase in out flow several times last week, and it looks like there was another one today... Out flow is at around 1600 cfs....

Now people need to think about the alternatives... they dam operators could have looked at the rain foretasted and open the dam up to 1600 cfs as it is now as a precaution, but what if all the rain didn't happen?

Yes it stinks that they have to react real time, and can't keep the lake perfect. but managing a like the size of Winni. isn't easy.... and in my estimation, to many docks where build figuring on 504.32 feet as full lake... which is true, but people should have safe guarded some more... my dock isn't in real trouble until 505 feet... and then it is only at the floor boards. Yep I put cinderblocks down every year... and then take them off.

One would think after watching this lake for many years, people would realize that up 505 ft in the spring isn't all that unusual....

Holding Down the Dock
 

"Yep I put cinderblocks down every year... and then take them off."

We loop stainless steel chain down underneath the deck frame to keep the dock platform sections from floating away.

On my daily run along a segment of the road that goes around Merrymeeting, I was struck by the number of mountain streams that are still at full flow into the lake. Most of these streams are dry for much of the year. But they are flowing full force right now. The lake water is much darker than normal with all the leaf tannins being washed in.

I also drove out past the Merrymeeting River yesterday. Despite my earlier post about the level of the lake, the river appears to be near high level. So there is not a lot of capacity left upstream, and the inflow is significant.

Hopefully this rain pattern stops soon.

Yes, And Always...
 

After melting it all down over an entire winter, I like The Dam Operators, what we get! Wise?... Now, and by all means support whom ever you will. Mother Nature Rules Over Here... Get over It!... Dish-TV was never created to cut expenses, as we have all found out!... As an alternative, the closer we can get to including Mother Nature will bring Us all to a more pleasant understanding of where we really are!... The more we can, and 'DOO and understand, the LESS She Will try to increase the price that everyone of US pays Every Day Here...
Another rant, By trfour, although Fort/Worth listening to! We've been through a few twister's along the way, Earthquakes, and landed on my own Butt, more than once!..

To All Of The Complainer's out here, you ain't seen noth'in yet!

Loving and pushing 70, although this may be more than my speed limit.
Terry

Right now the data shows that Winnipesaukee, is leveling off and maintaining...

unfortunately more rain is in the forecast as of right now.