No Lake Drawdown This Year?
 

Am surprised how high the lake level still is this year, and how little the Lakeport Dam is letting out. We're almost a foot above the average level for this time of year. Anyone have any info on this? With the high winds over the past few weeks, we've had the decking on our dock lifted out and damaged, which is usually only a spring issue. Also, hopefully they lower the level significantly before ice gets in to limit damage to dock piers and the shore...

I don't believe that there is a normal drawdown on Winnie. The higher levels this year are due to mother nature dialing up considerably more rain late summer and fall. Lakeport release volume is often restricted by impact on levels of the lower two lakes.

As reported by LADS

Lake Winnipesaukee is not purposely drawn down, but releases from the Lakeport Dam are reduced from the normal minimum of 250 cubic feet per second to between 30 and 50 cfs for a period of up to two weeks to allow for maintenance of the dams and hydropower facilities on the Winnipesaukee River. That reduction will begin on Oct. 16 this year.

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...08b93751c.html

Once the draw down period is over, I am sure they will be looking to lower the lake.

The current oversee of the lake doesn't seem to mind high water levels, which is good as hopefully over time the statistical average can be increased so the lake doesn't get to low at the end of the summer.....

I would guess that after the two week period flows will be increased probably to around 500cfs to start drawing the lake down.... the over goal is to have the lake around 503 feet above see level before the spring melt begins...

Tough job for the dam bureau
 

I'm happy to see a higher level after Labor Day at least until Columbus Day. Too many years the bottom comes up on my prop too soon. It's a tough call for the Dam Bureau at DES. When the watershed is saturated, even a little rain translates into a larger increase in lake level. In a dry year, the rain gets absorbed by the watershed and lake level doesn't change as much. Then they have to deal with the artificial problems of dam maintenance which may be scheduled months or even year ahead.

Could it be?
 

Could Wentworth And Crescent lake drawing down 4 feet this year and opening their dam which goes directly into Winnipesaukee have anything to do with keeping Winni high? Just sayin !

Winnisquam is down
 

Winnisquam has been drawn down about 2 feet so they are probably limited what flows out of WinniP into WinniS. I believe they will start refilling WinniS after this weekend.

Mallard cove on Opechee is half mud...

If you look at the charts regarding the lake level, you will see that the rise in levels of the lake coincide to the major rain events.

I doubt very much that they would have started the draw downs of Wentworth and Crescent lakes until after the normal flow stop page for down stream dam maintenance.

I expect to see major changes in both Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam after this weekend.

Lake Level
 

The dam for Wentworth and Crescent was opened on September 10 th as announced and on October 12th it was down about 3 1/2 feet with the dam still open . They do it every 5 years faithfully ..

Wentworth Water Shed posted this picture of Lake Wentworth on their Instagram yesterday.

Is the bottom of the drained lakes mucky?

Could it support walking around with a metal detector?

Opportunity knocks...;)

Snow shoes?

Lol , Good One !