504.32 Where Are You?

Lil' Barndoor Guy · 03-24-2016, 08:38 PM

Does anybody else feel that The NH Dept. of Water Resources is dropping the lake elevation too much? All last week they had the flood gates wide open with a 1602 CFS rate of outflow. I know that the deviation from norm is +1.42 for this time of year, but nothing normal about this year! Ice out 10 days or so earlier than ever before. The spring melt is done, there is no snow left anywhere. I'm used to seeing full lake of 504.32 when I open up the island house and this year I'm not sure we will ever get there.

upthesaukee · 03-24-2016, 08:59 PM

Lake is at 503.99. That's 3 inches, approximately, below full lake.

gillygirl · 03-24-2016, 09:10 PM

Looks like we might be coming into a rainy pattern the next couple of weeks. But if you want the water, there seems to be plenty in the Nashua in northern Mass you can come and get.

secondcurve · 03-25-2016, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Barndoor Guy

Does anybody else feel that The NH Dept. of Water Resources is dropping the lake elevation too much? All last week they had the flood gates wide open with a 1602 CFS rate of outflow. I know that the deviation from norm is +1.42 for this time of year, but nothing normal about this year! Ice out 10 days or so earlier than ever before. The spring melt is done, there is no snow left anywhere. I'm used to seeing full lake of 504.32 when I open up the island house and this year I'm not sure we will ever get there.

Is it due to the timing of ice out this year which is very early? Perhaps it is being dropped to get ready for the spring rain?

rsmlp · 03-25-2016, 07:44 AM

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divis.../graph2016.jpg

At or higher than it normally is at this time of year.

jeffk · 03-25-2016, 09:39 AM

Looks like we are way over average levels for this time of year (and have been since January or before). The average doesn't get to full lake until May. We were over the 1982 - 2015 maximum levels until the recent drawdown, a wise action. The average amount of monthly rain builds into the summer. There should be plenty of water to build slowly to full lake levels by May.

Whew, another crisis averted.

VitaBene · 03-25-2016, 10:02 AM

I just drove through Meredith, the water is high- right to the bottom of the dock itself.

jetlag100 · 03-25-2016, 05:15 PM

The people who draw the lake will do a great job as always..

Slickcraft · 03-25-2016, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetlag100

The people who draw the lake will do a great job as always..

Agreed. Also the lake is at a good level for this date. And the outflow at Lakeport has very little effect on lake level as has been noted many time on threads like this over many years. Mom Nature is the one in control. Complaints? Speak to her not the Lakeport dam managers.

Lil' Barndoor Guy · 04-12-2016, 05:59 PM

There you are! 504.32 and rising. I guess I should trust the people managing the dam.

I love this time of year, full lake, cold water and salmon on the surface.

Lakegeezer · 04-13-2016, 07:34 AM

While the lake is at a nice level for summer, it is above the statistical norm, with spring only started. It is not a normal year though. The snowmelt (what little there was) is over. Often, April or May brings a significant multi-day rainstorm and keeping the lake this high, this early, risks floods and increased erosion. Lake water quality has been trending better over the past 5-6 years, but this year could be different due to the winter ice-out. All needs to play out, but hopefully, increased erosion due to flooding above full pool isn't part of the equation. In the dam operator we trust. This morning, the discharge rate is up to 742 CFS - nice!

LIforrelaxin · 04-13-2016, 09:22 AM

I think they dam operators are doing just fine this year.... the lake is full, the lakes down stream are full.... there is plenty of room to deal with rain storms through May.... All and all I don't think there is anything for people to worry about....

Island Girl · 04-13-2016, 12:16 PM

Full Pool and then some!

IG

03-24-2016, 08:38 PM	#1
Lil' Barndoor Guy Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 22 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	504.32 Where Are You? Does anybody else feel that The NH Dept. of Water Resources is dropping the lake elevation too much? All last week they had the flood gates wide open with a 1602 CFS rate of outflow. I know that the deviation from norm is +1.42 for this time of year, but nothing normal about this year! Ice out 10 days or so earlier than ever before. The spring melt is done, there is no snow left anywhere. I'm used to seeing full lake of 504.32 when I open up the island house and this year I'm not sure we will ever get there.

03-24-2016, 08:59 PM	#2
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,604 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,470 Thanked 1,983 Times in 1,083 Posts	3 inches low. Lake is at 503.99. That's 3 inches, approximately, below full lake. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

03-24-2016, 09:10 PM	#3
gillygirl Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 762 Thanks: 770 Thanked 308 Times in 204 Posts	Looks like we might be coming into a rainy pattern the next couple of weeks. But if you want the water, there seems to be plenty in the Nashua in northern Mass you can come and get. __________________ GG

03-25-2016, 07:44 AM	#5
rsmlp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 489 Thanks: 5 Thanked 169 Times in 87 Posts	lake level http://des.nh.gov/organization/divis.../graph2016.jpg At or higher than it normally is at this time of year.

04-13-2016, 07:34 AM	#11
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,680 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 355 Thanked 640 Times in 291 Posts	yeah but... While the lake is at a nice level for summer, it is above the statistical norm, with spring only started. It is not a normal year though. The snowmelt (what little there was) is over. Often, April or May brings a significant multi-day rainstorm and keeping the lake this high, this early, risks floods and increased erosion. Lake water quality has been trending better over the past 5-6 years, but this year could be different due to the winter ice-out. All needs to play out, but hopefully, increased erosion due to flooding above full pool isn't part of the equation. In the dam operator we trust. This morning, the discharge rate is up to 742 CFS - nice! __________________ -lg

The Following User Says Thank You to rsmlp For This Useful Post:
jeffk (03-25-2016)

03-25-2016, 09:39 AM	#6
jeffk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,174 Thanks: 207 Thanked 437 Times in 253 Posts	Looks like we are way over average levels for this time of year (and have been since January or before). The average doesn't get to full lake until May. We were over the 1982 - 2015 maximum levels until the recent drawdown, a wise action. The average amount of monthly rain builds into the summer. There should be plenty of water to build slowly to full lake levels by May. Whew, another crisis averted.

03-25-2016, 10:02 AM	#7
VitaBene Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 3,597 Thanks: 1,644 Thanked 1,642 Times in 845 Posts	I just drove through Meredith, the water is high- right to the bottom of the dock itself.

The Following User Says Thank You to VitaBene For This Useful Post:
Irish Choppers (03-25-2016)

03-25-2016, 05:15 PM	#8
jetlag100 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Revere, Massachusetts and Moultonborough, N.H. Posts: 311 Thanks: 228 Thanked 79 Times in 50 Posts	The people who draw the lake will do a great job as always..

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to jetlag100 For This Useful Post:
Irish Choppers (03-25-2016), KPW (03-28-2016)

04-12-2016, 05:59 PM	#10
Lil' Barndoor Guy Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 22 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	There you are! 504.32 and rising. I guess I should trust the people managing the dam. I love this time of year, full lake, cold water and salmon on the surface.

The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Lil' Barndoor Guy For This Useful Post:
DRH (04-13-2016), ishoot308 (04-12-2016), Slickcraft (04-12-2016), Winnisquamer (04-12-2016)

04-13-2016, 09:22 AM	#12
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,878 Thanks: 1,037 Thanked 893 Times in 525 Posts	I think they dam operators are doing just fine this year.... the lake is full, the lakes down stream are full.... there is plenty of room to deal with rain storms through May.... All and all I don't think there is anything for people to worry about.... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

04-13-2016, 12:16 PM	#13
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	504.33 right now Full Pool and then some! IG __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade