Murphy Dam

About Murphy Dam

The primary purpose of Murphy Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Nh Des Water Division (state). It impounds the Connecticut River near Pittsburg.

The dam stands 106 feet tall and stretches 2,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,895 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 132,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 170 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/16/2022.

At 106 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The New Hampshire dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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