Sawyer Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Belknap County, New Hampshire, built in 1916. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 19 ft19 ft tall and 450 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Sawyer Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Sawyer Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Sawyer Lake Village District (local government). It impounds the Badger Brook near Gilmanton.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 91 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,206 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1916, the structure is over a century old.
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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/11/2021.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Belknap |
| Nearest City | Gilmanton |
| River/Stream | Badger Brook |
| Coordinates | 43.44690, -71.40550 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 450 ft |
| Year Completed | 1916 (110 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,206 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,206 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,051 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 91 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Sawyer Lake Village District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 05/11/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NH00016 |
| Federal ID | NH00016 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |