Pierce is a buttress dam located in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, built in 1921. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 420 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Pierce
The primary purpose of Pierce is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. (private). It impounds the Contoocook River near Bennington.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 420 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 51 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 191 square miles. Completed in 1921, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 06/15/2017.
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Location
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Hillsborough |
| Nearest City | Bennington |
| River/Stream | Contoocook River |
| Coordinates | 43.00280, -71.92500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Buttress |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 420 ft |
| Year Completed | 1921 (105 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 33 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 191 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 13,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/15/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NH00250 |
| Federal ID | NH00250 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |