Nubanusit Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, built in 1861. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 16 ft16 ft tall and 279 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 Nubanusit Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Nubanusit Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Twitchells Mills Hydro Corp (private). It impounds the Nubanusit Brook near Nelson.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 279 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 733 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,640 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1861, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. 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 11/26/2019.
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Location
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Cheshire |
| Nearest City | Nelson |
| River/Stream | Nubanusit Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.97403, -72.08602 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 279 ft |
| Year Completed | 1861 (165 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,640 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,640 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,600 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 733 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 992 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Twitchells Mills Hydro Corp |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/26/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NH00339 |
| Federal ID | NH00339 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |