Upper City Dam
Upper City Dam is a concrete dam located in Strafford County, New Hampshire, built in 1920. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Upper City Dam
The primary purpose of Upper City Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Rochester (local government). It impounds the Cocheco River near Rochester.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 215 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 50 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 350 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 64 square miles. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century old.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/06/2020.
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Location
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Strafford |
| Nearest City | Rochester |
| River/Stream | Cocheco River |
| Coordinates | 43.30440, -70.98050 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 215 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 350 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 350 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 250 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 50 acres |
| Drainage Area | 64 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 8,128 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF ROCHESTER |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/06/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NH00389 |
| Federal ID | NH00389 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |