Dorrs Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, built in 1934. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 9 ft9 ft tall and 125 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 Dorrs Pond Dam
The primary purpose of Dorrs Pond 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 Manchester (local government). It impounds the Dorrs Pond near Manchester.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 125 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 25 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 118 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1934, 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. 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 09/22/2022.
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 | Hillsborough |
| Nearest City | Manchester |
| River/Stream | Dorrs Pond |
| Coordinates | 43.01275, -71.45514 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 125 ft |
| Year Completed | 1934 (92 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 118 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 118 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 25 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 795 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Manchester |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 09/22/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NH00518 |
| Federal ID | NH00518 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |