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Dam! It Reopened

With Lake Winnipesaukee water level at a historic low, State officials have reopened the Lakeport Dam, releasing water for the first time since it was shut down in January.   Marina owners are ticked, and boaters should be too.  Boaters are the key ingredient that brings around $80 million dollars to the state's economy. 

In January, officials reduced the flow of water  because of the drought that has hit New Hampshire.  Then with no relief to the drought, they quickly re-opened it because of pressure from the Hydro-electric plants down river. 

On Friday, the state’s chief water resource engineer, Jim Gallagher, said the Lakeport Dam would gradually be opened until the flow reaches 230 cubic feet per second, which is the  flow needed to operate hydroelectric power generators along the Winnipesaukee River.

Gallagher said the decision  was based on the operating plan for Winnipesaukee, which calls for the lake to be about two feet below "full lake" this time of year.   This might work in a normal year with normal temperatures and normal snow fall.   Mr. Gallagher is conveniently disregarding the fact that there will be only a small fraction of the normal run-off this year. 

For the first time ever, New Hampshire officials are expected to declare a drought emergency this week.  

US drought monitor 

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