By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
WINCHESTER – Gov. Chris Sununu flew to Cheshire County to observe damage caused Monday by heavy rains including damage to a private, recreational dam which was the only one in the state breached on the 93-acre Forest Lake in Winchester.
The Southwest corner of the state was hardest hit by the torrential downpours, but it paled by comparison to the damage the rains caused in neighboring Vermont, where New Hampshire has sent help.
There were no reports of deaths or injuries related to the rains, but a campground was evacuated Sunday night in advance of the Monday rains, impacting about 150 people staying at Pilgrim Pines Camp on Swanzey Lake.
Swanzey Lake Dam was also damaged but not breached, said Corey Clark, chief engineer for the state’s Dam Bureau at NH Department of Environmental Services.
Clark said while assessments are underway across the state, the Forest Lake Dam in Winchester is the only one that was completely breached.
It was considered in poor condition by the state but had a low hazard rating, meaning few if any homes or people were likely to be swept away downstream.
Sununu was accompanied on the trip by New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Robert Buxton.
“I toured the storm damage to the Forest Lake Dam in Winchester. A big THANK YOU to the first responders, local officials, and community members who rallied together. New England stands together,” Sununu sent out in an Instagram message.
“While we continue to focus on recovery efforts here in New Hampshire I made it clear to Vt. Gov. Phil Scott that NH will send whatever resources we can to help our neighbors. We’ve dispatched swift boat rescue crews in order to help with rescue efforts in Vermont. Black Hawk helicopters will soon deploy,” Sununu said.
They assessed damage and thanked local first responders in the region – in many cases volunteers – who were dealing with the road damage and other infrastructure issues caused by the volume of water.
The National Weather Service said in parts of Cheshire County more than four inches of rain fell.
Clark said the amount of water that fell over the Fourth of July weekend had an impact on the region, noting that Highland Lake Dam and Island Pond Dam performed as they should but had a rain gauge which showed about five inches of rain over the weekend and six more inches fell on Monday.
He noted that Island Pond was about 4.8 inches above full but that it is now receding and said on Highland Lake, the flashboards worked but there were still homes on the water that saw water damage and power shut off. Gradually, he said, the power is returning as the water recedes.
Of the 83 dams in Cheshire County that are inspected by the state, 22 are considered in poor condition and one, Cheshire Mills Lower Dam in Harrisville is considered unsatisfactory and in need of immediate attention, according to 2021 Department of Environmental Services data.
One of the 22 in poor condition is the Forest Lake Dam which is owned by the Forest Lake Improvement Association and used for recreational purposes.
It flows into the Ashuelot River and was damaged in the rain. Of the 822 state regulated dams in the state, 41 percent are privately held and 168 are considered having a high hazard potential.
The dam that was damaged is described as being built in 1925 and is 75 feet long with a height of eight feet and has a drop spillway.
Its use is primarily recreational, as opposed to hydrological or other purposes. It is used to retain water levels in the lake in summer for recreational use but in winter, its water is discharged by about 4.5 feet.
Karey Miner, Winchester Town Administrator was not immediately available for comment on the dam and downstream damage.
Clark said there is no direct federal funding to help private dam owners like the Forest Lake Improvement Association because it was not considered a high hazard lake.
But he said the governor can request federal disaster relief from President Joe Biden to help some publicly owned impoundments and infrastructure damaged.
