List of dam removals in New Hampshire

This is a list of dams in New Hampshire that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

The 2019 removal of the Upper Sawyer Mill Dam from the Bellamy River at Sawyer Woolen Mills in Dover.

Completed removals

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Dam[1] Height Year removed Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Judd Brook Dam 5.1 ft (1.6 m) 2017 Easton
44°08′46″N 71°46′24″W / 44.1461°N 71.7734°W / 44.1461; -71.7734 (Judd Brook Dam)
Judd Brook Ammonoosuc River Water diversion dam.
Pearl Lake Brook Dam 2008 Lisbon
44°12′25″N 71°53′31″W / 44.2069°N 71.8919°W / 44.2069; -71.8919 (Pearl Lake Brook Dam)
Pearl Lake Brook
South Branch Gale River Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2020 Bethlehem
44°14′32″N 71°38′16″W / 44.2423°N 71.6378°W / 44.2423; -71.6378 (South Branch Gale River Dam)
South Branch Gale River Water supply dam owned by Littleton Water and Light.
Munn Pond Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2019 Errol
44°44′07″N 71°11′16″W / 44.7354°N 71.1879°W / 44.7354; -71.1879 (Munn Pond Dam)
Tributary to Androscoggin River Androscoggin River Dam built for recreation and log storage. Owned by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
Homestead Woolen Mills Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2010 Swanzey
42°52′17″N 72°19′41″W / 42.8714°N 72.3281°W / 42.8714; -72.3281 (Homestead Woolen Mills Dam)
Ashuelot River Ashuelot River
McGoldrick Dam 2001 Hinsdale
42°47′16″N 72°28′14″W / 42.7877°N 72.4706°W / 42.7877; -72.4706 (McGoldrick Dam)
Owned by the McGoldrick Paper Company.
Winchester Dam 3 ft (0.91 m) 2002 Winchester
42°46′36″N 72°23′00″W / 42.7768°N 72.3834°W / 42.7768; -72.3834 (Winchester Dam)
Ferry Brook Dam 11 ft (3.4 m) 2019 Keene
42°58′32″N 72°14′32″W / 42.9755°N 72.2422°W / 42.9755; -72.2422 (Ferry Brook Dam)
Ferry Brook Dam built for conservation and agriculture. Owned by the Cheshire County Fish & Game Club.
Pine Mill Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2019 North Haverhill
44°05′21″N 72°01′30″W / 44.0891°N 72.0251°W / 44.0891; -72.0251 (Pine Mill Dam)
Clark Brook Connecticut River Grist mill dam owned by the Connecticut River Conservancy and Mill Dam Water Supply.
Clark Pond Dam 2018 Haverhill
44°05′24″N 71°59′52″W / 44.0899°N 71.9977°W / 44.0899; -71.9977 (Clark Pond Dam)
Cold River Dam 7 ft (2.1 m)[2] 2003 Walpole
43°07′49″N 72°25′07″W / 43.1302°N 72.4187°W / 43.1302; -72.4187 (Cold River Dam)
Cold River Dam built in the 1970s by Cold River Materials.[2]
Lyman Falls Dam Remnant 4 ft (1.2 m) 2022 Columbia
44°46′39″N 71°35′44″W / 44.7774°N 71.5956°W / 44.7774; -71.5956 (Lyman Falls Dam Remnant Removal)
Connecticut River Hydroelectric dam owned by the Vermont River Conservancy.
Hubner Pond Dam 30 ft (9.1 m) 2019 Chesterfield
42°52′16″N 72°28′09″W / 42.8711°N 72.4691°W / 42.8711; -72.4691 (Hubner Pond Dam)
Tributary to Hubbard Brook Dam built for recreation.
Butternut Pond Dam 2013 Grantham
43°33′13″N 72°07′51″W / 43.5536°N 72.1308°W / 43.5536; -72.1308 (Butternut Pond Dam)
Butternut Brook Sugar River Owned by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
Stevens Brook Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2011 Claremont
43°23′15″N 72°21′05″W / 43.3876°N 72.3513°W / 43.3876; -72.3513 (Stevens Brook Dam)
Stevens Brook Fish rearing pond dam.
West Henniker Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2004 Henniker
43°09′55″N 71°50′34″W / 43.1654°N 71.8427°W / 43.1654; -71.8427 (West Henniker Dam)
Contoocook River Contoocook River Paper mill dam owned by the Town of Henniker.
Greene Wildlife Pond Dam (Ainsworth Pond Dam) 13 ft (4.0 m) 2015 Jaffrey
42°49′16″N 72°03′28″W / 42.821°N 72.0578°W / 42.821; -72.0578 (Greene Wildlife Pond Dam (Ainsworth Pond Dam))
Stony Brook Dam built for recreation and wildlife.
Beaver Lake Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2012 Derry
42°54′06″N 71°17′57″W / 42.9016°N 71.2992°W / 42.9016; -71.2992 (Beaver Lake Dam)
Beaver Brook Merrimack River Water supply dam for the Benjamin Chase Mill. Owned by the Town of Derry.
Berry Brook Reservoir Dam 2013 Pittsfield
43°17′28″N 71°18′04″W / 43.2911°N 71.3010°W / 43.2911; -71.3010 (Berry Brook Reservoir Dam)
Berry Pond Brook
Maxwell Pond Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2009 Manchester
43°00′37″N 71°28′45″W / 43.0103°N 71.4791°W / 43.0103; -71.4791 (Maxwell Pond Dam)
Black Brook The dam was originally constructed to create Maxwell Pond on Black Brook in 1900 for the purpose of ice harvesting. Owned by the City of Manchester.
Heads Pond Dam 9 ft (2.7 m) 2010 Hooksett
43°06′31″N 71°26′55″W / 43.1086°N 71.4485°W / 43.1086; -71.4485 (Heads Pond Dam)
Browns Brook
Jenkins Road McQuade Brook Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2012 Bedford
42°54′20″N 71°31′25″W / 42.9056°N 71.5237°W / 42.9056; -71.5237 (Jenkins Road McQuade Brook Dam)
McQuade Brook Dam built for transportation, owned by the Town of Bedford.
McQuesten Dam #1 4 ft (1.2 m) 2016 Manchester
42°58′10″N 71°28′52″W / 42.9694°N 71.4811°W / 42.9694; -71.4811 (McQuesten Dam #1)
McQuesten Brook
McQuesten Dam #2 5 ft (1.5 m) 2016 Manchester
42°58′08″N 71°28′53″W / 42.969°N 71.4813°W / 42.969; -71.4813 (McQuesten Dam #2)
McQuesten Dam #3 2.5 ft (0.76 m) 2016 Manchester
42°58′04″N 71°28′52″W / 42.9679°N 71.4812°W / 42.9679; -71.4812 (McQuesten Dam #3)
South Main Street Dam 2.5 ft (0.76 m) 2016 Manchester
42°58′06″N 71°28′56″W / 42.9682°N 71.4821°W / 42.9682; -71.4821 (South Main Street Dam)
Stormwater retention dam.
Magazine Street Dam 2014 Bedford
42°57′26″N 71°32′33″W / 42.9573°N 71.5426°W / 42.9573; -71.5426 (Magazine Street Dam)
Riddle Brook
Merrimack Village Dam 2008 Merrimack
42°51′37″N 71°29′36″W / 42.8604°N 71.4932°W / 42.8604; -71.4932 (Merrimack Village Dam)
Souhegan River Grist mill dam later used as a water supply.
Anne Jackson Girl Scout Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2012 Wilton
42°49′46″N 71°46′04″W / 42.8295°N 71.7679°W / 42.8295; -71.7679 (Anne Jackson Girl Scout Dam)
Tributary to Souhegan River Dam built for recreation. Owned by the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.
Buck Street Dam West 12 ft (3.7 m) 2011 Pembroke
43°09′34″N 71°24′27″W / 43.1595°N 71.4074°W / 43.1595; -71.4074 (Buck Street Dam West)
Suncook River
Tannery Brook Dam 19 ft (5.8 m) 2015 Boscawen
43°20′32″N 71°41′01″W / 43.3421°N 71.6837°W / 43.3421; -71.6837 (Tannery Brook Dam)
Tannery Brook Dam built for recreation and wildlife.
Boyce Pond Dam/Horseshoe Pond Dam 11 ft (3.4 m) 2014 Fitzwilliam
42°45′12″N 72°10′19″W / 42.7533°N 72.1719°W / 42.7533; -72.1719 (Boyce Pond Dam/Horseshoe Pond Dam)
Tributary to Kemp Brook Millers River Mill dam.
Upper IPC Dam 2008 Bristol
43°36′24″N 71°44′32″W / 43.6068°N 71.7422°W / 43.6068; -71.7422 (Upper IPC Dam)
Newfound River Pemigewasset River
Bellamy River Dam V 4 ft (1.2 m) 2004 Dover
43°10′35″N 70°52′18″W / 43.1763°N 70.8717°W / 43.1763; -70.8717 (Bellamy River Dam V)
Bellamy River Piscataqua River
Lower Sawyer Mill Dam 18 ft (5.5 m) 2018 Dover
43°10′42″N 70°52′30″W / 43.1783°N 70.875°W / 43.1783; -70.875 (Lower Sawyer Mill Dam)
Mill dams that powered Sawyer Woolen Mills.
Upper Sawyer Mill Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2019 Dover
43°10′44″N 70°52′36″W / 43.179°N 70.8766°W / 43.179; -70.8766 (Upper Sawyer Mill Dam)
Union Village Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2014 Winchester
43°29′42″N 71°01′34″W / 43.4951°N 71.0262°W / 43.4951; -71.0262 (Union Village Dam)
Branch River Hydropower dam.
Champlin Pond Dam #1 2005 Rochester
43°16′15″N 70°55′53″W / 43.2708°N 70.9313°W / 43.2708; -70.9313 (Champlin Pond Dam #1)
Clark Brook
Champlin Pond Dam #2 2005 Rochester
43°16′35″N 70°55′54″W / 43.2764°N 70.9317°W / 43.2764; -70.9317 (Champlin Pond Dam #2)
Great Dam 16 ft (4.9 m) 2016 Exeter
42°58′53″N 70°56′40″W / 42.9813°N 70.9445°W / 42.9813; -70.9445 (Great Dam)
Exeter River Industrial dam.
Bunker Pond Dam 16 ft (4.9 m) 2011 Epping
43°02′25″N 71°07′46″W / 43.0403°N 71.1294°W / 43.0403; -71.1294 (Bunker Pond Dam)
Lamprey River Owned by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
Rex Tannery Dam 2010 Raymond
43°02′06″N 71°11′20″W / 43.0349°N 71.189°W / 43.0349; -71.189 (Rex Tannery Dam)
Tributary to Lamprey River
Little Hale Pond Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2019 Durham
43°08′35″N 70°55′17″W / 43.143°N 70.9213°W / 43.143; -70.9213 (Little Hale Pond Dam)
Littlehole Creek Dam built for recreation, owned by Durham Public Works.
Lower Peverly Pond Dam 2021 Newington
43°05′00″N 70°50′32″W / 43.0833°N 70.8423°W / 43.0833; -70.8423 (Lower Peverly Pond Dam)
Peverly Brook Water supply dam owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Winnicut River Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2009 Greenland
43°02′12″N 70°50′52″W / 43.0368°N 70.8477°W / 43.0368; -70.8477 (Winnicut River Dam)
Winnicut River Owned by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
Bearcamp River Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 2003 South Tamworth
43°49′41″N 71°17′55″W / 43.8281°N 71.2987°W / 43.8281; -71.2987 (Bearcamp River Dam)
Bearcamp River Saco River
Badger Pond Dam 18 ft (5.5 m) 2004 Belmont
43°27′08″N 71°28′08″W / 43.4521°N 71.4689°W / 43.4521; -71.4689 (Badger Pond Dam)
Tioga River Winnipesaukee River

Planned and proposed removals

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Dam[3] Expected year Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Fiske Mill Dam 2024 Hinsdale
42°47′09″N 72°28′53″W / 42.7857°N 72.4814°W / 42.7857; -72.4814 (Fiske Mill Dam)
Ashuelot River Connecticut River Mill dam built in 1922, converted into a hydroelectric dam in 1986. As of April 2023, The Nature Conservancy was in talks to purchase and remove the dam.[4]
Israel River Dam Lancaster
44°29′06″N 71°33′45″W / 44.4849°N 71.5625°W / 44.4849; -71.5625 (Israel River Dam)
Israel River
Kimball Brook Dam 2023 Stratford
44°44′30″N 71°35′57″W / 44.7418°N 71.5993°W / 44.7418; -71.5993 (Kimball Brook Dam)
Kimball Brook [5]
Washburn Mill Dam 2023 Colebrook
44°52′36″N 71°22′16″W / 44.8766°N 71.3711°W / 44.8766; -71.3711 (Washburn Mill Dam)
Mohawk River [6]
Brennan Brook/Crochet Mountain Brook Dam 2024 Francestown Brennan Brook Merrimack River [7]
Breeder Pond Dam (Highway Pond Dam) Franconia
44°10′02″N 71°40′49″W / 44.1672°N 71.6804°W / 44.1672; -71.6804 (Breeder Pond Dam)
Pemigewasset River The project would remove the dam and replace it with a fish ladder. This would allow trout to move freely between Breeder Pond and Profile Lake, with the intention of creating a self-sustaining population and ending the need for stocking.[8]
Stone Pond Dam 2024 Fitzwilliam
42°45′18″N 72°07′37″W / 42.7550°N 72.1270°W / 42.7550; -72.1270 (Stone Pond Dam)
Scott Brook Millers River
Gonic Dam Gonic
43°16′25″N 70°58′38″W / 43.2735°N 70.9773°W / 43.2735; -70.9773 (Gonic Dam)
Cochecho River Piscataqua River Rochester City Council voted unanimously to pursue dam removal in 2010.[9] As of 2023, the dams are owned by a developer who wants to remove them before building housing in the area.[10]
Gonic Sawmill Dam Gonic
43°16′13″N 70°58′35″W / 43.2704°N 70.9764°W / 43.2704; -70.9764 (Gonic Sawmill Dam)
Mill Pond Dam 2024 Durham
43°07′51″N 70°55′08″W / 43.1309°N 70.9189°W / 43.1309; -70.9189 (Mill Pond Dam)
Oyster River [11][12]
Beech River Mill Dam Ossipee
43°45′03″N 71°08′22″W / 43.7507°N 71.1395°W / 43.7507; -71.1395 (Beech River Mill Dam)
Beech River Saco River In 2020 the Davis Conservation Foundation granted the New Hampshire Chapter of The Nature Conservancy $15,000 toward a dam removal assessment.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b "DAMS SLATED FOR REMOVAL IN 2007 AND DAMS REMOVED FROM 1999-2006" (PDF). American Rivers. p. 32. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Projects: Planned, Completed and Under Consideration" (PDF). New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. January 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. ^ Browder, Jamie (26 April 2023). "Nature Conservancy studying removal of Fiske Mill Dam in Hinsdale". The Keene Sentinel. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Grant F22AP02005 (Connecticut River Watershed Council)". www.highergov.com. HigherGov. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Washburn Dam Removal on the Mohawk River". FWS.gov. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Over $200,000 Awarded from Aquatic Resource Mitigation Funds for Dam Removal and Partial Restoration of Brennan Brook in Francestown". NH Department of Environmental Services. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  8. ^ Blechl, Robert (3 January 2022). "Coordinator Details Trout Breeder Pond Project In Franconia Notch". Caledonian Record. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  9. ^ O'Donnell, Jake (9 September 2010). "Gonic dams removal grant sought". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  10. ^ Dandurant, Karen (22 March 2023). "Gonic Mill owner wants to build housing. Two dams must be removed first". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  11. ^ Fernandes, Megan (17 September 2021). "'State of disrepair': Durham makes call to remove Mill Pond dam on Oyster River". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  12. ^ Dandurant, Karen (8 March 2022). "Durham votes to remove Mill Pond dam with 74% of vote and large turnout". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Grant History". www.davisfoundations.org. Davis Conservation Foundation. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
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