List of dam removals in New Hampshire

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

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

Completed removals

Dam [1]	Height	Year removed	Location	Watercourse	Watershed	Notes
Judd Brook Dam	5.1 ft (1.6 m)	2017	Easton 44°08′46″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N72°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″N72°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″N72°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″N72°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″N72°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″N71°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″N72°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″N71°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″N72°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″N72°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″N72°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″N71°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″N72°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N72°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″N71°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″N70°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″N70°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″N70°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″N71°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″N70°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″N70°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″N70°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″N71°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″N71°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″N70°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″N70°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″N70°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″N71°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″N71°28′08″W / 43.4521°N 71.4689°W / 43.4521; -71.4689 (Badger Pond Dam)	Tioga River	Winnipesaukee River

Planned and proposed removals

Dam [3]	Expected year	Location	Watercourse	Watershed	Notes
Fiske Mill Dam	2024	Hinsdale 42°47′09″N72°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 [update] , The Nature Conservancy was in talks to purchase and remove the dam. [4]
Israel River Dam		Lancaster 44°29′06″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N71°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″N72°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″N70°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 [update] , 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″N70°58′35″W / 43.2704°N 70.9764°W / 43.2704; -70.9764 (Gonic Sawmill Dam)
Mill Pond Dam	2024	Durham 43°07′51″N70°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″N71°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

1. "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare . American Rivers. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
2. "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.

External links

• Media related to Removed dams in New Hampshire at Wikimedia Commons