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| Most of us don't even think about it but without this dam we wouldn't be enjoying much of the boating, fishing, swimming and many other activities that we take for granted on PRP. Here are some interesting questions with answers about this structure that is so valuable to all life on the pond. |
| 1:
What
type
of
dam
is
it? Earth embankment, concrete upstream face, granite block downstream face, concrete overflow spillway, stoplog bay 2: Who owns/controls/maintains it? The NH Water Division owns, controls and maintains the dam. On 12/29/75 the Division acquired the dam. 3: When was it built? It is not clear when the original dam was built. There is an August 7, 1923 letter stating the original dam consisted of a wooden framework built between two dry stone walls. Around 1924 the dam was rebuilt. The dam was rebuilt in 1977 after state acquisition. |
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| 4:
There
is
a
sign
on
the
dam
calling
it
the
"Arthur
Fox"
dam.
Who
was
Arthur
Fox? House Bill 289, in 1971 authorized the states acquisition of the dam and the naming of the dam. Mr Arthur H. Fox served as a representative to the general court for five consecutive terms in 1961,1963, 1965, 1967 and 1969. Mr. Arthur H. Fox desired to have the state acquire this dam. This dam was previously owned by the W.M. Lord Co. Inc. of which Mr. Arthur H. Fox was the President. (More
research
is
being
done
on
Mr.
Fox
and
will
be
added
soon.) |
 |
5: Why do they lower the dam in the fall? Lake level drawdowns are conducted at many New Hampshire lakes for a variety of reasons. The purposes may include protection of the shoreline from the erosion effects of high water events, control of aquatic weeds in the near shore area, reducing the adverse effects of winter ice on the shoreline and shorefront structures, providing water storage capacity to mitigate flooding, and regulating flows to optimize hydroelectric power production. The Dam Bureau begins the draw procedure after Columbus Day every year and lets the pond down to 8' below the summer level. By early February, they start replacing the stoplogs to slowly bring the pond level up. The target is to fill the pond to summer operating level by the end of runoff. This operating procedure is closely coordinated with the operation of Ossipee Lake Dam which Pine River Pond drains into. |
| Pine
River
Pond
Dam
aka
"Arthur
Fox
Dam"
has
a
drainage
area
of
12.8
sq.
mi
and
a
pond
area
of
594
acres.
With
this
size
of
drainage
area,
an
inch
of
runoff
will
raise
the
water
level
at
the
pond
by
13.8".
Thus
this
8'
drawdown
will
help
to
mitigate
potential
flooding
due
to
spring
runoffs. In cooperation with the Pine River Pond Association, every three years, the pond is lowered at a more rapid rate than normal to allow property owners additional time to carryout shoreline improvements, repairs, etc. 6: How are calculations made in the spring to determine how much to raise it and when? The Bureau monitors the atmospheric and ground moisture condition through out the winter and spring to estimate the amount of runoff we have for this drainage area. Using these data, they determine how fast to raise the pond. |
| Many
thanks
to
Nancy
McGrath
at
the
N.H.
Department
of
Environmental
Services Water Division, Dam Bureau for this information. |
