Maintain and Comply with Local, State and Federal Regulations
Dam Management
In recent years this aspect of WHPA’s role has increased dramatically. It ranges in its simplest form of coordination with State’s Department of Fisheries regarding the annual drawdown of water and its collection of fish in the fall to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection concerns over impact of a dam breach in a superstorm, to required inspections of the dam and necessary repairs and as you’ll read below , submission of an Emergency Operations Plan if there was a dam breach.
It is relevant to note that in 2017, the WHPA raised well over $100,000 from our lake community for essential repairs to the dam.
West Hill Lake has a single outflow through the dam structure on the north end of the lake. The purpose of this page is to focus on emergency planning related to potential water flow from the lake in the event of catastrophic circumstances.
The amount of water passing through the outflow becomes a product of both the lake water policy and stormwater flow with a significant impact related to watershed practices which impact that flow.
What is the Current Water Level Policy?
Dam Management
The current policy is to lower the Lake each fall 24 inches below the 10-inch spillway board. The 10-inch spillway board controls the maximum level that the Lake is allowed to reach, as specified by State regulators. When the maximum level is exceeded, water must be let out.
At the end of the summer the lake is usually below the 10-inch board. How much depends on how dry the summer has been. Two to three inches below is normal for this time of year.
Water lowering generally begins around mid-October and, typically, the lake reaches its lowered level by no later than mid-November. The lake will be held at the lowered level until it freezes over, or January 15, whichever occurs first. The lake will then be allowed to start its recovery. The major concern is to assure a full lake for the coming summer season. Every five years (next will be Fall 2027) the lake will be lowered up to 36 inches below the 10-inch board so that work on docks, walls and the dam can be accomplished.
