Opechee Bay Water Leveled to be Lowered for Dam Repair

3/1/2021

(AP) — The public is being warned to stay off the ice on Lake Opechee, where the water level is being dropped to allow repairs on the gate to a hydropower dam.

The Department of Environmental Services says the water level in Opechee Bay in Laconia is dropping at a rate of about one foot per day that began on Feb. 28. Doing so with ice on the lake and river could make the ice very unsafe as it cracks and moves, so authorities are warning the public to stay away.

The repairs are expected to take a week or less, after which the water level will be raised.