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Select Board weighs following dam OMR drawdown vs. resort snowmaking needs
Summary
Town staff said the dam bureau's Operation, Maintenance and Response form recommends a two‑foot drawdown starting Nov. 1 to reduce flashboard activations; resort officials warned that keeping the pond high is needed for snowmaking and urged a written water‑use agreement with clearly defined communications.
Town staff and resort operators debated how to balance the dam bureau's recommended winter drawdown with the resort's snowmaking needs at the Nov. 19 Waterville Valley Select Board meeting.
"It is recommended to go down about 2 feet," Megan told the board, describing the town's Operation, Maintenance and Response (OMR) form submitted to the state dam bureau. The OMR, prepared on the town's behalf, states the normal operating elevation is 14.75 and called for a two‑foot drawdown beginning Nov. 1 to reduce the risk of flashboard activations during storms.
Resort representatives said the pond historically has been managed to provide water for snowmaking. "We traditionally have raised the pond during snowmaking season so we have the bulk of water that we need for snowmaking," Tim, the resort's general manager, said. He warned that an enforced two‑foot drawdown could limit snowmaking capacity during the coming weeks, when the resort begins heavy snowmaking operations.
Town officials acknowledged the OMR and the representation in the dam bureau filing. Chair Richard Reid said the town owns the dam and pond and that "we should follow them if that's what we represented," but added he was open to negotiating written changes. Several board members and staff pressed for a formalized communications plan that would let the resort ask DPW to temporarily raise the pond for snowmaking and then return it to the OMR‑recommended level to mitigate activation risk.
Megan said the town has not consistently followed the recommended drawdown in recent years and that the dam bureau also expects notification of activations; staff noted roughly $14,000 in activation‑related repairs over three years. Resort representatives and town staff agreed the operational gap stems partly from lost institutional knowledge after a previous operator left and the absence of a written agreement documenting historic practices.
The board directed staff to pursue two parallel steps: (1) follow the existing OMR until any changes are approved by the dam bureau, and (2) negotiate and memorialize a water‑use and maintenance agreement that includes a clear communications protocol (notice timelines and contacts) so the resort can request temporary elevation for snowmaking without jeopardizing dam bureau obligations. Board members said the town will update the OMR with any agreed changes and then resubmit to the dam bureau for approval.
The board did not adopt a permanent change at the Nov. 19 meeting; members requested staff return with proposed language and a communication plan to reduce activation risk while accommodating seasonal snowmaking needs.
