In September 2026, Chocorua Lake Conservancy will begin a dam rehabilitation project on the dam at the southern end of Little Chocorua Lake. A rock ramp fishway will also be added to allow aquatic species to move between the river below the dam, and the lake and river north of the lake. Rehabilitating the dam will allow Chocorua Lake to remain a timeless, beautiful place where anyone can swim, fish, boat, or relax.
Why are we repairing the dam?
Damage to the dam, Spring 2021. | Alex Moot
The dam helps maintain water levels in Chocorua Lake to be several feet higher than they would be otherwise. Chocorua Lake is relatively shallow with an average depth of 12 feet, so the dam helps to maintain the lake’s ecology. This allows for threatened species, like loons, to make their home at the lake, and keeps the lake temperature cooler, providing quality habitat for aquatic species. The lake levels created by the dam also allow for easy access to Chocorua Lake and Little Chocorua Lake for boating, swimming, and fishing.
The dam has been damaged in recent years from weather, debris, and age. It needs repair to continue sustaining Chocorua Lake’s levels as they are today.
How will this affect your visit to Chocorua Lake?
All of Chocorua Lake’s public access areas will remain open. The dam work will not be visible from the Grove, but you may notice construction vehicles traveling by the lake while the project is underway. People exploring Chocorua Lake by boat are encouraged to stay within Chocorua Lake and the Little Lake.
Please do not approach the dam by land or boat, as it will be an active construction site and is located on private land.
Dam construction will temporarily affect lake water levels. Water levels will be affected starting the week of September 7, 2026
Ecological Restoration at Chocorua Lake
This project is the second phase of a larger rehabilitation effort on Chocorua Lake, which began with the Shoreline Restoration project on 1,000 feet of the lake's eastern shore. The restoration was started in 2024 with the planting of hundreds of trees, plants, shrubs, and grasses to stabilize the shoreline and introduce plants better adapted for climate change impacts.
To help the plants become established in the restoration area, a section of the shoreline has remained closed. An additional 200 feet of shoreline by the Tamworth Residents Area was opened this year to allow for more public access, and the entire area will be open to the public in Spring 2027.
The shoreline in bloom, Summer 2026. | Anna Paddock
We are immensely grateful to the generous Chocorua Lake Conservancy members and funders who made these projects possible, including:
The Adelard A. & Valeda Lea Roy Foundation
Davis Conservation Foundation
Moose Plate through the New Hampshire State Conservation Committee
NH Fish and Game
The Tamworth Foundation
We are also immensely appreciative of our project partners:
Eric Teale & The Turner Group
Tom Ballestero - Streamworks PLLC
Todd Querry - Andrews Construction
Jim Hambrook - Hambrook Land Surveying
Greg Howard - North Country Soil Services
Alison Watts - University of New Hampshire
Jared Lamy - New Hampshire Fish and Game
Michael Bronstein - John Turner Consulting
NH Department of Environmental Services
NH Dam Bureau
If you have questions about the dam rehabilitation and rock-ramp fishway project, please email lake@chocorualake.org or call (603) 323-6252.
Banner Image: Aerial photo of the dam. Credits: John Gisis