Gauge Description:

Note: The Upper Contoocook gage referenced above is in the process of being evaluated as a new virtual gage for this section. This gage may or may not be accurate. The former virtual gauge (Stony Brook) for this section went out of service in October of 2004 due to budget cutbacks at the USGS. The USGS gage in Merrimack is too far downstream for a reliable level assesment of the upper even with a slow sustained snowmelt runoff. It is a good indicator of how high the level might of been about 12 to 24 hours prior. The painted gage at the class III put-in is the one used for levels in the New England Whitewater guide, but this gauge is in serious deterioration at this time. A new gage was painted on the rt 31 bridge back in 1995 so people would not have to walk in to the other gage for a level check. The gages match levels at 1.7'. Here are some other readings of interest.

Dam put-in   rt 31 bridge     runability 

.8                 1.3       (minimum play 
.9                 1.4       level at bridge hole)
1                  1.5       minimum level most people like
1.2                1.5             
1.4                1.6       good surfing at ledges
1.7                1.7       medium low
1.9                1.8
2.1                1.9       medium
2.25               2.0       medium high
2.4                2.1       high



Beyond 2.1' at the bridge the gage is not
reliable because of the velocity of the river.  

Estimated chance (%) of finding the river runnable.
Month............% chance.................comment

January ............ 5%....Usually frozen
February............10%....Usually frozen.
March...............40%....Opens up about mid month.
April...............65%....Best chance in early April 
May ................20%....Best chance in early May. 
June.................8%
July.................5%
August...............5%....Just a trickle 
September...........10%....Tropical storms and their remains
October........�....15%
November............20%....Fall rains, dormant trees 
December............20%....River starts freezing about Christmas.

Be aware this is averaged out over several years. The % chance refers to the probability of finding the river running on any given day. For instance a 5% probability for August means on average you can only expect 1-1/2 days of water. One year there could be 3 days in August with water, other years none. Spring levels are usually higher than fall levels. The river rises and falls rapidly because of the small steep watershed. An occasional summer storm could bring the river up for a day.

CONTOOCOOK R @ PETERBOROUGH [ NH ]

Current Conditions Stage Flow Updated 3.83 852 9/7 4:30 Station Graphs

Linked Reaches

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Level Legend:

Running

Below Minimum Recommended Flow

Above Maximum Recommended Flow

Unknown

Descriptions of reaches with River Name in bold have been verified by a regional StreamTeam member.

State	River Name/Section	Class	Level	Rel. Level	Updated
NH	Contoocook— 1. Jaffrey to Peterborough	II	3.83 ft	med	9/7 4:30
NH	Souhegan— Greenville to NH Rt. 101 Bridge	II-III	3.83 feet	med	9/7 4:30
NH	Souhegan— NH Rte. 101 Bridge to Wilton	III	3.83 Feet	med	9/7 4:30

Station Description

AW Gauge ID:	66
USGS Station:	01082000
HUC:	01070003
Latitude:	42.8625
Longitude:	-71.9597
Class:	6

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Powerline (Class II+, Mile 0.3)
A short ledge drop. It can be identified by powerlines high over head just above. At the rapid lege and boulders protrude from right and left banks. The drop can have a good size hole on the right side at higher levels. Towards the left side there is a large boulder blocking the outrun.

Townline (Class II+, Mile 0.4)
Probably the second most difficult rapid. Not far below Powerline the river widens then constricts into the rapid. Far river left at the wide section there is a boulder jumble with a few interesting chutes in between. The river then narrows down and splits around an island in high water, although the left channel is not too obvious. The main channel is narrow with two boulder / pourovers that upset many paddlers. The first is right of center forcing the paddler to go left, the next is left of center forcing the paddler to move right once more. Be carefull if you swim here since the Ledges section is only a little ways downstream.

The Ledges (Class III, Mile 0.5)
The most difficult rapid on this section of river. You can recognize it from a play wave just upstream where the river narrows to 15' and creates a mini wave train. If you look downstream from this position you will notice a couple of large boulders midstream. One of the boulders has a hole bored in about half way up. The normal route is just to the left of the boulder skirting a large hole on river left. The river then continues over a trashy ledge with multiple crosscurrents. After this there are two riverwide 1' ledges about 20' apart. The last ledge is a great play spot.

Bridge 31 (Class II+, Mile 1.0)
Once rt 31 comes into view on your right the river accelerates down a nice gradual chute with some nice waves. It then takes a sharp right and passes under rt 31. Just upstream from the bridge are two holes the one closest to the bridge abutement is great for 360's and other manuevers even at low water levels. Just below the bridge there is a weird hole with a sharp upstream apex. This one is not good for surfing but will not hold you. This is also the access for the easier lower class II section.

Bump rock (Class II+, Mile 2.5)
Once the river diverts away from the road on your left for the second time, the river takes a sharp right. In the distance a rock is visible at the end of the river. The river runs into this rock then takes a sharp left. The easiest way to run this in high water is to start from river right then cut to your left just before the rock. In low water you can eddy out on river right just above the rock then easily ferry across the river into the pool below.

Beaver hole (Class II, Mile 4.0)
The river splits into two channels just above a home (the only one on the river) on river right. The left channel is usually too clogged with strainers from beaver activity. The right channel is only about 18' wide at this point. Just below the house the river drops over a slopping ledge into a hole. Catch the small eddy on the right for access to this playhole.

Hemlock Chute (Class II, Mile 5.0)
The river splits into two channels once again. Take the right channel by taking a sharp right. Look out for strainers here the river is only about 20' wide at this point it is also covered over by a thick hemlock canopy which makes it dark at anytime of day.