U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Colebrook River Lake

06/11/2026

If you visit the dam, be sure to watch out for the foxes denning in the riprap.

05/12/2026

Public Notice: the pedestrian bridge along our beaver pond trail is being rebuilt and will be out of service until further notice. The trail is still open, but no detour is currently available for that segment. We appologize for any inconvenience.

04/15/2026

This year we will be shifting staffing hours to allow for weekend access to the dam. Starting this weekend and running through Labor Day, our main gates will be open every day from 7am to 3:30pm.

Please note that the inner gate (past our office as you head out to the dam) still closes at 3:15pm. Also, due to short staffing, there may be unforeseen circumstances that prevent opening on some weekends, but we will do our best to try to prevent disruptions.

See you this weekend!

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04/07/2026

We are making final preparations for the upcoming recreation season. Gates open Saturday at 7am for the boat launch and north end. The boat launch hours are daylight only.

Please remember that wearing a life jacket is ALWAYS a good idea at any time of year. A properly fitting PFD must be accessible for every passenger on a vessel, and wearing one is mandatory for children under the age of 12. Life jackets are also mandatory for everyone in a manually propelled craft until after May 31.

Happy recreating!

03/06/2026

As the warmer weather approches our rangers are reflecting on a busy winter season. Keeping the critical infrastructure accessible, writing contracts, designing and repairing facilities, and performing snow surveys was more than enough to fill the hours. Looking forward to a great recreation season! Gates open the second Saturday in April, weather conditions permitting.

11/26/2025

You asked, so here it is: historic photos of the dam! Clockwise, beginning at the top left you can see the construction of the intake gates, the old turbines from when HMDC ran hydropowerr out of the Colebrook tower, the original installation of the HMDC crane on the roof of the tower, and drilling rigs installing piezometers on the downstream slope of the dam.

Our on-site social media curator works seasonally and will be off until February. In the interim, posts will be limited to critical messaging. But you can look forward to more historic photos in the spring.

We hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season!

11/25/2025

We received the results of a recent sediment survey. Since we often get questions about the depth of the lake and the history of the area, we wanted to share these images.

11/25/2025

Please note that the boat launch parking and north end recreation areas will be closed for the winter season beginning on December 1. Parking for pedestrian access will be available outside the main gate at the launch and before the bridge at the north end. These areas will open again on the second Saturday in April, weather permitting.

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11/13/2025

The lapse in appropriations has concluded and normal operations on this social media page will resume. Furloughed USACE employees will receive direction through their chain of command.

11/07/2025

Please note that there will be ongoing construction work on the dam access road, beginning Monday, November 10. Access gates may be closed at times for public safety. We apologize for any inconvenience during construction and will update this page when we have an estimated completion date.

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