U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Otter Brook Lake & Surry Mountain Lake

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.

Statement from the New England District.

Pheasant stocking at Surry Mountain Lake has been discontinued.

The staff at Surry Mountain Lake are prioritizing habitat management to support native wildlife. The long-term objective is to enhance habitat for both upland game and non-game species through developing and maintaining grasslands, shrub lands and early successional forests.

Our season is coming to a close! Come enjoy the last weekend at Surry Mountain Lake Beach. The Beach will be open 8am-8pm from now until Sunday August 31st. The recreation area will be closed starting Monday, September 1st. The front gate will be shut, and facilities will not be available, but visitors are always welcome to walk in.

Even with a late start due to flooding, limited staffing and several other changes this year, we’re grateful for a summer filled with sunshine and wonderful visitors. Thank you for a fantastic season and we look forward to next year!

Recreation Update:

The buoys are out, the beach has been maintained and water quality has passed New Hampshire State standards! Surry Mountain Beach is open Wednesday - Sunday 8am - 8pm. A few reminders for folks visiting Surry Mountain Lake:

- Surry Mountain Lake is a carry in - carry out facility
- Pets must be on a leash and are not allowed on the beach
- No fireworks
- Please only use charcoal in grills
- Flush restrooms are closed for the 2025 season but portable toilets are available
- Motorboats are allowed (no wake)
- There are no lifeguards

Have a wonderful weekend and a Happy 4th of July. Stay safe and always be careful when recreating on or near the water!

Recreation Update:

After several weeks of flooding within the recreation area, we are working on opening Surry Mountain Lake Recreation Area this Friday, June 20th. The beach will not be maintained, and water quality will not be tested due to the beach area still being underwater. Our recreation hours are Wednesday - Sunday 8am-8pm.

We look forward to seeing you!

Surry Mountain Lake Recreation Area is now closed to vehicle traffic until flooding is mitigated:

Weekend rain strikes again! Otter Brook Lake received almost 3in of rain and Surry Mountain Lake received just over 2in of rain. Due to the significant precipitation received, the water levels in the recreation areas are once again increasing.

The flooding is normal, as the recreation areas are located within our flood storage area.

Please stay out of and away from flood waters as it can be hard to see what is beneath the surface.

We will keep you updated when Surry Mountain Lake re-opens to vehicle traffic

Recreation Update:

Surry Mounain Lake will be open this Saturday, May 31st. The park will be open Wednesdays - Sundays, 8am - 8pm through August 31st.

Water levels have receded over the last 2 weeks allowing the recreation area to begin drying out. However, as shown in the picture below, the beach is still underwater and therefore has not undergone any maintenance or water quality testing yet. We hope to open up the beach and swimming area by June 7th, but we will provide an update with the exact date when available.

We encourage people to come enjoy the park, kayak/boat, fish, sit or walk and take in the gorgeous views of Surry Mountain.

As a reminder: Otter Brook Lake will be walk in only this summer, and there will be no flush restrooms available at Surry Mountain Lake, but portable toilets will be available.

We look forward to seeing everyone this summer!

Update: Delayed opening of Surry Mountain Lake Beach due to flooding

The recreation areas at Otter Brook and Surry Mountain Lakes are flooded. Both Otter Brook and Surry Mountain Dams have been actively storing water to prevent downstream flooding, and as a result, the recreation areas which are located within our flood storage area are inundated with water. Surry Mountain Beach was scheduled to open Saturday, May 24th but due to the flood event and uncertainty of the damages incurred, opening the recreation area has been postponed until further notice. Updates will be provided as the water recedes and conditions improve.

We sure are glad to see sunshine!
A quick update - Both Otter Brook and Surry Mountain Lake Recreation Areas are still currently underwater. A majority of park roads and trails are inaccessible, so please be aware and do not walk through flood waters.

PSA: Both Otter Brook and Surry Mountain Lakes are currently holding back water to prevent downstream flooding. Staff are actively operating both dams to ensure public safety. As a result, parts of our recreation areas are under water. If you are visiting our parks, please be aware of roads and trails that are inaccessible and do not walk through flood waters.

As always, be careful when recreating on or near the water!

Attention:
Due to the federal government hiring freeze, we are unable to hire summer park rangers and will be operating with limited staff. Permanent employees are responsible for operating and maintaining the flood control dams and historically Summer Park Rangers greatly assist the permanent staff with the recreation mission of the flood control dams. In order to ensure the readiness of our permanent employees to provide critical public safety, we have had to make some changes to the operation and schedules at our parks.

For the 2025 summer season,

Otter Brook Recreation Area will be walk-in only (entrance gate on Route 9 will be closed). There will be no restroom facilities, or shelter reservations. People are still welcome to walk/hike, bike, picnic, utilize the disc golf course and enjoy the grounds and nature. Dogs are permitted on leash.

Surry Mountain Lake Beach will be open as normal for the season, May 24th through August 31, Wednesdays – Sundays from 8am – 8pm. The existing flush restrooms will not be open but there will be portable toilets located within the park for visitors to use. Existing shelter reservations made prior to April 14th will remain but we will not be taking any more shelter reservations for this season. Visitors are welcome to use the beach and boat ramp, to picnic and enjoy the area. Dogs are permitted on leash, except on beach area.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to seeing you this summer!