Alstead Looks Back 10 Years to Remember Devastating Flood

We begin tonight with a look back to 10 years ago this week when towns throughout Western New Hampshire were devastated by overwhelming flooding that cost the state millions of dollars and handful of lives.

The region was belted by more than 12 inches of rain over a 30-hour span, overwhelming storm drainage systems which backed up local roadways and waterways with excess water.

The hardest hit areas locally included Alstead – seen here, courtesy of the New Hampshire DOT – where a culvert and embankment were washed away during the early morning hours of October 9th, causing significant damage to portions of Route 123 that left nearly six miles of the popular roadway virtually destroyed.

The nearby Surry and Otter Brook dams were both well above flood levels, and an eventual 30-foot wall of water surged through the Warren Brook valley leaving nothing but devastation in its wake.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation spent years rebuilding damaged areas, though the flood’s effects can still be seen in the area to this day.