Falls Road Golf Course dam
Falls Road Golf Course
Falls Road Golf Course in Montgomery, Maryland, is home to a gravity dam on Kilgour Branch that was completed in 1990. The dam serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a height of 25 feet and a storage capacity of 78 acre-feet. The dam's structure consists of stone core and soil foundations, with a length of 260 feet and a surface area of 4.7 acres.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Maryland Dam Safety agency, the Falls Road Golf Course dam has a fair condition assessment and a high hazard potential. Despite undergoing a hydraulic upgrade in 2007, the dam's risk assessment remains moderate (3). With a maximum discharge capacity of 710 cubic feet per second and an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 26 feet, the dam plays a crucial role in ensuring water supply for irrigation and recreation activities at the golf course.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the infrastructure and maintenance of dams like the one at Falls Road Golf Course is essential for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources in the region. With regular inspections and enforcement measures in place, this dam continues to support the community while managing potential risks associated with its operation.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Falls Road Golf Course -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Difficult Run Near Great Falls | 13 cfs | → |
| Potomac River Near Wash | 2,500 cfs | → |
| Nw Branch Anacostia River Near Colesville | 4 cfs | → |
| Seneca Creek At Dawsonville | 57 cfs | → |
| Rock Creek At Sherrill Drive Washington | 38 cfs | → |
| Broad Run Near Leesburg | 22 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Falls Road Golf Course.
Boat launches
- Potomac Hills Street Fairfax County
- Rileys Lock Road Darnestown
- Clarksburg Road Germantown
- Ashburn Village Boulevard 20585, Lansdowne
- Gravelly Point Boat Ramp
- Edwards Ferry Road Montgomery County
Campgrounds
- Swains Lock Hiker-Biker Campsite
- Marsden Tract Group Campsite
- Marsden Tract Campground
- Lake Fairfax
- Horsepen Branch
- Horsepen Branch Campsite
Track Falls Road Golf Course in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Falls Road Golf Course
Where does the data for Falls Road Golf Course come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Falls Road Golf Course.