Westlake Village Lake 3 dam
Westlake Village Lake 3
Westlake Village Lake 3, located in Charles, Maryland, is a privately-owned dam constructed in 1984 by Whitman, Requardt & Assoc. The dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, specifically along the Piney Branch river. With a structural height of 11 feet and a length of 476 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 121 acre-feet and a surface area of 9.3 acres.
Despite its low hazard potential, Westlake Village Lake 3 has been assessed as being in poor condition as of April 2021. The dam's inspection frequency is every 5 years, with the last inspection conducted in September 2020. While the risk assessment indicates a moderate level of risk, no specific risk management measures or emergency action plans are currently in place.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Westlake Village Lake 3 serves as an intriguing case study of a privately-owned dam with flood risk reduction as its primary purpose. The dam's location, design, and condition present opportunities for further research on dam safety, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness in the face of climate change and changing hydrological patterns.
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 Westlake Village Lake 3 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Piscataway Creek At Piscataway | 9 cfs | → |
| Mattawoman Creek Near Pomonkey | 2 cfs | → |
| Zekiah Swamp Run Near Newtown | 3 cfs | → |
| Cameron Run At Alexandria | 6 cfs | → |
| Western Branch At Upper Marlboro | 19 cfs | → |
| Fourmile Run At Alexandria | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Westlake Village Lake 3.
Boat launches
- Wharf Road Accokeek
- Marshall Hall Boat Ramp Charles County
- Gilbert Run Boat Ramp
- Ludgate Drive Mount Vernon
- Magruders Ferry Road 17901, Brandywine
- Critical Area Driving Tour Prince George's County
Campgrounds
- Cedarville State Forest
- Louise F. Cosca Regional Park
- Andrews Afb Military
- Fort Belvoir Travel And Rv Camp
- Pohick Bay Regional Park
- Smallwood State Park
Fishing spots
Track Westlake Village Lake 3 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 Westlake Village Lake 3
Where does the data for Westlake Village Lake 3 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 Low 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 Westlake Village Lake 3.