Blue Ridge Estates Dam dam
Blue Ridge Estates Dam
Blue Ridge Estates Dam, also known as Emerald Lake, is a privately owned structure located in Botetourt, Virginia. This dam serves primarily for recreation purposes, providing a serene environment for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. Situated along Laymantown Creek, the dam stands at a height of 33 feet with a length of 430 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 108 acre-feet.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Virginia, the Blue Ridge Estates Dam is state-regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. Despite being rated as having a high hazard potential, the condition of the dam is currently not rated, with the last inspection conducted in December 2020. Emergency action plans have been prepared, although the last revision date was in 2008, and there are no inundation maps or risk assessments readily available.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Blue Ridge Estates Dam presents an opportunity to appreciate the intersection of human infrastructure and natural landscapes. With its strategic location and purpose for recreation, this dam serves as a vital component in the local ecosystem, offering a haven for wildlife and a picturesque setting for visitors to enjoy. As efforts continue to ensure the safety and maintenance of this structure, its role in water resource management and environmental conservation remains a key focus for stakeholders and regulators alike.
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 Blue Ridge Estates Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tinker Creek Near Daleville | 2 cfs | → |
| Roanoke River At Niagara | 167 cfs | → |
| Roanoke River At Roanoke | 77 cfs | → |
| Back Creek Near Dundee | 13 cfs | → |
| Catawba Creek Near Catawba | 3 cfs | → |
| James River At Buchanan | 615 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blue Ridge Estates Dam.
Boat launches
- Reservoir Road Hollins
- Hardy Road Bedford County
- Lowe Street Buchanan
- Arcadia Road Botetourt County
- Botetourt Road Botetourt County
- Oak Hollow Road Bedford County
Campgrounds
- Pig Farm Campsite
- Roanoke Mountain - Blue Ridge Parkway
- Roanoke Mtn
- Peaks Of Otter Campground
- Peaks Of Otter - Blue Ridge Parkway
- Craig Creek Campground
Paddle runs
- Top Of Apple Orchards Falls To Confluence Of North Creek With Jennings Creek
- Segment A--Route 42 Bridge To Confluence With Jackson River
- 1 Mile Southeast Of Buchanan (At End Of Nfs Land) To Snowden Dam Reservoir
- Segment D--Gathright Dam To State Route 687 Bridge At Clearwater Park
- Segment B--Confluence With Bullpasture River To Route 42 Bridge
- Jefferson Nf Boundary Near Confluence With Nettle Hollow To Confluence With Laurel Branch
Track Blue Ridge Estates Dam 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 Blue Ridge Estates Dam
Where does the data for Blue Ridge Estates Dam 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 Blue Ridge Estates Dam.