Dulles Airport Dam dam
Dulles Airport Dam
The Dulles Airport Dam, located in Loudoun County, Virginia, serves as a crucial water supply infrastructure managed by a public utility. This earth-type dam on Horsepen Run stands at 11.4 feet high and 650 feet long, with a storage capacity of 259 acre-feet and a surface area of 28 acres. While its condition assessment is currently not rated, the dam is under state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, ensuring its safety and compliance with standards.
With a primary purpose of water supply, the Dulles Airport Dam plays a significant role in meeting the water needs of the local community. Although the dam's hazard potential is deemed significant, it has not experienced any recent modifications or emergency preparedness updates. The last inspection in March 2017 indicated compliance with safety guidelines, but further assessments and risk management measures may be necessary to address potential risks and ensure the dam's continued reliability and functionality for water resource sustainability in the region.
Overall, the Dulles Airport Dam represents a vital component of Virginia's water infrastructure, contributing to the management of Horsepen Run's drainage area and providing essential water storage capacity. As climate change impacts water resources, monitoring and maintaining the dam's integrity will be crucial to safeguarding water supply reliability and addressing potential hazards. Collaboration between state agencies, regulators, and stakeholders will be essential to ensure the continued operation and safety of this important water resource asset.
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 Dulles Airport Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Broad Run Near Leesburg | 449 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek Near Leesburg | 449 cfs | → |
| Difficult Run Near Great Falls | 129 cfs | → |
| Seneca Creek At Dawsonville | 304 cfs | → |
| N F Goose Creek At Rt 729 Near Lincoln | 69 cfs | → |
| Limestone Branch Near Leesburg | 11 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dulles Airport Dam.
Boat launches
- Ashburn Village Boulevard 20585, Lansdowne
- Rileys Lock Road Darnestown
- Edwards Ferry Road Montgomery County
- Potomac Hills Street Fairfax County
- Smart's Mill Rd (Private) Leesburg
- Clarksburg Road Germantown
Campgrounds
- Lake Fairfax
- Horsepen Branch
- Horsepen Branch Campsite
- Chisel Branch Campsite
- Chisel Branch
- Bull Run Regional Park
Fishing spots
- Washington Aqueduct
- Gillam Branch (Historical)
- Dalecarlia Reservoir
- Davis Branch (Historical)
- Maddox Branch
- Georgetown Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Bixler Bridge On State Route 675 To Karo Landing, Approximately 6 Miles South Of Town Of Front Royal
- Headwaters Adjacent To Fdt 573 To State Route 622 Bridge
- State Route 675 At Edinburg, Va To State Highway 55 Southeast Of Strasburg, Va
- Segment C--Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork Shenandoah River
- Segment B--State Route 730 Bridge To Nf Boundary
Track Dulles Airport 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 Dulles Airport Dam
Where does the data for Dulles Airport 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 Significant 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 Dulles Airport Dam.