Sunken Meadow Dam dam
Sunken Meadow Dam
Sunken Meadow Dam, located in Claremont, Virginia, is a crucial water resource structure managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. This earth dam stretches 930 feet in length and stands at a height of 9.1 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 1,056 acre-feet. The primary purpose of this dam is to provide recreational opportunities and irrigation for the surrounding area, with a normal storage capacity of 338 acre-feet.
Despite its low hazard potential, Sunken Meadow Dam is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 5 feet, and is associated with the James River - Sunken Meadow Creek watershed. While the dam's condition assessment is currently not rated, its risk assessment is moderate, indicating a need for ongoing monitoring and risk management measures.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Sunken Meadow Dam serves as a fascinating example of infrastructure designed to balance the needs of recreation and irrigation within the local ecosystem. Its location in Surry County, Virginia, along the James River watershed, highlights the importance of responsible water management in mitigating risks and maximizing benefits for both human and environmental well-being. With its moderate risk assessment and state-regulated status, Sunken Meadow Dam underscores the ongoing challenges and opportunities associated with maintaining sustainable water resource infrastructure in a changing climate.
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 Sunken Meadow Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Blackwater River Near Dendron | 1 cfs | → |
| Chickahominy River Near Providence Forge | 27 cfs | → |
| Appomattox River At Matoaca | 121 cfs | → |
| Dragon Swamp At Mascot | 14 cfs | → |
| Blackwater River Near Franklin | 14 cfs | → |
| Nottoway River Near Sebrell | 499 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sunken Meadow Dam.
Boat launches
- Charles City County
- Marina Drive Surry County
- Jamestown Road 1826, James City County
- Cappahosic Road Gloucester County
- Campsite Drive 606, Lee Hall
- Denbigh Boulevard 3, Newport News
Track Sunken Meadow 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 Sunken Meadow Dam
Where does the data for Sunken Meadow 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 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 Sunken Meadow Dam.