Beartree dam
Beartree
Beartree is a federally-owned recreational facility located in Washington County, Virginia, managed by the Forest Service. The dam at Beartree, completed in 1980, serves primarily for fish and wildlife pond purposes, with a storage capacity of 160 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 6370 cubic feet per second. The dam is an earth structure standing at 30 feet in height and 150 feet in length, with a controlled spillway and slide gates for outlet control.
Despite being classified as low hazard potential and not currently rated for condition assessment, Beartree poses a very high risk in terms of its risk assessment profile. The site has not been inspected since 2011, with an inspection frequency of 10 years, indicating potential concerns for the infrastructure's long-term maintenance and upkeep. The emergency action plan status, inundation maps, and risk management measures for Beartree are all currently reported as unknown or not prepared, underscoring the need for closer monitoring and mitigation strategies. Overall, Beartree presents an intriguing case study for water resource and climate enthusiasts, highlighting the delicate balance between recreational uses and dam safety considerations in natural settings.
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 Beartree -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| S F Holston River At Riverside Nr Chilhowie | 49 cfs | → |
| M F Holston River Near Meadowview | 87 cfs | → |
| S F Holston River Near Damascus | 182 cfs | → |
| M F Holston River At Seven Mile Ford | 48 cfs | → |
| N F Holston River Near Saltville | 69 cfs | → |
| South Fork New River Near Jefferson | 657 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Beartree.
Boat launches
- Whitaker Hollow Road Washington County
- Parks Mill Road 22115, Washington County
- North Fork River Road Washington County
- River Road 558, Saltville
- Sullivan County
- Russell County
Campgrounds
- Beartree
- Beartree Recreation Area
- Backbone Rock Rec Area
- Backbone Rock Recreation Area
- Backbone Rock Campground
- Grindstone
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Green Cove--Jefferson Nf Near Confluence Of Star Hill Branch To Confluence With Whitetop Laurel
- Whitetop Laurel--Jefferson Nf Boundary (Intersection Of Hwy 58 And Sr 859) To Jefferson Nf Boundary Above Damascus
- Headwaters To Tn/Va State Line
- Watauga Reservoir To Tn/Nc State Line
- Confluence With Guest River To Confluence With Little Stony Creek
- State Route 72 Bridge To Confluence With Clinch River
Track Beartree 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 Beartree
Where does the data for Beartree 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 Beartree.