Cacapon Reservoir Dam dam
Cacapon Reservoir Dam
The Cacapon Reservoir Dam, located in Sleepy Creek, West Virginia, serves as a critical water supply source for the region. Completed in 1974, this earth dam stands at a height of 36 feet, with a maximum storage capacity of 102 acre-feet. The dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations.
With a hazard potential classified as high, the Cacapon Reservoir Dam is maintained in satisfactory condition, as assessed in October 2017. Emergency action plans are prepared and updated regularly, with the last revision in December 2019. The dam's inspection frequency is set at every 2 years, with the most recent inspection conducted in September 2018. The dam's primary purpose is water supply, serving the surrounding area with a normal storage capacity of 62 acre-feet.
Despite its high hazard potential, the Cacapon Reservoir Dam stands as a vital infrastructure for water resource management in Morgan County, West Virginia. With its strategic location on the North Fork of the Sleepy Creek River, this earth dam continues to play a crucial role in providing water supply for the region, while adhering to state regulations and safety standards enforced by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
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 Cacapon Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cacapon River Near Great Cacapon | 131 cfs | → |
| Potomac River At Paw Paw | 923 cfs | → |
| Sideling Hill Creek Near Bellegrove | 17 cfs | → |
| Town Creek Near Oldtown | 40 cfs | → |
| Back Creek Near Jones Springs | 25 cfs | → |
| Potomac River At Hancock | 1,010 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cacapon Reservoir Dam.
Boat launches
- Bonds Landing Road Allegany County
- Berkeley County
- Sleepy Creek Road Berkeley County
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Little Orleans
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Hancock
- Springfield Pike Hampshire County
Campgrounds
- Liberty Root Campsite 2
- Camp N
- Stickpile Hill Hiker Biker Campsite
- Stickpile Campsite
- Cacapon Junction Campsite
- Cacapon Junction Hiker Biker Campsite
Fishing spots
- Fifteenmile Creek
- Orchard Pond
- Sideling Hill Creek Put And Take Area
- Town Creek
- Battie Mixon Ponds
- Flintstone Creek
Paddle runs
- Begins South Of Largent To The Confluence With The Potomac At Great Cacapon
- Capon Bridge To Ends Just South Of Largent
- Headwaters Adjacent To Fdt 573 To State Route 622 Bridge
- Wardensville To The Town Of Capon Bridge
- Begins Where The Lost River Becomes The Cacapon River To Wardensville
- The West Virginia 259 Bridge South Of Wardensville To Ends Where The Lost River Becomes The Cacapon River
Track Cacapon Reservoir 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 Cacapon Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for Cacapon Reservoir 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 Cacapon Reservoir Dam.