Upper Ragged Mountain dam
Upper Ragged Mountain
Upper Ragged Mountain is a crucial water supply dam located in Albemarle, Virginia, along Moores Creek. Standing at 47 feet tall and 470 feet long, this earth dam serves the primary purpose of providing water storage with a capacity of 757 acre-feet. The reservoir covers a surface area of 14.7 acres and has a normal storage level of 135.3 feet.
Designed by Schnabel Engineering, LLC, Upper Ragged Mountain is classified as a public utility owned structure without state regulation or permitting. Despite its fair condition assessment as of 2010, the dam's hazard potential remains undetermined. The last inspection took place in October 2010, with an inspection frequency of 0. With its strategic location and critical role in water resource management, Upper Ragged Mountain continues to play a vital role in ensuring a reliable water supply for the region.
As a key component of the water infrastructure in Virginia, Upper Ragged Mountain stands as a testament to engineering expertise and resource management. With its impressive size and capacity, the dam represents a significant investment in water supply infrastructure for the area. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, the technical details and operational significance of Upper Ragged Mountain serve as a reminder of the importance of sustainable water management practices in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Upper Ragged Mountain -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mechums River Near White Hall | 18 cfs | → |
| Moormans River Near Free Union | 11 cfs | → |
| N F Rivanna River Near Earlysville | 25 cfs | → |
| Hardware River Bl Briery Run Nr Scottsville | 19 cfs | → |
| James River At Scottsville | 1,750 cfs | → |
| South River Near Dooms | 91 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper Ragged Mountain.
Boat launches
- South Boston Road 3315, Fluvanna County
- River Anne Palmyra
- Howardsville Turnpike 11001, Albemarle County
- Nelson County
- Boat Landing Lane Buckingham County
- James River Road Nelson County
Campgrounds
- Girl Scout Camp
- Loft Mountain - Shenandoah National Park
- Loft Mountain Campground
- Dundo
- Hiker Camping
- Sherando Lake Recreation Area
Fishing spots
- Staunton Dam Day Use Area
- Elkhorn Lake Day Use Area
- Briery Branch Day Use Area
- Braley Pond Day Use Area
- Bealers Ferry Pond Accessible Fishing Site
- Bealers Ferry Boat Launch
Paddle runs
- Nf Boundary Along The South Fork Tye River Near Fdt 526 And State Highway 56 To Town Of Nash
- Headwaters South Of Flint Mountain To St. Mary's Wilderness Boundary
- North River Campground To Camp May Flather
- Headwaters To Farmville
- 1 Mile Southeast Of Buchanan (At End Of Nfs Land) To Snowden Dam Reservoir
Track Upper Ragged Mountain 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 Upper Ragged Mountain
Where does the data for Upper Ragged Mountain 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 Undetermined 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 Upper Ragged Mountain.