West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam dam
West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam
The West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam, located in Buchanan, Virginia, is a crucial water resource structure managed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Standing at a height of 260 feet, this dam boasts a storage capacity of 4985 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 35.8 acres. Despite its significant size and importance, the dam's hazard potential is currently marked as "Undetermined," with a condition assessment of "Not Rated."
While details on the dam's construction date and specific purposes are not available, its critical role in water resource management is evident. With a drainage area of 0.24 square miles, the West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam plays a key part in regulating water flow and storage in the region. Despite the lack of a state regulatory agency overseeing its operation, the dam's height and storage capacity make it a vital component of the local hydrological system.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the infrastructure and operation of dams like the West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam is essential for ensuring the sustainable management of water resources in Virginia. With its impressive size and capacity, this dam stands as a testament to the importance of maintaining and monitoring critical water infrastructure to support the needs of local communities and ecosystems.
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 West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Levisa Fork At Big Rock | 96 cfs | → |
| Russell Fork At Haysi | 467 cfs | → |
| Russell Fork At Bartlick | 1,060 cfs | → |
| Panther Creek Near Panther | 5 cfs | → |
| Dry Fork At Beartown | 79 cfs | → |
| Pound River Below Flannagan Dam Near Haysi | 26 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam.
Boat launches
- Lick Creek Pike County
- County Road 641 Russell County
- Shepard Hollow Road Russell County
- Russell County
- Hidden Valley Road Washington County
- North Fork River Road Washington County
Campgrounds
- Breaks Interstate Park
- Panther State Forest
- Panther Wma
- Lower Twin Branch - John W. Flannagan Reservoir
- Grapevine - Fishtrap Lake
- Cranesnest - John W. Flannagan Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Confluence Of White Branch With Russell Fork (And 1 Mile Upstream On Pound River) To Railroad Bridge Crossing Above Elkhorn City
- State Route 72 Bridge To Confluence With Clinch River
- Confluence With Guest River To Confluence With Little Stony Creek
- Fs Route 700 To Confluence With Clinch River
- Whitetop Laurel--Jefferson Nf Boundary (Intersection Of Hwy 58 And Sr 859) To Jefferson Nf Boundary Above Damascus
- Green Cove--Jefferson Nf Near Confluence Of Star Hill Branch To Confluence With Whitetop Laurel
Track West Fork Slurry Impoundment 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 West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam
Where does the data for West Fork Slurry Impoundment 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 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 West Fork Slurry Impoundment Dam.