Virginia Energy Dam dam
Virginia Energy Dam
Virginia Energy Dam, also known as Big Branch Fresh Water Pond, is a critical water supply infrastructure located in Buchanan, Virginia. This earth dam stands at 30 feet in height and serves the primary purpose of water supply, with a storage capacity of 16 acre-feet. Situated on Middle Elk Creek, the dam's location within the Wilmington District makes it a significant resource for the region.
Owned by an unspecified entity and not regulated by the state, Virginia Energy Dam's condition assessment is currently marked as "Not Rated" with an undetermined hazard potential. With a surface area of 1.5 acres and a normal storage capacity of 14 acre-feet, the dam plays a crucial role in ensuring water availability in the area. Although lacking detailed information on its construction and modification history, the dam remains an essential structure for water resource management in the region.
Despite the lack of certain regulatory oversight and assessment details, Virginia Energy Dam's role in providing water supply highlights its significance for the local community. As a key earth dam on Middle Elk Creek, its operational status and maintenance requirements are essential factors to consider for climate and water resource enthusiasts invested in understanding and safeguarding the region's water infrastructure.
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 Virginia Energy Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Panther Creek Near Panther | 5 cfs | → |
| Dry Fork At Beartown | 79 cfs | → |
| Levisa Fork At Big Rock | 96 cfs | → |
| Grapevine Creek Near Phyllis | 3 cfs | → |
| Guyandotte River At Man | 968 cfs | → |
| Clear Fork At Clear Fork | 44 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Virginia Energy Dam.
Campgrounds
- Panther Wma
- Panther State Forest
- Hatfield’S Hideout Riverfront Cabins And Campground
- Guyandotte
- Grapevine - Fishtrap Lake
- Breaks Interstate Park
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
Track Virginia Energy 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 Virginia Energy Dam
Where does the data for Virginia Energy 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 Virginia Energy Dam.