Helco Dam dam
Helco Dam
Helco Dam, located in Clarke, Virginia, is a privately owned structure regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. With a height of 29 feet and a storage capacity of 53.36 acre-feet, this dam serves as a vital resource for the surrounding area. Despite its undetermined hazard potential and not being rated for condition assessment, the dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
Owned by a private entity, Helco Dam is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam's primary purpose and specific design details are not outlined in the data, but its strategic location and capacity to store 30.2 acre-feet of water make it an essential asset for water supply and climate resilience in the area. The dam's presence contributes to the overall water management infrastructure in Virginia.
While the exact year of completion and other specific details about Helco Dam are not provided, its significance in the water resource landscape of Clarke, Virginia, cannot be understated. With a storage capacity of 53.36 acre-feet and a height of 29 feet, the dam plays a crucial role in water storage and management. As a regulated structure, it is subject to state oversight and inspection to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. Despite its current condition assessment being "not rated," the dam remains an important piece of infrastructure for the region's water resource management and climate resilience efforts.
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 Helco Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Opequon Creek Near Berryville | 15 cfs | → |
| Spout Run At Rt 621 Near Millwood | 10 cfs | → |
| Dry Marsh Run Near Berryville | 4 cfs | → |
| Cedar Creek Near Winchester | 19 cfs | → |
| Passage Creek Near Buckton | 13 cfs | → |
| Hogue Creek Near Hayfield | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Helco Dam.
Boat launches
- Country Club Road Warren County
- Harry Byrd Highway Clarke County
- Luray Avenue Front Royal
- Strasburg Trail Strasburg
- River Haven Drive Jefferson County
- Shannondale Springs Road 199, Jefferson County
Campgrounds
- Camp Slater
- Camp Washington
- Mosby Campground
- Elizabeth Furnace Family Campground
- Elizabeth Furnace
- Mudhole Gap Camping
Fishing spots
- White Sulphur Pond
- Batzell Boat Launch
- Moody Boat Launch
- Bealers Ferry Pond Accessible Fishing Site
- Bealers Ferry Boat Launch
- Potomac River Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Headwaters Adjacent To Fdt 573 To State Route 622 Bridge
- State Route 675 At Edinburg, Va To State Highway 55 Southeast Of Strasburg, Va
- Bixler Bridge On State Route 675 To Karo Landing, Approximately 6 Miles South Of Town Of Front Royal
- Segment C--Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork Shenandoah River
- Segment B--State Route 730 Bridge To Nf Boundary
- Capon Bridge To Ends Just South Of Largent
Track Helco 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 Helco Dam
Where does the data for Helco 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 Helco Dam.