Daddy Long Lake Dam dam
Daddy Long Lake Dam
Daddy Long Lake Dam, located in Fairfax, Virginia, is a private dam that serves as a Fish and Wildlife Pond, providing essential habitat for the local ecosystem. The dam stands at a height of 15 feet with a length of 1100 feet, creating a surface area of 5.85 acres and a storage capacity of 53.03 acre-feet. The dam is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Virginia and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity.
With a significant hazard potential, Daddy Long Lake Dam plays a crucial role in maintaining the surrounding environment and supporting wildlife populations. Despite not having a formal condition assessment, the dam is actively monitored and managed to mitigate any potential risks. While the dam has not been modified in recent years and lacks detailed emergency action plans, its presence is essential for the conservation of Nichols Run and the overall water resource management in the area.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Daddy Long Lake Dam represents a vital infrastructure that combines recreational benefits with ecological significance. As a privately owned structure, the dam highlights the importance of private landowners in preserving and enhancing water resources for future generations. Its role in providing a safe habitat for fish and wildlife underscores the interconnectedness of water management and ecosystem conservation in the face of changing climate 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 Daddy Long Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Difficult Run Near Great Falls | 149 cfs | → |
| Seneca Creek At Dawsonville | 72 cfs | → |
| Broad Run Near Leesburg | 188 cfs | → |
| Potomac River Near Wash | 3,010 cfs | → |
| Nw Branch Anacostia River Near Colesville | 126 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek Near Leesburg | 67 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Daddy Long Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Rileys Lock Road Darnestown
- Potomac Hills Street Fairfax County
- Ashburn Village Boulevard 20585, Lansdowne
- Clarksburg Road Germantown
- Edwards Ferry Road Montgomery County
- Smart's Mill Rd (Private) Leesburg
Campgrounds
- Swains Lock Hiker-Biker Campsite
- Horsepen Branch
- Horsepen Branch Campsite
- Lake Fairfax
- Marsden Tract Group Campsite
- Marsden Tract Campground
Fishing spots
- Washington Aqueduct
- Dalecarlia Reservoir
- Gillam Branch (Historical)
- Davis Branch (Historical)
- Maddox Branch
- Georgetown Reservoir
Track Daddy Long Lake 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 Daddy Long Lake Dam
Where does the data for Daddy Long Lake 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 Significant 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 Daddy Long Lake Dam.