Lake Monroe Dam dam
Lake Monroe Dam
Lake Monroe Dam, located in King George, Virginia, is a privately owned earth dam primarily built for recreational purposes on the TR-Keys Run river. Standing at a height of 40.8 feet with a storage capacity of 607 acre-feet, this dam plays a crucial role in regulating water levels in the area. However, recent data indicates that the dam is classified as having a high hazard potential and an unsatisfactory condition assessment, raising concerns among water resource and climate enthusiasts.
Despite being under the regulatory oversight of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Virginia, the dam's last inspection in November 2021 revealed its deteriorating state. With a history of modifications and a lack of updated emergency action plans, Lake Monroe Dam poses a potential risk to the surrounding community in case of a failure. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the importance of maintaining and upgrading infrastructure like Lake Monroe Dam becomes increasingly vital to ensure the safety and resilience of the area.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts advocate for sustainable practices and infrastructure improvements, Lake Monroe Dam serves as a focal point for discussions on the importance of dam safety and maintenance in the face of changing environmental conditions. With its high hazard potential and unsatisfactory condition assessment, stakeholders must work together to address the risks posed by this vital structure and implement necessary measures to safeguard the local community and ecosystem from potential disasters.
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 Lake Monroe Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mattaponi River Near Bowling Green | 26 cfs | → |
| Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg | 235 cfs | → |
| Aquia Creek Near Garrisonville | 4 cfs | → |
| Zekiah Swamp Run Near Newtown | 3 cfs | → |
| Po River Near Spotsylvania | 5 cfs | → |
| Mattawoman Creek Near Pomonkey | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Monroe Dam.
Boat launches
- Old Wharf Road King George County
- Friendship Landing Road 4701, Charles County
- Charles County
- County Road 639 1302, Stafford County
- Paul Ellis Landing
- Gilbert Run Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Champs Rv Military - A P Hill
- Smallwood State Park Youth Group Campsite
- Smallwood State Park
- Campground 3
- Lunga Park Military - Quantico Mcb
- Campsite #6
Fishing spots
Track Lake Monroe 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 Lake Monroe Dam
Where does the data for Lake Monroe 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 High 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 Lake Monroe Dam.