Goose Creek Dam dam
Goose Creek Dam
Goose Creek Dam, also known as Fairfax Reservoir, is a gravity dam located in Loudoun, Virginia, along the Goose Creek river. Owned by a public utility, the dam serves as a crucial water supply structure with a storage capacity of 4,373 acre-feet. Standing at a height of 39 feet and a length of 715 feet, the dam plays a vital role in managing water resources in the region.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Virginia, Goose Creek Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and compliance with state guidelines. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in September 2020 reported it as satisfactory. Emergency action plans have been prepared, though updated information on contacts and guidelines compliance is pending.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Goose Creek Dam represents a significant infrastructure contributing to the water supply infrastructure in the area. Its strategic location along the Goose Creek river, coupled with its satisfactory condition and regulatory oversight, underscores its importance in safeguarding water resources and managing potential risks. As a gravity dam with a notable storage capacity, Goose Creek Dam serves as a critical asset in ensuring water availability and resilience in the region.
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 Goose Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Goose Creek Near Leesburg | 46 cfs | → |
| Broad Run Near Leesburg | 18 cfs | → |
| Limestone Branch Near Leesburg | 2 cfs | → |
| N F Goose Creek At Rt 729 Near Lincoln | 8 cfs | → |
| S F Catoctin Creek At Rt 698 Near Waterford | 4 cfs | → |
| Beaverdam Creek At Rt 734 Near Mountville | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Goose Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- Ashburn Village Boulevard 20585, Lansdowne
- Edwards Ferry Road Montgomery County
- Smart's Mill Rd (Private) Leesburg
- Rileys Lock Road Darnestown
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Frederick County
- Clarksburg Road Germantown
Campgrounds
- Chisel Branch
- Chisel Branch Campsite
- Turtle Run Campsite
- Turtle Run
- Horsepen Branch Campsite
- Horsepen Branch
Fishing spots
- Washington Aqueduct
- Dalecarlia Reservoir
- Gillam Branch (Historical)
- Davis Branch (Historical)
- Maddox Branch
- Georgetown Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Bixler Bridge On State Route 675 To Karo Landing, Approximately 6 Miles South Of Town Of Front Royal
- Headwaters Adjacent To Fdt 573 To State Route 622 Bridge
- State Route 675 At Edinburg, Va To State Highway 55 Southeast Of Strasburg, Va
- 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 Goose Creek 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 Goose Creek Dam
Where does the data for Goose Creek 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 Goose Creek Dam.