Wilderness Dam dam
Wilderness Dam
Wilderness Dam, also known as Wilderness Run Lake Dam, is a private dam located in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, this earth dam stands at a height of 28 feet and has a length of 650 feet. With a primary purpose of recreation, it offers a surface area of 29 acres and a storage capacity of 720 acre-feet, providing a picturesque setting for visitors to enjoy.
Situated along Wilderness Run, this dam plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and providing recreational opportunities for the community. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment remains satisfactory as of the last inspection in May 2021. Its emergency action plan is up to date, ensuring that safety measures are in place to address any potential risks and emergencies that may arise.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Wilderness Dam serves as both a functional structure and a scenic spot where the beauty of nature meets the importance of water management. As visitors explore the area, they can appreciate the dam's role in providing recreation while also acknowledging the need for proper maintenance and oversight to ensure its continued safety and functionality in the face of changing environmental 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 Wilderness Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg | 213 cfs | → |
| Po River Near Spotsylvania | 4 cfs | → |
| Rapidan River Near Culpeper | 99 cfs | → |
| Rappahannock River At Remington | 136 cfs | → |
| Robinson River Near Locust Dale | 43 cfs | → |
| North Anna River Near Partlow | 46 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wilderness Dam.
Boat launches
- Elys Ford Road 10615, Fredericksburg
- Elys Ford Road Spotsylvania County
- Southlake Drive 9505, Spotsylvania County
- Rogues Road Fauquier County
- County Road 639 1302, Stafford County
- Old Wharf Road King George County
Campgrounds
- Lake Anna State Park
- Christopher Run Campground
- Lunga Park Military - Quantico Mcb
- Campsite #6
- Oak Ridge - Prince William Forest Park
- Oak Ridge Campground
Fishing spots
- Piscataway Creek
- Hatton Creek
- Moody Boat Launch
- Bealers Ferry Boat Launch
- Bealers Ferry Pond Accessible Fishing Site
- Batzell Boat Launch
Track Wilderness 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 Wilderness Dam
Where does the data for Wilderness 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 Wilderness Dam.