Dawson Dam dam
Dawson Dam
Dawson Dam, located in Greenbrier, West Virginia, is a privately owned structure designed by TERRADON and completed in 2009. This rockfill dam stands at a height of 33 feet and stretches 516 feet in length, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 551 acre-feet. The primary purpose of Dawson Dam is for recreation, offering a surface area of 29.1 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam is currently deemed to be in satisfactory condition as of the last assessment in 2014.
The dam is situated on Callahan Branch and is regulated by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. It is regularly inspected, with the most recent inspection conducted in February 2018. Dawson Dam has a drainage area of 235 square miles and a normal storage capacity of 398 acre-feet. While there are no associated structures or locks, the dam serves as a vital recreational resource for the surrounding community, providing opportunities for boating, fishing, and other water-based activities. As a significant part of the local landscape, Dawson Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts 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 Dawson Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Greenbrier River At Alderson | 820 cfs | → |
| Greenbrier River At Hilldale | 792 cfs | → |
| Meadow River At Nallen | 166 cfs | → |
| New River At Thurmond | 3,150 cfs | → |
| Piney Creek At Raleigh | 22 cfs | → |
| Bluestone River Near Pipestem | 129 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dawson Dam.
Boat launches
- Clayton-Judson Road Summers County
- Island Loop Trail Raleigh County
- New River Road Raleigh County
- Island Park Road 461, Ronceverte
- State Route 41 Fayette County
Campgrounds
- Berry's Campground
- Babcock State Park
- Bluestone State Park
- Primitive Camping
- Army Camp
- Summit Bechtel Reserve
Paddle runs
- Meadow Creek Junction To The Route U.S. 19 Bridge
- Bluestone Dam To Sandstone
- Bluestone Dam To Gauley Bridge
- The Route U.S. 19 Bridge To The Confluence With The Gauley River
- Upper Gauley - Summersville Dam To Mason Branch
- Begins Below Summersville Lake To The Town Of Swiss
Track Dawson 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 Dawson Dam
Where does the data for Dawson 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 Dawson Dam.