Mountain Valley Dam 4

Mountain Valley Dam 4 is an earth dam located in Albemarle County, Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Mountain Valley Dam 4

The primary purpose of Mountain Valley Dam 4 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jessco Llc (private). It impounds the Trib. Biscuit Creek.

The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 60 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/06/2021.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Virginia dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

High HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateVirginia
CountyAlbemarle
River/StreamTrib. Biscuit Creek
Coordinates37.99390, -78.54540

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height28 ft
Dam Height28 ft
Dam Length200 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage60 acre-ft
Max Storage60 acre-ft
Normal Storage13 acre-ft
Surface Area1 acres
Drainage Area0 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerJessco LLC
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection01/06/2021
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDVA003206
Federal IDVA003206
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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