Lower Sherando Dam

About Lower Sherando Dam

The primary purpose of Lower Sherando Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Usda Fs (federal). It impounds the N Fork Back Creek.

The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 335 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 393 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1934, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/26/2019. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.

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.

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