Nelson Dam
Nelson Dam is an earth dam located in Nelson County, Virginia. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Nelson Dam
The primary purpose of Nelson Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Virginia Department Of Wildlife Resources (state). It impounds the Tr-bobs Creek.
The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 738 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 40 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 920 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/21/2022.
At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Virginia |
| County | Nelson |
| River/Stream | Tr-bobs Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.69310, -78.88200 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Length | 738 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 920 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 920 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 640 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 40 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/21/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VA125001 |
| Federal ID | VA125001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |