Rainbow Forest Dam
Rainbow Forest Dam is an earth dam located in Botetourt County, Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Rainbow Forest Dam
The primary purpose of Rainbow Forest Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Rainbow Forest Recreational Assoc Inc (private). It impounds the Laymantown Creek.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 425 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 155 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/27/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Virginia |
| County | Botetourt |
| River/Stream | Laymantown Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.36200, -79.85060 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 425 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 155 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 155 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 122 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Rainbow Forest Recreational Assoc Inc |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/27/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VA023003 |
| Federal ID | VA023003 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |