Carrington Regional Dam

Carrington Regional Dam is an earth dam located in Fairfax County, Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Carrington Regional Dam

The primary purpose of Carrington Regional Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Fairfax County Board Of Supervisors (local government).

The dam stands 25 feet tall, has a maximum storage capacity of 55 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 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 11/16/2021.

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 HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateVirginia
CountyFairfax
Coordinates38.93550, -77.25370

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height25 ft
Dam Height25 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage55 acre-ft
Max Storage55 acre-ft
Drainage Area1 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerFairfax County Board of Supervisors
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection11/16/2021
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDVA059049
Federal IDVA059049
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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