Deer Lake Dam is an earth dam located in James City, Virginia, built in 1967. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 35 ft35 ft tall and 385 ft long, taller than 80% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Deer Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Deer Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lennar Corp. (private). It impounds the Trib. to Yarmouth Creek.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 385 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 120 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1967, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected 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. The most recent inspection on record was 11/17/2022.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Virginia |
| County | James City |
| River/Stream | Trib. to Yarmouth Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.34610, -76.79040 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 385 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 120 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 120 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 71 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Lennar Corp. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/17/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VA095005 |
| Federal ID | VA095005 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |