Bennetts Dam is an earth dam located in Montgomery County, Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 260 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Bennetts Dam
The primary purpose of Bennetts Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Vest, Ellen Bennet (private). It impounds the Elliot Creek.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 260 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 178 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 | Montgomery |
| River/Stream | Elliot Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.08410, -80.43020 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 260 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 178 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 178 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 42 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Vest, Ellen Bennet |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VA121002 |
| Federal ID | VA121002 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |