Hungry Mother Dam
Hungry Mother Dam is an earth dam located in Smyth County, Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Hungry Mother Dam
The primary purpose of Hungry Mother Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Department Of Conservation & Recreation - Division Of State Parks (state). It impounds the Hungry Mother Creek near Marion.
The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 124 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 12 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 04/20/2020.
At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 91% 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 | Smyth |
| Nearest City | Marion |
| River/Stream | Hungry Mother Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.87010, -81.52240 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,350 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 124 acres |
| Drainage Area | 12 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 59,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Department of Conservation & Recreation - Division of State Parks |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/20/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VA173001 |
| Federal ID | VA173001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |