College Lake Dam
College Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Lynchburg County, Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About College Lake Dam
The primary purpose of College Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Lynchburg, Department Of Water Resources (local government). It impounds the Blackwater Creek - Vahu6 Jm10 - Blackwater Creek near Lynchburg.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 680 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 21 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/09/2021.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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 | Lynchburg |
| Nearest City | Lynchburg |
| River/Stream | Blackwater Creek - Vahu6 Jm10 - Blackwater Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.40160, -79.18400 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 680 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 680 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 58 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Drainage Area | 21 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 8,100 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Lynchburg, Department of Water Resources |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/09/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VA680002 |
| Federal ID | VA680002 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |