Gathright Dam
History & Specifications
Gathright Dam is located on the Jackson River in Alleghany County, Virginia.
Congress authorized construction of the dam and reservoir in the Flood Control Act of 1946, to provide protection of industrial, commercial and residential properties along the Jackson and James Rivers, with immediate impact on Covington, Va., located about 20 miles downstream. The construction of the dam began in 1974 and was completed in 1979. Impoundment of water began in December 1979 and was completed in April 1982.
The pool of record elevation is 1598.4 reached Jan. 20, 1996. This pool level was 69.1 feet below the spillway crest elevation.
The dam is a rolled rock fill embankment with a compacted earthen clay core, outlet works and an emergency spillway located at the right abutment. The embankment is 1,310 feet long with a height of 257 feet. The width is 32 feet at the top of the dam with a maximum width of 1000 feet at its base.
As part of the Norfolk District's comprehensive dam safety program, Gathright Dam has been inspected and monitored closely since it became operational in 1979. The dam's instrumentation monitors seepage, piezometric levels (internal seepage pressure) and horizontal and vertical movements of the dam crest. The dam is regularly inspected by facility staff as well as engineers from the Norfolk District. Facility staff inspects the dam daily during normal operating conditions and more frequently during high pool levels. Norfolk District engineers inspect the dam at least annually, with more intensive team inspections every five years through the USACE Dam Safety Program.
Updated: 19-Aug-2011