Gathright Dam, Embankment dam in Alleghany County, US
Gathright Dam is an embankment dam on the Jackson River in Alleghany County, Virginia. It holds back a long, narrow lake and has several intake openings at different depths to control the temperature and quality of water released downstream.
Planning for the dam began decades before construction started, with debate over whether the Jackson River needed flood control. Work was completed in the mid-1970s, and the rising water permanently covered a small community and farmland that had occupied the valley.
The lake created by the dam is named Lake Moomaw, after a family that once lived in the valley before the project changed it. The shoreline today is largely forested and undeveloped, giving the area a remote feel that draws campers and anglers.
The dam sits within George Washington National Forest, so a visit can be combined with hiking or time at the lake's shore. The road to the site is paved but passes through a rural area, so arriving with a full tank of gas and a map is a good idea.
Unlike many large dams, Gathright Dam does not generate electricity, even though it was built and is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Its main purposes are flood control and recreation, which makes it unusual among dams of its size.
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