County receives grants for dam rehab projects

The Pittsylvania Board of Supervisors approved a $790,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will be used for the rehabilitation of Cherrystone Creek Dam 2, also known as Roaring Fork Dam.

The grant will be used to fund the design phase of the project and does not require a local match.

The county had previously been awarded a similar grant for the same amount to apply to Cherrystone Creek Dam 1.

The Roaring Fork dam was built in 1969 to provide flood control for the Town of Chatham, storing floodwater during storm events and gradually releasing it into the nearby stream over several days. The Town of Chatham also uses it as part of the local water supply.

Roaring Fork Lake was originally classified as a significant hazard dam due to probable infrastructure damage downstream. In 2008, the State Division of Dam Safety changed the hazard class to "high," prompting a closer look at its stability and integrity.

The dam did, however, withstand the impact of Tropical Storm Michael in 2018, according to Pittsylvania County spokesman Caleb Ayers, adding that over the years, the design criteria has changed.

Roaring Fork Lake Dam is the second of two structures erected on Cherrystone Creek in the late 1960s. The total cost of rehabilitating the dam is currently estimated at $8.183 million. Once work is completed, the dam will meet all current state and NRCS criteria for dam safety.

Roaring Fork Lake Dam was included in the second phase of a $420 million national infrastructure package involving 132 projects in 31 states.