J.w. Flannagan Reservoir water level — Virginia
J.w. Flannagan Reservoir in Virginia was last measured at 1,396.53 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been steady (−0.0 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 64,812 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- →Steady
−0.0 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 7, 2026 — a 5-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE LRH/JWFlannagan-Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2013 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind J.w. Flannagan Reservoir
J.w. Flannagan Reservoir is held back by John W. Flannagan Dam (also recorded as John W. Flannagan Lake) , a rockfill embankment — quarried rock placed in compacted layers around a sealing core , standing 250 ft high and running 916 ft along its crest , built across POUND RIVER in Dickenson County , near ELKHORN CITY . It was completed in 1963 , and is owned by USACE - Huntington District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CELRH.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;other;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;water supply.
It is founded on rock, with a earth core. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 252 ft wide. Its outlet works use slide (sluice gate)4;tainter (radial)6;valve3.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,143 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 145,700 acre-ft against a normal storage of 67,100 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 246,700 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record VA051001 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How J.w. Flannagan Reservoir compares nearby
2 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also steady right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishtrap Lake | KY | 757.46 ft | 23 km |
| North Fork of Pound Lake | VA | 1,611.52 ft | 28 km |
| Carr Creek Lake | KY | 1,028.03 ft | 61 km |
| River.d. Bailey Lake | WV | 1,035.39 ft | 62 km |
| Dewey Lake | KY | 650.50 ft | 65 km |
| Paintsville Lake | KY | 709.57 ft | 82 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of J.w. Flannagan Reservoir?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 1,396.53 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is J.w. Flannagan Reservoir full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE LRH/JWFlannagan-Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Virginia
See every lake tracked in Virginia, or read the methodology behind these figures.