Philpott Reservoir water level — Virginia
Philpott Reservoir in Virginia was last measured at 969.46 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 4:10 AM (UTC-04:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−1.5 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−1.5 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-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: USGS site 02071900, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 214 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Philpott Reservoir
Philpott Reservoir is held back by Philpott Dam (also recorded as Philpott Lake) , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 220 ft high and running 920 ft along its crest , built across SMITH RIVER in Franklin County , near BASSETT . It was completed in 1953 , and is owned by USACE - Wilmington District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to COE.
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;hydroelectric;water supply.
It is founded on rock, with a concrete core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 120 ft wide. Its outlet works use slide (sluice gate)0.
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 2,880 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 318,300 acre-ft against a normal storage of 166,190 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 70,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record VA089001 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Philpott Reservoir compares nearby
3 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little River Reservoir | VA | 1,771.79 ft | 59 km |
| Claytor Lake | VA | 1,845.63 ft | 59 km |
| Hyco Lake | NC | 408.42 ft | 92 km |
| Bluestone Lake | WV | 1,410.94 ft | 122 km |
| W. Kerr Scott Reservoir | NC | 1,030.25 ft | 129 km |
| Island Creek Reservoir | VA | 257.95 ft | 142 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Philpott Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 4:10 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 969.46 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Philpott 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 USGS site 02071900, 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.