LYNCHBURG, Va. – The College Lake Dam Project in Lynchburg is now complete, linking two natural sites together for the first time in nearly a century, according to city officials.
The removal of the high-hazard College Lake Dam has been years in the making. It began after the dam overflowed and was damaged during a major storm in August 2018. Since then, crews have worked to prevent flooding and future damage, while expanding landscaping and trail work.
“This project was first and foremost a public safety project,” said Erin Hawkins, Water Quality Manager for Lynchburg Water Resources, who served as the project manager for the City. “Removing the risk that this dam presented to people, property and infrastructure downstream of the old College Lake is a tremendous achievement for the City and our partners in this effort.”
Thanks to the dam’s removal, the Blackwater Creek has re-emerged through the former lakebed of College Lake, reconnecting the upstream and downstream sections of the creek.
Key components of the project included:
- Removal and management of legacy sediment in the former lakebed of College Lake
- Construction of a new, stabilized stream channel for Blackwater Creek
- Stabilization of the floodplain area surrounding Blackwater Creek
- Creation of new wetlands to improve water quality and encourage wildlife habitat
- Stabilization of the former Lakeside Drive bridge as a future overlook
“One of the biggest takeaways from this project is that, while public safety was top of mind with the dam’s removal, the restoration of Blackwater Creek and the wetlands around it really focused on environmental protection and water quality for the Blackwater Creek, the James River and the Chesapeake Bay,” said Hawkins. “We’re already seeing this area come to life with native plants, pollinators and wildlife.”
The City of Lynchburg will celebrate the completion of this project in the spring of 2026.