NOVEMBER 24, 2025

Construction for the College Lake Dam Removal
& Stream Restoration Project is Complete

Construction for the College Lake Dam Removal & Stream Restoration Project is complete, marking a significant milestone in the City of Lynchburg’s commitment to public safety and environmental stewardship.

The removal of the high-hazard College Lake Dam, a top City priority following the August 2018 overtopping of the dam during a major storm event, has eliminated a long-standing safety risk to the community. Following the dam’s removal during the early stages of this construction project in May 2024, College Lake Dam has been delisted as a high-hazard dam, and downstream areas of Blackwater Creek no longer face an inundation risk from a potential dam failure.

“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.”

The dam’s removal resulted in the re-emergence of Blackwater Creek through the former lakebed of College Lake, reconnecting the upstream and downstream sections of the creek for the first time in 90 years.

The project’s construction since the final breaching of the dam has focused on restoration of the former lakebed of College Lake into a resilient, thriving ecosystem. This phase of construction has 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 project was done in collaboration with University of Lynchburg and in consultation with environmental engineering firm AECOM and construction management by MBP. Construction was completed by English Construction and subcontractor Resource Environmental Solutions. The City also coordinated with multiple agencies, including the Department of Conservation and Recreation Dam Safety, the Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Additional plantings of native grasses, shrubs, and trees are scheduled for late winter/early spring. Because of this, and separate work happening on the Creekside Trail, the work area and trail remain closed to the public until further notice. The best location to see the newly stabilized Blackwater Creek and surrounding wetlands is from the sidewalk along the new Lakeside Bridge.

The City of Lynchburg plans to celebrate the completion of this important project in the spring of 2026 as a new growing season begins to showcase the rebirth of College Lake’s former lakebed.

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JULY 2024

College Lake Dam Removal Project Moves Into Stream & Wetland Restoration Phase

A new chapter is being written in the history of Lynchburg’s beloved Blackwater Creek. Its future is taking shape – literally – in the lakebed of the former College Lake, giving a glimpse of what it may have looked like before the dam was built.

With the removal of College Lake Dam completed in May 2024 and the Blackwater Creek flowing freely again for the first time in 90 years, the focus of the dam removal project has shifted to restoration of the stream and wetlands to create a new, thriving ecosystem.

Lynchburg Water Resources is contracting with WC English Construction and Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) on the stream and wetland restoration, which is scheduled to be completed in July 2025. AECOM, an environmental engineering firm, is on site to perform full-time construction observation and inspection.

“The goals for this project were to create an ecosystem that blended both upstream and downstream together. So that one day, as this site matures, it will seem that there wasn’t a lake here at all,” said Erin Hawkins, Water Quality Manager for Lynchburg Water Resources. “The native plantings and creation of wetlands are being done in a way that mimics that of a natural system.”

The work in this phase includes:

  • Building a new stream channel for Blackwater Creek through the existing lakebed

  • Stabilizing the floodplain area

  • Creating new wetlands

  • Removing and managing legacy sediment in the lakebed

  • Stabilizing the former Lakeside Drive bridge as a future overlook

Restoration work has been completed at the upstream section of the former lake and is working its way toward the former dam site. Along the way, RES is using bioengineering bank stabilization techniques as it builds the new stream channel for the Blackwater Creek. These techniques – including installation of toewood, erosion control practices, and placement of gravel and boulders in the stream bed – will protect the stream banks from erosion and create essential shelter and habitat for fish, insects, and other aquatic life. (See the graphic above for an explanation of these techniques).

The restoration also includes the creation of new wetlands in the former lakebed. Native plantings, including wetland grasses, live stakes, trees, and vegetation will be planted throughout the project to stabilize the area and provide a healthy new habitat for local wildlife.

Once LWR’s restoration project is complete, the University of Lynchburg will take over the long-term management and stewardship of the project area.