Cobbs Creek Reservoir

Project Status: In Progress

Estimated Cost: $280 million
Start Date: June 2017
Estimated End Date: 2025

Magisterial District:   Project Located Outside of Henrico

Cobbs Creek Reservoir is the County’s $280 million project to secure its drinking water needs for decades into the future. The Cobbs Creek Reservoir is a 14.8-billion-gallon regional water supply impoundment located in Cumberland County, Virginia that will augment the flow of the James River as needed. Water will be released from the reservoir and into the James River in the drier months, and it will be pumped from the James River into the reservoir in the wetter months. The reservoir will help during drought or near drought conditions by providing extra water to the flow of the James River.

In exchange for the construction of the Cobbs Creek Reservoir, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has approved an increase of 47 million gallons of raw water per day that can be taken from the river to supply drinking water. Previously, Henrico County could withdraw 45 million gallons per day on average. Under the new approval, Henrico County can withdraw up to 75 million gallons per day on average, an increase of 30 million gallons per day. The remaining 17 million gallons per day increase can be used by Henrico County and its regional partners. These higher limits will allow Henrico to serve water customers as the county continues to grow for perhaps the next 50 years depending on the County’s rate of growth.

Henrico has completed Phase I of the project, which was the acquisition of all the properties. Staff from both Real Property and Public Utilities worked with 22 property owners to coordinate the purchase of the required property.

Phase II of the project, where Colonial Pipeline Company and Dominion Energy relocated their existing utilities from the reservoir pool to outside the reservoir footprint, has also been completed. During Phase II, DPU’s contractors also completed the construction of a communications tower and road system.

Phase III of the project, the construction of the three earthen dams, the water intake structure in the James River, a pumping station, and other facilities that support this massive operation was substantially complete in November 2024. More than 3.5 million cubic yards of soil was excavated across the 1,117-acre site and used to build the three earthen dams. The large Main Dam stretches 3,850 feet in length along the north end of the reservoir and is approximately 160 feet tall. The Perimeter Access Road Dam is approximately 19 feet tall, and the Saddle Dam is about 25 feet tall and 1,200 feet long. While construction of this phase of the project is substantially complete, the reservoir is currently being filled with water from the James River. The reservoir is expected to be fully operational in 2025.

Once the reservoir has been filled, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) will stock the reservoir with fish. DWR will be responsible to determine when fishing will be permitted and oversight and regulation of fishing in the reservoir once the facility is open to the public. Boating access, rules and regulations can be found in Section 34-216 of the Cumberland County Code.

Updated:  1/13/2025

Progress to Date

• Utility Clearing – Began in July 2015 and completed in February 2016
• Utility Relocation – Began in March 2016 and completed in December 2016
• Dam & Facilities Construction – Began in June 2017 and substantially completed in November 2024
• Reservoir Filling – Began in May 2024 with completion anticipated in 2025