Reservoir FAQ – General Info about the Reservoir

UPDATE: Loudoun Water has heard us, they are re-opening the reservoir temporarily in between major upgrades!

  • 1. Why was the reservoir closed to the public?
    • That’s a great question, there does not seem to be a simple answer.  A change of ownership occurred  on February 3, 2014.  Loudoun Water purchased the Facility from the City of Fairfax.  Perhaps the best answer is Loudoun Water had no interest in public access. Several organizations and individuals worked with the Loudoun County board of supervisors and Loudoun Water to re-open the reservoir.
  • 2. When will the reservoir re-open?
    • The reservoir will be temporarily open for 2015 and 2016 starting May 30th 2015. Then additional work will be performed to upgrade the dam and spillway, closing the reservoir for 2017 and 2018. The reservoir is scheduled to re-open permanently in 2019.
  • 3. When did this happen?
    • On February 6 2014, shortly after purchasing the reservoir, Fred Jennings of Loudoun Water said they did not anticipate any changes to public access.  Then on April 22,  Loudoun Water reversed their decision and said the public will no longer be allowed to use the reservoir. Chairman Rocca took personal credit for the closure at the May 8 LW Board meeting.  Around May 23, actual enforcement began with patrols of the area by the Sheriff’s office, paid for by Loudoun Water. Signs have been posted around the  facility.It should be noted that there are documents back from 2003 that show Loudoun Water’s interest in the facility. In early 2015, Fred Jennings was released from his position amid several controversial topics and in early March, Loudoun Water announced they would re-open the reservoir.
  • 4. What activities are allowed at the reservoir?
    • Car top carry boating – All boats that can be carried on top of a car can be used at the reservoir as long as they are human or electric powered.
    • Trailers are not allowed due to tight parking.
    • Hiking is available around the reservoir but not near the dam.
    • Fishing
    • Stand up paddle boards, sailboards and kayaks are acceptable
  • 5. Is Anyone allowed to use the reservoir?
    • Yes, similar to other NOVA Parks facilities, a small launch fee is assessed for boat usage.
  • 6. How do I access the reservoir?
    • Public access is allowed from the Mt. Hope Road Location. 42400 Mt Hope Rd
      Ashburn, VA 20148 39.010722, -77.533520
    • There is limited parking at the facility. Please do not park on the church side of Mt. Hope
    • Additional parking is available at 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd
      Ashburn, VA 20148, the NOVA Parks baseball fields, but it is a considerable walk.
  • 7. Is there a schedule for upgrades of the reservoir and dam?
    • Valve upgrades and draining were completed in 2015
    • Dam and spillway repairs will be completed in 2017 and 2018
  • 8. What should I do if I see someone breaking the rules or causing problems?
    • The Loudoun County Sheriff’s dept has full jurisdiction over the reservoir through an arrangement with Loudoun Water. Please call them at 703-777-0407 if you see something suspicious. As always use 911 for emergencies.
  • 9. What happened to the rowing team and their docks?
    • The rowing teams have all been consolidated to the Alford Rd. location which will be dedicated for their use, and locked to the general public.
    • The docks have been removed from Mt. Hope.

31 thoughts on “Reservoir FAQ – General Info about the Reservoir”

  1. Hello, is there any info on the fishing, like what types of fish, will it be stocked, and also how deep is the lake?

    1. Stephanie,

      Per park rules, all access is to be from Mount Hope during the temporary opening. Other entrances will likely be re-opened at a later date.

  2. Is the reservoir currently open? Do people use in the winter months? Thank you! I love coming to this wonderful place.

    1. The reservoir is open year round, however with cold waters, one should exercise extreme caution, and as always wear a PFD and go with a buddy as there will likely be very few if any people out on the water.

  3. Hello,

    I just recently moved to Ashburn and purchased a boat and kayak. Is there anywhere you can tie/chain them up on land or in the water at the resoviour?

    1. Hi Jarrett,

      Welcome to the area. There is no storage available at the reservoir, all items must be “car top carry” and removed after use. The Algonkian park area does have some storage onsite available for a fee.

    1. Officially, the answer is no trailers. However enforcement at Beaverdam is very relaxed compared to some other NOVA launches you may be used to. I have seen quite a few people with trailers at Mt. Hope even. I don’t think you will get hassled at Reservoir Rd, especially on a weekday. Neither place has any sort of area to back the trailer into the water, even by hand. The trailer rule, as you mentioned, is in place because parking is very limited at Mt. Hope. See you on the water!

  4. Will there ever be allows open water swimming in the future? I am part of a TRI club and a quarry just closed so we have no where close to do open water swims. Any way we could see what options of doing it at beaverdam?

    1. It is hard to say what the future will offer, but I do know Loudoun Water was pretty adamant about not allowing swimmers whenever asked. When asked about other things like biking on the trails, they did not have answers that seemed to be set in stone.

    2. I would love to know the answer to this as well! It seems like this would be a perfect lake for open water swimming. Northern VA has very limited places for open water swimming as is. Very difficult to train for triathlon without a local body of water to swim in!

  5. I would like to suggest maybe a few underwater structures for the fish to live around installed before it is filled again. Also maybe a dock with a little deeper water for the kids to fish on

    1. There has not been any formal discussion of pedestrian crossing over/under Belmont. We’re all for interconnected trails, which Ashburn in sorely missing.

  6. So many great Lakes in the area, and good land, and all owned by various water utility companies that seem to be allowed to dictate all rules for the public. No swimming here, no boating there. Specifically I am thinking how I havent seen many lakes in the area for people to swim in. It would be nice if the water belonged to the people and the water companies just provided water service, not owned the water and land under and around it.

    1. JW, I wish we could swim there as well, and you aren’t the first person to ask. The answer is always an issue of liability. Maybe someday, as a society, everyone can accept responsibility for their own actions.

  7. Where is the reservoir located? Can you fish it from a boat, if so, are there boat or motor restrictions? Is a separate fishing license required?

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