View the original press release, complete with pictures, here.
Charlottesville, VA… July 9, 2026… Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority (RWSA) is pleased to announce that additional trails on the eastern side of the reservoir are now open. Tree clearing and removal on that side has been completed, making select areas safe for recreational hiking and shoreline fishing.
Since last fall, RWSA’s contractor, Faulconer Construction, has been working diligently on the Ragged Mountain Reservoir Pool Fill Project. Once finished, this project will allow the pool level to be raised by 12 feet to maximize the dam’s storage capacity.
To ensure safety from clearing-related hazards, the Lake Front Trail, Peninsula Trail, and parts of the Upper Trail were temporarily closed. With work on the eastern side finished, these trails will now partially reopen. Shoreline fishing is also permitted in these areas, as shown on the map.
Trail closures remain in effect on the northern, western, and southern sides of the reservoir. Watercraft use also remains restricted, while barging activities continue. New signage has been installed to clearly indicate closed trail sections. Please follow all trail signs for your safety while enjoying the Ragged Mountain Natural Area.
This project has been carefully coordinated with the Charlottesville Department of Parks and Recreation to restore public trail access as circumstances allow.
Background
The current Ragged Mountain Reservoir Earthen Dam was previously constructed to support a pool elevation of 683 feet. Based on the 2012 Ragged Mountain Dam Project Agreement, the reservoir was filled to a pool elevation of 671 feet. In December 2023, the Charlottesville City Council, the Albemarle County Service Authority Board of Directors, and the RWSA Board of Directors approved an amendment to the agreement that allows RWSA to fully utilize the reservoir’s storage capacity. The pool level will rise 12 feet and add 700 million gallons of water.
Construction Schedule
- October 6, 2025: Contractor began to mobilize equipment to the upper parking lot at the end of Reservoir Rd. Reservoir Rd north of Holiday Trails Ln was closed to public. Restrictions on northern, western, and southern trails and water access went into effect.
- November 15, 2025: Tree felling efforts began. Tree felling efforts were permitted from November 15 to March 31 to coincide with the Northern Long-eared Bat inactive season. Trees and vegetation unsuitable for harvesting were burned on-site in burn boxes.
- February 14, 2026: Burning operations stopped to coincide with Albemarle County’s open burn ordinances.
- March 31, 2026: Tree felling efforts concluded. The contractor continues to remove fallen trees.
- May 1, 2026: Burning operations resumed.
- December 31, 2026: Tentative scheduled completion of construction activities.
- January 1, 2027: RWSA begins filling the reservoir to its new higher pool level as stream flow, weather conditions, and supporting reservoir levels allow.
Construction Activities
Trees harvested from the site are currently being transported across the reservoir by barge. Trucks are transporting the trees from the barge to an off-site milling facility. Barging activities have minimized potential impacts to trails around the reservoir by avoiding the need to build temporary access roads. Vegetation unsuitable for harvesting is being burned on-site in burn boxes. The burn boxes utilize forced air to promote clean and efficient burning, thereby reducing the amount of smoke emitted.