Waterfront & Shoreline Use Guidelines
Owned by
Dominion Resources, Lake Gaston is an impoundment of more than
20,000 surface acres along the Roanoke River Basin and was created
to generate hydroelectric power. Dominion operates under a
license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Operations are monitored by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, U.S.
Coast Guard and the Wildlife Commissions of both North Carolina
and Virginia, to name a few.
When you own "waterfront" property, the boundary line, or end of
your lot that "fronts" the lake, joins or abuts Dominion
Resources property. Dominion owns the shoreline, the lake bottom,
and for purposes of flood control also owns a “strip” of land
along the shoreline, generally up to an elevation of 204' above
mean sea level. Therefore, the amount (width x length) of this
"strip" of land depends upon the topography.
Owners of
property and real estate agents use a created term “HWM” that
stands for High Water Mark. HWM is the linear footage of your
lot's boundary line on the lakefront end of your lot. This
measurement is provided as an aid to assist purchasers and owners
in determining how much of the shoreline Dominion may allow you to
use for constructing docks, boathouses, etc. Generally
speaking, you would "extend" the two side lot lines into the
water. The resulting linear footage between the two imaginary
lines at the shore and in the water will help to determine how
much "waterfront" you typically have to work with. For example,
if the lot is perfectly rectangular, than the shoreline
measurement should be the same as the HWM. If the lot is pie
shaped with the point in the water, than the shoreline measurement
will be less than the HWM measurement.
While regulating their company's
property, Dominion may allow an adjacent property owner to
construct upon or use the their property, provided the owner
enters into a Construction and Use License Agreement ("a permit")
with the company and complies with their procedures. Dominion may
grant permission for "waterfront" property owners to use and alter
their shoreline for the purposes of constructing a boathouse,
removing brush, trimming trees, planting vegetation, bulkheading,
treating aquatic weeds, etc. A Permit must be obtained first, and
your plans must meet their Construction and Use Regulations and
final approval.
Dominion will meet with prospective
purchasers and owners to discuss their “Construction and Use
Guidelines.” If you are considering purchasing waterfront
property, it is suggested that you obtain a copy of these
guidelines and talk with Dominion before making your
purchase offer (especially on unimproved land) or before planning
any alteration to Dominion’s property.
View these documents produced by Dominion
(and available from their website).
Download these documents:
(Adobe format)
