Multiple Orchard Lake residents pressed the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors to seek options that would preserve Orchard Lake and to complete an inundation and hazard study before any removal or dewatering of the lake.

A homeowner who said the dam leaks onto a high‑pressure gas main described living “less than 50 yards” from the leak and said the family believes the situation places them and downstream neighbors in immediate danger. The speaker told the board that after more than three years of complaints to state agencies (transcript: “RGS” and DCR) they had seen no corrective action and said they would not allow the dam to be rebuilt on their property if it left the gas main in place.

Other speakers, including David Sain and Dr. Anissa Sain, asked the board to pursue a hazard classification and described grant opportunities that could fund repairs without decommissioning the dam. Dr. Anissa Sain told the board that DCR staff had stated publicly the dam was “not in imminent danger” and that a hazard designation had not been finalized, and she urged use of a December grant application window offering favorable match terms.

Separately, county staff summarized an RFP process to secure independent engineering services to assess options for Orchard Lake Dam. An evaluation team ranked Timmons Group first, Martin Thomas Associates second and ECS Mid‑Atlantic LLC third. The board voted to accept the selection committee’s ranking and authorized staff to begin negotiations with Timmons Group, with the intent to return a negotiated contract for board consideration if terms can be agreed.

Board members and staff emphasized the professional‑services procurement process (interviews, qualitative evaluation) and said if negotiations with the top‑ranked firm fail, the county will move to the next ranked firm or restart the RFP.

The board did not take a final construction decision during this meeting; the action was limited to endorsing the procurement ranking and authorizing negotiations. Residents asked the board to prioritize an inundation study and to consider grant options that do not require breach or dewatering before design or hazard classification is complete.