North Creek Dam dam
North Creek Dam
North Creek Dam, located in Montgomery, Maryland, is a private earth dam completed in 1977 by Dewberry, Nealon & Davis. It serves the primary purpose of recreation, while also providing flood risk reduction for the surrounding area. The dam stands at a height of 24 feet and spans a length of 520 feet, with a storage capacity of 131 acre-feet and a surface area of 6.4 acres. Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is regulated by the Maryland Dam Safety agency, ensuring regular inspections and enforcement of safety measures.
Situated on North Creek in the city of Prathertown, the dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 50 feet. Its maximum discharge capacity reaches 380 cubic feet per second, serving as a vital structure for managing water levels in the area. The dam has been deemed to have moderate risk with a risk assessment rating of 3, prompting the need for continued risk management measures to ensure the safety and functionality of the structure. With its scenic location and dual role in recreation and flood protection, North Creek Dam remains a significant asset in the water resource management of Montgomery County.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around North Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Patuxent River Near Unity | 12 cfs | → |
| Seneca Creek At Dawsonville | 38 cfs | → |
| Cattail Creek Near Glenwood | 8 cfs | → |
| Hawlings River Near Sandy Spring | 6 cfs | → |
| Patuxent River Below Brighton Dam Near Brighton | 14 cfs | → |
| Nw Branch Anacostia River Near Colesville | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near North Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- Clarksburg Road Germantown
- Rileys Lock Road Darnestown
- Potomac Hills Street Fairfax County
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Frederick County
- Edwards Ferry Road Montgomery County
- Supplee Launch
Campgrounds
- Little Bennett Regional Park
- Little Bennett Campground
- Swains Lock Hiker-Biker Campsite
- Turner Farm
- Horsepen Branch Campsite
- Horsepen Branch
Track North Creek Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About North Creek Dam
Where does the data for North Creek Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of North Creek Dam.