Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive) dam
Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive)
Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive) is a local government-owned earth dam located in Montgomery, Maryland, designed by Johnson, Mirmiram and Thompson. Completed in 1985, this dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along Gunners Branch. Standing at a height of 28 feet and with a length of 1700 feet, Gunners Lake has a storage capacity of 646 acre-feet and a normal storage of 145 acre-feet. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled with a width of 59 feet, and it has a significant hazard potential with a satisfactory condition assessment as of June 2018.
The dam has a moderate risk rating (3) and undergoes inspections every three years, with the last inspection conducted in August 2021. The Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for Gunners Lake was last revised in April 2021. The dam's outlet gates consist of valves with a quantity of 0. While the dam's condition is currently satisfactory, the risk assessment indicates potential hazards that require management measures to mitigate any adverse effects. Gunners Lake remains a vital structure in the area's water resource management, providing essential flood risk reduction benefits to the community.
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 Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Seneca Creek At Dawsonville | 38 cfs | → |
| Patuxent River Near Unity | 12 cfs | → |
| Bennett Creek At Park Mills | 15 cfs | → |
| Broad Run Near Leesburg | 18 cfs | → |
| Hawlings River Near Sandy Spring | 6 cfs | → |
| Cattail Creek Near Glenwood | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive).
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
- Ashburn Village Boulevard 20585, Lansdowne
Campgrounds
- Little Bennett Regional Park
- Little Bennett Campground
- Swains Lock Hiker-Biker Campsite
- Turner Farm
- Horsepen Branch Campsite
- Horsepen Branch
Track Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive) 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 Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive)
Where does the data for Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive) 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 Significant 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 Gunners Lake (Wisteria Drive).