Medford Quarry Wash Pond dam
Medford Quarry Wash Pond
Medford Quarry Wash Pond, located in Avondale, Maryland, serves as a vital resource for flood risk reduction and recreation in the area. Owned privately, this structure was completed in 1988 and stands at a height of 26 feet with a length of 700 feet. With a storage capacity of 20 acre-feet and a surface area of 1.1 acres, the pond plays a crucial role in managing water levels and providing recreational opportunities for the community.
Managed by the Maryland Dam Safety agency, Medford Quarry Wash Pond undergoes regular inspections to ensure its fair condition and significant hazard potential are addressed. The dam's spillway, an uncontrolled type with a width of 3 feet, helps regulate the maximum discharge of 34 cubic feet per second. Despite being modified structurally in 2009, the pond continues to meet the moderate risk assessment criteria, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its effectiveness in flood risk reduction and recreational use.
With a history of design by Frederick Ward Associates and intake by Stearns & Wheeler, Medford Quarry Wash Pond stands as a cornerstone in water management and climate resilience efforts in Carroll County, Maryland. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the critical role of structures like Medford Quarry Wash Pond in balancing flood control and recreational needs underscores the importance of sustainable water management practices for the benefit of both the environment and 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 Medford Quarry Wash Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Branch Near Westminster | 1 cfs | → |
| Morgan Run Near Louisville | 23 cfs | → |
| Beaver Run Near Finksburg | 13 cfs | → |
| North Branch Patapsco River At Cedarhurst | 74 cfs | → |
| Big Pipe Creek At Bruceville | 169 cfs | → |
| Monocacy River At Bridgeport | 126 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Medford Quarry Wash Pond.
Boat launches
- Piney Run Park
- Lakeview Avenue Carroll County
- Liberty Road Carroll County
- Long Arm Dam, Lawrence B. Sheppard Reservoir
- Black Rock Flats Boat Launch
- Codorus State Park Wonder Cove
Campgrounds
- Manor Area - Cunningham Falls State Park
- Houck Area - Cunningham Falls State Park
- Camp Greentop
- Poplar Grove I Group Camping Area
- Little Bennett Campground
- Poplar Grove Ii Group Camping Area
Track Medford Quarry Wash Pond 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 Medford Quarry Wash Pond
Where does the data for Medford Quarry Wash Pond 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 Medford Quarry Wash Pond.