Wye Mills Dam

About Wye Mills Dam

The primary purpose of Wye Mills Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Md Dnr-public Lands, Engineering & Constr-eastern (state). It impounds the Wye East River near Wye Mills.

The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 832 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 61 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,224 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1682, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 12/23/2024.

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