Inspiration Lake
Inspiration Lake is an earth dam located in Montgomery County, Maryland, built in 1950. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Inspiration Lake
The primary purpose of Inspiration Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Gaithersburg (local government). It impounds the Muddy Branch-tr near Gaithersburg.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 115 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/18/2024.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Maryland dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Maryland |
| County | Montgomery |
| Nearest City | Gaithersburg |
| River/Stream | Muddy Branch-tr |
| Coordinates | 39.11593, -77.24023 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 115 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 115 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 72 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 118 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Gaithersburg |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/18/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00193 |
| Federal ID | MD00193 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |