Centennial Park Dam
Centennial Park Dam is an earth dam located in Howard County, Maryland, built in 1985. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Centennial Park Dam
The primary purpose of Centennial Park Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Howard County Parks Dept (local government). It impounds the Little Patuxent River-tr near Columbia.
The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 1,025 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 50 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,519 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1985, the structure is 41 years old.
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 04/04/2024.
At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 89% 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 | Howard |
| Nearest City | Columbia |
| River/Stream | Little Patuxent River-tr |
| Coordinates | 39.24161, -76.85225 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,025 ft |
| Year Completed | 1985 (41 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,519 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,519 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 510 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 50 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 13,897 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Howard County Parks Dept |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/04/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00284 |
| Federal ID | MD00284 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |