Cox Creek Dmcf
Cox Creek Dmcf is an earth dam located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Cox Creek Dmcf
The primary purpose of Cox Creek Dmcf is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Mdot Maryland Port Administration (state). It impounds the Patapsco River-os near Glen Burnie.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 7,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 116 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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 11/12/2024.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 | Anne Arundel |
| Nearest City | Glen Burnie |
| River/Stream | Patapsco River-os |
| Coordinates | 39.19801, -76.53215 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 7,500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 116 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | MDOT Maryland Port Administration |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 11/12/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00593 |
| Federal ID | MD00593 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |