Lake Linganore
Lake Linganore is an earth dam located in Frederick County, Maryland, built in 1972. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Linganore
The primary purpose of Lake Linganore is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Linganore Association (private). It impounds the Linganore Creek near Pinecliff.
The dam stands 63 feet tall and stretches 750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 220 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,900 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 82 square miles. Completed in 1972, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/29/2024.
At 63 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Frederick |
| Nearest City | Pinecliff |
| River/Stream | Linganore Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.41570, -77.32620 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 63 ft |
| Dam Height | 63 ft |
| Dam Length | 750 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,900 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,900 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,700 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 220 acres |
| Drainage Area | 82 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 31,093 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Lake Linganore Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/29/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00021 |
| Federal ID | MD00021 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |