Little Falls Dam - Potomac River is a gravity dam located in Montgomery County, Maryland, built in 1958. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 1,300 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Little Falls Dam - Potomac River
The primary purpose of Little Falls Dam - Potomac River is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by US Army Corps of Engineers,washington Aqueduct Div (federal). It impounds the Potomac River near Washington, Dc.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 1,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 167 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 13,360 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11,430 square miles. Completed in 1958, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 12/04/2013. That was over 12 years ago.
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Location
| State | Maryland |
| County | Montgomery |
| Nearest City | Washington, Dc |
| River/Stream | Potomac River |
| Coordinates | 38.94840, -77.12960 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1958 (68 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 13,360 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 13,360 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,008 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 167 acres |
| Drainage Area | 11,430 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 484,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | US Army Corps of Engineers,washington Aqueduct Div |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/04/2013 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00022 |
| Federal ID | MD00022 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |