Lake Whetstone Dam (montgomery Village Avenue)
Lake Whetstone Dam (montgomery Village Avenue) is an earth dam located in Montgomery County, Maryland, built in 1966. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Whetstone Dam (montgomery Village Avenue)
The primary purpose of Lake Whetstone Dam (montgomery Village Avenue) is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Montgomery Village Foundation, Inc. (private). It impounds the Whetstone Run near Montgomery Village.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 26 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 930 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1966, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/04/2024.
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 | Montgomery |
| Nearest City | Montgomery Village |
| River/Stream | Whetstone Run |
| Coordinates | 39.16667, -77.20500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 930 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 930 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 167 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 26 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,730 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Montgomery Village Foundation, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/04/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00053 |
| Federal ID | MD00053 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |