Blairs Valley Dam
Blairs Valley Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Maryland, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Blairs Valley Dam
The primary purpose of Blairs Valley Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Md Dnr Indian Springs Wma (state). It impounds the Little Conococheague Creek near Shady Bower.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 670 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 32 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 679 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 12/17/2024.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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 | Washington |
| Nearest City | Shady Bower |
| River/Stream | Little Conococheague Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.69611, -77.94158 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 670 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 679 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 679 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 486 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 32 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,150 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | MD DNR Indian Springs WMA |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/17/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00061 |
| Federal ID | MD00061 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |