Dobbin Road Swm Pond
Dobbin Road Swm Pond is an earth dam located in Howard County, Maryland, built in 1987. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Dobbin Road Swm Pond
The primary purpose of Dobbin Road Swm Pond is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Merritt-ccp Ii Llc (private). It impounds the Little Patuxent River-tr near Columbia.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1987, the structure is 39 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 12/05/2023.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Maryland |
| County | Howard |
| Nearest City | Columbia |
| River/Stream | Little Patuxent River-tr |
| Coordinates | 39.19045, -76.81979 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 900 ft |
| Year Completed | 1987 (39 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 25 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 183 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Merritt-CCP II LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 12/05/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00555 |
| Federal ID | MD00555 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |