Van Dusen Road is an earth dam located in Prince George's County, Maryland, built in 1979. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 895 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Van Dusen Road
The primary purpose of Van Dusen Road 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 City of Laurel Mayor & City Council (local government). It impounds the Bear Branch near Laurel.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 895 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 116 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1979, the structure is 47 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 02/17/2023.
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Location
| State | Maryland |
| County | Prince George's |
| Nearest City | Laurel |
| River/Stream | Bear Branch |
| Coordinates | 39.09128, -76.87598 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 895 ft |
| Year Completed | 1979 (47 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 116 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 116 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Laurel Mayor & City Council |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 02/17/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00615 |
| Federal ID | MD00615 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |