Deep Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir in the U.S. state of Maryland.[1] It has an area of 3,900 acres (16 km2), a shoreline length of 69 miles (111 km), and a volume of 106,000 acre⋅ft (0.131 km3).[2][3] The lake is home to a wide variety of aquatic life, such as freshwater fish and aquatic birds. Along with the nearby Wisp Ski Resort,[4] the lake is a popular regional vacation and tourism destination.[5]
| Deep Creek Lake | |
|---|---|
 Boats docked at a Deep Creek Lake dock in May 2008. | |
  Deep Creek Lake  Deep Creek Lake | |
| Location | Garrett County, Maryland |
| Coordinates | 39°30′34″N 79°23′28″W / 39.5095354°N 79.3911531°W |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Deep Creek, Meadow Mountain Run, Cherry Creek, Green Glade Run |
| Primary outflows | Deep Creek |
| Catchment area | 64.7 sq mi (168 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 11.25 mi (18.11 km) |
| Max. width | 1.13 mi (1.82 km) |
| Surface area | 3,628 acres (14.68 km2) |
| Max. depth | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Water volume | 106,000 acre⋅ft (0.131 km3) |
| Shore length1 | 69 mi (111 km) |
| Surface elevation | 2,461 ft (750 m) |
| Settlements | McHenry, Maryland |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
History
editThe lake is a result of the Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company hydroelectric project on Deep Creek in the 1920s. Deep Creek Dam, located about 8 miles (13 km) north of Oakland, Maryland, consists of an earth and rock wall dam across a tributary of the Youghiogheny River. Construction of the dam began in 1923 and was completed in 1925. The hydroelectric plant became operational at 4 p.m. on May 26, 1925.[6] The state of Maryland purchased the lake in 2000 from the Pennsylvania Electric Company, and Deep Creek Lake State Park provides public access to the lake.[7]
Fishing
edit
Climate
editDeep Creek Lake has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb).
| Climate data for Sines Deep Creek, Maryland, 1991–2020 normals, 1928-2020 extremes: 2040ft (622m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) |
74 (23) |
82 (28) |
87 (31) |
88 (31) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
94 (34) |
95 (35) |
86 (30) |
78 (26) |
75 (24) |
96 (36) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.8 (12.7) |
58.4 (14.7) |
70.2 (21.2) |
77.6 (25.3) |
83.7 (28.7) |
85.1 (29.5) |
87.2 (30.7) |
83.1 (28.4) |
83.2 (28.4) |
75.7 (24.3) |
68.6 (20.3) |
58.9 (14.9) |
87.5 (30.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.0 (1.1) |
37.8 (3.2) |
46.9 (8.3) |
59.3 (15.2) |
67.9 (19.9) |
74.9 (23.8) |
79.0 (26.1) |
76.4 (24.7) |
71.5 (21.9) |
61.1 (16.2) |
48.5 (9.2) |
38.2 (3.4) |
58.0 (14.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.3 (−3.7) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
35.7 (2.1) |
46.5 (8.1) |
55.7 (13.2) |
63.3 (17.4) |
67.6 (19.8) |
65.7 (18.7) |
59.8 (15.4) |
49.8 (9.9) |
38.8 (3.8) |
29.6 (−1.3) |
47.1 (8.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.6 (−8.6) |
17.5 (−8.1) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
33.7 (0.9) |
43.5 (6.4) |
51.7 (10.9) |
56.2 (13.4) |
54.9 (12.7) |
48.0 (8.9) |
38.5 (3.6) |
29.0 (−1.7) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
36.2 (2.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −3.3 (−19.6) |
−1.1 (−18.4) |
7.7 (−13.5) |
20.0 (−6.7) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
39.3 (4.1) |
47.9 (8.8) |
45.0 (7.2) |
36.4 (2.4) |
27.2 (−2.7) |
15.5 (−9.2) |
8.0 (−13.3) |
−4.2 (−20.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) |
−23 (−31) |
−11 (−24) |
11 (−12) |
20 (−7) |
24 (−4) |
35 (2) |
35 (2) |
22 (−6) |
14 (−10) |
−8 (−22) |
−17 (−27) |
−23 (−31) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.65 (118) |
4.39 (112) |
4.67 (119) |
4.35 (110) |
4.90 (124) |
5.67 (144) |
5.01 (127) |
4.41 (112) |
3.29 (84) |
3.19 (81) |
3.36 (85) |
4.64 (118) |
52.53 (1,334) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 31.7 (81) |
30.7 (78) |
16.0 (41) |
4.0 (10) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.6 (6.6) |
6.2 (16) |
19.1 (49) |
110.4 (281.85) |
| Source 1: NOAA(Mc Henry 4.8 SSE Precip/Snowfall)[9][10] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (2007-2020 snowfall, records & monthly max/mins)[11] | |||||||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Maryland's Lakes and Reservoirs: FAQ". www.mgs.md.gov. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023.
- ^ Meyer, Eugene L. (September 14, 2007). "High-End Rustic on a Plateau in the Alleghenies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ^ "Deep Creek Lake NRMA". dnr.maryland.gov. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ Phillips, John (March 7, 2024). Ski & Snowboard America Mid-Atlantic, 2nd. Globe Pequot Press. ISBN 978-0-7627-0845-1. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ^ "Discover Deep Creek". Visit Maryland. Maryland. September 2020. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024.
Deep Creek is an outdoor adventurer's dream destination, no matter the season. In the summer, try fishing or boating on Deep Creek Lake. Come fall, experience the Autumn Glory Festival in Oakland. And in winter, there's no better place to hit the slopes than Wisp Resort in the four-season funzone of McHenry. An adventure-seeker's paradise with the culture and cuisine to rival any destination.
- ^ "Yough Dams". History of the Upper Yough. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ^ "The History of Deep Creek". Power Plant Research Program. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on May 14, 2001. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
- ^ "Maryland Fish Facts". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 4, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
- ^ "Sines Deep Creek, Maryland 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ "Mc Henry 4.8 SSE, Maryland 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ "xmACIS". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Deep Creek Lake.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Deep Creek Lake.
- Maryland Park Service Deep Creek Lake
- Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center
- Deep Creek Lake Chamber of Commerce
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Deep Creek Lake