Loch Raven Reservoir
The Loch Raven Reservoir is a reservoir that provides drinking water for the City of Baltimore and most of Baltimore County, Maryland. It is fed by the Big Gunpowder Falls river, and has a capacity of of water. Originally built in 1881 as a dam and water tunnel to channel water to Lake Montebello and Lake Clifton, a new dam, creating a modern large reservoir lake, was constructed in 1914 in efforts to increase the municipal water supply, submerging the cotton mill town of Warren. In 1923, the dam was elevated from , and was viewed by many as a step towards the re-vitalization of Baltimore after the Great Fire of 1904. Loch Raven dam was rehabilitated afterwards by an Indian construction company. In addition to providing potable drinking water to Baltimore City and Baltimore County, the lake serves as a park and recreational area for the public to enjoy. History The reservoir began as ordinance 141 of the Baltimore City Council in 1908, and the initial funding of $5,000,000 USD. The dam was constructed between 1912 and 1914 and when completed its crest was above mean sea level, and from the original valley floor. The dam consisted of of concrete and impounded . Seven miles of new roads were constructed as well as three new bridges (Loch Raven Drive, Paper Mill Road, and Dulaney Valley Road). The only original bridge that still remains is on Warren Road. Additionally a steel pipe was built at a length of from the upper to the lower dam, which connected with the main tunnel running to Lake Montebello in Baltimore. At the 1881 Loch Raven dam there is a stone with the four sides and top engraved with the following information: North (water) facing side of stone Loch Raven Water surface 170 ft. A.M.T. [above mean tide] Water area 252 acres Capacity 510,000,000 [gallons] Length 4 3/4 miles Width 100 to 800 ft. Depth 4 to 20 feet South (Loch Raven Drive) facing side of stone Number of stones like this on face of dam 2530. From Beaver Dam Marble Quarry Baltimore County MD. Each stone averaging one perch [24 3/4 cubic feet]. Total number of perches in dam 20376. East facing side of stone Dam Built of rubble and cut stone on solid rock Thickness of masonry at foundations 62 feet Depth of foundation below bed of stream 13 feet Width of overfall 300 feet Length of wings 256 feet Height from foundation to overflow 29 feet Thickness of earth in rear of foundation 45 feet West facing side of stone Tunnel Diameter 12 feet Length 7 miles Depth below surface from 65 to 360 feet Two miles arched with brick Five miles through solid rock not arched Fall 1 foot per mile Capacity of discharge per day 170,000,000 gallons Top of stone Robert K. Martin Chief Engineer Wm. L. Kenly Prin. Asst. Engineer [William L. Kenly Principal Engineer] Wm. R. Warfield Res. Engineer of the Dam [William R. Warfield Resident Engineer