On February 8th, 2025, Bob Hoffmann, DCWF President, Morgan France, DCWF Director of Projects, and David Myerberg, DCWF Prior President attended the Steering Committee meeting along with DCWF advisor, Molly Ramsey. Read the full article on Deep Creek Times.
Recently Brookfield Renewable Energy gave a presentation to the stakeholders that included a very informative sharing of the difficulties involved in managing the water levels in Deep Creek Lake.
The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation has been working since its creation to create a management tool to equitably allocate the use of the water in Deep Creek Lake to generate power. Brookfield’s success in managing the resource affects all stakeholders. The management must be carried out within the framework of the Water Appropriation Permit administered by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
The company is required to submit an annual report. For those with time on their hands, you can find the reports at: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/water_supply/pages/deepcreeklakeperiodicreports.aspx. The reports are complete and afford a wealth of data about the power generation operation.
Century Engineering from Baltimore completed the first Water Budget Model for the foundation in June of 2018. Because there was no record of watershed rainfall, no record of water levels, and no record of discharge until two months after the end of the calendar year, a traditional water budget model could not be constructed. They produced a bookkeeping scheme that used the water remaining above the Lower Rule Band on a particular day and subtracted the daily required releases going forward until that water was consumed. When a rainfall event occurs, the lake level goes up and the end of the water day moves forward in time. The foundation distributed that model to the power company.
Starting in 2018, the foundation set to work to provide the necessary data to complete a traditional water budget model. We worked with the United States Geologic Survey to augment the gauges in the watershed area that were in place.
The first one was a recording water level gauge for the lake. Lake management is predicated on the water level relative to the overflow weir at the power company dam, which is assumed to be at elevation 2462. The national level grid is about 1.8 feet different, so we asked USGS to record both datums in the data set. The significant advantage of using them is that the record is kept on the Internet and available to everyone. Given the difference between the elevation measured by survey methods and the staff gauge at the dam, the staff gauge is a single point of failure for managing lake levels according to the permit. The USGS gauge has records back to August 2020.
The foundation sponsored two additional rain measurements to augment the USGS rainfall records at North Glade Run, one at Cherry Creek and the other at Hoyes Run.
The USGS flow gauge on the Youghiogheny River immediately downriver from the power plant discharge has been operating since July 2011. The flow data shows the base flow of the river and the discharges from the power plant. A second USGS gauge was installed upstream at Swallow Falls to evaluate the base flow.
In May 2022, the foundation contacted CEC, a civil and environmental engineer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to complete the traditional water budget model. The fundamental idea of the water budget model is Water In – Water Out = Change in lake level. With the additional rainfall measurements, the record of water levels, and the record of discharge from the plant for the water year from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024, CEC can ascertain the dynamics of the fundamental idea. The goal is to create a model that considers past rainfall, current lake level, and future discharge to produce power per the permit.
Consider an old, clawfoot bathtub full of sand and gravel. Below the drain, attach a recording flow gauge. Water poured into the tub will flow out at a rate and duration based on the amount of water. A record of flow vs. time for one five-gallon bucket dose, a ten-gallon dose, and enough water added to reach the top of the tub plotted on a discharge vs. time graph would calibrate the tub and its contents to predict the rate water will come out of the drain.
The Deep Creek drainage area is like the bathtub. Water runs off, evaporates, and soaks into the ground when it rains. Twelve hours after a rain, all precipitation has run off into the lake or streams. The water that soaks into the ground flows by gravity. Consider the water level in a water supply well. That level is where the groundwater surface is. Most of the water supply wells around the lake have a level higher than the lake, and groundwater flows into the lake. All the lake’s water comes from direct rain, stream flow, or groundwater recharge. An analysis of precipitation records, lake levels, and lake discharges could model the recharge of the lake based on past rainfall.
To be useful to the power plant operator, CEC is creating an Operator User Interface (OUI). The OUI will consist of a computer program that operates behind the scenes to query the USGS websites to retrieve inputs on past rainfall, current water levels, and permitted requirements for discharge. The primary challenge is to model the recharge into the lake from groundwater. The engineer will use the USGS rainfall, flow and water level data collected from October 2023-September 2024 to create the water budget model recharge component.
The OUI works using the same bookkeeping technique as the original limited model. On a given day, the operator enters the date. The program returns the remaining days before the water level goes below the lower rule band. Given the advance notice of the limited water supply, The Maryland Department of the Environment and the plant operator could devise a plan to distribute the remaining available water among the stakeholders equitably.
The plan to deal with the water shortage will make it less of a problem for the various interests in the water in Deep Creek Lake if MDE and the power company put it in place before the need for it!
CEC has a year record and is preparing the OUI now.
There were ten more inches of rainfall this water year than last year. The reason for the apparent drought was the rainfall distribution. The graph and supporting data below show that the situation started to develop in April of 2024 when the precipitation fell off.
By April 2024, the watershed had received as much rainfall as it had by September of the previous year. The groundwater recharge relationship incorporated in the completed water budget model will allow the vagaries of rainfall to be accounted for by the mass balance of water in minus water out equals the change in water level. This approach allows the analysis to avoid needing to model such things as evaporation, transpiration, hydraulic transmissivity, etc.
The goal is to model how rainfall moves through the system to allow for a robust predictive model.
The rainfall distribution study for 2022-2023 vs. 2023-2024 at Deep Creek is below.
The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation received a grant from the Community Trust Foundation to help fund a free rain barrel distribution event in Garrett County. Through the generosity of community donors to the Foundation there are going to be one hundred free 50-gallon rain barrels given to participants. The only stipulation is that you attend a free class through University of Maryland Extension to learn more about maintaining and using the barrel. Classes are planned for late June.
A rain barrel is a container that is used to capture rainwater to help mitigate stormwater. The water can then be used for non-potable tasks such as washing vehicles or watering ornamental gardens/lawns. The goal is to slow down the water and let it soak into the ground after the rain event. If you are interested in earning a free rain barrel, please contact Ashley (email abachtel@umd.edu or call 301-334-6960) with University of Maryland Extension.
For more information on the benefits and approach for rain barrels, please click here to access our Rain Barrel Fact Sheet.
| Gauge build and Equipment Purchase | Annual Operation and Maintenance | Foundation Contribution | USGS Match | Total Cost | |
| Recording Lake Water Temperature Gauge at State Park | $1,200 | $3,050 | $4,250 | $0 | $4,250 |
| Recording Lake Water Level Gauge at State Park | $4,800 | $6,260 | $11,060 | $0 | $11,060 |
| Co-located Precipitation Gauge at Hoyes Run | $8,155 | $4,575 | $12,730 | $0 | $12,730 |
| Co-located Precipitation Gauge at Cherry Creek | $8,155 | $4,575 | $8,155 | $0 | $12,730 |
| Stream Gauge upstream of Brookfield Power in Youghiogheny River | $21,750 | $18,600 | $39,660 | $0 | $40,350 |
Data for Deep Creek Lake was extracted from the USGS websites for Deep Creek Lake levels, precipitation for North Glade Run, Cherry Creek, and Hoyes Run, and the flow in the Youghiogheny River at Hoyes Run.
The data was plotted using Excel and AutoCAD to draft all the parameters in the same drawing. When plotted on letter-sized sheets and assembled into one, the results are over eight feet long… So, the days are plotted individually and included as .pdf documents so that they can be accessed readily.
During periods of rainfall, the precipitation is immediately added to the water level. This is evident on the 10th and 15th of March. The stream flow in the Youghiogheny River reacts later due to the travel time. Incidentally, twelve hours after the end of a rainfall event all of the runoff has occurred. The remainder soaks into the ground and is taken up by evaporation and entering the groundwater table.
The discharge from the power plant is inferred by subtracting the baseflow from the river discharge. From the area under the plant discharge record above, the estimated base flow per unit time indicates the plant discharge. The time of discharge signature is more discrete.
The total estimated power plant discharges for the period total 2,943 Ac-Ft (One acre of water, one foot deep). Using the storage-vs-lake level derived from prior work by the Maryland Geologic Survey and power plant records, the net change in lake storage minus the discharge is 1,662 Ac-Ft. In other words, 2,943 Ac-Ft through the power plant plus the 1,662 Ac-Ft increase in lake level for the period is 4,605 Ac-Ft.
An average of 1.13 inches of water fell on the watershed during that period. Assuming a drainage area of 40,000 acres for the lake and assuming that all of the water entered the lake during the period, 3,767 Ac-Ft would have been added. Arithmetic indicates that at least a thousand acre-feet of more water came into the lake than went out. Note that the lake level on the 22nd was about 0.4 feet, or about 5 inches higher than at the beginning of the period, considering about one inch of rain on the watershed and close to three thousand acre-feet of power generation.
This brief analysis is similar to the work that our consultant CEC will perform over a much longer period of time to measure the influence of groundwater recharge and incorporate it into the completed water budget model.
Respectfully submitted,
Morgan C. France, PE(ret)
DEEP CREEK LAKE — Newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Josh Kurtz, visited Deep Creek Lake on July 26.
This visit included a boat tour of the lake and a buffet at Ace’s Run hosted jointly by the Deep Creek Lake Property Owners Association (POA) and the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation (DCWF).
The agenda of the visit included discussions of projects, plans, and current needs in the area. The success and benefits of past projects, the importance of the wellbeing of the lake and the importance of the relationship between the POA, DCWF, and the DNR were also discussed.
In attendance were State Senator Mike McKay, Garrett County Commissioners Paul Edwards, Ryan Savage, and Larry Tichnell, POA President Bob Sutton, DCWF President Bob Hoffmann, as well as lake and park managers and other POA and DCWF members.
Some of the topics discussed at lunch included the need for more manpower for lake management, park management, and NRP, future funding for the lake, and the successful relationship between DCWF, POA, and the DNR.
“It was a wonderful trip”, says Secretary Kurtz, “I think one thing that stood out to me was how well everybody in this room works together, and I think that’s a testament to the success you see on the lake, and the opportunities for us to continue to do more…I mean the number of people that are investing their money to make the lake better really stood out.”
Senator Mike McKay compared the relationship between the organizations to a three-legged stool.
“As much as we appreciate all the beauty here, it has to be properly managed…if one leg is longer than the others, we’ll fall off the stool so it’s a proper balance,” said McKay.
DCL POA President Bob Sutton said, “We all appreciated Mr. Kurtz taking a day to visit the lake and are looking forward to working with him and his staff in the future!”
On Saturday morning, October 1, 2022, The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation (DCWF) will be honored as the recipient for Garrett County of the 2021 William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award. This award will be presented to the DCWF by the State of Maryland’s Comptroller, Peter Franchot. More information about this annual award and program can be found at the link below:
https://www.marylandtaxes.gov/divisions/comp/peter-franchot.php#wds
The DCWF is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization formed in 2016 and designed to accept tax deductible donations and use those donations over time to support the implementation of the Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The WMP was created in a collaborative effort between citizens of Garrett County, Garrett County Government, and the Maryland State Department of Natural Resources. It was clear to some of those citizens who assisted in the development of the plan, that neither the State nor County would alone be able to fund the myriad of projects necessary to implement the plan. To address this fiscal reality, the DCWF uses a methodology of creating public/private partnerships to fund projects DCWF and the projects if has supported thus far as well as planned for the future can be found on our Projects Page
The DCWF has an all-volunteer Board of Directors as well as a very supportive group of Advisors and Volunteers who assist the board in a wide variety of ways.
Financial support is received from individual donors, event sponsors, and grants, nearly, all of which, is applied to projects. Individuals wishing to donate may go donate via PayPal or forward checks to:
The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation
P.O. Box 376 Oakland, Maryland 21550
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Arrowhead Cove in the site of a pilot dredging project in Deep Creek Lake. The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation is using this opportunity to conduct a biological and water quality survey of Arrowhead Run, a tributary to Deep Creek Lake.
The area of interest encompasses an approximately 0.4 mi. reach extending from a natural wetland at the upstream boundary to its confluence with Deep Creek Lake. Two in-stream 100-m sampling stations will be designated and georeferenced – (1) below outflow of wetland; and – (2) above confluence with Deep Creek Lake where stream channel is well-defined. At each site a water sample will be collected, fish community composition will be determined by electrofishing, and macroinvertebrate community sampled by kick or sweep netting. An in-stream habitat evaluation score will be determined at each sampling site. In addition, water samples will be collected above and below the wetland to determine its effect on downstream water quality, particularly nutrient and suspended solids loadings. A project summary will be prepared based on analyses described above that can serve as a baseline for future biomonitoring and bioassessment.
Water quality. On-site measurements of temperature (C), pH, specific conductance uS/cm2 will be taken at the time of biological sampling at Stations 1 and 2. A sample will be taken for analysis of total alkalinity (mg/l as CaCO3) in the laboratory at California University. Samples will also be collected above and below the wetland and transported to a certified laboratory (H&H Water Controls, Carmichaels, PA) for analyses of nitrates, phosphates, and total suspended solids (TSS).
Habitat. In-stream habitat quality will be scored and presented for Stations 1 and 2 employing the US EPA’s Rapid Bioassessment methodology (Barbour et al. 1999).
Fish. The fish community at each Station will be sampled over each 100 m reach by back-pack electrofishing. All collected individuals will be identified to species, enumerated, and released.
Macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrate sampling will be conducted at each Station by kick or sweep-netting according to substrate characteristics (Barbour et al. 1999). All organisms will be preserved in 70% isopropyl alcohol and transported to California University for processing. Organisms collected will be identified to the lowest practicable taxonomic level and enumerated.
Assessment Summary. The status of resident fish and macroinvertebrate communities are recognized indicators of stream health. Data from water quality and biotic analyses will be integrated into a comprehensive report on the condition of Arrowhead Run and provide a baseline for future biomonitoring and assessment.
The Foundation is negotiating with the University to have conduct this research to establish a base line for the stream. It is the Foundations wish to extend this work into all of the tributaries in the Deep Creek Watershed.
The Foundation will be pleased to accept donations for this effort. Go to the Donations page to do so.
DNR is continuing its boat-cleaning, warning and education programs to prevent the introduction of invasive organisms into Deep Creek Lake, and we are planning to expand our efforts to assist them.As the first step in this new campaign, we’ve produced a new brochure that will be distributed throughout the watershed area, warning boaters to “STOP AQUATIC HITCHHIKERS!”
By David Myerberg
(This document is a deep dive into the problem, the role and success of the Foundation in its most expensive project to date.)
Deep Creek Lake property owners, renters and others need an adequate depth of water in the lake for recreational purposes. Every year, in the fall through the winter, the Deep Creek Dam operator releases water to prevent ice from damaging the dam and eroding the shoreline. In the spring, the dam releases less water and natural runoff causes the water to rise to the limit of 2461 feet above sea level. The spring/summer recreational season runs from April to October.
The dam operator follows a permit, issued by Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) which specifies releases for hydroelectric generation, temperature enhancement for fish health in the Youghiogheny (at the warmest time of the year), white water boating opportunities in the Youghiogheny, and maintenance of minimum flows. The permit also defines an operating range for the lake’s water level, called the upper and lower rule bands. (See table, below.)
Some stakeholders are interested in releasing water from the dam and, of course, others are interested in keeping water in the lake to assure adequate depth for recreational boating.
The Dam Permit which governs water releases attempts to balance these competing interests. The permit is renewed every 12 years, but challenges to the permit can be submitted and addressed in the intervening years.
In 2010, lake residents experienced serious problems due to low seasonal precipitation and the fact that, during that season, the dam operator ran the lake levels near the lower rule band. This resulted in the water dropping below the lower rule band and led to both significant loss of dock usage, (especially in the shallow coves) and limitation of releases for whitewater runs in the Youghiogheny.
When the water level gets as low as the lower rule band, roughly two-thirds of the whitewater releases are suspended, leaving only the weekend releases. This substantially cuts into the whitewater businesses and activities which are headquartered in Friendsville, MD.
Another related issue occurs when the lake is left at a very high levels. At this time, there can be substantial erosion of the shore line in various areas. Barriers on the waterfront to prevent this erosion are limited. Traditionally, the cost of such barriers accrue to homeowners, despite the fact that the land on which such barriers are built is owned by the State. Although there is some movement by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and MDE to make permitting for walls and rip-rap somewhat less expensive, the cost to the average homeowner of doing this work is exorbitant. Furthermore, the effect of leaving the water level high through the season has not been studied in Deep Creek Lake.
Following 2011, the dam operator realized their mistake and kept the water levels near the upper rule band during the season. Erosion of the shoreline from boat wakes and weather induced waves was not studied prior to or during this time.
Some changes were made to the dam Permit on June 1, 2011, based on the problems with dock access and limitation of whitewater releases during the prior year, but, by no means did these changes address the potential of future problems with water allocation.
By the time the Foundation formed in 2016, through their work on the Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan, many on the Board and Advisors knew that neither MDE, who issues the permit, the Dam operator, the outfitters in Friendsville nor DNR/fisheries were agreeable to substantial future changes in the permit.
By funding pointed scientific study, the Foundation sought to help resolve the conflict among the stakeholders who use the lake water in very different ways.
Through a generous donation, the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation spent nearly $100,000 to address the issue of low water levels on Deep Creek Lake.
In 2007 and 2008, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and MDE had performed measurements of the depth of Deep Creek Lake along its entire 70-mile shoreline. This is called bathymetry analysis. In 2017-18, the Foundation hired an engineering firm to calculate the actual number of docks disabled by lowering water to certain levels from this bathymetry data.
The Foundation hired the same engineering firm to develop a Water Budget Model (WBM).[1] This was a “proof of principle prototype” that showed that one could predict when the water was going to approach the lower rule band and could adversely affect both whitewater activities and access to lake docks. If the water level drops close to the lower rule band, this WBM could warn the Dam operator to diminish releases and prevent a further drop in levels.
First, the Foundation prepared its campaign to change the permit more than a year before it was due for renewal. Second, the Foundation presented the WBM and the Bathymetric analysis to local legislators and governmental officers. This was well received. Third, the Foundation traveled to Baltimore to present the WBM and the Bathymetric Analysis to MDE, DNR and the Dam operator, to emphasize that the dam permit not only could be changed to the advantage of those who used the Lake’s water on its surface, but for those who use the water in the Youghiogheny River.
Fourth, Senator George Edwards arranged a meeting between the Foundation, the dam operator, MDE, DNR and representatives of the Governor’s office so the Foundation could present its grievances and solutions regarding the dam permit. Fifth, the Foundation (and representatives of the Property Owners Association and their lobbyist) met in Baltimore with John Grace, the point person at MDE for the permit renewal to further define the position of lakefront owners.
The studies enabled by the major donation allowed the Foundation to present irrefutable scientific evidence that if water levels were too low, a specific number of lakefront property owners were adversely affected. Likewise, the WBM was mathematically proven to be a method that would keep this from happening under most future scenarios. The Foundation was able to involve and convince local and State elected officials of these facts and to show the dam operator and MDE that there was some political will in Annapolis in support of needed changes in the permit and the permit process. All parties were involved and on-board early and helped to assure that the permit process in 2019 was going to be transparent and broad-based.
The 2019-2020 permit process was very different and much better than earlier permit stakeholder assemblies. The present Dam operator, Brookfield Renewable Power, funded three lunch meetings moderated by MDE for the stakeholders at WISP, in which Brookfield, lake stakeholders, whitewater interests and fisheries presented information. The Watershed Foundation’s President presented summaries of the Bathymetric and Water Budget Model studies. Question sessions were thorough. These meetings occurred from February through the fall of 2019 and a Comment Period occurred. A Public Hearing occurred by Zoom in October, 2020.
Following the Public Hearing, MDE issued the permit and a 36-page response to all formal comments/questions. John Grace told the Foundation’s President that when he started in this permit process at MDE, around 2000, there was no background material for him to read and no one who was unbiased to consult. The detailed process in 2019 enabled him to give comprehensive answers to every question raised by stakeholders which he hopes will provide a more complete background for future permit renewals.
In the 2020 Permit, the dam operator is required to adopt and use a predictive model [similar to the WBM] to keep track of the lake water levels through the recreational season. Likewise, the dam operator is required by tight specification to maintain the water level as close as possible to the upper rule band throughout the season.
Despite the fact that the POA and the Foundation felt that there needs to be a permit requirement for predicting potential breaches of the lower rule band and for taking specific corrective action using some kind of modified protocol, MDE would not go that far. We assume that they believe this would only happen in the worst drought conditions, which may be true.
First, the Foundation has funded a project by the USGS which installed a lake level meter. The Foundation has committed to continued funding of this meter so stakeholders (including the Foundation) can follow this important variable and will have accurate data for future study.[2] This tool also has a recording water temperature component paid for by the Foundation. This will be valuable to fishermen and to biologists interested in the semi-annual temperature inversion which is the exchange of bottom water and surface water due to warming and cooling of the surface.
Second, lakefront owners are concerned about erosion caused by maintaining the water level at high elevation through the season. Erosion is already addressed as a problem in the Foundation’s guiding document, the Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan. The accurate measure of water level funded by the Foundation will add another dimension to studies of lake shore erosion and the Foundation hopes to support the necessary studies to help bring this under control.
Third, if a protocol is developed by stakeholders and MDE that defines actions for allocation of lake water in the case of severe drought, the Foundation will help with these deliberations.
This chapter in the Foundation’s history shows what we can do with tax-deductible donations, thoughtful application of science and working in a sensible way with government and other stakeholders to the advantage of the lake and watershed.
The concept and development of the Water Budget Model was done in large part by Morgan France, now Director of Projects for the Foundation. The implementation of the permit requirements, and indeed the management of the water levels, are based on knowing what the water level is. That is not a simple measurement of water levels based on the current geodetic datum. The elevation of the water levels in the lake assumes that the overflow weir at the dam is at elevation 2462 in the permit, and in subsequent records. 2462 was the elevation that was determined at the time the dam was built. The difference between the lake datum (2462) and the current geodetic datum is about minus 1.8 feet. The current lake level gauge maintained by Brookfield is based on the 2462 datum. The readings from that gauge are available on the internet. However, this gauge is a “single point of failure” for the management process. The annual report for the preceding year is filed with MDE and available usually in February of the following year. The new recording lake level gauge sponsored by the foundation has daily real time lake level data retrievable back to August of 2020.
