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Author: DCWF

Predicting New Lake Water Levels

Predicting New Lake Water Levels

We paid about $70,000 to an engineering firm to develop a new method for predicting the water level of Deep Creek Lake.  Called the Water Budget Model (WBM), it will allow the Brookfield Renewable Power Company, which operates the dam on Deep Creek Lake, to time water releases from the dam in light of the anticipated water height in the lake.

The WBM created by the foundation is currently limited to predictions based on the water remaining in the pool above the lower rule band and the mandated releases from the dam. The forecast is limited to about thirty days. The current model is particularly useful during summer when the demand for water into and out of Deep Creek Lake. This project partially fulfills Goal 12 of the Watershed Management Plan.

Zebra Mussel Monitoring

Zebra Mussel Monitoring

We have joined with Brookfield Renewable Power, to help the Maryland Department of Natural Resources test the waters and habitats in Deep Creek Lake to see if there are any indications that the lake has been invaded by the terribly destructive Zebra Mussels, a species originally native to the lakes of southern Russia and Ukraine.  These mussels, which have invaded other lakes in the U.S., including rivers and lakes near us, are usually carried into lakes on the bottom of boats.  They have sharp shells that are a danger to swimmers who step on them, they clog hydroelectric dams, and they have a toxin that has killed thousands of birds.  The tests so far have yielded the good news that Deep Creek Lake shows no presence of Zebra Mussels, and we are keeping up the watch for these and other dangerous invaders.

Paul W. Weiler County Park

Paul W. Weiler County Park

The Foundation, in partnership with Garrett County Government, proposes to provide apicnic shelter to memorialize Paul’s contributions to the watershed. The project partially fulfills Goal 3 of the Watershed Management Plan.

PRESS RELEASE

DCWF Receives – 2021 William Donald Shaefer Helping People Award

On Saturday morning, October 1, 2022, The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation (DCWF) was honored as the recipient, for Garrett County, of the 2021 William Donald Shaefer Helping People Award. This award was presented to the DCWF by the State of Maryland’s Comptroller, Peter Franchot. More information about this annual award and program can be found here:
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 was created and uses a methodology of creating
public/private partnerships to fund projects.

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 can donate via PayPal or forward checks to:
The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation
P.O. Box 376, Oakland, Maryland 21550

Deep Creek Lake Tributary Bioassessment

Deep Creek Lake Tributary Bioassessment

During July 2022, a team from PennWest – California and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources conducted a synoptic bioassessment of 29 perennial Deep Creek Lake tributaries at sites selected by the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation. Most stations were established as close to the lake confluence as accessible. The team obtained water samples, assessed fish and macroinvertebrate communities, and performed habitat evaluations. Four stations exhibited flows too low to permit fish or macroinvertebrate collection. Here only water samples were taken.

Three stations were accessed via boat. Overall, results describe cool water streams that exhibit measurable total alkalinity and generally possess good chemical water quality. However, poor habitat, including siltation and embedded stream bottoms, resulted in low macroinvertebrate and fish abundance.

This study serves as a preliminary baseline against which future monitoring and mitigation efforts of Deep Creek Lake tributaries may be evaluated. This study aims to identify potential projects that the Foundation can undertake to preserve and protect the watershed. The contract amount for this work is $13,125. The project partially fulfills Goal 3 of the Watershed Management Plan. We are working with DNR to identify new projects from the collected data.

Do you have questions? Call or visit us.

(703) 975-8485

P.O. Box 376
Oakland, MD 21550

info@deepcreekwatershedfoundation.org

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