Deep Creek Lake

Deep Creek Lake is an artificial 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 Show map of Maryland Deep Creek Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Garrett County, Maryland
Coordinates	39°30′34″N 79°23′28″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

The 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

Deep Creek Lake

Fish commonly caught by anglers include:^[8]

• largemouth bass
• smallmouth bass
• rock bass
• northern pike
• walleye
• yellow perch
• chain pickerel
• black crappie
• bluegill
• redear sunfish
• common carp
• shiners
• minnows

Climate

Deep 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

• Maryland portal

• Deep Creek Lake State Park