JENNINGS RANDOLPH LAKE, MD & WV U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BUILDING STRONG®
FACT SHEET as of February 1, 2021
AUTHORIZATION: The project was authorized by the Flood Control Act of October 23, 1962.
TYPE OF PROJECT: Flood Risk Management, Recreation, Water Supply and Environmental Stewardship
CONTRIBUTION TO CHESAPEAKE BAY: Contributes to Executive Order 13508 goals to protect habitat and water quality and expand public access.
CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST: Senators Van Hollen and Cardin (MD) and Manchin, III and Capito (WV), and Representatives Trone (MD-6) and McKinley (WV-1)
NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR: Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the Fairfax County Water Authority, and the District of Columbia.
BACKGROUND: Jennings Randolph Lake project, located in Garrett County, Maryland, and Mineral County, West Virginia, on the North Branch Potomac River, is 7.9 miles upstream from the mouth of Savage River at Bloomington, MD.
The dam is a rolled earth and rockfill structure rising 296 feet from the streambed and extending 2,130 feet across the valley. The project includes a rolled earth and rockfill dike 900 feet long on the left (north) bank, and a spillway with tainter gates along the ridge between the dike and the dam. Outlet works are provided in the right (south) abutment. The project was completed in 1981 and federal cost was $175,000,000 of which $57,100,000 was non-federal contributions.
The Corps operates and maintains six recreation areas at Jennings Randolph including a campground, two overlooks, a picnic area, a beach, and a boat launch. The Water Resources Development Act of 1988 added downstream recreation which included whitewater rafting. The Baltimore District conducts annual whitewater releases in the April-May time frame, if conditions permit. The Mineral County Park and Recreation Commission signed a lease for 12 acres to develop, operate, and maintain the whitewater/fishing access downstream of the dam near Barnum, West Virginia.
STATUS: The project is in the operations and maintenance phase. Since the dam was built, the total flood damages prevented through fiscal 2020 was $403,200,000. Recreation attendance in fiscal 2019 was 87,199 visitors.
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS – BALTIMORE DISTRICT 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201 http://www.nab.usace.army.mil
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BUDGET:
Federal Funds Data Total
Allocation for FY 20192 6,324,000 Allocation for FY 20202 4,382,000 President Budget FY 20211 2,395,000 Allocation for FY 20212 2,395,000 President Budget FY 20221 TBD
1 The President typically sends the budget to Congress in February each year. Upon release, budget amounts for the USACE Civil Works programs and specified projects are posted online at the HQUSACE website in a Program Budget Press Book at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Budget. 2 The allocation amount for a project is determined after enactment of the Energy and Water appropriations and release of the approved FY work plan.
SCHEDULE:
FY 2020 Completed Work:
In addition to normal project operation and maintenance, completed electrical system upgrades that support the tainter gates and replaced the concrete cap covers to the tainter gate trunnions. Initiated plans and specifications to upgrade the tainter gates’ structural and hydraulic systems.
FY 2021 Scheduled Work:
Normal operation and maintenance of the project will continue. Complete the design for the tainter gates’ structural and hydraulic systems.
For more information, contact Mr. Kenneth Fernandez: (304) 355-2346 or e-mail [email protected]. Also see this project’s related web page at https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dams-Recreation/Jennings-Randolph-Lake/
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS – BALTIMORE DISTRICT 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201 http://www.nab.usace.army.mil
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