Prettyboy Reservoir

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Prettyboy Reservoir
Prettyboy Reservoir - The Prettyboy Reservoir
The Prettyboy Reservoir
Location Baltimore County, Maryland
Lake type reservoir
Basin countries United States
Surface area 206.5 km²
Water volume 19 billion gallons

Prettyboy Reservoir occupies 206.5 sq/km of northern Baltimore County, Maryland, also known as the Hereford Zone. The reservoir is one of three reservoirs created to supply the Metropolitan Baltimore municipal water system. Prettyboy Reservoir, along with Loch Raven Reservoir that is downstream on the Gunpowder Falls, provide about 61% of the drinking water for the entire Baltimore Metropolitan system. For this reason, the Prettyboy is considered a “source water” or drinking water watershed. The reservoir on average contains about 19 billion gallons of water.

The water from Prettyboy Reservoir is transferred to Loch Raven Reservoir via Gunpowder Falls rather than directly to Baltimore. It is then transferred via tunnel from Loch Raven to the Montebello Filtration Plants in Baltimore for treatment and distribution. Prettyboy Dam, completed in 1932, impounds the Gunpowder Falls to create the Reservoir. The dam has a spillway crest elevation of 520 ft of MSL and covers about 1,500 acres.

Prettyboy Dam
Prettyboy Dam

Prettyboy Reservoir sits behind the scenic Prettyboy Dam on the Gunpowder River. Popular for hiking, mountain biking and fishing, Prettyboy makes a fun weekend adventure only minutes up Interstate 83 from Baltimore City. Prettyboy is also popular for swimming, which is prohibited. Sport bike riders and sports car enthusiasts also flock to the roads in the parklands that surround the reservoir.



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