Environmental Finance Center, EPA Region 3, University of Maryland

Frederick County, Maryland



Location

Lake Linganore is located in southern Frederick County, Maryland, about 40 miles north of Washington, D.C.

Water Supply

Lake Linganore was constructed in 1971. The lake was never intended to be used as a drinking water reservoir – rather, its sole purpose was to be a recreational amenity for the private community of Eaglehead. However the City of Frederick relies almost exclusively on surface water from the Linganore Creek and Lake Linganore to meet water demand. Frederick City pulls between 7 – 7.7 million gallons per day from the system, providing 80% of the drinking water for the City’s citizens. Frederick County pulls approximately one million gallons per day from the system, which accounts for 19.5% of the water needs of the county’s citizens. Flow-by rates along the creek have always been a concern for both municipalities. The construction of the lake was seen as a way to stabilize, and increase, the amount of water flowing through the Linganore Creek Water Treatment Plant.

Source Water Assessment

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) was closely involved in the project and made the State’s assessment available to the group.

Local Team

  • Representatives from the three primary stakeholder groups: Frederick County, Frederick City, and the citizens of the Lake Linganore area, dominated the task force. In addition, there were members representing regional non-profits, farmers, NRCS, local landowners, and consulting agencies.
  • The plan will be presented to the County Commisioners in July 2004.


Priority Contamination Threats

Though the reservoir has stabilized flows to the treatment plant, sediment runoff is threatening the capacity of the lake. In addition, severe drought conditions have lead to very low water levels.

Protection Measures

Frederick’s source water protection plan includes a list of management measures for the community to implement in order to help protect the lake as a drinking water source. Since most of the sediment problem is coming from farms upstream of the lake, many of the recommendations of the task force deal with ways to manage erosion and runoff from agricultural land. They include:
  • Improved implementation of soil and water conservation plans.
  • Increased incentives for the installation of best management practices.
  • The targeting of fee-in-lieu funds to the Linganore watershed.
Others include:
  • Education of homeowners around the lake on protecting the lake as a drinking water source.
  • Tightening regulations on new development around the lake to reduce sediment runoff from construction.
 Environmental Finance Advisory Board
EPA Environmental Finance Program
EPA Region 6 Drinking Water Program