Jennings Randolph Lake

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 247
Elk Garden, WV 26717-0247
Phone: (304) 355-2346

Jennings Randolph Lake is a reservoir of 952 acres (3.85 km2) and is located on the North Branch Potomac River in Garrett County, Maryland and Mineral County, West Virginia approximately eight miles upstream of Bloomington, Maryland, and approximately five miles north of Elk Garden, West Virginia.

Construction and Management

The lake was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as authorized by the Flood Control Act of October 23, 1962 (Public Law 87-874) and is described in House Document No. 469, 87th United States Congress, second session. Construction of the lake was completed in 1981. Originally named Bloomington Lake, it was later renamed for West Virginia Senator Jennings Randolph. The lake, which serves as an emergency reservoir for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, is managed by the Corps of Engineers. Coordination of the lake's use for water supply purposes is managed by the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB).

A proposal has been filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by Fairlawn Hydroelectric Company to construct a 10.5 MW hydroelectric facility at the dam. If approved, construction could occur as early as 2012.

Recreational Facilities